Black History : DEMYTHOLOGIZING THE BLUES...

[Sun Ship]

HEADLINES: Jazz Lovers and Aficionados Take Over Black Forum

Brother omowalejabali, I was going to type a post dealing with the topic “why our people really stop listening to Jazz” this morning, until I read your posts! I just had to stop and comment and give my sentiments…. those were some excellent posts, my brother!

Along with Brothers Isaiah, Sekhemu and Mississippi Red…You brothers got this thread ON FIRE!!

Brother this can get so deep its unreal!

I’ve been a musician in the Jazz idiom for the past 35 years. I paid my dues (believe me!)! I’ve opened for some greats and played with a few. Unfortunately, all the fame escaped my own personal story (such is life.. ...). But most of the guys I used to play with went on to do some pretty big things both here and abroad (especially Europe). I find your connection to Juno Lewis fascinating. Kulu se Mama, should be the anthem for every Kwanzaa! I always wanted the exact words to that piece and the translation…I heard it was originally a poem. I posted a bio about Brother Juno at another web site (of course, no one knew who he was, and it didn’t get any comments…sigh). I’m going to see if I can drop it here…I might drop it in the “Honor Our Ancestors” forum, so I can paste the pictures

I have a good friend, trumpeter Rasul Saddik who’s been living and gigging in Paris for the last 15 years (plays with reedman David Murray quite often). He was on the West Coast for a while in probably the 70’s and throughout the 80’s, and he also was affiliated with the AACM in Chicago and BAG in St. Louis. He was the Brother who turned me on to the poet Kamau Daaood's CD. I’m sure they had worked together.

I have another old friend who has been out west and has done pretty well over the last 25+ years, his name is flutist and alto sax player Kenny Bird. The West Coast sound was always distinctive and unique in Jazz, like Sonny Criss, the sound seemed to stay smooth and cool. I think Miles birth the so-call “Cool period” on the West coast. But the west coast cats themselves have been major players, from Mingus forward. I also found Arthur Blythe (alto) and James Newton (flute) sound and music very interesting over the years and met both of those brothers out east in the late 70’s (even though I haven’t heard James Newton in years!).

I see that trumpet blood seems to run your family, being that Don Cherry was your kinfolks.

The above mentioned Juno Lewis passed a few years ago. A drummaker, Juno had become, in his later years, a mainstay in the Leimert park area, and I would often talk to Juno about the folks "back home". He knew some of my folks from the "Connor" family in New Orleans, and had done some work with my cousin, Jazz musician Don Cherry. Juno used to sit in on some jam sessions that I participated in as a young jazz musician, at Leimert Park's World Stage, and Juno always looked out for the community and his death was a great loss to the community..Juno died some time after the owner of 5th Street ***** (Richard Fulton) and within the same timeframework we also lost Don Cherry, Horace Tapscott, Eddie Harris and Billy Higgins. The loss of the legendary Jazzmen affected me greatly as they were some of my Master Teachers who combined posessed so much knowledge, skill and compassion that our community really now has a cultural void (in Los Angeles) that hopefully will be filled by another generation of gifted musicians who have a love and passion for Jazz Music...

PS...Oh by the way, I play Alto ...along with some other instruments.

 

[Isaiah]

Brother omowalejabali, I was going to type a post dealing with the topic “why our people really stop listening to Jazz” this morning, until I read your posts! I just had to stop and comment and give my sentiments…. those were some excellent posts, my brother!

Along with Brothers Isaiah, Sekhemu and Mississippi Red…You brothers got this thread ON FIRE!!

Brother this can get so deep its unreal!

I’ve been a musician in the Jazz idiom for the past 35 years. I paid my dues (believe me!)! I’ve opened for some greats and played with a few. Unfortunately, all the fame escaped my own personal story (such is life.. ...). But most of the guys I used to play with went on to do some pretty big things both here and abroad (especially Europe). I find your connection to Juno Lewis fascinating. Kulu se Mama, should be the anthem for every Kwanzaa! I always wanted the exact words to that piece and the translation…I heard it was originally a poem. I posted a bio about Brother Juno at another web site (of course, no one knew who he was, and it didn’t get any comments…sigh). I’m going to see if I can drop it here…I might drop it in the “Honor Our Ancestors” forum, so I can paste the pictures

I have a good friend, trumpeter Rasul Saddik who’s been living and gigging in Paris for the last 15 years (plays with reedman David Murray quite often). He was on the West Coast for a while in probably the 70’s and throughout the 80’s, and he also was affiliated with the AACM in Chicago and BAG in St. Louis. He was the Brother who turned me on to the poet Kamau Daaood's CD. I’m sure they had worked together.

I have another old friend who has been out west and has done pretty well over the last 25+ years, his name is flutist and alto sax player Kenny Bird. The West Coast sound was always distinctive and unique in Jazz, like Sonny Criss, the sound seemed to stay smooth and cool. I think Miles birth the so-call “Cool period” on the West coast. But the west coast cats themselves have been major players, from Mingus forward. I also found Arthur Blythe (alto) and James Newton (flute) sound and music very interesting over the years and met both of those brothers out east in the late 70’s (even though I haven’t heard James Newton in years!).

I see that trumpet blood seems to run your family, being that Don Cherry was your kinfolks.



PS...Oh by the way, I play Alto ...along with some other instruments.

LOL@SUN!

Yeah, I purposely avoided these subjects for a long time, out of respect to the ENTERTAINMENT forum, but one thing you brothers have reaquainted me with, and that is that OUR CULTURE is NOT simply ENTERTAINMENT!!!!! It encompasses so much more, and BLUES?JAZZ, in their origins, was actually more a social gathering and fellowship mechanism like the Church - that is until White Boys got a hold of it...

Like you said, brother SUN, the labels/Genre thing is like a ruse to get us away from making culture for culture and social cohesion sake - or at least it seems that way(smile!)

I remember growing up in the church, that anyone could go off into song whether they were a great soloist or not, and it was COMPLETELY accepted by the congregation as long as the spirit moved you(smile!) Haven't been to church in a long minute, but I bet'cha now you gotta be the second-coming of Aretha to get a song in edge-wise(smile!) We've become so immersed in the White Man's thinking, that we don't do things the African autochthonous/group participation way... Even when I'm listening to what passes for R&B solo and group singing these days, there seems to be an absence of call and response... No more Aretha snd the Sweet Inspirations...(smile!)

Peace!
Isaiah