A FEW THINGS THAT KINDA GREW ON ME . . . IN 2007 . . . (Part I: Music)

Don't worry. This isn't a post about weird moles, foot fungus, back fat or anything else that, by all right, ought to run by the nearest family physician or neighborhood pharmacist. No, I'm not talking about that sort of growth.

I'm talking those things that you start out not really feeling, but for some strange reason you keep drifting back to and before you know it, you're straight, cold sprung on, like:

Jill Scott's "The Real Thing: Words and Sounds, Vol.3"

Like a lot of folks, I'd been faithfully awaiting Jilly from Philly's latest release. But when I initially brought home 'The Real Thing" and pop it on, I was like what the . . . ?! First of all, I was not feeling the new 'do or the cd cover photos. On the back she looked like like she'd just finished having a crying/hissy fit and on the front, I couldn't figure out if she was striving to look sultry, constipated or pissed. In any case, I wanted the old Jill back, the one with flaming red 'fro, the 'you ain't even ready for the likes of this' grin, and the slamming, all up in your face lyrics.

So for the first couple of days, the only cut I listened to was the one getting all the radio air play, "Hate On Me." But then one day, I slipped up, left it on and quickly found myself getting all caught up in the intoxicating groove of "Crown Royal." Jill, if you're listening, you really do need to come out with an extended version of that song, girl. You know, something along the lines of Marvin's 30 minute version of "Got To Give It Up?" I swear, I've played "Crown Royal" over so many times, I've nearly worn out the 'previous' button on my Windows Media Player.

Late at night, while I'm pecking away at the keyboard or surfing the net, I like listening to music with my headphones on. So naturally, I started turning to Jill to get my "Crown Royal" and "Hate On Me" fix. But pretty soon, I wasn't just stopping with those two. "My Love" with its telephone conversation opening sounded so much like the real deal, I couldn't help but stop and listen to a vexed and perplexed Jill tell some ole boy:

"Yo, I'm tripping right. I heard you got married. You got married? That don't really make any sense. I mean, its not like I didn't think you were seeing other people or whatever. I mean, I was seeing other people. But you know what this is. You know what it was. I can't say I really understand though." (from Jill Scott's "My Love")

Oh yeah! And then she goes on to put dude in check with a cool and collected that's all right, "cause my love is deeper, tighter, sweeter, higher fly-yer, didn't you know this Didn't you notice?" I guess she told him, huh? (LOL) Anyway, after getting hooked on that cut, I started taking a closer listen to the one after it "Insomnia" which breaks of a bluesy little ditty about a woman who's lying in bed, tossing and turning, watching the clock and waiting for the phone to ring. Yeah, a lot of us have been there, right? Okay, let me stop (smile).

The song that sealed the deal for me, the one that really renewed my faith in Jilly from Philly was the oh so funky, soulful and deeply political, "How It Make You Feel." It took me a couple of listens before I really "got" the message, not only because of the clever way it's posed, but also because I couldn't believe Jill actually owned the audacity to ask: "What if, poof, every Black female in the world disappeared? Tell me, how you'd feel if I was gone?"

For me, as a Black woman, this question is profound on a lot of different emotional levels, in particular given the indifference the media routinely exhibits in the disappearance of Black women. I could go on a tangent, but I instead I'll just say in reponse to Jill's question, a lot folks, including some within our OWN community would really give less than a d@m# if every Black woman (excusing their own mamas, perhaps) suddenly disappeared . . . Sorry, that's just how I feel y'all (smile). Anyway, Jill said it better and against a musical backdrop, no less.

And you know, as far as the "Real Thing" cover photos are concerned, I actually kinda like the ones on the inside of the cd and thought they were much more flattering. But hey, I'm not the one getting paid to make those decisions.

So, have you ever had a similar experience? Any particular cds, albums or musical artist ever grow on you? You started out hating it or them, but then something happened . . . you really started listening and suddenly discovered your were a fan? Do tell.

COLTRANE . . . A Few Kernals of Truth About Gifts and Genius . . .

A couple of nights ago, I started listening to John Coltrane Gold, a cd that showcases the music of jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane. Thanks to my Dad, I grew up listening to Coltrane and a number of other jazz greats. It's only been in recent years though that I've become genuinely interested in learning about the man and the artist behind the sax and the unique sound.

In the liner notes of John Coltrane Gold, the writer Ashley Kahn (author of several books on jazz, including The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records, 2006) lists three facts that might not be commonly known about John Coltrane. Embedded within the three statements, I think, are kernals of truth worthy of a deeper contemplation, especially by those of us who call ourselves "artists" as well as those who express a desire to one day do so. The following are Ashley Kahn's three points in reverse order and my own feelings and comments about them.

3)"Coltrane was (musically) a late bloomer."

I think it helps to know that Coltrane didn't jump out the box and immediately start blowing folks away with gems like, "Giant Steps" and "A Love Supreme." Not only did his ascent to greatness begin later in life than some, he suffered many a set back along the way--most notably a drug habit that led to his being kicked out of Miles Davis's band.

While we live in a society that prefers to herald the over-night sensations, and is currently tailored toward the "talents" of the young, blonde, dumb, rich and anorexic, it isn't uncommon for destinations like "genius" and "legend" and "phenomenon" to start later and further back on the long, winding road of life. Michael Jordan got cut from the basketball team as a sophomore in high school. Dr. Benjamin Carson was 36 (not 26) when he performed the first successful separation of Siamese Twins joined at the back of the head. Albert Einstein was 4 years olf before he learned to speak. Toni Morrison was 39 when her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published and was 57 when she received the Pulitzer Prize. The list goes on . . .

