EATING TO JAZZ

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 154, 27 December 1924, Page 13

EATING TO JAZZ

MUSIC IN RESTAURANTS.

I fear jazz has come to stay, writes Sir Landon Ronald in the "Weekly Despatch." It.has teen well" tried'arid not found wanting by the majority. Indeed, it has become' so popular that a number of people have great difficulty in finding a restaurant whera meals can be eaten without ths 'disadvantage of a depressing saxophone and other weird and noisy instruments. Smaller restaurants, where there are no jazz bands, and to which the lover of a quiet meal will turn, are run comparatively cheaply to meet the needs of those who are far from rich. The somewhat exclusive establishments either have no orchestra at all or else have bands which provide selections that appeal, in a certain degree, to the musician and the unmusical man alike.

The man who wants to eat'at a restaurant without the Btrains of fox-trots has, therefore, either to go to.the cheap or the very expensive restaurants. The happy medium restaurant, where prices are between those of the cheap and dear establishments, is where jazz is allowed to have its full swing. The unfortunate person who, like myself, detests jazz music, and who, because of his position or type of invitation, is compelled to lunch or dine at a jazz restaurant, cannot, I am sure, enjoy his food. II conversation is attempted he is forced to .shout at his companion in order to be heard, and unless he is careful, he finds himself shouting when the orchestra' stops. Ido not attack jazz where dancing is concerned, because I feel that, there is something—the lilt, maybe —which helps to make dancing enjoyable. lam not a dancer, and therefore not in a position to say whether jazz ia a good thing or not from a dancing point of view. A short time ago I.lunched at a very good restaurant which boasts a jazz orchestra, but, strange to say, while I was there I heard no fox-trots, but really good renderings ;of good music. 1 was surpneed that no notice was taken of the band until they played the "Liebestod from "Tristan/ when all those' launching applauded the leader. But I would much rather go to a restaurant where there is no orchestra, jazz or otherwise. You cannot do two things at the same time when listening to good music ie one of them. Again, look at people eating in a restaurant to the tune of a jazz orchestra They masticate' v fast a S the band plays, their jaws keepjp.R time with the music. How ridicu-

Another innovation which to me appears to be an unfortunate one is the «nging_of choruses by some of the jazz How n3" 3, r US° tf'e term reservedly, the a £o°m n CnjOy their meals t° passes my comprehension. • '