Protest Jazz and Spoken Word

Jazz is known for it's musical humor and satire, it only makes since that humor and satire would be present in lyrics written to and for jazz as a tool that enhances protest.  Last Nia blog we looked at protest without lyrics this week let's look at the spoken word traveling from in front of the music to melody without music to pure spoken word. Oscar Brown, Jr., runs the gamut.
 Oscar Brown, Jr (October 10, 1926 – May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, and civil rights activist who created lyrics for jazz protest and whose lyrics easily crossed over into the realm of poetry and spoken word. Here is Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Forty Acres and a Mule" music and lyrics. As you will see it is not about reparations but face value broken promises observed from street level.  Notice how the spoken word comes down and dances around a tight driving 4/4 cymbal and upright bass with a 2/4 rim shot:

 

Here is an interesting counter point to "Forty Acres and Mules," spoken word  jazz with jazz great Oscar Brown on Def Poetry Jam more or less singing spoken word without any music in "I Apologize" but laying down a much tighter meter (4/4 maybe?):

Here is a show tune by Rodgers and Hammerstein that floated by unscathed until it got to ... not Mississippi but Georgia.  Quoting Rene Marie in an article last August in Jazz Times,

Who woulda thunk that this lovely song written by Rodgers and Hammerstein about racial prejudice could be snuck into South Pacific? Rodgers and Hammerstein were repeatedly pressured to remove the song from the musical, with lawmakers in Georgia actually going so far as to introduce legislation that would make illegal the performance of any creative works with ideas that stemmed from “Communist” thinking. According to James Michener (author of the book that inspired the musical), “The authors replied stubbornly that this number represented why they wanted to do the play in the first place. … [E]ven if it meant the failure of the production, it was going to stay in.”

Artist's Choice: Rene Marie on Protest Music

Today’s top jazz performers pick 10 favorite tracks by the players, singers and styles that helped define them.

Well check out the above list and send us some of the protest songs that help define you whether you be a musician or librarian. We'll post your selections and comments.

Here is one of my favorites from Gil Scott Heron, hmmm I think he's talkin' to Black folk  What do you think? The Revolution will not be Televised...

 

 

If It Ain't Got That Sing... can it protest?

Nia Continues the Conversation on Jazz and Protest with a look at Charlie Haden

What exactly is protest music, in this case jazz, without lyrics?  The last issue of the Nia Coffeehouse brought to you Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone with Armstrong's, Black and Blue and Nina Simone's, Goddam Mississippi.  Louis bemoans the plight of African Americans by asking, "what did I do to be so black and blue," and Ms. Simone lashes out at Jim Crow, lynching and the state of Mississippi over the assassination of Medgar Evers with a frustrated exclamation, "Goddam Mississippi!"

As Nia asked the question about protest music in jazz today Charlie Haden crossed our sights.  His album, American Dreams is touted by Byron Woods in, Indy Week dotcom back in 2003 as protest jazz, but is it really?  No doubt Charlie, has "chops" with his effort called, Haunted Hearts making Time magazine's top ten list in 1992 and Down Beat selecting Always Say Goodbye as jazz album of the year in 1994.
In my effort to learn more about American Classical Music I find that it is indeed classical and extremely sophisticated so that the listener has to grow in sophistication to fully enjoy it.  A major part of growing in sophistication is just listening and letting the music have first place for a minute.

One very interesting thing is how the album is touted as protest in the Indy Week. com article, Protest Jazz- Bassist Charlie Haden's American Dream but on Charlie's website patriotism and love of country ( certainly protest constitutes for all but the "love it or leave" ilk love of country) wade through, no gush through the music to the forefront in the description. Whatever happened to there's no such thing as bad publicity? Well certainly there is and the joint is first and foremost a nice piece of work whether it is in your face protest or sappy patriotism.
Give Charlie Haden's "America the Beautiful" a listen; compare it to a Ray Charles version with orchestra and challenge yourself to relegate Ray to the back ground, which is a fun exercise and not as hard as you might think, and focus on how the music takes one to a quite different place than where Charlie Haden's version goes, especially the last stanza.  Love or leave it guys you'll love this America the Beautiful by the Gaither Vocal Band it was a little hard for me to get through although as you would expect from the Gaithers it is very well done.
You might enjoy more about Charlie Haden and his Liberation Music Orchestra here at a devout musician I did.
Where is Charlie Haden today?  Check out Charlie Haden news.