2)"Coltrane was a tireless experimenter. But he was not one who discarded the old for the new."

In the world of jazz, there is a concept known as the "riff." A riff is a form of improvisation. It's when one musician borrows and builds upon the musical phraseology of another. It's about taking someing old and making it sound new. Jazz is all about the riff. Hip-Hop, with all of its borrowed and outright stolen samples ain't nothing but some riff mixed in with a whole lot of raff (LOL). In all seriousness, Ashley Kahn states in the Coltrane Gold liner notes that many of the techniques folks consider so avant-garde are things Trane picked put during his early days of playing the blues and frequenting the bars in Philly.

In order to buck a tradition, I think it helps to know it first. Coltrane not only acknowledged and respected what came before him, he incorporated much of it into his own style. Too many in today's world, artists and non-artist alike want to dismiss everything that came before them as old, outdated and therefore, useless. Mention something like the African Amercian "oral tradition" and a number of folks will assume you're talking about something sexual (LOL). That's unfortunate. A knowledge of history and culture and an appreciation for the achievements of one's predecessors (and contemporaries), can nourish, strengthen and empower one's work. Why cheat yourself of a foundation that is yours for the taking?

1)"Coltrane was not a musical prodigy. What he achieved, he did with a workman's sense of duty and an almost obsessive dedication."

I love that statement, if only because it suggests that Coltrane's "genius" grew out of his commitment to working on his craft and honing his skills. His wife Namia reportedly said that often times after coming home from a gig, "Trane would practice till he fell asleep with the horn in his mouth." (from Ashley Kahn's liner notes, John Coltrane Gold, 2006)

The level of intensity and commitment exemplified by Coltrane's behavior is, for all too many, a foreign concept. I've stopped counting the number of folks who insist they want to be published, but who subsequently excuse their apparent lack of discipline and productivity with some version of, "Well, you know, I can only write when I'm inspired."

Even when I don't come right out and say it, I'm generally thinking, "Honey, forget about being inspired. What you want to be . . . No, what you NEED to be is DRIVEN. You've got to want to do this thing so bad that there are no plausible excuses for not doing what you know, by right, you ought to be doing. A person who is DRIVEN will FIND the time. The man or woman who is truly DRIVEN will DISCIPLINE him or herself."

As far as gifts are concerned, while I do believe the "desire" to create is truly a gift from God. I also believe whether that gift flowers, flounders or simply fades away is entirely up to and contingent upon the efforts of the individual. More often than not, "genius" (unlike salvation and most certainly not to be confused with such) is a gift that is earned.

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Disclaimer: I try not to give too much advice about writing. First of all, I have no educational background or formal training in English/Lit. Matter of fact, I'm fairly hellbent on breaking as many of the "rules" as I possibly can, while still being somewhat coherent. Second, until I actually have a book or two on the shelves, I think it would be wise to refrain from instructing others on what it takes to achieve such (smile).

JENNIFER BYNUM . . . THE OSM'S SUNDAY BEST . . .

Does the name JENNIFER BYNUM sound familiar? For those of you who answered, "No," my response is, well, it should . . . particularly if you watched Hustle & Flow, the movie released in 2005 about the Memphis pimp who aspires to be a rapper. JENNIFER BYNUM appeared in one of the film's most pivotal and memorable scenes. She sang CHANGED MUH NAME (also known as "Change Muh Name") the spiritual that moved Terrence Howard's character, "DJay" to tears and set him out on the journey to change his life.

In a 2005 interview on the Oprah show, I heard Howard say that even after having viewed the movie a number of times, the church scene still makes him cry. To quote him, "The one scene where I didn't act was inside the church listening to the song. I asked Jesus if He'll change my name . . . To even think about it makes me well-up because it's such an honest place."

Indeed, JENNIFER'S music can have that kind of an effect and believe me, I should know. Before I moved from Memphis, I belonged to the same church, Parkway Gardens Presbyterian (now known as Parkway Gardens United Presbyterian Church) where JENNIFER, a classically trained soprano and accomplished pianist graced us with her talents most every Sunday.

While in Memphis over the Christmas holidays, I saw JENNIFER at church and told her how much I missed hearing her music on a regular basis. Upon my return to Charlotte, JENNIFER was kind enough to send me a sampling of her work, including CHANGED MUH NAME and PSALM 90, a song written by JENNIFER and (similar to T. Howard) one that typcially moves me to tears whenever I hear it performed live.

I do think it's both a sin and a shame (if not incredibly telling) that JENNIFER'S musical role in Hustle & Flow didn't thrust her into the same type of national spotlight that Three 6 Mafia's did. I know who I personally would have rather seen at the Oscars, the Grammy's or anywhere else representing the Best of Memphis . . .

Interestingly enough, the Negro Spiritual (CHANGED MUH NAME) which JENNIFER rearranged and at Terrence Howard's request, performed live during the movie's filming, doesn't even appear on the Hustle & Flow Soundtrack. But I suppose it might have been a tad out of place situated amongst songs with titles like Whoop That Trick, It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp, Murder Game, Booty Language . . . and worse.

In any case, if you'd like to learn more about the remarkable JENNIFER BYNUM and/or listen to her music, I'd encourage you to start here Jennifer Bynum or here.

If and when you do, don't forget to be on your Old School Mix EVERDAY BEST and show MS. BYNUM some love (smile).