Response of the "Jazz Community" and Jazz Musicians to 9/11

[cookie]

I wanted to start this thread to document and discuss how members of the "jazz world" responded to 9/11.

I know that immediately after 9/11, here on Jazzcorner, Jazzcorner artists offered a part of their proceeds from CD sales to relief efforts.

Locally, many musicians---including jazz musicians--- here participated in benefits to aid rescue, relief, and cleanup. I would imagine this occured in many localities.

I also believe that 9/11 has had the effect of either preventing or making difficult overseas touring. Some of that is fear, some of it increasing security.

I don't know of any jazz artists who have directly addressed 9/11 through their music. If you know of any, please speak up and inform us.

The tragedy effected people universally, but I'm interested in documenting what initial or continuing effects 9/11 had on jazz music, artists, and listeners.

I hope to hear your thoughts on this topic. Thanks.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Dena DeRose watched the WTC tragedy from her window, and worked up her Middle-Eastern sounding arrangement of "Close Your Eyes" it in the aftermath of the attack. She provides a couple of insightful paragraphs about the song and its relationship to 9/11 in the liner notes to her Love's Holiday album. Unfortunately, I don't have the time today to post them here.

Fabulous version of the song, and my favorite version of the song.

[Nate Dorward]

Originally posted by cookie
I don't know of any jazz artists who have directly addressed 9/11 through their music. If you know of any, please speak up and inform us.

Really? I'd guess about a third of the jazz CDs I have received for review in the past year have had a track concerning 9/11 or linernotes that mention it.

[Derek Taylor]

My experience echoes Nate’s, a short list of those that I can remember includes: Gunter Hampel, Dave Liebman, Marc Copland, Joe McPhee, Joe Giardullo, John Tchicai & Pierre Dørge.

[Paul B]

The question is, why is it relevant? I don't see why the reaction of jazz musicians is any more--or less--important than that of any other "community."

Seems like reactions to 9/11 should be kept personal, and not converted--if that's the word--into music. Nothing Dena DeRose or any other jazz musician does in response to that terrible day will have any impact on this listener. Writers, perhaps, will likely be more able to convey the emotions of that day and its aftermath than musicians or painters.

Bye-ya.

[cookie]

Thank you. I haven't bought CDs lately simply because I don't have the money to do so. My primary source of new jazz is through radio airplay, so I appreciate your listings. Most often, circumstances surrounding a cut played on the radio are not explained to listeners. I especially appreciated SDCS's response about Dena DeRose because I have heard that cut on the radio, but did not realize that it was her creative response to witnessing the tragedy.

So I hope you'll pardon my ignorance, Nate. I just asked a question is all.

[cookie]

Paul, I don't know if it *is* relevant to anything. I'm just curious about it.

The Dena DeRose thing interests me because the "Close Your Eyes" performance is unique and something a little different for Dena. I know exactly what cut SDCS refers to, but his information puts her arrangement in a different light.

[cookie]

Paul B: you said this
"Nothing Dena DeRose or any other jazz musician does in response to that terrible day will have any impact on this listener. Writers, perhaps, will likely be more able to convey the emotions of that day and its aftermath than musicians or painters."

I don't think that's necessarily true. Even before I knew the DeRose performance of "Close Your Eyes" was connected to her feelings about 9/11, I *did* recognize something unusual about the setting. It has impact without the 9/11 info, but the 9/11 info sheds some light on how the setting was conceived and executed. Sure, I don't *need* to know that, but it's interesting. Is Dena somehow trying to cash in on 9/11? I don't think so. Sounds like she used music to express her feelings surrounding the event because that was in part her way of dealing with those feelings.

People from all walks of life responded to 9/11 in their personal and collective ways and jazz people *are* just people. I'm just interested in how it impacted jazz people specifically in addition to the many ways it may have effected society and individuals at large. I'm also not necessarily talking about art in response to tragedy. I'm also talking about how 9/11 impacted the business of jazz and possibly, it's direction. For example, I've seen some writers claim that the current explosion of singers who perform standards may be connected to 9/11 because people want "comfort music." Those singers are not themselves reacting to 9/11. But some argue that 9/11 opened a wider market for that specific musical genre.

[cookie]

Paul B: I just noticed that you said "this" listener. You were speaking of yourself. I apologize that I thought you were talking about the way all listeners should react.

I still left the post because maybe it will make more clear what I meant by starting this thread.

[Paul B]

And I don't deny that people need to express themselves; I just don't see how music can really focus that specifically on an event such as 9/11. Songs that do would tend, I think, to risk being...well, maudlin or corny or just somehow not appropriate. Even if the composer/performer feels it, it's not likely that the listener will. I guess Coltrane's "Alabama" could be said to be a successful reaction to a terrible event; and yet, if the listener didn't know the background to the tune, it's unlikely that he/she would find it much different from any of Coltrane's other work in that period.

Your point about people wanting "comfort" music makes some sense. Looking at music in the post-911 world from a more sociological viewpoint like that makes more sense to me.

Well, good luck with your research.

Bye-ya.

[RainyDay]

Kenny Garrett was in the middle of recording "Happy People" when 9-11 happened. It would be interesting to know more about how that affected the project. I know that the final track of that record is pretty haunting but maybe it had that quality anyway. I believe I read somewhere that his latest record, I don't recall the name, is a continuation of what was happening during "Happy People." Not sure if this info is worth anything.

I think it's an interesting idea to document what impact 9-11 had on musicians and their music. It's something I would be interested in hearing more about.

[Gentle Giant]

Charles Lloyd was in New York on 9/11 and he went on with a gig when originally he thought he should call it off. He was glad he did because it proved to be a healing experience for all involved. His most recent album, Lift Every Voice, bears the echoes of that day in every track. It's the most beautiful piece of 9/11-related art I've seen, heard, felt, whatever. I highly recommend it.

CD1
Hymn to the Mother
You Are So Beautiful
Amazing Grace
East Virginia, West Memphis
What's Going On
Angel Oak
Te Amare
I'm Afraid
Hafez, Shattered Heart

CD2
Rabo de Nube
Blood Count
Go Down Moses
Beyond Darkness
Nocturne
Wayfaring Stranger
Deep River
Lift Every Voice and Sing
Prayer, the Crossing

Charles Lloyd - tenor sax, flute, taragato
Geri Allen - piano
John Abercrombie - guitar
Marc Johnson - or
Larry Grenadier - bass
Billy Hart - drums

ECM 1832/33

[RainyDay]

I believe Garrett was in NYC when he was recording.

[Mike Schwartz]

Here's one that gets to me big time...
The brilliant pianist Jessica Williams Has a CD that's entitled "Millenial Meditations" I believe it's only available at www.jessicawilliams.com

On it she plays a free solo piano piece that she calls "The Day The World Changed"

Having spoken with Jessica on several occasions, knowing what a heavy heart she had while recording it; maybe has some extra impact for me when I hear it. She's one of my favorite pianists and this selection is the most stunning statement I've heard from her.