Smooth jazz and my iPod - Zambia Daily Mail

By PROFESSOR KENNETH MWENDA
As a jazz enthusiast, I love going to watch live smooth jazz concerts. This passion has taken me to many live concerts in the US and elsewhere, covering such top smooth jazz artists as Gerald Albright, Najee, Paul Taylor, Chuck Loeb, Boney James, Dave Koz, Kim Waters, Brian Culbertson, Richard Elliot, Walter Beasley, Keiko Matsui, Marcus Johnson, Earl Klugh, Bob James, and many more.
There is just something unique about smooth jazz. A close analogy here is that of love. And throughout this article, I pursue this analogy. Just like love, you have to experience smooth jazz to know it or feel it.
Otherwise, it is hard to explain the concept of smooth jazz to someone who does not pay close attention to the sentiments of such music. As they say, it is hard to explain the concept of love to someone who has never loved, or one who has never been loved.
Lately, I have been reading a bit on the philosophy of jazz, although I do not intend to bore you with an academic treatise on jazz. Many scholars have posited that New Orleans, Louisiana, is arguably the root of modern jazz, emanating from the Afro-blues of the creole sub-culture of the time. It is, however, not the purpose of this article to revisit that jazz scholarship.
Suffice it to say, in a dissertation titled, “The Philosophy of Jazz”, submitted in 2004 to the Department of Philosophy at Haverford College in the US, Michael Johnson contends that what has been said about jazz in philosophy â€" and there has been precious little â€" is largely reactive, which is to say dismissive or polemical.
According to Johnson, given this bias and the dearth of writings in general, it is not surprising that nobody has developed an adequate account of the project of jazz from a philosophical perspective.
He argues further that what is surprising, none the less, especially considering the state of jazz in philosophy, is that outside the philosophical world â€" in literary criticism and musicology, for example â€" writings about jazz are numerous and oftentimes philosophical.
Closely related to Johnson’s discourse, the renowned scholar Sigmund Freud argued in 1915 that if you analyse any human emotion, no matter how far it may be removed from the sphere of sex, you are sure to discover somewhere the primal impulse, to which life owes its perpetuation.
According to Freud, the primitive stages can always be re-established; the primitive mind is, in the fullest meaning of the word, imperishable. Geoff Haselhurst, an evolutionary philosopher, in an Online article (2012) titled, “Philosophy of love, sex and orgasm”, argues that it is strange how little philosophers have written on Love, Sex and Orgasm, as it is clear from Evolution that Sex and Survival are the two most fundamental forces driving our continued existence.
According to Haselhurst, what it does show is how our culture, our religious beliefs, and our emotions have prevented us from writing honestly on this most profound subject. Haselhurst contends further: “I would venture to say that it is almost impossible for a human to be completely happy or healthy if they are devoid of a meaningful sexual relationship.
“Further, evidence suggests that where sex is actively prohibited, as within certain religions, then the sexual urge, being so strong, tends to manifest in abusive ways that cause great harm to human society. (The sexual abuse of children by priests is an obvious example of this.).”
As a discipline within the broader fields of social philosophy and ethics, the philosophy of love attempts to explain through various theories the nature of love, distinguishing between various kinds of personal love.
It also asks questions such as, if and how love is or can be justified, as well as the value of love. The philosophy of love examines what impact love has on the autonomy of both the lover and the beloved.
Akin to love, smooth jazz often conveys soulful emotions of love, pain and other closely related sentiments.
As they say, there is a thin line between love and hate. Inherently, smooth jazz provides philosophical expositions that are equalled perhaps only by the soulful voice of such great black female vocalists as Anita Baker, Regina Belle, Patti LaBelle, Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blige, Sade, Mahalia Jackson, Lisa Fischer, Keyshia Cole, Gladys Knight, Cece Winans, Yolanda Adams, Mbilia Belle, and our very own Angela Nyirenda.
And not to leave out the male vocalists, of course, the balladeer of all balladeers, the ultimate soulful voice, Luther Vandross, remains one of a kind. Voices like that come once in a generation. There are many imitations, but few come close.
