“We’re doing everything we can to eliminate jazz from American culture,” a promoter for Live Nation Artists, the world’s dominant pop music production and marketing firm “joked” to Florida councilmen considering a proposed upcoming music festival. Jazz responds with a can’t-be-bothered shrug. Too hip to be rattled by ignorant, idle, defensive — and of course, revealing – threats, […]
Archives for June 2008
Prophecy fulfilled: the future now at jazz fests
“Music that we’re playing now is just the blues of all of America, all over again, it’s just a different kind of blues. This is the blues, the real blues, it’s the new blues, and people must listen to this music because they’ll be hearing it all the time. Because if it’s not me it’ll […]
Good time blues
B.B. King played coy at the 25th annual Chicago Blues Festival last weekend. “I won’t say what party I’m for,” the great vocalist and guitarist began, in obvious reference to local resident Barack Obama’s ascension to Democratic presidential nominee, “but everybody has something to be happy about now. Including the women — who found out ‘Yes, […]
Hometown-of-Obama Blues
The music of Chicago — gritty urban blues — is famously about hard times, heartache and struggle. But practitioners of the genre may boast a refreshed if wary air of accomplishment this week, upon favorite son Barack Obama’s ascension to Democratic presidential candidate. At least, that’s my thesis, which I’ll test by listening close to some […]