"And so it has become.........."
And so it has, however I reject the proposition that any discussion of the CULTURAL roots of any music are in some way latent expressions of racism.
Music is what it is. Racism is what it is. They have no relationship to each other. Anyone who understands the history of the world, the nations, and their peoples, appreciates their contribution to where we are to day. Skin color isn't much more than that of geographical accident and evolution.
We should learn to better appreciate the benefits of multi-culturism but not, in order to be PC, exclude discusions of its origins, its developements, its participants and their contributions, as well as personal preferences for music by different performers and cultures at different periods of time.
For example I love the African drumming! Can't really appreciate all of those drum solo's in most jazz....it ain't the same. I love jazz vocalists, especially when it is infused with a natural (culteral perhaps) feeling for the song - emotional, evolving... like Eva Cassidy singing "Wading in the Water (how was that for PC - didn't say of our modern singers, Mary Stallings, Laverne Butler, Rene Marie) I love that style. Is it coincidental that most of the singers of this style are Black. I don't think so, but its not because of their skin, its is IMHO because of their cultural roots of the music.
Some folks listen to Danny Boy and think aim't it beautiful....Some think, ah a protest song by those Irishmen who hated the Englishmen who invaded and oppressed them for so many centuries, I think of Eva Cassidy! Who is right? We are all right, it is beautiful, it was a very sad sad expression of the oppressed, and Eva's version brings tears to my eyes. We are all right and what we have in common is the appreciation of the music, the appreciation of its history, and the appreciation of a great rendition.
I'll get off my box now - excuse the rant.
