Please elaborate. There was cracklin' life beyond the ordinary in these communities. There were thrills and adventures that might be hard to imagine for some of us.
Oh, yes, I get THAT! Joe and I, along with Marty and some others, were operating The Oklahoma Blues Society for a while, early to mid-nineties. We delighted in being a mixed group, with most cultures represented. We emphasized the educational aspect of presenting Blues Music to people in creative and soulful ways. We put together "Blues In the Schools" programs, as well as other bridges to racial awareness and celebration. Music and History! Can't beat that! (Well, as long as food is involved.)
It came to pass that new people caught onto this fabulous operation and wanted to participate. But they were more interested in the party aspect of the music. And Stevie Ray Vaughan. They had amps designed to go up to 11, and we were fighting with acoustic axes. DANG!
We departed when our friends from Tulsa were mistreated by the owner of the new OBS venue, saying, "That ain't Blues" when they started in on "San Francisco Bay Area Blues" - written by Georgia-born Jesse Fuller and recorded in 1954. This owner only seemed to know Blues when it was channeled through cocaine.
So, we picked up our toys (I designed all the T-shirts...hahaha) and Joe and Marty organized, produced, and promoted things. It continued to evolve, but I'm not sure its current iteration. It's had some positive infusions, I think, but its core has scattered.
I've done a number of tributes to Jazz and Blues, and some Country and Rock, musicians, with a focus on women. Those Classic Blues singers were formidable, brilliant, and iconic. They set the design for the rest of it. They brought the Orishas into it. I'll leave that to another time.
No wonder uptight stiffs got upset. Whoa.
Please elaborate. There was cracklin' life beyond the ordinary in these communities. There were thrills and adventures that might be hard to imagine for some of us.
I’ll get to this. But it’s about the history and power of Jazz. Scared some people.
Oh, yes, I get THAT! Joe and I, along with Marty and some others, were operating The Oklahoma Blues Society for a while, early to mid-nineties. We delighted in being a mixed group, with most cultures represented. We emphasized the educational aspect of presenting Blues Music to people in creative and soulful ways. We put together "Blues In the Schools" programs, as well as other bridges to racial awareness and celebration. Music and History! Can't beat that! (Well, as long as food is involved.)
It came to pass that new people caught onto this fabulous operation and wanted to participate. But they were more interested in the party aspect of the music. And Stevie Ray Vaughan. They had amps designed to go up to 11, and we were fighting with acoustic axes. DANG!
We departed when our friends from Tulsa were mistreated by the owner of the new OBS venue, saying, "That ain't Blues" when they started in on "San Francisco Bay Area Blues" - written by Georgia-born Jesse Fuller and recorded in 1954. This owner only seemed to know Blues when it was channeled through cocaine.
So, we picked up our toys (I designed all the T-shirts...hahaha) and Joe and Marty organized, produced, and promoted things. It continued to evolve, but I'm not sure its current iteration. It's had some positive infusions, I think, but its core has scattered.
I've done a number of tributes to Jazz and Blues, and some Country and Rock, musicians, with a focus on women. Those Classic Blues singers were formidable, brilliant, and iconic. They set the design for the rest of it. They brought the Orishas into it. I'll leave that to another time.
THEY are the ones who created our current pop culture, and then some, through a historical creative force. I ADORE them and honor their sacrifices!