Martin Luther King on Jazz

Opening speech at the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival

Humanity and the Importance of Jazz

"God has brought many things out of oppression.  He has endowed his creatures with the capacity to create - and from this capacity has flowed the sweet songs of sorrow and joy that have allowed man to cope with his environment and many different situations. 

Jazz speaks for life.  The Blues tell the story of life's difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.  This is triumphant music. 

Modern Jazz has continued in this tradition, singing the songs of a more complicated urban existence.  When life itself offers no order and meaning, the musician creates an order and meaning from the sounds of the earth which flow through his instrument. 

It is no wonder that so much of the search for identity among American Negroes was championed by Jazz musicians.  Long before the modern essayists and scholars wrote of "racial identity" as a problem for a multi-racial world, musicians were returning to their roots to affirm that which was stirring within their souls. 

Much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music.  It has strengthened us with its sweet rhythms when courage began to fail.  It has calmed us with its rich harmonies when spirits were down.  And now, Jazz is exported to the world.  For in the particular struggle of the Negro in America there is something akin to the universal struggle of modern man.  Everybody has the Blues.  Everybody longs for meaning.  Everybody needs to love and be loved.  Everybody needs to clap hands and be happy.  Everybody longs for faith.  In music, especially this broad category called Jazz, there is a stepping stone towards all of these. "

-o-

Many years ago, long before finding this passage from MLK was myself contemplating BHM, my godchildren, son, life and of course, jazz. This is what came forth:

Black History Month
by c. basinet
December 3, 2000

It's a funny dichotomy. On one hand how very important it is to honour in order to shift the focus back to the many who have taken inflicted fear, unfairness and judgment... all things rarely at one's own control and yet the guilt and internalization are what have supplied so many the fuel-

The fuel that blasted out of Miles's horn, the race down the football field or across the courts, the race to an invention. That fuel, that power.

That the power gained by these triumphs celebrated during BHM be not in vain but be the power we all- gain. To use this power united for peace, fairness, expression, protection of one's home/family and most importantly, freedom from so much judgement over all. Let this be America's crowning glory and shining example to the World about love so that we may not need to have a...

BHM
for our children's children.

But an empowered society each month. Each day. Each moment.
That can love...
all.