Hesterian Analysis of 'Jazz'

[A] Article

The Hesterian Analysis of

African American

"JAZZ"

1. "Jazz" is a mirror that reflects the experimental, creative and loving nature of the human spirit. Born out of the African’s experience with oppression, exploitation and hatred in the "New World," it forces humankind worldwide to take an honest look at both the best and worse aspects that form the parameters of our individual and collective experiences.

2. Africans in America were the only people on Earth prepared, poised and compelled by circumstance to combine spiritual, mundane, intellectual, and free expression into an international language capable of eliciting a response from everyone on the globe. Some people love it while others hate it. Some like it traditional or smooth while others like it experimental and hot. Everyone feels they have a right to define it for themselves. Denied overt access to their indigenous culture and to basic freedom, Africans in America created an international musical practice capable of expressing levels of individual and collective freedom and democracy the American Constitution could express only in theory.

3. African American "jazz" is a barometer that measures levels of sincerity, self-mastery, and individual freedom. The closer one observes the evolution and application of innovative African American music, the more dimensions of one’s soul are reflected. It matters not whether we admit that we see this image reflected in the mirror.

4. "Jazz" not only reflects those extremely painful and disgusting aspects of our history that we refuse to acknowledge or to discuss, but it also provides comfort and forgiveness. It forges communities and unites former enemies. It forces those who originally deemed its African creators and their music worthless to now want to claim the music as their own.

5. African American "Jazz" is at once secular and sacred - technically sophisticated and viscerally accessible. It can simultaneously serve as an esoteric meditation and social entertainment. This is a continuation of its African heritage.

6. Since "Jazz" is our most complete reflection of the American experience, the segregation of African Americans from European Americans is reflected in the music musicians create. Music learned from the fringe of a culture sounds that way. Some information can be learned from records (yet to a lesser extent than French or Swahili can be learned in such a fashion), but "Jazz" reflects the humor, physical and intellectual movement, rituals, and social habits of African culture as it adapted to conditions in America. The convergence of a wide range of African languages and traditions was necessary when tribes and families were separated when people were abducted from the African continent and brought to the Americas. The delusion that music that reflects the subtle retention of memories and experiences that remained in the minds of African people can be duplicated solely through mimicry of African American melodies, rhythms, scales and chord is absurd. The more we emerge towards developing a unified and equitable society, the more capable we become of speaking a unified American musical language.

7. African Americans musicians are eager to share their art form with the world. Perpetual cycles of exploitation, disrespect and dishonesty, especially within the music industry, cause some artists to remain cautious and skeptical. Sincerity and fairness eradicates such a condition.

8. The blues is a style rich in African emotional expression and cogent musical elements that forms a structure over which innovative African American music unfolds. Musicians have continually expanded this language while spontaneously creating musical portraits that reflect the world around them.

9. Innovative African American music reminds us that we all want to pursue happiness and freedom. It is not difficult to understand why those most severely deprived of these basic inalienable rights in America would become the ambassadors most capable of reminding the world of the importance an necessity of such rights. Through a sincere approach to spiritual music we might effectively realize and promote peace, love, freedom and happiness.

(c) Karlton E. Hester Ph.D.
Illustration by Alissa J. Roedig

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Living Encyclopedia of Global African Music
Received Fall 2001
Posted 07/25/2002