Michael Missiras

Does it exist? Has it ever? Should it? There are questions for you to ponder; I`ve come to my own conclusions. Below might be taken as some examples of how I have come to my conclusions.

When I was a pup around 78-79 I used to sit in at a place called Gerts Lounge in Philly on South Street just north of Broad. At that time, they had a jam thing on Monday nights. Each week, there would be a different organ trio. The players did not have big names. They were local Philly players. They were all Black. The crowd was mainly working and middle class Black people. One night, I decided that it was important for me to go there and play. i was the only white person in this very small club. Many stares came my way. When I asked to sit in, the organ player was skeptical. The crowd was somewhat bemused. I played, and it seemed to go well, or at least the organ player was happy. I remember a couple called me over to their seats at the bar and bought me a drink and said I played good for a white boy. i felt I had succeeded on a number of fronts.

One night, there was a couple in there I knew by name and not face. Trudy Pitts and Mr. C. At that time they were a local fixture in Philly as a hard swinging organ/drum duo; sometimes a trio with the bass player Jimmy Merrit. (can*t remeber how to spell his name-he spelled it different ways during his career.) They approached me and asked me to come and sit in on the gigs they had at a place also in Philly called The Second Office on Juniper and Race Streets. This place was a supper club. A bit strange by todays standards; you walked into a very seedy `hood-like bar and then went thru a door and entered a very elegant restaurant. That*s where the music was. Again, the musicians were all black, as well the patrons. i always wore a suit when I sat in there. The place demanded that sort of respect.

One night in Camden, after gaining some courage from the above, I sat in with Richard `Groove` Holmes. After, he told me I`d play with him and that he would bring a mic for me in the future.

At that point, i felt I had earned the right to play jazz in public. Or perhaps even more importantly, I felt I could call myself a jazz musician.

In all three examples above, I was a young white person trying to prove myself in the world of Black Jazz. And not only to the musicians, but to the audience. In most cases, I sensed the audience was not made up of musically literate people who were musicians; but rather, highly aculturated people who were in the element of their ontological world of expertise.

Quite simply, the music they were hearing was something that was an intrinsic part of their lives and they knew it well from an emotional place and although they might not be able to speak syntactically about what made the music feel right or not, they knew, in about 4 bars of your solo, if you were part of the music or not. As I said above, it was a highly refined cultural literacy.

Although I*ve spent a lot of time in education; and with some of it being involved with jazz, I think, and often recall those times in my youth, as some of the most profound learning and apprenticships that I ever had.

I was completely out of my world. i did not, then, understand much about the preceding decade (60s) at that time; nor did i then realize completely the struggles of an entire group of people in American culture. I did not understand the all night BBQ stands on the streets of Camden and the food people brought into the clubs of the time; all wrapped in tin foil and at late hours.

But i learned fast--about music and life. I am to understand that Gerts Lounge became, in subsequent years, a very popular place for musicians. As to the Second Office, Trudy Pitts, and Mr. C., I have no idea. As for Richard `Groove` Holmes, may he RIP.

Subsequent story about Jimmy Merrit: one night around 98, my wife and I were in Philly for a family wedding. It was in Center City. I took her to a glam hotel bar for a drink on one of the two nights we were in Philly for this event. I see Jimmy Merrit setting up his bass. I go up to him, re-introduce myself. He didn`t remember my name but he certainly remeberd the times and events quite vividly and fondly that I spoke of-or at least he led me to beleive that he remebered them fondly. i didn`t talk for too long as it was clear the gig was starting soon and he needed to set up. i recall the piano player as being not very good, but Jimmy Merrit still had that big sound, and he was 78 at the time, as he told me. He even gave me his card.

I remember telling my wife to finish her drink because I wanted to leave quickly. Somehow, it didn*t seem right to be sitting there at around 5PM in this rich playground listening to Jimmy Merrit play popular songs.

Although this time the tables had turned, and I was now the audience, I didn*t feel very good about it--actually a bit ashamed of myself for seeing Jimmy Merrit in this commerical situation he no doubt had to do to survive.

Unlike in the years that had past when I was judged, i was in absolutely no position to make any pronouncements on anything-at all.

We quickly left, at my urging, and went to another bar that, thankfully, did not have music; nor did it bring up the unresolved issues of my place in music, my worth, identity, and a lot of other things that I`m not sure are operative, and as i experience them, along with others of my generation, in todays world--and in quite the exacting ontological manner.

FWIW,
-m

bill benzon

Philly's a strange place.

I was in and out of Philly on a consulting gig about 1995-96 or so. I wanted to jam a bit but didn't know the town. So I picked up a local weekly "alternative" paper of some sort that listed jam sessions. Most of them were late night sessions, which didn't really suit my basic rhythms (I'm a morning person) much less my job schedule. But I noticed something called the Clef Club had a Sunday afternoon session at funeral parlor. So I decided to make that.

I went there with a friend and, wouldn't you know, we were the only white people in the room. We had some food -- the greens were rather salty -- and I sat in and, judging by crowd and musician response, acquitted myself well. Thing is, I can't imagine that I was the only white jazz musician who wanted to jam on a Sunday afternoon. And this was the late 1990s.

