x9200 wrote:How about Jazz? I can see similarities with P-R (improvisation i.e). Why is it still around?
Well this has some points - improvisation, composition, and audience.
For improvisation, I don't feel there is much improvisation in Prog outside of instrumental solos, which mainstream Rock has as well, just shorter. Whereas Jazz generally exploits the basic framework of the song in order to showcase solos and improvisation over the tonal structure.
Compositionally Prog and Jazz and Fusion share much more flexible and/or complex structures than mainstream Rock, and therefore have more constraints on radio airplay.
The difference is Jazz is, right or wrong, more
highly-regarded* therefore has more leeway as people expect this and are not marketed or promoted in the same way as is Rock (which in many of its many forms, is essentially Pop music).
*for example, many people who don't know Jazz (or Classical) feel inadequate about it among those who do, and are more receptive to is because of the respect those in the know have for it, whereas Prog comes off like college student music.
I remember a girl I was dating in NYC wanted to go to a Jazz show, so I took her to see Tony Williams in a small jazz venue where we were 5 meters away from the band. The band were amazing, and while Tony had me on the edge of my seat his drumming was so lyrical, she was nodding off to sleep.
Audience is the challenge for Prog, as it sits between things like mainstream Rock, Jazz and Fusion, and right or wrong, Prog is more closely associated with Rock, and therefore may not be accepted by some Rock proponents, and for the same reason, is generally shunned by Jazz and Fusion aficionados.
There will always be a place for Jazz and Classical, whereas Fusion tends to wax and wane. Fusion was huge in the late 70s and early 80s with the likes of Return To Forever, Weather Report, Spirogyra, and others, but this kinda fell out of favor in the 90s.
As far as Prog not still being around, it really is.
Just like the Longboard surfing style of the 60s made a huge comeback in the 90s after becoming uncool during the shortboard revolution of the 70s and 80s, Prog reemerged as the Neo Prog movement, which is pretty big and widely accepted. Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, Porcupine Tree, The Tangent, The Flower Kings, Arena, IQ (who were basically around the whole time) are just some of the many who are currently thriving in that genre.