An excerpt from the Byron Woods article:

 "But another Charlie Haden story concerns his protests against the Vietnam War, our country's interventions in El Salvador, and apartheid in South Africa. You can hear them on the three Liberation Music Orchestra recordings he's made since 1970--each recorded, as he's pointed out, while a Republican was president."

Here's Byron Woods at Twitter 
 Nia is still wanting local jazz musicians to showcase protest or involvement in today's society at the Nia Coffeehouse and maybe educate us with some words also.  Bring your band and play with Vince Robinson and the Jazz Poets or let's work out sumpthin. (The Jazz Poets at facebook)

Nia means purpose.

The Intersection of Jazz and Social Protest... does it happen today?

Nina Simone's Mississippi Goddam sung in protest of Medgar Evers assassination

"NPR -America's cultural cauldron produced music, which criticized segregation with candor, sadness, and humor.  Farai Chideya speaks with Robert O'Mealy. He's the Zora Neale Hurston Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, and founder and former director of the Center for Jazz Studies."

I am wondering what Jazz musicians are doing with their music for protest in these decades year 2000 through this 2012.  I've read about musicians protesting the Grammys, the musician's union and I even read about a musician setting himself on fire as a protest but what are today's Jazz musicians doing in society?  What are Cleveland Jazz musicians doing in the wake of the Wall Street and housing debacle and Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Cleveland, Occupy the Hood and Occupy the Kitchen Sink?  Send it in and we'll blog and maybe even vlog it. 

Meanwhile in this NPR interview cuts of:Mississippi Goddamned- Nina Simone,Strange Fruit- Billy Holiday and,

here is the complete Black and Blue by Louis Armstrong from 1929 and 1965.  Interestingly enough, to me, the 1965 rendition has a lot more pathos and pain in Louie's voice, let me know if you agree.

Why Am I So Black and Blue- Louis Armstrong- New York, 22.07. 1929 (youtube)

 Why Am I So Black and Blue- Louis Armstrong - Budapest 1965 (youtube)

The Occupy 5: Pawns or Masterminds? Flip a COIN (TELPRO)

The Faces of Occupy?

MARCH 24th 2012 was the 32nd anniversary of the assassination of Oscar Romero and Occupy was there...

A short handsome 40 something Brazilian only known as Franco presented the movie "Romero" at St. Alban Episcopal church.   Franco brought with him Conner Stevens,  and Joshua "Skelly" Stafford, two of the five alleged route 82 bridge bomb planners.  These two were not involved in the actual hands-on bridge bombing attempt set up by the FBI.

 The five men arrested in an FBI  plot/sting ostensibly to blow up the route 82 bridge in Brecksville are all associated with Occupy Cleveland.  At least one of the five has a criminal record. 
They have been charged with conspiracy and attempted use of explosive materials to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce. 

Of course  Occupy Cleveland representatives have tried to distance the "organization", but in the words of Tony Soprano, fahgeddaboutit.  Occupy can not distance itself from the people it draws, puts to work and even puts into leadership/spokeperson positions, especially when powerful organizations like say, the FBI or whoever they are working for want to make the association clear.  Brandon Baxter was quoted representing Occupy Cleveland on more than one occasion and was one of the last standing to occupy the tent on Frankfurter downtown.

Conner Stevens Photo by CIOFaithwalker

Joshua "Skelly" Stafford Photo by CIOFaithwalker

I had all but written off Occupy Cleveland  until this incident.  The reason I am going to give Occupy a second look is because I can say that the two I met were not capable of conceiving, planning and executing a bridge bombing.  Forgive me for being so jaded but this really smells of the "good ole days" as some of you can reminisce  over the domestic landscape when COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) watered the grass and took out the trash until busted in the early 70's. However just like when SOA (School Of the Americas) was "busted" in 2000, 2001 or so COINTELPRO probably just changed their name or just decentralized leadership a bit and kept on trucking.  Who know they may even work out of the impenetrable Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), formerly School of the Americas? So it is not beyond the ken of mortal probability for this to be a set-up to discredit Occupy Cleveland and indeed this may be happening to the Occupy movement across the U.S., if I am correct.


If I were going to do anything I didn't want leading back to me, covert, and  dangerous in which I needed a couple of savvy, sharp, go to cats, it would not be these two.  If I wanted some fall guys I would need neither references or resumes from them, fellas you're hired.

 One of the two I met was much more immature than he should have been for his age and seemed to be the kind of kid who could easily be brought into something like this or planning a rave, your choice, it wouldn't matter to him.

