DownBeat February 2010 [antikvár]

New York is JAZZ THE NEW SCHOOL . is New York GET A BFA IN THE JAZZ CAPITAL OF THE WORLD Learn jazz by living it in the heart of Greenv/ich Village—the center of New York's rich jazz history. At The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, your mentors are legendary artists from New York City's renowned jazz community and your classmates are talented musicians from around the globe. • Gig in world-famous venues throughout New York City • Train with outstanding artist-faculty and your choice of more than 100 affiliated musicians—check them out at www.newschool.edu/jazzinstructors _ • Intern and develop direct contacts ^^ in the music industry • Pursue a BFA or combined BA/BFA For application and audition information, call 212.229.5896 x4589 or visit us online. www.newschool.edu/jazzl THE NEW SCHOOL FOR JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARV MUSIC Each .summer. I usuaUy head out to Chicago's West Side for Wallace's Catfish Comer's weekend blues bashes. Typically, the music is a celebration. and a mixed one at that. One time I saw the guitarist and singer perform Howlin' Wolfs "Killing Floor" as the bassist played a disco line underneath them; Somehow it all worked. Then there was the anonymous vocalist who nailed The Staple Singers' "Let's Do II Again." None of this would be considered standard blues. I also like to take friends to Lee's Unleaded Blues on the city's South Side. Like Wallace's, this warm neighborhood spot also offers an expansive vision of the music mentioned in the club's name. Tyrone Davis, Al Green and Curtis Mayfield's soul songs are a bigger part of the bands' set lists than Chicago blues standards. Thai's the way il should be. This issue of DownBeat focuses on blues musicians who belie\e it's natural to draw on whatever they enjoy—^and deserve the same freedom and attention given to their counterparts in jazz. Cover artist Buddy Guy may be considered an elder statesman in this movement. Frank-John Hadley's story on Eric Bibb on page 34 describes a younger musician who's uiken up this mandate. As Bibb said, "A lot of musicians are mote eclectic llian their publicity." And yet there's a segment of the blues audience that doesn't seem to sec things that way. Even after the music's more-than-a-centuo' of developments, a contingent still expects to hear the same shuffles, and same stand;irds. Somehow, this demand is connected to a desire for authenticiiN". though what ihat word means in terms of music is anybody's guess. As Don DcMicheal's classic 1969 !nler\ie\v with Muddv Waters and Paul Butlerfield on page 42 shows, these sorts of notions go back a ways. Sociologist David Grazian even wrote a book about liiis subject. Blue Chicufio. which was published seven yciu^ ago and canies the subtitle: 'Tlic Search for Authenticit)' in Urban Blues Clubs." Grazian's focus was on ihc ihen-popular Checkerboanl Lounge and lourisl-hcavy clubs of the city's North Side. Those audiences—like the sclf-appoinicd purists whom Guy derides—jirc Lirgely while. The canN^ a( Wallace's and Levi's moslly black. Wliile il's e;isy to pc\\n\ to simi)C iroriy in ihis situation, il's also woith considering thai fabricauxl authcnbo-ity and stilling set lisls are an imcmaiiona! phenomenon. The Chinese govcniincnt piv.scnis conciVlcd cihnic folk songs tihal have liitle lo wilh u hai these cihnic gnuips jx'rfonn for ihoniselvcs) in fiM^ \isii-ing dignil;iries. Cuban singer Havana Ciiibo once lold nw lhal she'll ihrvnN up il she c\cr luis lo [vrfonn "Bcsainc Mucho" iuwiiumv. .So il sluHikl Iv eniiivly up to blues niusici;ms ihotnsclu^ lo vkHcniiiix' \s li;i! Iheir own music .soiimls like aiul whal tl)c\ cIhhvso to imcrjwl AikI lu»|vlully. somcila\. no inusiLian in ihis H orjwnbeat ftiUtiiniy 20)0