"With a diversity of people [come] a diversity of
cultures" (Kelley, 18). Growing up in a place that offers a large variety of
different people, experiences, arts, and cultures is a significant attribute
that has helped to build up many of the greatest musicians. But it is not
enough to merely have a diversity of cultures to draw from, there also has to be
a sense that this diversity is available to the people within it. There has to
be a sense of connectedness- a sense of community. A community binds together
by transcending race and class (Stewart) and coming together to create new and
wonderful things, fostering the talents of those who reside within it.
Kelley claims
that Monk's genius as a musician is related to the community of San Juan Hill and
the availability of music and support that existed there. Besides being a place
that had "the largest concentration of black musicians in the city"
(Kelley, p.19), it was also a place where "every household had an
instrument" (Kelley, p.20). It was the sort of place that was open to
talent and helped to developed it. It was also a symbiotic relationship in that
the community supported the creation of artists and the artists supported the
creation of community- a phenomenon that was also witnessed in Leimert Park. Monk's
abilities were nurtured by his community, and he then used his art to create
community (Stewart).
Monk would
have had very little music in his life if not for the caring of others. When he
was a child, a woman gave his family a piano (Kelley, 24), and without this
acquisition there is no way to know if Monk's genius as a pianist would have
every had the capacity to come out. When his father left, he was "raised
by... New York City" (Kelley, 24). Jazz is New York, then, in the sense
that jazz helped to create the smaller communities within the city, and these
smaller communities nurtured the jazz artists who would later help to define
the city.
This
relationship of jazz to the community is very much the same in Leimert Park as
in what Kelley outlines. In the documentary of Leimert Park, they talked about
how music makes a community come together, binds people together and makes a
place feel like home. They talked about how jazz music, art, and poetry have
the power to heal people and bring them together in even the worst of circumstances.
In these ways, art and community are bound together inextricably. Just as
Kelley showed how this relationship is created by a reciprocal need to continue
onwards, Leimert Park shows this same aspect.
I think
that the relationship between art and community in which jazz musicians grow up
and perform is this interdependence that they have on one another. It seems as
though it would be very difficult for one to come to exist without the presence
of the other. From the beginnings of jazz in New Orleans, art was created by a
community of people coming together to make it happen. And this art, once made,
helped to strengthen the community and bring them closer together.
Commented on Jason Ortenberg
I like your exploration of the importance cultural diversity had on Monk and the jazz scene. I think you covered everything with respect to how San Juan Hill built Monk up but you didn't mention how it effected Monks particular style of jazz, I think the cross cultural aspect of his influences would be an interesting aspect to explore.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you organized your argument with a very clear and succinct style. I also liked how you made the distinction that a community had to offer both a diversity of culture but also a sense of connectedness. Without this crucial factor jazz would not have had such a strong influence on Monk in San Juan Hill. I would however suggest that you expand a bit more on what the saying "Jazz is New York" means in the context of these communities. Otherwise, great job!
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