Insider Sessions

 

 

 

I believe that music is a crucial component of culture. Whatever the “conventional wisdom” may be, when we moved from music like Stan Getz’ jazz to “gangsta rap” which often revolves around aggressive, violent lyrics, and actual violent behavior, we also change our cultural sensitivity. Of course this rap depicts “… growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, problems in the society.” But it has also encouraged and spawned a huge amount of violence including the infamous “East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry” which you can Google.

 

I don’t care what Sociologists say to the contrary, angry, misogynistic, music and lots of actual violence interlaced with that music is NOT desirable and constructive for society. Those Sociologists have been wrong about almost everything else and they are wrong about this! These apologists of dysfunction would probably also say it’s okay if the authors of vampire movies actually go around biting peoples’ necks!

 

Notorious B.I.G's piece Ready To Die and his producer, Puff Daddy, launched the genre and it has proliferated with groups like N.W.A., The Geto Boys, Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and others. Gangsta Rap gets its buzz from very, VERY “Bad Boy” behavior it celebrates and encourages. Example: In May 2010, Gangsta rap mogul Marion "Suge'' Knight was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon and on a warrant for driving on a suspended license, and pointing a gun at someone in another car according to Los Angeles police. He is the co-founder of Death Row Records. In the 1990s his company launched some of rap's biggest acts including NWA, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur -2Pac-, who was murdered in ’96 in a drive by shooting. “Suge” served five years in prison for assault and federal weapons violations. He then spent another 10 months behind bars for violating parole by hitting a Hollywood nightclub valet.  (Source: WIRE SERVICES story in Seattle Times, May 21, 2010.)

 

FYI for those of you from a different generation than me: “Stan Getz was born on February 2, 1927, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Ukrainian Jews who emigrated from the Kiev, Ukraine area in 1903. The family later moved to New York City for better employment opportunities. Getz worked hard in school, receiving straight “As”, and finished sixth grade close to the top of his class. Getz's major interest was in musical instruments, and he felt a need to play every instrument in sight. He played a number of them before his father bought him his first saxophone at the age of 13. Even though his father also got him a clarinet, Getz instantly fell in love with the saxophone and began practicing eight hours a day.”  From the WikiBiography. 

 

Listen to my favorite Getz piece. Is it “better” than violent, angry, music? Maybe I’m getting old and cranky but Getz doesn’t make you mad. It makes you want to dance, read, or have a glass of wine. Please check out the above video.

 

“So unique was Stan Getz's saxophone sound that his solo on "Early Autumn" catapulted him to stardom in 1948 (his tone was so unique that he was nicknamed "The Sound" and even Coltrane wished he could play like him). Just as his popularity was beginning to wane in the early 1960s, he scored massive hits with his Bossa Nova work, introducing the sultry South American-derived rhythms to a global audience. Getz remained on top for the rest of his life.” 

- Nick Dedina, http://www.rhapsody.com/stan-getz