"J. R. Mills" wrote:
> This topic is so complex it
> gives me a headache to thing of all the interlockings and ramifications of
> the issues. Suffice it to say that I've always been enamored of Joni's
> innocence and purity of soul.
The complexity of this issue has had me considering nonstop what to write in my
post for the last day.
First, I agree with Sherelle and Julius that Joni has soul. I think k.d. lang
is another Canadian woman who has it as well. They both also share a common
bond of not being afraid to turn genre on its ear.
(Now to the tough stuff and touchy territory...and let me just say for the
record that all comments are welcome.)
Second, I think it is Joni's innocence and willingness to explore that allows
her to approach "black" music with a different ear and mind, so to speak. (Here
is my view, based on my study (formal and informal) of music and
African-American history.) Historically in the U.S. traditional "black" music
has been demeaned and devalued by the majority culture and certainly by the
majority media. Jazz wasn't art until the Europeans said so. It has
historically taken time (and in many cases performance of the same songs by
whites) in order for black music to garner cultural respect. If you look at the
artists that Sherelle refers to in her post regarding the influence of R&B,
there is only one American there. The Brits were willing and excited to cop to
their influences and were thrilled when they got to meet or play with them. At
least that is how it appears to me from everything I have read. Today things
are different and I wonder how much is owed to the Stones and the Beatles for
that.
Third, from a personal point of view and speaking strictly from my own
experience with my European and Canadian friends and acquaintances, I've always
found it easier to have a discussion about race with non-American whites. Not
easy in the sense of simply agreeing with one another but that it feels more
like a dialogue. I've vacationed in Canada (Salt Spring/Vancouver) every year
for the last five years, not just because I love it but also because it feels
like a vacation away from race as the issue it is in everyday life. I think the
U.S., as a nation, bears a heavy burden of blame, guilt and shame on both sides
of the color line and it keeps us from having respectful discussions, open
debate and thus healing ourselves. I think being free of the burden and the
collective racial consciousness allows people of other cultures the opportunity
to view all American music differently from the way Americans do.
We also have the cloud of the media portrayal of race hanging over our heads
which makes mutual understanding exceedingly difficult. There is a great book
titled "Black Image in the White Mind" by Robert Entman which I highly recommend
to Americans of all colors.
I could go on, boring you all, for hours about this . . .
Thanks Shane, for starting this. I welcome the dialogue.
Brenda
n.p.: Radiohead - "Hunting Bears"
