3. The “Blues Aesthetic” and the “Black Aesthetic”: Aesthetics as the Continuing Political History of a Culture

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. MUSIC OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA ii
3. Contents vii
4. Introduction 1
5. Part One: Essays
6. 1. Griot/Djali: Poetry, Music, History, Message 5
7. 2. Miles Later 9
8. 3. The “Blues Aesthetic” and the “Black Aesthetic”: Aesthetics as the Continuing Political History of a Culture 19
9. 4. Blues People: Looking Both Ways 28
10. 5. Rhythm 33
11. 6. The American Popular Song: “The Great American Song Book” 38
12. 7. Blues Line 47
13. 8. Cosby and the Music 49
14. 9. Nina Returns 56
15. 10. Jazz Criticism and Its Effect on the Music 72
16. 11. Not “the Boss”: Bruce Springsteen 86
17. 12. Wynton Marsalis: Black Codes (from the Underground) 88
18. 13. “The International Business of Jazz” and the Need for the Cooperative and Collective Self-Development of an International People’s Culture 91
19. 14. Newark’s’ “Coast” and the Hidden Legacy of Urban Culture 101
20. 15. Black Music as a Force for Social Change 106
21. 16. What You Mean, Du Wop? 110
22. 17. Classical American Music 117
23. 18. Singers and the Music: A Theater Piece 119
24. 19. Newark’s Influence on American Music 124
25. 20. Ritual and Performance 133
26. 21. Bopera Theory 140
27. 22. “Jazz and the White Critic”: Thirty Years Later 145
28. 23. Random Notes on the Last Decade 155
29. Part Two: Great Musicians
30. 24. Panthalassa: Miles Davis 159
31. 25. When Miles Split! 166
32. 26. David Murray, Ming’s Samba 170
33. 27. David Murray, Fo Deuk Revue 173
34. 28. David Murray, Addenda to a Concert 176
35. 29. On Reissuing Trane 178
36. 30. John Coltrane: Why His Legacy Continues 192
37. 31. Some Memories of Alan Shorter: Interview with Wayne Shorter 195
38. 32. High Art: Art Tatum 198
39. 33. Max Roach at the Iridium 208
40. 34. Paris Max 210
41. 35. The Great Max Roach 214
42. 36. Billie Holiday 219
43. 37. The High Priest of BeBop 222
44. 38. Eric Dolphy: A Note 236
45. 39. Jackie Mc 237
46. 40. It Ain’t about You 240
47. 41. You Ever Hear Albert Ayler? 242
48. 42. Albert’s Will 259
49. 43. Sassy Was Definitely Not the Avon Lady 261
50. 44. Fred 265
51. 45. Fred Hopkins’s Memorial 267
52. 46. Duke Ellington: The Music’s “Great Spirit” 270
53. 47. Duke Was a Very Great Pianist! 276
54. 48. Blind Tom: The Continuity of Americana 277
55. 49. Don Pullen Leaves Us 280
56. 50. Black History Month Rediscovers “the Music” in New York City 286
57. 51. Black History Month Rediscovers “the Music,” Part 2: The Charles Tolliver Big Band at the Jazz Standard 289
58. 52. Wonderful Stevie 292
59. 53. Abbey Lincoln 295
60. 54. Four Tough Good-byes: Jackie McLean, John Hicks, Hilton Ruiz, Halim Suliman 304
61. Part Three: Notes, Reviews, and Observations
62. 55. Impulse Sampler, Act on Impulse 313
63. 56. Ralph Peterson 316
64. 57. Andrew Cyrille, Good to Go 318
65. 58. Odean Pope Saxophone Choir, Epitome 321
66. 59. Ravi Coltrane, Moving Pictures 323
67. 60. Donal Fox and David Murray, Ugly Beauty 326
68. 61. Tyrone Jefferson, Connections 331
69. 62. James Moody 334
70. 63. Barry Harris: In the Tradition 338
71. 64. Pharoah Sanders, Shukuru 340
72. 65. Don Pullen–George Adams Quartet, Breakthrough 344
73. 66. Von and Chico Freeman, Freeman and Freeman 349
74. 67. Alan Shorter, Orgasm 352
75. 68. The Work Man: Reggie Workman 356
76. 69. Roscoe Mitchell and the Note Factory 360
77. 70. Jimmy Scott, But Beautiful 364
78. 71. Malachi Thompson, Talking Horns 366
79. 72. The Nexus Orchestra, Seize the Time 368
80. 73. Three Fresh Ticklers 370
81. 74. Rodney Kendrick, Last Chance for Common Sense 373
82. 75. Jazz Times Review, Multiple Artists 375
83. 76. More Young Bloods to the Rescue! 378
84. 77. Vijay Iyer, Memorophilia 381
85. 78. TriFactor, If You Believe 384
86. 79. Live Lessons 387
87. 80. New York Art Quintet 394
88. 81. Peter Brötzmann, Nipples, and Joe McPhee, Nation Time 398
89. 82. Jon Jang and David Murray, River of Life 401
90. 83. Trio Three, Encounter 404
91. 84. Jackie Mc—Coming and Going 407