Many of the great names in the jazz world had lives blighted by mental illness, abuse, and drugs, say researchers. They say that the artistic creativity associated with maestros such as Miles Davis may go hand in hand with an increased risk of mental problems.
Dr Geoffrey Wills, a psychologist from Stockport, Greater Manchester, looked at the biographies of 40 world-renowned musicians.
He found that those he studied appeared eight times more likely to have suffered from drug dependency.
Dr Wills also found that mood disorders appeared to be four times more likely among this group of jazz greats.
The psychologist said that he was not trying to imply that all jazz musicians had such problems, but that they shared the same vulnerability to mental health problems as other creative types such as writers and artists.
Golden age
Dr Wills focused on what is described as the "golden era" for US modern jazz between 1945 and 1960.
He found that of 40 musicians studied, four had family histories of psychiatric disorders.
For example, saxophonist Art Pepper's parents suffered alcohol-related problems, and Stan Getz's mother suffered from depression.
I am not trying to say that all jazz musicians are crazy, but I have highlighted a trend in mental health problems that is comparable to other creative people
Dr Geoffrey Wills, study author Drug addiction was also common - more than half of the 40 were described as addicted to heroin at some point in their lives.
Miles Davis, Art Pepper and Bill Evans all developed a powerful cocaine habit, said Dr Wills.
However, he noted that heroin use was widespread among jazz musicians at the time as a vast supply of the drug was targeted at black urban neighbourhoods.
He said: "Modern jazz was a revolutionary music that was rejected by the general public, and heroin, like the music, was defiantly anti-establishment."
Mental illness
In addition, 11 of the musicians were reportedly dependent on alcohol and six had suffered some form of abuse.
There was a disproportionately high number of suicides within the group, and mood disorders were rife.
Pianist Bud Powell was admitted several times to psychiatric hospitals and diagnosed with schizophrenia - and Miles Davis reportedly suffered paranoid delusions and hallucinations.
Art Pepper, again, suffered from obsessive-compulsive handwashing rituals and a phobia about the sight of blood and answering the telephone.
Dr Wills said: "I am not trying to say that all jazz musicians are crazy, but I have highlighted a trend in mental health problems that is comparable to other creative people."
The research was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
― Winston Bray, Tuesday, 2 September 2003 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)
The mental health problems of one musician could have led to the creation of jazz. Without his schizophrenia, Charles "Buddy" Bolden - the man credited by some with starting off the jazz movement - might never have started improvisation, psychiatrists have heard.
And without this style change, music might never have evolved from ragtime into the jazz movement we know today.
Professor Dr Sean Spence, of the department of psychiatry at the University of Sheffield, was speaking to representatives at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' annual conference.
He said jazz music arose from the attempts of a cognitively impaired performer to execute novel performances.
If we had not had this improvised music then it would just have continued as ragtime Dr Sean Spence
He said that Bolden's mental health problems meant his motor functions were impaired.
Bolden could not read music and the only way he was able to play his cornet was by improvising.
Dr Spence said: "It may be that he had to improvise because he could not play tunes in a useful way.
"He could not read music and he had to make up things as he went on.
"If we had not had this improvised music then it would just have continued as ragtime."
Dr Spence said that Bolden was diagnosed as suffering from "dementia praecox", which later became known as schizophrenia.
Ragtime to jazz
Although no recordings of his music survive, Bolden is widely considered to have started the jazz movement, which was officially recognised in 1917.
Bolden was famous for his big bold cornet sound and although his music had a solid blues form it was closer to ragtime than to jazz.
He lived and played at the beginning of the twentieth century, leading a band that was most successful between 1900 and 1906.
Bolden's playing style was extremely popular. At one point he played with eight bands at one time.
But by 1906 Bolden's mental health had started to deteriorate and the next year, after attacking his mother and mother-in-law in the street, he was committed to a mental hospital outside New Orleans.
Bolden remained in the mental hospital until his death 24 years later.
Pete King, the co-founder of the Ronnie Scott's club, said; "Bolden might have had schizophrenia, but that doesn't take away from his incredible talent."
― Winston Bray, Tuesday, 2 September 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)
That said, the really great jazz musicians I have met have definitely been some interesting people.
― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)
― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)
― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)
― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)
― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)
― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)
― Liam, Tuesday, 2 September 2003 20:45 (twenty-two years ago)
No more than any other creative art, surely?
― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)
Yeah, ain't that the truf!No, seriously.
As per the thread question, I don't believe that singling out jazz musicians makes any sense in this context, either. Damn bloody obvious, really.
― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 21:07 (twenty-two years ago)
Syd BarretBrian WilsonKeith MoonArthur LeeKurt CobainIan CurtisJim Morrison
even Robert Schumann....
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 2 September 2003 21:48 (twenty-two years ago)
― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 2 September 2003 21:54 (twenty-two years ago)
― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 21:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 22:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― Billy N, Wednesday, 3 September 2003 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)
PR Advice: get a half-dozen "psychotic break" incidents in there -- you'll thank me later.
― Dock Miles (Dock Miles), Wednesday, 3 September 2003 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)
I would say no, not when it's what you do all the time. Writing material that stands up every time is just as strenuous in its own way, I think it can be relaxing to play jazz and have everything be of the moment.
― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 5 September 2003 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)