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Amiri Baraka: Perspectives on Music and Race
In fact, the election of Barak Obama has only helped to create the illusion that racism no longer exists in America...
Amiri Baraka is the author of the insightful and comprehensive book, Blues People. It is a book that has opened many minds and readers to the African American Diaspora along with the history and roots of African American music. Baraka has now published a new book of essays titled, Digging (The Afro-American Soul of American Classical Music). He is the author of over 40 books on poems, plays, essays, drama and importantly, the founder of the Black Arts Movement of Harlem in 1960, which became the blueprint for new American Theater aesthetics. He has taught at Columbia, Yale and the State University of New York and is the State Poet Laureate of New Jersey. Amiri Baraka has a unique and remarkable understanding of African American culture and history, but with his new book, Digging, he has written a book where his inability to overcome a racial bitterness, clouds his capacity to exercise his wisdom in support of the very culture he is trying to honor. What's more, race is the one issue that needs to be discussed in America but clearly people are afraid of being misunderstood, afraid of being mistaken as racist, or even accused of reverse racism. But let us first identify the definition of racism, which is; "Hatred or intolerance of another race or other races." Further more, we also need to understand that the term "reverse racism" has an inherent racist disposition. Racism has its own identity and needs no further discerning explanation.
In chapter 10 titled, "Jazz Criticism and its Effect on the Music," Baraka remarks that, "
Barbra Streisand
vocalsb.1942
Aretha Franklin
vocals1942 - 2018
Nina Simone
piano and vocals1933 - 2003
Within this same chapter, Baraka states that Hollywood has produced films on the lives of Rocky Graziano and Jake LaMotta but not on the man who beat them who also happens to possibly be the greatest boxer of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson. Moreover, he goes on to mention that there have been films on 
Benny Goodman
clarinet
1909 - 1986
Glenn Miller
trombone
1904 - 1944
Bix Beiderbecke
cornet
1903 - 1931
Red Nichols
b.1905
Miles Davis
trumpet
1926 - 1991
Duke Ellington
piano
1899 - 1974
Count Basie
piano
1904 - 1984
John Coltrane
saxophone
1926 - 1967
In chapter 20 titled, "Ritual and Performance," Baraka states, "We must rejuvenate and reorganize the popular culture of the U.S. by going to the grassroots of creativity and productivity, the masses of the people, of which we are hopefully one of the most sensitive and thoughtful parts. We must create our own theaters, concert venues, magazines, newspapers, journals, publishing houses, art galleries, schools and not merely toll away like drugged monks at the bell of vicious moribund capitalism, called imperialism." This is a most interesting statement and perhaps an even more critical one when you consider that an African American now resides in the Whitehouse. Let me explain. A number of surveys have recently been considered asking if African Americans are better off today, and whether the issue of racism still exists in America. But the election of Barak Obama creates a new type of challenge for African Americans. In fact, the election of Barak Obama has only helped to create the illusion that racism no longer exists in America and that African Americans' are now better off today. Sadly but predictably, it hasn't taken us long to forget about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which is one the most telling and humiliating embarrassments in the history of our country, and one that was largely about race. Why?
As mentioned previously, the American public educational system has never incorporated a curriculum that yields to the importance of African American culture in our history. African American youth need to understand the challenges of the past, and most importantly, the inventions and accomplishments of the numerous outstanding African American scholars within science, medicine, and the arts. The names are endless yet one would be hard pressed to find these names within the curriculum of any American grade school system. Now with the election of President Obama, will the African American community still feel the need to stand up and demand change in our public school curriculums, or will they sit back and wait for the president to make the needed changes all by himself? The truth is, there is not a more appropriate time for higher expectations in the support for African American children and the education that they deserve to receive. Why do many African American children today link Martin Luther King with the freeing of slaves? Children should not have to wait to attend a university to learn about the significant accomplishments by African Americans. How can we expect African American children to grow up with a sense of pride and ownership if they are not taught what is theirs to own so that they can build on that history rather than not expecting to have a future at all. It's not just wrong, it is a crime and it is unjust. Now is the time for new community Black Leaders to step up and demand change in our educational curriculums. Now is the time not to accept "no" for an answer.
