Sitting in the second-tier

In this Greg Osby starts out on a tired subject, but throws a nice spanner in the works.

Everyone wants to write their own new music and be responsible for the development of something that's completely devoid of any kind of historical references. . . . You hear players, they're proficient, they have great technique, great facility, great sounds, but they lack the depth of someone who has — I hate to use the term ‘paid their dues' but they really haven't. They've paid academic dues, but they haven't paid homage dues, they haven't paid road dues, they haven't paid acknowledgment dues. Acknowledgement of great players. And by great players I don't mean the top 10 great players — the Coltranes, the Parkers, the Monks, the Rollinses, the Wayne Shorters. I'm talking about the periphery cats — the cats that these people admired and in many respects were just as deep: the Eddie Lockjaw Davises, the Eddie Harrises, the Sonny Stitts, the Booker Littles, the Herbie Nicholses. These people were incredible theoreticians and conceptualists and they just didn't get the break. This is every one's obligation who participates in this music — they're obligated to study to the Nth degree every facet of what went into the development of this great music.

Anything that goes against the Succession of Great Men view of musical history is fine with me.