Yeah, that seems to be the sad reality of it all. I think swing saw a short boost in popularity with Big Bad Voodoo daddy, and ska has done something for instrumental music, but yeah, for the most part what you say seems to be the case. That is the problem: Image IS everything in music these days. That's why teens go gaga over groups like Britney Spears or Nick Lachey or whoever they like these days. I don't really know anymore. All I know is that it's some prostitute bouncing around in front of a synthetic, soulless drum machine/beat box using cheap lyrics that some fifteen year-old probably wrote on the back of her homework.
And whatever happened to their being interpretation through the music? Oh, that's right...television and movies removed what little imagination we had left. So now, we can't interpret music unless there's words there. Bah...now, I'm ranting. I'll stop.
As for stuff with Monk, Bird, and their ilk...hmm...I really don't know. I've never really considered those guys classical, not to the point that I would guys like W.C. Handy, Glen Miller, or Ellington classical. Most of the jazz these days seems to be in the realm of Smooth Jazz. I think that's part of the problem, too. Jazz itself isn't doing much for its image. I think there needs to be more performers like Bird, Trane, Davis, and Dizzy to bring Jazz back to its wilder, rebellious roots. But unfortunately, for most of the folks out there, listening to music of that complexity might make their heads explode.
