When jazz was founded over 100 years ago in Black America, it marked
a period where for the first time a marginalized race has found a voice to
express their feelings of pain, angst and joy. From ragtime, boogie-woogie, stride, big
band, bebop, cool, modal, fusion and the avant-garde, jazz went on a
trailblazing path to explore itself while staying true to the roots of the
music.
However, as I am living in the 21st century, music and
the quality of it is undergoing a huge decline. And I must say the same for jazz
today. I am going to call out names
here, but when you have Robert Glasper littering his jazz creations with hip
hop and R&B acts, that’s not advancing the music. That’s just creating a very glossy
production. When you have jazz artists
saying “fuck off” to the Great American songbook and then borrow from the likes
of Coldplay, Radiohead and the Beatles, it is another means of “whitening” the
music for the masses.
As of this writing, the great Ornette Coleman has gone from this
world to be in the next. This is what
I feel jazz is missing today. An
innovator. A Visionary. One who wants to take it to the next level
but not sacrificing the roots to get there.
We have to stop allowing jazz produce these white bread nutjobs who
think they are jazz just by having a nice hairdo, a knockout dress, and a
honeycomb voice.
The only way jazz will have hope in the 21st century is
to bring it back to its roots and innovate from there. For people to not shit on the struggles and
advancements of the black man, but show respect and rightfully pay their
due. It’s time. Time for a change.
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