Peace to Qool Marv for breaking it down so truthfully, so eloquently.
Marv, you are right in not only pointing out the folly in our current
Music landscape & mass culture, but in discussing how is it that we can effect
positive change. Nobody reading this message needs any convincing about the
dismal state of hip hop, commercial music, and lack of truthful expression
in popular music. But what we definitely can do is share the ways in which
we try to spread the message of positive music around us.
Ultimately the music, and the issues that Marv touched upon, are just
small aspects of a much larger, global problem. If we delve into it, we
see that it's all connected. I dont want to get into a conspiracist rant,
or an anti-capitalist tirade. or a discussion about why the
"terrorists" hate "us". But it is worth noting that its all
connected.
The Kabbalists have a theory that the world is shattered, and broken, and
that the purpose of humanity is to try to put it back together again.
If you are doing things to make the world better, you're helping the cause
of all mankind. If you are doing the opposite, you're dragging humanity
down.
The music that this list thrives on, we have already
concluded through long and arduous flame wars, cannot be categorized or
labelled. So elusive are the categories that if there is one thing, one
common thread, that can be
found in all the music we discuss, it is this: the makers of the music
have aspired towards truthful self expression and freedom through music,
elevation of the mind, positivity, and social change.
That is the essence of jazz music, and the greatest contribution of
African America to the world of music. Genius + Soul = Jazz.
What we are doing, when we are playing the "real" music, is transmitting
those vibes of positivity to others. Whether or not their ears and minds
are open to it is another story. It sure feels nice to play to a crowd of
open minded souls who yearn to hear you let out some truth. But just as
rewarding is the possibility of getting someone from outside the picture
"into the picture". But yes, they have to be ready first.
For a very insightful commentary on the battle between the "vibes of
truth" and the "ghetto fabulous" mentality, have a viewing of Sun Ra's
excellent "Space is the Place" .
In the first scene of the movie, a cabaret in the 1940's where there are
go-go-dancers and some generic ass swing music is literally blown apart
when the piano player "Sunny Ray" (an early incarnation of Sun Ra) starts
playing some "real" music . The glasses shatter and everyone runs out of
the place screaming.
The only one remaining in the place is Sun Ra's archnemesis, a
pimp-sugar-daddy who symbolizes the temptation of black america towards
material obsessions.
The rest of the film shows the two forces at work - Sun Ra vs. the Pimp -
roughly equivalent to Good and Evil - in a continuous game of chance where
one or another is only momentarily victorious.
One thing that this movie shows is that this struggle is much older than
the emergence in the last 10 years of highly commercialized hip hop.
In fact, the struggle is probably as old as humanity itself.
The only thing we can, and WILL do, is make our best efforts to open and
elevate minds with the most slamming music.
peace for real
Nat
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu May 30 2002 - 00:31:55 CEST