Renny brought up some interesting points about the term Jungle and the
connotations it has. I think that for most people the possible race-related
connotations it might have dont have the weight of "racism" per se. Our
politically correct US collegiate culture has us deconstructing many paradigms
set up by a racist white patriarchy and language is one of those areas-which is
great in some senses, but has muddled up language in the process.
That said, the term for Jungle music is already in wide use and represents a
genre of music. Those who create it and appreciate it most likely arent
bothered by the possible connotations.
I guess as long as we realize that it could SEEM to be inappropriate if the
label of Jungle carried with it other "racist" connotations (like if it wasnt
as good because of race or some other such nonsense) then we're in the clear.
I dont want to have to worry about (and wont) what someone thinks about Jungle,
if s/he has no appreciation for the genre and doesnt listen or contribute to it
at all.
Acid-Jazz and its related cousin genres of music are some of the most
international and diverse musics out there. Many words of our languages are
loaded in some way shape or form because of past abuses of people and the
language. Needless to say, lets not get hung up on the names of the music so
much as what we hear. If we hear racism, then we can rally against it. Jungle
is a word. It can mean many different things to many different people. To
those of us on this list, it tries to define a certain kind of sound. Nothing
more, nothing less. If it tries to do more, to pass judgement on the sounds,
then we can start to get worried. If a majority of people dissemble racism
from the name of a genre of music, then we might have cause to change it.
Currently we dont (I assume).
up until then, lets not worry, lets listen intelligently and from the soul
too...
(stepping off soapbox)