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Drivetime - January 20th, 2012
Friday, 20 January 2012
, ora 10.35
B.A.M. vs. Jazz
One of the controversies that appeared in the USA jazz industry at the end of the past century and continues into 2012 revolves around the notion of jazz. What everything started from is to be found in an article published a few days ago in 'Philly Post', a publication in Philadelphia. In a world marked by political correctness, the author of the article, Victor Fiorillo, announced that two months ago some African-American musicians expressed their desire that jazz should from now on bear the name of 'Black American Music', in short B.A.M. There was even a conference on this subject organised in a New York club, where certain musicians expressed their discontent as to the notion of 'jazz': they consider the term to be 'old' and 'racist', which has presumably caused black audiences to have grown apart from jazz music. 'Jazz is a lie, the word has negative connotations, which bring limited audiences.' However, not all the representatives of the genre share the same view. An (African-American!) veteran of jazz believes that the future of his music should be the result of an open dialogue and stands against the personality cult and the political identity that some musicians are trying to build with their careers.
A new edition of the Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica
This year's edition of the Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica is about to open: on January 26th the Greenfield stadium in Trelawny, a city in North-West Jamaica, will host a three-day series of concerts - no less than 25 - performed by internationally famous artists as well as young Jamaica talents. Some of the names that have performed at previous editions of the festival are George Benson, Eric Benet, Al Jarreau or Erikah Badu - the talented yet eccentric American jazz and soul singer often compared to Billie Holiday, who launched a total of six albums between 1997 and 2010. Being aware that the American musical industry needs her, as 'nobody ventures to do something completely different', Erikah Badu - who is starting a new tour in Dallas, Texas today - has confessed that her music is to a great extent the result of the talent she has been endowed with: 'I have done this all my life without any effort. I like it, I enjoy it and I live for music.'
After a few editions which took place in October and November - when the rainy tropical climate of Jamaica caused the organisers quite a few unpleasant surprises, they decided in 1999 that the festival should happen in January, when the weather is milder and more suitable for outdoor concerts. Among the names listed on this year's poster of the Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica is that of guitarist Earl Klugh - a musician considered to be a jazz legend, whose career spans over more than three decades. With a discography that counts 38 albums - including studio recordings, live concerts or film soundtracks, Klough has been nominated for the Grammy Awards no less than 12 times until now. The latest record of this musician born on September 16th 1953, entitled Naked Guitar appeared in 2005 and is a very successful combination of jazz fusion and crossover jazz.
Music without borders
Music is a lot like weather: in the same way that rain cannot be prevented from falling in different corners of the world, a musician cannot be prevented from searching outside the borders of their country. At least that is the opinion of the members of the New York Gipsy All Stars - a band formed in New York, which however brings together musicians from Greece, Macedonia, or even Turkey. The clarinet, the bass guitar, keyboards and percussion instruments are always present in a jazz band, but few bands can boast the instrument called qanun - encountered in the musical tradition of countries like Persia, Armenia, Greece and Azerbaijan. Each member of the New York Gipsy All Stars quintet - which will concert on Friday, January 20th, 2012 in the Drom club in New York - has contributed the typical characteristics of their country to the band's music, hence the band's exoticism and originality. As we listen to their music, do we really need to look at its appropriate politically correct place?
One of the controversies that appeared in the USA jazz industry at the end of the past century and continues into 2012 revolves around the notion of jazz. What everything started from is to be found in an article published a few days ago in 'Philly Post', a publication in Philadelphia. In a world marked by political correctness, the author of the article, Victor Fiorillo, announced that two months ago some African-American musicians expressed their desire that jazz should from now on bear the name of 'Black American Music', in short B.A.M. There was even a conference on this subject organised in a New York club, where certain musicians expressed their discontent as to the notion of 'jazz': they consider the term to be 'old' and 'racist', which has presumably caused black audiences to have grown apart from jazz music. 'Jazz is a lie, the word has negative connotations, which bring limited audiences.' However, not all the representatives of the genre share the same view. An (African-American!) veteran of jazz believes that the future of his music should be the result of an open dialogue and stands against the personality cult and the political identity that some musicians are trying to build with their careers.
A new edition of the Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica
This year's edition of the Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica is about to open: on January 26th the Greenfield stadium in Trelawny, a city in North-West Jamaica, will host a three-day series of concerts - no less than 25 - performed by internationally famous artists as well as young Jamaica talents. Some of the names that have performed at previous editions of the festival are George Benson, Eric Benet, Al Jarreau or Erikah Badu - the talented yet eccentric American jazz and soul singer often compared to Billie Holiday, who launched a total of six albums between 1997 and 2010. Being aware that the American musical industry needs her, as 'nobody ventures to do something completely different', Erikah Badu - who is starting a new tour in Dallas, Texas today - has confessed that her music is to a great extent the result of the talent she has been endowed with: 'I have done this all my life without any effort. I like it, I enjoy it and I live for music.'
After a few editions which took place in October and November - when the rainy tropical climate of Jamaica caused the organisers quite a few unpleasant surprises, they decided in 1999 that the festival should happen in January, when the weather is milder and more suitable for outdoor concerts. Among the names listed on this year's poster of the Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica is that of guitarist Earl Klugh - a musician considered to be a jazz legend, whose career spans over more than three decades. With a discography that counts 38 albums - including studio recordings, live concerts or film soundtracks, Klough has been nominated for the Grammy Awards no less than 12 times until now. The latest record of this musician born on September 16th 1953, entitled Naked Guitar appeared in 2005 and is a very successful combination of jazz fusion and crossover jazz.
Music without borders
Music is a lot like weather: in the same way that rain cannot be prevented from falling in different corners of the world, a musician cannot be prevented from searching outside the borders of their country. At least that is the opinion of the members of the New York Gipsy All Stars - a band formed in New York, which however brings together musicians from Greece, Macedonia, or even Turkey. The clarinet, the bass guitar, keyboards and percussion instruments are always present in a jazz band, but few bands can boast the instrument called qanun - encountered in the musical tradition of countries like Persia, Armenia, Greece and Azerbaijan. Each member of the New York Gipsy All Stars quintet - which will concert on Friday, January 20th, 2012 in the Drom club in New York - has contributed the typical characteristics of their country to the band's music, hence the band's exoticism and originality. As we listen to their music, do we really need to look at its appropriate politically correct place?
Alexandra Cebuc
Translated by Roxana-Andreea Dragu
MTTLC, Bucharest University
Translated by Roxana-Andreea Dragu
MTTLC, Bucharest University