There are two chapters where Baraka mentions the fact that Down Beat provided no stars in its rating review of records by Monk, 
Charlie Parker
saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpet
1917 - 1993
Louis Armstrong
trumpet and vocals
1901 - 1971
Within part 3 of the book, "Notes, Reviews and Observations" Baraka points out that 
Peter Brötzmann
woodwinds
1941 - 2023
Hamid Drake
drums
b.1955
William Parker
bass
b.1952
But it doesn't end here. Baraka goes onto say, "When the emotional content of this music is missing, as it is here and from a depressing number of other players of the 'new music,' it becomes formalist and academic." Ironically, that's exactly the approach of Baraka's writing, which attempts to dismiss the work of a man who is more sympathetic to the African American experience than most people I have met in my previous 40 years." What's more, part of the problem is with those who are more than willing to try and "own" music as if art, a living entity, can be owned and told exactly what it is expected to do. A form of slavery, clearly not yet understood.
Within this very same chapter, Baraka proceeds to review the exceptional historic album that 
Joe McPhee
woodwinds
b.1939
In the chapter titled, "Cosby and the Music," Baraka states, "They said, 
Bob Dylan
guitar and vocals
b.1941
Baraka goes onto mention that classical music is being represented as "the" music of Beethoven, "the" music of Bach and "the" music of Bartok. But never is Duke's music, "the" music of Duke Ellington
piano
1899 - 1974
Baraka remarks, ..."often it would seem that Jazz and Blues are European and Euro-American inventions. Racist media and anti-scholars are working feverishly on such a klannish historical genocide." Though racism is alive and well, I still have difficulty with these types of open blanket statements that reflect a type of race related paranoia. Who is it that is trying to diminish or eliminate the names of the greatest African American composers in American history? Who is trying to take away the accomplishments of Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Monk, Dizzy, Ellington, Coltrane, 
Billie Holiday
vocals
1915 - 1959
Ben Webster
saxophone, tenor
1909 - 1973
Al Green
vocals
b.1946
Dexter Gordon
saxophone, tenor
1923 - 1990
Charles Mingus
bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979
Johnny Hodges
saxophone, alto
1907 - 1970
Don Cherry
trumpet
1936 - 1995
Eric Dolphy
woodwinds
1928 - 1964
Lee Morgan
trumpet
1938 - 1972
Art Blakey
drums
1919 - 1990
McCoy Tyner
piano
1938 - 2020
Sonny Rollins
saxophone
b.1930
Sarah Vaughan
vocals
1924 - 1990
Charles Lloyd
saxophone
b.1938
Coleman Hawkins
saxophone, tenor
1904 - 1969
Art Tatum
piano
1909 - 1956
Pharoah Sanders
saxophone, tenor
1940 - 2022
Max Roach
drums
1925 - 2007
Ella Fitzgerald
vocals
1917 - 1996
Ahmad Jamal
piano
1930 - 2023
Freddie Hubbard
trumpet
1938 - 2008
Benny Carter
saxophone, alto
1907 - 2003
Ray Charles
piano and vocals
1930 - 2004
Lester Young
saxophone
1909 - 1959
Jimi Hendrix
guitar, electric
1942 - 1970
Otis Redding
vocals
1941 - 1967
James Brown
vocals
1933 - 2006
Robert Johnson
vocals
1911 - 1938
Bessie Smith
vocals
1894 - 1937
Betty Carter
vocals
1929 - 1998
Stevie Wonder
vocals
b.1950
Jackie McLean
saxophone, alto
1932 - 2006Aretha Franklin
vocals
1942 - 2018
Wayne Shorter
saxophone
1933 - 2023
Ornette Coleman
saxophone, alto
1930 - 2015
Andrew Hill
piano
1931 - 2007
Cannonball Adderley
saxophone
1928 - 1975Otis Redding
vocals
1941 - 1967
Buddy Guy
guitar, electric
b.1936Al Green
vocals
b.1946
In chapter 58, Baraka discusses saxophonist, 
Odean Pope
saxophone
b.1938Max Roach
drums
1925 - 2007
What the author should consider is that when someone as creative as Odean Pope cannot get a gig at Lincoln Center where the Artistic Director is black, how fair is it to be critical of anybody else? If 
Albert Ayler
saxophone, tenor
1936 - 1970
Cecil Taylor
piano
1929 - 2018
Fred Anderson
saxophone
1929 - 2010
Roscoe Mitchell
saxophone
b.1940
Leo Smith
b.1941
Anthony Braxton
woodwinds
b.1945
In his chapter titled, "Miles Later," Baraka affirms, "And finally the classic quintet with John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, 
Philly Joe Jones
drums
1923 - 1985
Paul Chambers
bass, acoustic
1935 - 1969
