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In an aptly-titled column (.pdf) in Jazz Times last month, the freelance critic and music journalist, David Adler, wrote a sincere and concise summary detailing the amount of political activism in the jazz community. Awake is mentioned along with 8-10 other CDs that have been released in recent years that have a political or activist bent to them. Included are Charlie Haden's Not in Our Name, Doug Wamble's Bluestate, Bobby Previte's The Coalition of the Willing, Chris Washburne's Land of Nod, Ben Allison's Cowboy Justice, World Saxophone Quartet's Political Blues, and Terence Blanchard's A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina), to name a few.

In his article, he definitely makes the case that there are more than just a few of us that are trying to make a political/activist statement with our music. He points out that, although it's not the 60's anymore, it's also not a time of submission: "If this is a fearful, defanged, apathetic period in music and the arts, what would an activist period look like?"

And although it's true that there are a number of us getting the message out - he quotes Wayne Shorter aptly -

"I'm trying to do music that echoes the need for human beings to say, 'Hey, it's time for us to evolve.'"

there's also much more we could be doing. He points out that in a jazz club in Brooklyn there is a poster showing full support for Zimbabwe's tyrant, Robert Mugabe, as if all jazz musicians should support that murderer. It's refreshing for David to point out that not all musicians lie to the left on the political spectrum (there are a handful of ardent Bush supporters here in the New York jazz scene - you know who you are!), but also that the choice for change this election cycle is so abundantly clear as to be almost a foregone conclusion. It would be nice to see a Pew Center poll taken of musicians in America. I'm sure it would find over 90% musicians support Barack Obama.

He concludes:

Of course, the jazz world only mirrors the strengths and weaknesses of the broader left with which it identifies most readily, and this is one of many reasons it's important to push hard for an Obama presidency. (For one thing, he's reported to be a jazz devotee since junior high.) Not only could Obama start to clean up Bush's mess; he could also change the political temperature and help foster a new culture of liberalism. In the creative arts, the vogue for radicalism may never fade. But with effort and luck, come 2009 we all might need to find new licks to play.

As for who's got the hipper taste in music, it's not even close! Check out this NPR story by Jonathan Schwartz which compares the two candidates' taste in music.

Obama's #1? "Ready or Not" by The Fugees...

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