[NewMusic] The Saga Continues. . .

[Michael Zelner]

On 6/1/07, Henry Kuntz wrote:

>I can only come up with this, a tentative notion, that may or may not hold
>up to scrutiny. But I think it may have to do with the fact that jazz,
>growing directly out of the black experience, is in the first instance (for
>blacks, those in the direct line of cultural succession) a primarily
>experiential and participatory form of expression. It is meant to be heard
>close up, with audience give and take, call and response. Whites, on the
>other hand, learn to "appreciate" this expression, thus view it and hear it
>more from the "outside," so are therefore more willing to hear it (as
>"audience" rather than as call-and-response participators  -- like in that
>club in Houston where I heard Arnett Cobb)

This reminds me of some recent shows at Yoshi's (Branford Marsalis, 
Don Byron), where a black guy in the back of the audience made some 
enthusiastic exclamations during the music, immediately followed by 
some white folks chuckling and few others shushing him.

MZ


--------------michaelz at zoka.com---
             Michael Zelner
---Oakland CA USA------------------