Re: [Harp-L] re: my misty and Warren "whitebread" Bee



It is no longer a matter of racism (if it ever was), but of culture. Archie Shepp (wwww.archieshepp.com) is one of the few people to have anything interesting to say about this. It is fine for anyone to play the blues, or jazz, or Scottish tunes, or any other tradition. Playing is still criticisable for not seeming rooted enough in the tradition. But "seeming" and being are not the same. Art is about fakery too and the most 'authentic' performance is sometimes not. You don't have to suffer to play the blues (or indeed country), but you do have to sound like you suffer.

On 14 Sep 2008, at 12:22, IcemanLE@xxxxxxx wrote:

In a sense, this is similar to Polish Jokes or Italian Jokes. (Why are there
so many Italians in the world? Because every time the sun goes down another
"Daygo's by.")


Up until someone sued someone for "hurt feelings" and changed the world into
fear of political correctness, these jokes were taken as jokes and everyone
rolled with the punches. We had thicker skin.


The white guys can't play the blues stuff is a bit like this - for one
thing, blacks created their own music from their own culture - blues and jazz.
It's OK to give them this much credit. White folk have a history of jumping into
this band wagon without the deep attachment or paying the dues like the
creators of the music.


The colorization is based on small truths - this could be accepted for what
it is. However, there are always exceptions to the "rules". There are white
guys that play excellent blues.


So, to generalize is wrong, but don't get insulted or outraged about these
statements, unless you are going after $$ by hiring a lawyer over hurt
feelings.



In a message dated 9/14/2008 6:40:41 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Here we  go again with the prejudice "white guys can't have the blues"
bullsh*t.

Let's not colorize any of this with this "whitebread" crap and all that.
It's just wrong.





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