[Dixielandjazz] Jazz Insularity

[Bill Gunter]

Listmates,

We're still outside the envelope on this xenophobia thing. The relationship 
to OKOM is pretty tenuous and I'm sure that Papa Ringwald is gonna descend 
on us pretty heavily if it continues too long.

Having said that, I gotta ask the question . . .

Is America more insular than say England? France, Iran, Russia, etc.? 
Indeed, can anyone name a country which can be legimately described as less 
insular than the U.S.?

Xenophobia an American trait? . . . pfah! Rubbish! It's a WORLD trait!

Now, having said that, I gotta state something expository . . .

The thing about American jazz is that it's really an amalgam of many 
cultures in, dare I say it, this MELTING POT called America. How can "jazz" 
be mentioned in the same paragraph as "insularity"? One of the reasons jazz 
was able to spread around the world as quickly as it did was because the 
language is universal! That's why!

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com






>From: "James Kashishian" <kash at ran.es>
>To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz Insularity
>Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 17:02:41 +0100
>
>
>
> >So, Tom, all of this to acknowledge your concern at our insularity and
>to try and explain it. 
> >Jim Beebe
>
>Jim, the thought on our fathers or grandfathers having gone to America &
>actually trying to forget where they came from reminds me of my Armenian
>grandparents who never, ever said boo to me about the "old country"
>after having lived through the 1915 Turkish massacre.  They were
>Americans who happened to have a funny accent, that's all.
>
>Another point to make as to why America is insular is the fact that, at
>least in the past, the country was pretty much self sufficient.  The
>need of the rest of the world wasn't as important as it is today.  We
>grew up in that atmosphere.
>
>  I remember sitting in school ignoring the geography teacher.  I had
>never been further from home than an 8 hr drive, so why did I care about
>the rest of the world.  Now look at me sitting in Madrid!
>
>Travelling is the key to the breakdown of those attitudes.  Even better,
>actually living abroad, not in some enclave of your own type, but really
>being part of the society.  Opens your eyes, gives you new opinions.
>
>I try not to be close minded, incorporating many different styles into
>my life and music.  Wanna hear a Dixie version of Las Ketchup hit?
>:>
>
>Jim
>
>
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