The writing "cabin" this week is a bayside home on the coast of Rhode Island. We call it "Nancy's-By-the-Sea," in honor of the good friend who has offered it to us. It's an extraordinary setting. I sip my morning coffee in view of sailboats and yachts, welcoming the daylight as the mist evaporates off the bay. Today's weather will be the best all week. It could become a distraction.
But it's not the only distraction. I am diving into the complicated history of jazz, a subject that I thought I knew well. Yesterday's research revealed a very public ... um ... urination contest between Jelly Roll Morton and W.C. Handy. They bickered over who created jazz. Egos energized the conflict, which was played out in print. Both musicians were in the twilight of their careers, and each wanted to be honored for his legacy.
The deeper truth is that neither of them "created" the music. Jelly Roll was the first great composer of jazz, very skilled in orchestration. Handy published the blues that he heard and imagined. The music preceded both of them. So I'm writing about that. My contention is that jazz has been multicultural from the beginning. The trajectory of the music is rooted in its origins.
It resonates with three Bible texts for me: the multi-lingual story of Babel (Genesis 11), the polyphonic story of Pentecost that answers Babel (Acts 2), and Matthew's genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-17). Why the genealogy? Because it reveals what is true for all of our families: ain't no purebloods! There has been diversity from the beginning. My hope is to weave these strands well and set the context for countering racism - which will be the next chapter.
It's high octane stuff, especially for an uptight white guy. The distractions are enticing.
OK, back to the primary task at hand. At the umbrella table on the deck. Overlooking the sailboats. Bright blue sky. Drowning in sunshine. Gentle breeze. Watching the birds dive for breakfast.
What was I saying?
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