Jazz Night
|
Jazz Night
|
|
Please click on
|
It was hugely disappointing to be back in England for a weekend yet unable to find any soul event taking place near Harrogate. Eventually I decided to go to a Jazz Night which was being held at the hotel where I was staying. I'd never been to a Jazz Gig before, but I was interested to see how it would compare. The venue for the concert was a magnificent oak panelled bar with chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. Coffee tables had been arranged around the performance area adorned with flickering candles. A continuous supply of nibbles were provided which helped compensate for (but also increase a thirst for) the pricey beer. When the musicians appeared, two guitarists and a drummer, they were greeted by polite applause from a very full room. The lead player made great capital of the fact he had toured with Stephan Grapelli, which clearly impressed the audience. The reference was lost on me however as far as I was concerned 'Stephan Grapelli' sounded like an Ice-Cream salesman or the owner of a pizza parlour. I could not deny that I was listening to some talented musicians, though they did become a little irritating with their 'banter'. The rest of the audience seemed to agree because the only people laughing at their comments were the other members of the band themselves. The embarrassment of their presentation was compounded by their continual plugging of their latest CD. Given that the roots of Jazz, like Soul, lie in Black America what first stuck me was the 'whiteness' of the event. I was not just witnessing an incursion, but a wholesale invasion of their music (I somehow suspect that Stephan Grapelli was not born in a Harlem Ghetto). Whereas white soul singers are usually treated with considerable suspicion these Jazz players were clearly playing on home territory. Black Jazz acts are undoubtedly still around but wholly integrated into the white monopoly of their genre. Another major difference was that the event was very middle class. Whereas Soul is played in Public Halls, Civic Centres and Working Men's clubs Jazz is being played in hotel lounges amongst oak panels, classical portraits and chandeliers. As I was listening to the music I took time to study the audience which sat quietly throughout, politely applauding every piece. Apart from a bloke besides me who occasionally nodded or shook his head there was little animation. His was the sum total of the audience participation that I witnessed. When I got home and made this observation to my wife she said, "Well Jazz isn't dance music", but I'm not sure she's right. New Orleans Jazz in the fifties certainly saw the Blacks throwing a party. Even if her statement were true however there were still many other ways that the audience could join in. They could have tapped their feet, clapped their hands, maybe even sung the song, but there was nothing, just a silent and polite appreciation. I do not believe that this was how it used to be in the American Southern States, and in its transition from Black to White Jazz has undoubtedly lost some of its character. I could tell that the poor guy besides me was really a frustrated soulie who wanted to get involved but was prevented from doing so by middle class protocol. Maybe I should have told him about Lowton or Blackburn because I'm sure that a good soul night would have released him from his inhibitions. All in all a very pleasant evening which I thoroughly enjoyed. It also made me feel a little more comfortable with the state of soul music today. Despite many concerns, soul, as the sound of Black America still remains relatively untainted from the corrupting influences of white, middle-class cultures. I guess many Jazz aficionados might wish the same. |
|
Why Not visit the Authors other Website, 'The Alternative Blackpool Website' at http://www.localdial.com/users/jsyedu133/bpool This Site Last Updated 18/05/05
|
the category you wish to choose from the options
below