No one looked at me and my friend twice. As far as I can tell, no one paid much attention to the fact that we were white. We certainly didn't feel at all uncomfortable. So I just don't understand why we were the only white people in the room.

This country's come a long way, and it's got a long way to go.

Joe DiMonte

[quote=Michael Missiras;436071]Does it exist? Has it ever? Should it? There are questions for you to ponder; I`ve come to my own conclusions. Below might be taken as some examples of how I have come to my conclusions.

When I was a pup around 78-79 I used to sit in at a place called Gerts Lounge in Philly on South Street just north of Broad..................

In all three examples above, I was a young white person trying to prove myself in the world of Black Jazz. And not only to the musicians, but to the audience.

>>>>>>In most cases, I sensed the audience was not made up of musically literate people who were musicians; but rather, highly aculturated people who were in the element of their ontological world of expertise.<<<<<<<


Dr.Mike: Thanks for sharing and providing three 'personal & learning' examples you used to reach your conclusion.

First,your remarks resonate with this on-going audience member.

Senondly,let's not forget that AMERICA is a portrait painted in Black & White !

Thirdly,upon my return to NYC in the early '70s after my Army stint,I found myself being the only white man in jazz joints outside Washington Square area.
One evening I sat in a Club with a friend located on Washington Avenue,Brooklyn,close to Pratt Institute. On the bandstand was Papa Lou Donaldosn,Virgil Jones (trumpet),Jimmy Ponder,guitar and Leo Morris (Idris M.).

At the end of the first set,Papa Lou came over to thank me for attending and hope I enjoy the evening.
I came to the 'Burgh in 1980 and circa 1989 while at the James Street Tavern (then owned and operated by Craig Poole,a white man who featured Jazz,weekly) I ran into Jimmy Ponder (a Pittsburgh native) who has since returned home, after I recited to him where I saw him perform last,he paused,asked a few questions and gave me a warm embrace.

By the way,during that early '70s period,a fellow warrior and newly wed travelled from Richmond,VA to NYC with his bride for their honeymoon.
I set them up at the City Squire Hotel on 52nd & Broadway and took him and her to see a Zoot Sims performance - at the end of the gig,he told me Zoot sounds black - Go Figure !

In parting,I must admit we are making headways on the racial front apart from all the 'talking heads' and 'paranoids' in our midst.

__________________
"Clark Terry - C.T.,as his friends call him,is not only a master of the trumpet and flugelhorn,but a master musician and a leader to the manor born." - Dan Morgenstern.

sbkra

hey hey...

thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences..

"In most cases, I sensed the audience was not made up of musically literate people who were musicians; but rather, highly aculturated people who were in the element of their ontological world of expertise....Quite simply, the music they were hearing was something that was an intrinsic part of their lives and they knew it well from an emotional place and although they might not be able to speak syntactically about what made the music feel right or not, they knew, in about 4 bars of your solo, if you were part of the music or not. As I said above, it was a highly refined cultural literacy."

I am so glad that you posted these observations, and in such eloquent fashion...
...o, please excuse me. i am a 28yo trumpet player living in the philadelphia area; i've been listening to and living jazz since i was 7, by divine introduction; i've been playing trumpet since i was 12, after a couple years on clarinet--and the switch was specifically to play jazz. i didnt consider myself a musician until the first time i soloed over a cassette of "All Blues" when i was about 14. in my sophomore or junior year of high school, a friend and i met Donald Byrd at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and were blessed enough to sit and take some lessons from the master. i have been in the company of the legends and masters, such as lou donaldson and dr.lonnie smith and others, and have been accepted as a son and grandson and nephew and brother. and i have since struggled into the higher elements of the music, ala the spiritual paths of john coltrane and sun ra...
i say these things not to boast, but rather, to stress the fact that i have lived this music for most of my life. growing up, while others my age were quoting r&b and hiphop, i was quoting lee morgan and john coltrane and eric dolphy, note for note, line for line.

i have lived this music. i live this music. and, again, i'm so glad you posted these thoughts, and specifically the quoted observations. the reason is that currently in the philly jazz scene, there seems to be a serious deficiency of black musicians and audiences; well, more so than one would expect. as you've observed in your younger days, the musicians and people held an intimate relationship with the music, a natural, almost spiritual connection with it. certainly, for me it is intensely spiritual. however, there is a new phenomenon occurring now. and this is that university-trained white musicians appear to be getting the majority of jazz gigs in and around philly; and so many of these musicians were really only introduced to the music while in the university programs.
i dont want to be misunderstood--i have no problems or gripes with anyone playing any music. however, within this phenomenon, many of these musicians have not been brought up through "the tradition", and most definitely have not lived the music. (by "tradition" i mean the constant evolution and elevation of the music and culture, not the repetition of previous musical forms and languages) like you said, the people who live the music, whether musicians or not, can tell within 4 bars or less whether one is part of the music or not. however, currently, not only are many of the musicians just recently entered the world of jazz, but many of the audiences, who are predominantly white, can not tell the realers from the fakers. and what results is a rising class of musicians within philly that are getting "jazz" gigs and playing the music without proper respect of the Tradition.
again, for me, it is not really a black-white musician thing--one of the more respected and sought after jazz musicians is Elliott Levin, a white elder tenor sax player..however, he has been brought up in the tradition, understanding and actually living the spirituality of the music.

