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 Billie Holiday
1915 - 1959
vocal , Miles, Ben Webster Ben Webster
1909 - 1973
sax, tenor , Al Green Al Green
b.1946
vocal , Smokey Robinson, Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon
1923 - 1990
sax, tenor , Charles Mingus Charles Mingus
1922 - 1979
bass, acoustic , Johnny Hodges Johnny Hodges
1907 - 1970
sax, alto , Don Cherry Don Cherry
1936 - 1995
trumpet , Eric Dolphy Eric Dolphy
1928 - 1964
reeds , Lee Morgan Lee Morgan
1938 - 1972
trumpet , Art Blakey Art Blakey
1919 - 1990
drums , McCoy Tyner McCoy Tyner
b.1938
piano , Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins
b.1930
saxophone , Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan
1924 - 1990
vocal , Charles Lloyd Charles Lloyd
b.1938
saxophone , Coleman Hawkins Coleman Hawkins
1904 - 1969
sax, tenor , Art Tatum Art Tatum
1909 - 1956
piano , Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders
b.1940
saxophone , Max Roach Max Roach
1925 - 2007
drums , Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald
1917 - 1996
vocal , Count Basie, Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Jamal
b.1930
piano , Freddie Hubbard Freddie Hubbard
1938 - 2008
trumpet , Benny Carter Benny Carter
1907 - 2003
sax, alto , Ray Charles Ray Charles
1930 - 2004
piano , Lester Young Lester Young
1909 - 1959
saxophone , Tupac Shakur, Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix
1942 - 1970
guitar, electric , Prince, Otis Redding Otis Redding
1941 - 1967
vocal , James Brown James Brown
1933 - 2006
vocal , Sly Stone, Robert Johnson Robert Johnson
1911 - 1938
vocal , Bessie Smith Bessie Smith
1894 - 1937
vocal , Betty Carter Betty Carter
1930 - 1998
vocal , Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder
b.1950
keyboard , Jackie McLean Jackie McLean
1932 - 2006
sax, alto , Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin

vocal , Malaih Jackson, Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter
b.1933
saxophone , Ornette Coleman Ornette Coleman
b.1930
sax, alto , Andrew Hill Andrew Hill
1937 - 2007
piano , Julian "Cannonball" Adderley Julian "Cannonball" Adderley
1928 - 1975
saxophone , Otis Redding Otis Redding
1941 - 1967
vocal , Bobby King Bobby King
, Buddy Guy Buddy Guy
b.1936
guitar, electric , Al Green Al Green
b.1946
vocal , Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye? I mean, who are these genociders of the 21st century? What are their names?

In chapter 58, Baraka discusses saxophonist, Odean Pope Odean Pope
b.1938
saxophone and remarks that, "Pope is a longtime Max Roach Max Roach
1925 - 2007
drums stalwart, a daring, resourceful, skilled, and passionate player, but alas, too solid and fundamentally "inside" to get much ink from the "Gee whiz, it don't even sound like jazz...ain't that great!?" school of music insulters, who got regular jobs as buffoons of music commentary." As Baraka mentions, because little word or airplay is available for musicians such as Pope, they remain largely unknown. There are very few venues and festivals that are available to such brilliant artists who choose to take the risk and step outside the mainstream of what is called jazz. But in today's world, I would argue that the problem doesn't have as much to do with race as both white and black musicians have an extremely difficult time finding venues where this innovative and progressive "creative music" is welcome.

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 Albert Ayler
1936 - 1970
sax, tenor was alive today, could he still get a gig at Lincoln Center? Since Cecil Taylor Cecil Taylor
b.1929
piano has now been invited (finally), I would venture to say that the answer would probably be yes. But why should 50 years have to pass by in order to get a gig strictly because of name recognition rather than for the brilliant music that is being performed? Shouldn't that be enough? Fred Anderson Fred Anderson
1929 - 2010
saxophone who is now 80 years old, is a giant in this music and one of the original members of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), yet he hasn't been invited. How many years of dues does he have to pay? Is anybody listening? What about Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell
b.1940
reeds , Leo Smith Leo Smith
b.1941 and Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton
b.1945
reeds , who is surely one of the greatest composers in the history of music. However, with that being said, I also believe that Lincoln Center has the right to invite who they wish into their performance hall. The problem I have lies in the fact that they receive funding from those that should take more time and initiative to understand the artistic work that is being accomplished by a number of great artists today. There is a total lack of awareness with a responsibility that is still not being taken seriously.

In his chapter titled, "Miles Later," Baraka affirms, "And finally the classic quintet with John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Philly Joe Jones Philly Joe Jones
1923 - 1985
drums and Paul Chambers Paul Chambers
1935 - 1969
bass, acoustic attests to this with much power." I'm sure it's just an oversight but Miles never had a recording quintet of these musicians together. The first classic quintet did not yet have Cannonball Adderley, but rather the pianist, Red Garland Red Garland
1923 - 1984
piano . Adderley would join Miles to form a sextet and then recorded Milestones. After this wonderful recording, Miles removed Red Garland and Philly Joe Jones and replaced them with Jimmy Cobb Jimmy Cobb
b.1929
drums and Bill Evans Bill Evans
1929 - 1980
piano . Bill Evans would leave less than a year later and was replaced by Wynton Kelly Wynton Kelly
1931 - 1971
piano .

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