In all these artists, you tend to notice a certain sense of quiet and composure as they perform. Their lyrics are never vulgar, delivering, with impeccable decorum, a great emotional and sentimental appeal of acceptable finesse and etiquette.
Yet, the message gets through. These artists never panic or jump around anyhow on stage. They are in total control of the stage, and they often regulate the emotions of the audience using such great vocal and musical technique.
Likewise, the voice of the saxophone and the whisper of the jazz guitar can soothe a broken heart or blue night. Jazz creates great moments and great memories. It gives full meaning to a great night of dinner, and is a perfect companion to a fine wine.
And a great jazz artist knows just that. Like an acclaimed author, a great jazz artist knows how to pitch the notes and how to improvise with an eclectic taste of rhythm and melody.
As a jazz enthusiast, I have tried to capture on my iPod an eclectic taste of smooth jazz as well as other jazz-inspired music globally
It would be good for many of our Zambian musicians to rely less on computer-generated music, and to enhance instead the role of conventional instruments and African percussion. And here the saxophone is one instrument that is often missing from much of Zambian music. Yet it is such a powerful instrument that can convey deep emotions.
A few years ago, I travelled to Zambia on holiday.
As I sat in the hotel lounge listening to music on my iPod while waiting for a friend to pick me up, it was not long before my friend showed up and quickly asked what kind of music I was listening to.
I smiled and asked him if he really wanted to know what type of music I was listening to. He insisted, and so I explained to him politely: “If I were to lend you this iPod for one night only, you would sire twins by the next morning!” He burst out laughing. So, I handed him my iPod so that he could sample the music for himself.
There are hundreds of carefully selected classics on my iPod, including golden oldies, smooth jazz, some mellow and fine rhumba as well as contemporary soul and R&B. He quickly picked out on an old classic by Luther Ingram, titled If Loving you is Wrong, I Don’t Want to Be Right. That then took him to such other great old classics by the likes of Melba Moore and Freddie Jackson (A little bit more) and Sam Cooke (A Change is Gonna come). But what really knocked off his socks, especially that he was going through a strained relationship with his longtime girlfriend in South Africa, was when he listened closely to the various Luther Vandross assortments before catching the flavour of the lyrics on Musiq Soulchild’s Teachme. He played that song over and over, and started fearing that perhaps the song was speaking to him. The lyrics went on:
“I was told the true definition of a man was to never cry… Work till you tired (yeah) got to provide (yeah)… Always be the rock for my fam, protect them by all means (and give you the things that you need, baby)…Our relationship is (suffering) trying to give you (what I never had)… You say I don’t know to love you baby…Well I say show me the way… I keep my feelings (deep inside I)…Shadow them (with my pride eye)… I’m trying desperately baby just work with me… Teach me how to love… Show me the way to surrender my heart, girl I’m so lost… Teach me how to love… How I can get my emotions involved… Teach me, show me how to love… Show me the way to surrender my heart, girl I’m lost… I was always taught to be strong, never let them think you care at all… Let know one get close to me…Before (you and me)… I den’ shared things wit chu girl about my past… That I’d never tell to anyone else (no)…Just keep it to myself, (yes)…Now I know I lack affection and expressing my feelings… It took me a minute to come and admit this but…See I’m really try’na (change now)… Wanna love you better, (show me how)…I’m tryin desperately baby hey…Ain’t nobody ever took the time to try to teach me what (love was but you)…And I ain’t never trust anyone enough to let em tell me (what to do)…Teach me how to show it and show me how to love…”
I could see tears start to build up in my friend’s eyes. As a man, he tried to hold back the tears. But it was not working. The tears came running down his cheeks. He stopped the car, and began to testify about the heartache caused by the woman he loved so dearly
I listened patiently, and then said to him: “Here, take my iPod with you. When you get home, try to sock yourself in the smooth jazz, while you sip some fine wine. You will feel better.” Indeed, the smooth jazz was the therapy, as he called his girlfriend in South Africa the very next day. The rest is history.
They are now happily married. So, smooth jazz remains a great part of the philosophy of love.

* The interpretations and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author. They do not represent the views of any institution, person or body to which the author is affiliated. For feedback on the article, the author can be reached electronically at: KMwenda@yahoo.com