and this is my issue. its that so many of the musicians being brought up within this new phenomenon in philly, and generally within the university jazz programs, never learn or grow to understand the deep and intense spirituality of jazz music. they see jazz music as simply music, with which they can do whatever they want. many of the musicians in the new philly scene are trying to play "out" music, and spontaneous-improvisation type sets. however, having lived the music and the tradition, i and others like me hear much faking and pretentiousness.

...this post has become longer than i expected...
however, it is moreso a lament for the fading "refined cultural literacy" that you experienced. and, just as you experienced yourself, those of the music's originating culture are supremely accepting of "cultural outsiders" playing the music, as long as they musically express the respect of tradition, and in the same process play themselves without pretentiousness and arrogance.
it is getting to be such that it is more and more difficult for black jazz musicians to get jazz gigs in philly.

so, yes, the racial situation is definitely changing...for better or for worse, it is changing.....many young black folk see jazz as a white people's music--and this despite the truth that Hiphop is the evolution of Jazz as Jazz is the evolution of Hiphop...the majority of jazz audiences, in philly, and other cities in and out of the US, are white folk seeking truth in the world....

however, my last word is that, what we call Bebop was a cultural/musical revolution born from the genius of black cultural survival: at a time when more white run and populated big bands were getting the majority of club gigs and recording sessions, other black musicians brought up through the tradition were divinely urged to revise the music, evolving and elevating the black musical tradition, and thereby preserving the sprituality of the black musical tradition. the same thing happened again in the 60s and 70s, when jazz was again being co-opted, and the black rock tradition was becoming a mainstream sensation. and again, when hiphop was born to counteract both the disco sensation as well as the perversely watered-down forms of 80s black pop-music...
....with this being said, i must reiterate, Hiphop is the evolution and future of Jazz, as Jazz is the evolution and future of Hiphop..

so, peace and love to you brother michael....there is no such thing as the "white man's burden". if anything, as a musical tradition within the black cultural tradition, it is the "black man's burden".
but truthfully, as a cosmic method of creation and spiritual elevation, it is the spiritual responsibility and pleasure of the true jazz musician, black or white or whatever, to live the music with the highest integrity and truth, laying down the record of this truth, so that all listeners will know what is true and what is false.

i have lived this music for a reason. and my life in this music is of spiritual grounding.
posers beware....like fela kuti said, "music is the weapon". and i am one jazz warrior of a many, but powerful, few.

love and light to all....
sbkra

wiseone2

I am a Philadelphian. I grew up playing in clubs whose patrons were black and clubs whose patrons were not.
NO BIG DEAL!
Wilmer

__________________
Be sure Brain is engaged before putting Mouthpiece in gear.
S.Suark 1951

sbkra

well said, elder wise, my wise elder.

it is not a big deal at all.

...except that the majority of young african americans in this city, like so many others in this country, have no to very little knowledge of their cultural legacy. they are unable to see themselves, and all of their current cultural norms and ways, within an african american and african cultural tradition that extends for thousands and tens of thousands of years, actually going back to the beginning of all mankind.
they do not understand that the hiphop they love so much comes from this jazz they know so little. they dont understand that all of black american culture, like all african culture, and truly, like all cultures of all nations throughout the world, fall within a line of tradition that extends to the very foundation and creation of human culture.
the majority of african americans see their culture as an extension of a slave heritage. as such, too many, especially the present disenchanted and severly undereducated youth, do not take pride in and ownership of the beautiful and powerful genius of their own cultural legacy.

like charles mingus said, "let my children hear music". and i will add, let them hear their music so that they will know themselves.

again, race doesnt exist in all truth and reality. all of humanity is of the same genetic root, and thus of the same cultural root. in that, all supposed differences and divisions between peoples and nations are truthfully matters of genetic and cultural distinction, and, fundamentally, variations on the human tradition....just like we have clark terry and roy eldridge coming out of louis armstrong, or the way we have lee morgan and freddie hubbard and booker little coming out of clifford brown...when it all comes down to it, we all come out of buddy bolden.

so, nah. its no big deal. in fact, its really, really no deal at all.
still, as culture is the method or system of a people's living and continuation, culture is the life of the people.
for the people to not be connected to their culture in a real and consistently active way, does this mean that the people are not really living? ...this question makes me think about that fela kuti song, "zombie".

..man, i really really miss max roach.

but, i'm so glad we still have esteemed elders present and presenting.
thanks so much, elder wise, my wise elder. your wisdom is much appreciated.
love and respect to you.
love and light to all.
--->sbkra

__________________
...build pyramids in the youth...