Occupier or Infiltrator? photo by Kimihiro Hoshiro AFP/Getty images

In interviews since the bridge bombing revelation Occupy leaders claim to be nonviolent and say they don't accept that ilk into Occupy Cleveland. However sans violence nothing could seem further from the truth, there is little to indicate this nonviolence stance at the Occupy website  and nothing to indicate they are selective about  whom they accept.  As cool and egalitarian as this democratic come all hither approach seems, one big issue with this approach is that many of the people Occupy needs to engage and proselytize who sympathize with or share in the plight of the 99% are discriminating and selective about with whom they deal.  There are many people watching the 6:00 news thinking, no knowing they dodged a bullet when they had second thoughts about linking arms with an organization whose leadership seems to be made up of long-haired, young, White males with nose rings and ear gauges/plugs.  Before you try to play the prejudice card understand that except for the "young White ear gauges/plugs" part I fit this description.  You can not blame anyone concerned with financial security and safety for shying away from folks on the fringe that haven't kissed the conservative ring or received some blessing from the establishment.

In fact, not much is indicated at the Occupy site period, except lots of street parties and asking for support for more street parties. If they get a bit more organized I smell a cottage industry poster child, like SOAW aka School Of the Americas Watch, another organization that has fun protests. At the Occupy site there is a mission statement of sorts but absolutely, no list of goals, demands and more importantly no objectives to get there, that is to the mission statement.  There is no approach pronged or otherwise.  There is no structure that is evident that is a call to action away from or outside of the protests.  At least with the SOAW they are involved in areas where power is and they know where change needs to be made in the hallways of congress and the Senate and there is a lot going on in community to work toward political leveraging not only in the American political ring  but in at least the first three rows..  

Occupy could learn a lesson or two from the WHINSEC website.  They know that just because they are all about destabilizing democracies in the Americas and are responsible for their fair share of human rights atrocities, one can still look one's best.  Freshen up Occupy, at least get it down in writing.

COINTELPRO (ARTICLE SITE)

COINTELPRO (an acronym for Counter Intelligence Program) was a series of covert, and often illegal,^[2] projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations.

The FBI has used covert operations against domestic political groups since its inception; however, covert operations under the official COINTELPRO label took place between 1956 and 1971.^[3] COINTELPRO tactics included discrediting targets through psychological warfare; smearing individuals and groups using forged documents and by planting false reports in the media; harassment; wrongful imprisonment; and illegal violence, including assassination.^[4][5][6] The FBI's stated motivation was "protecting national security, preventing violence, and maintaining the existing social and political order."^[7]

FBI records show that 85% of COINTELPRO resources targeted groups and individuals that the FBI deemed "subversive,"^[8] including communist and socialist organizations; organizations and individuals associated with the civil rights movement, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and others associated with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Congress of Racial Equality and other civil rights organizations; black nationalist groups; the American Indian Movement; a broad range of organizations labeled "New Left", including Students for a Democratic Society and the Weathermen; almost all groups protesting the Vietnam War, as well as individual student demonstrators with no group affiliation; the National Lawyers Guild; organizations and individuals associated with the women's rights movement; nationalist groups such as those seeking independence for Puerto Rico, United Ireland, and Cuban exile movements including Orlando Bosch's Cuban Power and the Cuban Nationalist Movement; and additional notable Americans—even Albert Einstein, who was a member of several civil rights groups, came under FBI surveillance during the years just prior to COINTELPRO's official inauguration.^[9] The remaining 15% of COINTELPRO resources were expended to marginalize and subvert "white hate groups," including the Ku Klux Klan and the National States' Rights Party.^[10]

FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover issued directives governing COINTELPRO, ordering FBI agents to "expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize" the activities of these movements and their leaders.^[11][12]

Poet Laureate Party at the Heights Art Gallery April 27th

Trina Jones

Vince Robinson

Friday April 27th marks the start of my 2nd year as poet laureate of the City of Cleveland Heights.  To kick things off I've invited some of my favorite poets to read at the Heights Art Gallery on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.  The gallery is a few doors south of the Cedar-Lee theater with ample metered parking in the rear.  Vince Robinson, Kathleen Cerveny, Tammi Powell, Phil Metres, Vince Robinson and Trina Jones.
Check this out to see the Heights spit on this event.  I hope to see you all there!

peace and blessings,

Cavana

Being at Peace in Our Community

from Poet and Being at Peace in Our Community Progenitor Kathy Smith takes place April 21st @ 2:00pm:

"How we can all become less estranged, and more part of the community?

