Manifest
Manifest March 13 1997
As we are moving well into 1997, I find the passing of the comet
Hale-Bopp an appropriate time to share some recent and current thoughts
in "Soapbox". Defunkt is approaching a 20 year anniversary in 1998 and I
am now 43 years old. With more than 25 years logged as a professional
musician-artist-visionary. I am born of a school of the art that
encouraged individualism and uniqueness. The jazz musicians, dancers and
actors from the period beginning at the turn of the century until the
early 1980's prided themselves and were for the most part supported by
society's mass media (press, radio, television). They were praised and
encouraged to develop new sounds, forms and ideas in entertainment. A
new voice, however unique, was embraced and nurtured by the artistic
community. Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Charlie Parker, Ben Webster,
Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis, Jr., Sonny Stitt, Harry Belefonte, Lester
Young, John Coltrane, Ellen Stuart (La Mama), Cecil Taylor, Ornette
Coleman, Miles Davis are all examples of artists in a variety of
disciplines that developed accessible yet unique forms of artistic
expression.
During the early 1980's a backlash from the recording industry and mass
media(record companies, critics, television, etc.) began an organized,
systematic effort to remove the influence and direction of artistic
expression from the hands of the true innovators and stalwart
practitioners, and deliver this control to a network of uninformed
dillusioned, uninspired record company, radio, and television
executives. This is a pivotal point in the organic evolution of
creativity and artistic expression. This was not an intentional
desecration of art, but an attempt to increase and control its financial
benefit and potential. For the first time in history, the evolution of
musical style and its importance was determined by non-artistic
entities. The effect of this shift on the psyche of the (free) artists
has been devastating. The majority of young musicians have lost the
inventiveness and desire to find their individual voices and are more
concerned with the commercial success of producing replica's of genres
past. For example, In Jazz, the so called "Young Lions" have been lauded
the new creative voices of instrumental music, being the best at copying
the styles of the past- i.e. be bop, hard bop. One of the strongest
proponents of this movement, Wynton Marsalis and his Lincoln Center
ensembles, has found vast fortune and acclaim in mimicking these jazz
forms. In fact, he does a very excellent job of this! However, we cannot
honestly compare this contribution to the contributions of innovators
such as Lester Bowie, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong. I do not want to
berate any of my musical brethren; I only offer Wynton Marsalis as an
example of how the non artistic entities have influenced the evolution
of the art form, and have dictated to us, the people, who our idols are
and what our expression should be! They would clearly prefer that jazz
be a "classical" music- taught in universities, duplicating genres of
the past instead of a proletariat expression learned through the organic
interaction between younger and older artists that nurtures
individualism and imagination.
As a result of this ongoing de-authentication of one of this nation's
indigenous art forms, young musicians involved in regurgitating genres
past not only do not appreciate, but actively campaign to illegitimize
the efforts of true innovators and creative artists. This is a sad state
of affairs for our young American culture. We are allowing non artistic
entities to destroy the most powerful cultural offering that this
country has given to the world. Have you noticed that the US is losing
its artistic integrity and credibility throughout the world. Big
industry control is stifling the development of the nation's young
artists. Where does this concentrated, systematic effort to oppress
individual artistic development come from? Could it be that it is
related, as many of the nation's ills are related, to our Country's
failure to acknowledge the 'Holocaust of Slavery in the Americas?' Could
the answer partially exist in this country's brutal beginnings- the
destruction of indigenous Americans, the institutionalization of
slavery, the systematic devastation of Americans of African decent.
Recently, I caught John Singleton's movie, Rosewood, and it made me
realize that much more of the African's plight in America must be hidden
and buried in this nations eurocentric historical documentation. I never
recalled hearing anything about Rosewood in any history lesson in the
early part of my life. Can we ever, in this country, acknowledge the
atrocities of our past in order to free our collective soul and allow
ourselves to elevate to greater consciousness in much the same way as
the German people have acknowledged the atrocities of Hitler and are
struggling to reconcile the lasting effects of the Holocaust. We too
must acknowledge our Holocaust in America. I strongly believe that if
this country does not make peace with this dark historical period
continued moral and spiritual decline is certain.
Another great concern is the renewed interest and fascination with drugs
that are now permeating our society. After cocaine and crack has
enslaved and ravaged our communities, heroin is again, the sheik drug of
choice. This year, in August, I will celebrate 9 years free from the
bondage of drug and alcohol abuse. These have been the best and most
productive years of my life. The mystique of the drug experience is an
illusion, a demon's trap set to seduce and enslave our mental and
spiritual power. Drugs are allowed to flourish in the society for the
financial gain of both private and public interests, including the Court
system. We must eliminate this threat to our youth and their development
by recognizing the catastrophic numbers of casualties lost each year to
this genocide. Young and old, rich and poor, all nationalities and
ethnicities are affected. We must stop the use and abuse ravaging our
bodies, minds and spirits! Only when the body is clean, healthy, and
nourished can we free the soul to discover its infinite potential during
this brief stay on earth.
These are some of my concerns as we face a new millennium in a few
years. As an artist, I urge other creative beings to coalesce, organize,
and create new ways of nourishing each other. We must establish our own
independent record companies, theater groups, dance troops, etc. We have
to regain control of our destinies so that the creative juices begin to
again flow fluently. I have created " GrassRoots Records" under the
umbrella of Defunkt Music to afford me more flexibility and control
where my music is concerned. We must support and join organizations of
common interest to share ideas and identify ways to circumvent the
ongoing destruction of innovation and creativity. We the artists and the
community-at-large who have a need to witness and absorb creative
development and expression must create an independent medium for
production and distribution of our respective art forms. Our unity and
resolve will influence, as it once did, the"non-artistic entities" to
trust and nurture the creative direction and messages coming from us,
THE ARTISTS.
welcome any comments and observations that may or may not have been
discussed in this Soapbox entry. Looking forward.
Aluta Continua,