Jazz Riffs from Storyville's scented vines the Civil War's cast-off brass the funeral march's staggering wail from the waifs' home and the tenement Cuba and Africa New Orleans, Kansas City, the Savoy, Minton's, 52nd Street from American noise and individualism and borrowing it comes lingering past the beat - holding on then squeezing time - off-kilter, irregular rhythm rocking wavering between major and minor dismissing duality embracing blue notes/flatted fifths, the potential in the cracks between the keys where what goes unplayed the space and spareness allowed is as vital as sound where individual and collective must look each other in the eye assert and accommodate, dialogue where you find freedom despite would-be limitations: Chick Webb's spine Django's burned hand Lady Day's tiny range Bird's appetites Miles's wealth Bechet's fury segregation diminishing everyone's world you listen with new intensity immersed in oral tradition's demands play for your life risk everything Ornette's whole band improvised for two days straight; Bernstein pressed his ear to the bass's F-hole to get still closer; Bix never repeated a solo, reasoned, "I don't feel the same way twice" underneath it all, the wistful confession unspeakable loneliness, baseless hope, and irresistible swing |