We welcome you to participate in a series of  events featuring poetry, discussion and
food. The impetus for this series is a drive to improve the relationship and understanding
between people who are leading and policing our communities and all people who live in
the communities to minimize violence and to work better together on solving problems.

Here are some of the immediate problems we’d like to work on solving/discussing:

•Incidents have occurred such as misuse of
force/misuse of authority/improper training on the part of some police officers and
other members of the community.  Some in our community have been stopped and harassed
by for no apparent reason, and like in the case of Trayvon Martin, some children have even been harmed.

• Too much polarization, not enough togetherness
• Not enough working together on common community issues
Addressing and helping solve these social issues can help us work together
on some of the other big issues--economic and environmental--at which

we
will
be
more
effective
addressing
together.

SATURDAY APRIL 21 @ 2-5 PM

BEING AT PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY

“Introducing Ourselves” @


The Nia Coffeehouse

2555 Euclid Heights Blvd. (At St. Alban Episcopal Church)

Open mic poetry, refreshments and roundtable introductions. Theme of
the evening: “Introducing Ourselves”--however you might wish to interpret
this. Please feel free to bring some food and poetry to share. We will meet
again in May; stay tuned for venue and theme info! "

Joseph Kony and Uganda's Wounds Still Seeping

Jason Russell creator of the Kony 2012 video and movement

Undoubtedly you've read about allegations leveled at Jason Russell, creator of the now viral Kony 2012 video and his arrest. I'm cynical and chose not to trust the allegations in toto believing that there is some manipulation going on in media and in Mr. Russell's life somewhere, somehow, someway for some reason. It is just suspicious he has no record of anything like this and as soon as this cause gets some juice he makes the news.
Worst case scenario- all the allegations are true, AND Kony is guilty. Uganda's weak defense that Kony is a good boy now and Uganda has been overtaken by warm fuzzies and that Kony is no longer in Uganda does not detract from the illegal and immoral atrocities he has committed. Uganda should be at the forefront of the movement to bring him to justice instead of promoting roadblocks and taking on a Freddie Prince, "it's not my job man," posture.  Thirty thousand (30,000) children, mostly if not entirely Ugandan, have been affected for the rest of their lives.  Imagine deep depression, hopelessness, unbearable guilt, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at thirteen (13) years of age times 30,000 children dismissed because "Joseph doesn't live hear anymore."
To be sure many decent people in Uganda are incensed at being on the world stage in this light once more and would rather Joseph Kony have no ties to Uganda mentioned.  

Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army formerly operating in Uganda

The Christian Science Monitor in,

Teacher in Uganda: Why give celebrity status to a killer in Kony 2012,

reports a high school teacher as saying, "The LRA led vicious attacks in northern Uganda for 20 years, killing tens of thousands of people and abducting children as soldiers and slaves. But Kony and his LRA were pushed out of the country by the Ugandan Army, and there have been no LRA attacks here since August 2006. Most of the 1.8 million displaced people have returned and are trying to reconstruct their lives.,"

It is too bad that this refocus on Joseph Kony may show Uganda in bad light once again, but this should not be the main consideration in bringing  crimes against humanity perpetrators to justice, and I dare say this has not been the cry of outrage anywhere else in the world when war criminals are hunted down. 

 It does not matter if Ghandi made the Kony 2012 video or Joseph Stalin did, either way the impetus for his capture and for his being brought to justice needs to be, at the very LEAST maintained.   Mad prayers to Jason and his family believing he will recover quickly and believing what Satan has meant for evil and destruction, God will use for good. Y'all keep up the good fight, let us keep fighting, let us fight more. 

We can't be lead by the perfect person, she or he does not exist unless you look to Jesus, but we can be led by perfect love which casts out fear and overthrows what should not rule this world, what should not rule our lives. Whether evil or good wins you have to choose a trajectory or it will be coercively  chosen for you. Stand up! Stand up! Stand up!  Please do not make the mistake of believing that the spirit of Joseph Kony is not active in your neighborhood.
To bring this closer to home, "we are the richest most prosperous nation in the world and  still we haven't found the political will to end hunger."- James McGovern, US Representative, Massachusetts.  Our style of rape and pillage may be far more insidious than what Joseph Kony exacts.
The  Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi asked someone what they thought about Jason Russell's arrest and he named the charges which makes one think there may be a strong connection between Uganda and the event  that the pres knew about it almost immediately. Mr. Prime Minister didn't ask me what I thought about it but here is what I think about it; everybody needs to RE POST and pursue: Right on Jason may God bless to finish the fight: Capture and Arrest Kony Now!

Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi