Gary's inability to tolerate certain kinds of music... Thankfully I can listen profitably to any music derived from African traditions (african / afro-carribean / afro-cuban); almost any kind of Western pop or rock, including drum 'n' bass, hip hop, r & b. Any music in the European classical tradtion (except Gilbert and Sullivan). Flamenco or cante jondo.

I have a hard time with "Celtic music," and with fake "folk music" in the Woody Guthrie tradition. I like blue grass and can tolerate most country music in small doses. I despise "singer songwriters," as a general category. That an American poet not like jazz seems oddly discordant to me. Perhaps the key phrase in Gary's comments is that he "o.ded on jazz." That's quite different from someone who never listened to it in the first place. Maybe his mistake was studying music composition!!