Is "lyrical" an overused term?

[edsel00]

Hi SOTWers,

I am relatively new to listening to and playing jazz, and certainly reasonably new at voraciously reading about jazz.

My relatively novice experience reading (mostly contemporary) reviews of (mostly 50s/60s) jazz albums (including a lot of amateur reviews like amazon.com customer reviews), leads me to question whether the terms "lyrical" and "lyricism" really have any meaning when describing professional jazz tenor sax playing, or whether, perhaps, they're just massively overused terms rendered meaningless by their ubiquity.

What I mean is, it seems like every player I read about is said to be a "lyrical" saxophonist. I guess, maybe they all are. Maybe, in other words, you really don't become a John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins or even a lesser known great like a Joe McPhee or Tina Brooks with being a lyrical player. But if they're all lyrical, why even say it?

One of the definitions of "lyrical" on dictionary.com defines it as "characterized by or expressing spontaneous, direct feeling."

I suppose that it makes sense that, if you're gonna get paid to play tenor sax for a living, you better be able to do that, and some do it better than others, but still...

agree? disagree? help me out here!

-ed

[Kubalivre]

That's jazz criticism for you. Most of it is horrid.

[Mal 2]

One of the definitions of "lyrical" on dictionary.com defines it as "characterized by or expressing spontaneous, direct feeling."

I think the meaning of the word as used in reviews is that a lyrical player is one who reminds you of singing, and not so much of someone playing an instrument.

[jrvinson45]

One of the definitions of "lyrical" on dictionary.com defines it as "characterized by or expressing spontaneous, direct feeling."

I think the meaning of the word as used in reviews is that a lyrical player is one who reminds you of singing, and not so much of someone playing an instrument.

+1 Lyrical, as opposed to "mechanical," or "technical."

If it's used to describe lyrical players, it's not overused. If it's used to describe all players, it probably is overused. I'm not afraid to use it... there don't seem to be as many lyrical players anymore.

[CooolJazzz]

In the sense that you're talking about, I do think the word "lyrical" is probably overused...mostly by reviewers who use a lot of the same key words and catch phrases over and over again rather than coming up with anything truly original, pertinent, or intellectually meaningful to say....much like wine critics who say things like..."Fruity...yet Flaccid".

[Mal 2]

In the sense that you're talking about, I do think the word "lyrical" is probably overused...mostly by reviewers who use a lot of the same key words and catch phrases over and over again rather than coming up with anything truly original, pertinent, or intellectually meaningful to say....much like wine critics who say things like..."Fruity...yet Flaccid".

I believe that is how wine critics review EACH OTHER. :shock:

[gary]

When I think of/use the word "lyrical" I think of pure, expressive melody. Beauty. There are so many players who play lyrically, perhaps that word is used more often than certain others, but if that's the most descriptive, I could hardly call it "overused" in the sense that it is used too much. What do you suggest as an alternative? If a ton of players are lyrical, in the words of my practical German wife, "that's just the way it is". :D

Going a little further, though, that word is also in the eye of the beholder. To me, Anton Webern wrote some beautiful, lyrical music. Others might listen to the same thing and find it disturbing.

[jaysne]

I've been playing for over 30 years and I still don't know what that word means.

I have a feeling many people who use it don't know, either!