Youtube recommended a documentary about jazz in Detroit to me, The Best of the Best. I watched it, and learned a lot from it. First of all, I didn't know how many great jazz musicians were born, raised, and educated in that city. The film tells the story of the Black community in Detroit, thousands and thousands of people who came from the rural south to work in the automobile factories. It also tells a story about a generous tradition of music education and mentorship.
I am envious of the great musicians I saw in the movie. I never had their natural musicianship or their commitment to music, but I still enjoy playing and have reached a decent level of proficiency. One of the constants in discussions of jazz is the individuality of the musician. Yusef Lateef, who was a brilliant and original musician, says in the documentary that the goal in music is to sound like yourself. This, of course, is far from easy. Before you can sound like yourself, you have to discover who you are. That is lifelong quest.
No comments:
Post a Comment