Red Garland
piano
1923 - 1984
Jimmy Cobb
drums
1929 - 2020
Bill Evans
piano
1929 - 1980
Wynton Kelly
piano
1931 - 1971
Additionally, Baraka observes that, "Robert Palmer of the New times (a good ol' Ivy-type good ol' boy) suggests that Bill Evans was the major stylistic innovator and primary influence on contemporary jazz pianists. In reality, Miles wanted Ahmad Jamal
piano
1930 - 2023McCoy Tyner
piano
1938 - 2020
Tommy Flanagan
piano
1930 - 2001
There is no question that "some" writers were both blinded and influenced by his pigmentation, but what was Bill Evans supposed to do, walk away from music? It must also be understood that this racial hatred has blinded many to not only the greatness of Bill Evans, and he was great, but to those he is compared to. When comparisons are made between great artists, it only diminishes or takes away from the uniqueness of the individuality and spirit of both creators. It's also important to note that after Bill Evans left the Sextet, Miles asked him to return to the studio for the recording, Kind of Blue. Miles also asked Wynton Kelly to play, but only on the track, "Freddie Freeloader."
Who am I to say what Baraka should or shouldn't write but it would be educational and beneficial for all if more time was spent on the positive contributions of the great pianists such as Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, McCoy Tyner, Ahmad Jamal, Cecil Taylor and let's not forget the late great Andrew Hill.
In brief, Digging isn't entirely saturated in bitterness. Braraka reminds us that Monk was Bebop before Bird and Diz, and his chapter on Nina Simone is sentient and heart warming, expressing the beauty and complexity of a brilliant soul. And it is here where Baraka expresses the most beautiful words, transforming them into music while inviting us inside, into the spirit of these giant artists.
"Sometimes in the cabin, or at our house in Newark, upstairs on the third floor, Nina would sing. High and lilting, vulnerable as a worn and gorgeous dream. She sang and sang. Especially, when she was happy of lighthearted, she sang, and her song still filled the space with warm perception and the sensitive heart.""Her songs spoke of stronger, more conscious times, when people our age thought it might be possible to smash injustice forever within our lifetime but the songs put us in touch once more with the "sweetness" of struggle, the self-conscious dignity. Digging Nina, then, was really digging all ourselves at perhaps the top of our acts! The crowd rose again and again, celebrating Nina and ourselves."
My intent for this review and discussion was not to diminish the reputation of Mr. Baraka, though it may appear that way to some, but to reveal how deep the scars are within us. To have said nothing was not the answer. We need to stop and at least try to understand our differences and find a way to focus on the positive aspects of each other, and not on the matter that separates us. In the end, I find myself wanting to believe that music can break through the bridge of cultural intolerance; yet Digging only proves how far we yet have to go. And just perhaps, that's not such a bad omen.
"How to measure this world we find ourselves not at all happy with, but able to understand, and hopefully one day to completely transform." —Amiri Baraka
Note from the author: I would like to point out that there are a number of various definitions of "racism" and the list is growing. Rather than try to explain all the vast interpretations and definitions, which is not the intent of the paper, I selected one definition to use as a point of reference. Granted, the reader may come from a different reference point.
I would also like to thank Barbie-Danielle DeCarlo for sharing her time and thoughts in conversation on this paper and topic. Though we may not agree on the definition of racism and certain related aspects of it, I think we agree that discourse on this topic is of utmost importance.
"Spiritual transformation through music, empathy and understanding..."
Lloyd Peterson is the author of the book, Music and the Creative Spirit and the future publication, Wisdom Through Music.
Photo Credit
B&W by Nuno Martins
Featured Story by Maarten Mooijman
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