How do we perserve the value of jazz and what role do musicians especially black play?

by Curtis Faulkner

Dec 31, 2008

I think that most all who enjoy the artistry presented in jazz music will undoubtedly say it has and is should be a valued aspect of our American heritage. The fact that it as been proclaimed by our national legislative branch as "an American Treasure" attest to that. However, with such a following and jesture of recognition, the art has nearly ceased in broader terms of its existance. I've read that from 1955 thru 1978, 75% of all music broadcasted was jazz based. Ironically, our nation experienced its greatest social revolutions and advances during this same period. Our educational systems as one example, nationwide were if nothing else more structured and disciplined than today dispite our struggles to intergrate as Americans all. Jazz music was a consistant conscienceness within the process. Which indicates and identified its value. Since that time the art as declined consistently until today, one is hard pressed to hear it on radio and even harder pressed to find live venues that present it. We can articulate many rational explanations for the why nots but, if the losses have been greater than the gains, the how to's are the importants.
Load Previous Replies
  • up

    Kevin Hurst, Sr.

    Jazz was created by the black experience and the only one that has chronicled the whole time of the existence of africans in the western hemisphere. To ignore the fact that there are lineages that some say were not legitimate years ago,today the jazz trumpet is the longest in the modern culture. Jazz in the only music that teaches where gospel, blues, rock and all the rest came from! Jazz is the only music that says if you like music learn how to play, instead of having to be 'holy' or saved as in gospel or 'young' as in funk. You do not see folks getting into funk playing -wise after they are 21 yrs old, they either have it by then or will never get it.The problem is in it's 'American' designation as opposed to just USA. Berklee has done wonders because they offered scholarships world-wide to spread the music. We should have learned from Europeans who already went through the class,national, religious, struggles in their music. Great composers came later than artists there so music was not the backbone of the arts. In USA because of slavery music is the backbone of the arts, the singers and players suffered first! The Harlem renaissance was about the arts playing 'catch -up' quiet as it is kept.So many performers in the arts do not want to really study or delve into the music when they had the time and opportunity. It is a great thing when we can have this discussion here and not sit back and let things go down.

    Nov 29, 2010

  • up

    WASHINGTON DC JAZZ NETWORK

    Over 1,694 members and only 4 responses. Mmmmmm...You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it Drink.....

    Sep 27, 2012

  • up

    Kevin Hurst, Sr.

    I love jazz ? Well I was fortunate in remembering my parents like jazz artists or music played by them. In the 60s I heard my Dad talking about Jimmy Smith, Ahmad Jamal,Benson, etc. coming thru town. Turns out most music he liked was played by jazz artists but he rarely played records or went to concerts other than in bars(chitlin circuit).. I thought I'd play jazz when I got older and the truth is all the jazz greats/legends/artists played jazz when they were young as did blues greats. My opinion is jazz should be played to folks when they are young and by adolescence. There are more young folks into jazz today than 40 or 50 years ago. I started playing jazz to make money in high school but more seriously listened and studied in college and afterwards while working a city job. My dad went to NYC to see Freddie Hubbard (80s)and that was entertainment to him but in our family environment he never played his 'Lockjaw' records.My mom likes Dinah Washington, Jonah Jones and Nancy Wilson and more a variety and her brother was a prominent local jazz favorite and played actively till he was 69 yrs old.Part of being educated to me is knowing the evolution of the music and everyone has seen the rise of Motown, the black prominence in basketball and football. So it is the Black media's fault that jazz is not really given the space or the props it deserves because it precedes Johnson publications etc. Jake Feinberg a Jewish guy born in 1978 says how come the black media did not promote the Black jazz label in the 70s? Jake is doing phone interviews with jazz greats and says the 70s were a period of experimentation where artists used technology to merge jazz, funk, rock etc. today gospel and other music benefit from the secular sound of jazz which always had a 'sanctified ' component just as it has blues.  I went to sit in at a 'jam session ' and the star of the show waved me off after the 'god' of the city played a searing solo on 'All The Things You are'. Why do they invite and even call them 'jam sessions'? I think the big boys do not know what is going on sometimes!

    Sep 27, 2012