[Dixielandjazz] Re: Marsalis was Another NY TIMES Jazz Review

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

So what - It's time to get over who invented what.  They are all dead.  Not
everyone liked Mozart in his lifetime either.  I think that Black musicians
have a great musical heritage, however, without the white musicians such as
Paul Whiteman and a lot of black ones too imitating the style and making it
grow it would have been a musical evolutionary dead end and simply would
have died or been a minor musical niche.

Everyone wants to take credit now that the kid (jazz) has grown up and made
something of himself.  As I see it there is little difference in a note or a
whole tune no matter who produces it if I like it and want to imitate it.

When I was a kid someone told me that the black would rub off on me if I
touched a black person.  Little did they know how much would rub off when I
listened to their music And I'm glad it did.

The Black experience has been one of seeking freedom, originally from white
masters but that search for freedom has affected us too.  You can't tell me
that any of you don't feel tremendous freedom of spirit and creativity when
you are playing a jazz solo.  That's been the gift to us, the white
musician, from the black  The Jazz experience has been a partnership and I
think "we" own it now.  Enjoy it.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 3:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Marsalis was Another NY TIMES Jazz Review


> In a message dated 10/31/04 12:09:03 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> jazz_trombone at axint.net writes:
>
> >
> > He actually believes first and foremost that it parallels the "black"
> > experience. Jazz was not really universally considered "American" until
> > more and more white musicians became involved. Those are Wynton's words
> > not mine that he made on a documentary.
> >
>
> No question about it.  And if Wynton said it why do we keep bringing up
the B&
> W issue on this list every time Wynton gets some Press or media coverage
The
> old Jazz Jealousy button gets pushed once more.  It would probably not
make
> any difference if he was Jewish, or Polish, or German, or ALL French he
would be
> despised and ridiculed by someone who could not or would not go out and do
> what he has done.  He must be a musical sell out because he went
commercial and
> sold out the music and made a fortune instead of staying in New Orleans
> playing till his teeth fall out at Preservation Hall.
>
> It is simply unthinkable that he would dare to mention or play New Orleans
> Traditional Jazz in Lincoln Center he is unqualified, at least in the eyes
of
> some.  Perhaps he should be replaced by Kenny G.  who would certainly open
up
> the avenues for Traditional Jazz by releasing a new CD entitled "Kenny &
Louis
> together Again".  :))
>
> At that time Black Americans were less than 10% of the American
Population,
> and had little or no radio airplay of their RACE music.  So naturally when
> White musicians in far greater numbers and establishments in which to play
it
> embraced it, it took off as a popular music genre and has grown and
branched out
> into many off shoot styles ever since.
>
> So I suppose one could surmise that if it had not been for a few brave
White
> musicians going into the Black juke joints and getting exposed to the
sounds
> we might never have seen Jazz grow.
>
> The same could be said for Country and Western and Rock and Roll, thanks
to
> guys like Hank Williams Sr., Elvis Presley who dared to cross the color
lines
> and listen and embrace the new rhythms and sounds which came from the
Black
> neighborhoods.
>
> This information is readily available in History books why is it so hard
to
> understand and believe by so many Dixieland Musicians and aficionados, it
> happened that way, it's time to accept the facts and get over it.  ODJB &
Bix
> Simply DID NOT INVENT JAZZ and no matter how much some want it to be true
it ain't.
>  But most important is Who really Cares, just be grateful that somebody
did
> and others chose to play it and expand it and make it popular to the
masses.
> If more of us did the same we might not have so much time to bitch and
moan
> about nothing much happening with OKOM.
>
> The Union sold the old Big Yellow Gig Bus years ago, so it ain't gonna
stop
> out in front of your house to take you to a gig.  I would love to click on
my
> mail just once and read a 100 posts announcing that 100 bands got a Monday
> night gig, then a Tuesday Night gig and Wednesday and so on.  Go out and
make
> them, but you have to sell the place on the idea that if you work together
you can
> benefit their business and justify the money you want to make for doing
it.
> Don't just go get permission to play, once you have it go get a newspaper
> article about it, get your band name posted on every entertainment listing
website
> within at least fifty miles of where you live.  Blues bands do this and
many
> are playing every night of the week promoting themselves and getting
bigger
> and better bookings and higher and higher cover charges to hear them.
>
> Whether we like it or not folks Running a band and playing music is Work
and
> a Hard Job, more of us should simply not be so lazy and go make it happen
and
> enjoy the success that comes with it.
>
> We have a crisis of leadership in this country.  Where are the
Washingtons,
> the Jeffersons, and the Jacksons?  I'll tell you where they are--they are
> playing professional football and basketball and Rhythm & Blues Music.
:))
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Wiggins
> _______________________________________________
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz