J.J.′s Music Scene Newsletter #636
J.J.′s Newsletters feature information about various artists and/or current happenings in the music world today. This page may be changed monthly or weekly, depending on the events at that time.
“Ok people, this a a long but very interesting comment from 'Soul-Patroller' Elp. So, get a cup of coffee or somethin' to drink between readings (ha). He gives his comments on the ongoing issues about the legendary Don Cornelius and Our music." It's good reading! ” - .j.j.
the legendary Don Cornelius and Our music
I'd like to add my two cents to the posts by EVERYBODY (y'all know who you
are...lol)
First of all I'd like to mention with much awe and reverence Mr. Don
Cornelius and his oh-so-untimely passing.
Sally- you're first up.
Unfortunately Don Cornelius and Jimmy Castor just can't be mentioned in
the same sentence.
While Mr. Castor's contribution to pop, classic soul and r&b and funk is
virtually incomparable he's an artist and basically that's all he
is...ESPECIALLY as we consider mainstream media's 'coverage' of Mr. Cornelius'
passing.
By the way while I'm here BET Centric remember is just like VH-1 or MTV
cause they're owned by the same people. The question of pre-empting for a
tribute falls squarely on the shoulders of the esteemed ones: Cathy Hughes
and Oprah Winfrey! Considering the HUGE impact of Don Cornelius and Soul
Patrol (and the incessant ka-ching of the proverbial cash registers therein)
these two purely black owners of media outlets should be ashamed of themselves
for doing nothing tribute-wise. Don't Oprah come with a certain Chicago
thang in her past? Nuff Said!
You see Don Cornelius changed the way the world views black folk forever!
So...you say Ed Sullivan then you'd probably say Dick Clark and then the
next name as deal breaker, star maker and overall mover and shaker has GOT
to be Don Cornelius.
Like Ed Sullivan if you had a hit or you wanted to be considered to have
'arrived' then Soul Train was where you HAD to appear.
Unlike Dick Clark Don Cornelius Soul Train TV show featured many of it's
artists in rare, unexpurgated, raw and LIVE presentation. Masny artists
often composed or in some way created specially-tailor-made-for-Soul-Train
performances.
The only other show to bring black artists to the mainstream LIVE was
PBS' Soul with Gerry Bledsoe and Elis Haizlip. Even their show only reached
the audience who regularly tuned in. Basically it didn't necessarily
'attract' folk because it was for, by and about black people.
Soul Train was as well (and here is where Don Cornelius is actually an
extension of none other than James Brown) but it ATTRACTED EVERYONE because of
the styles, dancing, lingo and overall culture of black people as a whole.
This man OWNED all of his stuff and had the nerve to have his own sponsor
in the late John Johnson proprietor of JPC- Johnson Products Corporation.
Mr. Johnson was widely known in the black community for hair care and
beauty products.
At a time when the Afro was the hairstyle of choice for many a black
person (as well as all of the self-styled revolutionaries of that time) this
man ratcheted that up a couple notches with his whole infusion of pride and
self-esteem for black folk as we evolved away from processes and perms etc.
WANTU-WAZURI...Beautiful People use Afro Sheen was the SHOT and the ONLY
place you could see it was on Soul Train.
As far as the JB piece....I've told you all many, many times in order to
crossover you've GOT to be as unabashedly, unashamedly black as one could be!
Don Cornelius (like JB) walked, talked danced (well what little of that he
did), dressed and presented black as the way of life that it is was and
always will be for black folk. No shame in his game.
And he did it without EVER stooping to buffoonery, skinning, grinning or
any other stereotypical bullshit! He did it with love and pride and his
artists, dancers and overall production reflected the same. Natch when white
people see black folk jumping up and down about something so dynamite and
important to and for black folk they've GOT to get a lil piece for them selves.
JB sweated and grunted and screamed and groaned for only us for
years...and we LOVED it. We idolized the man and even though they couldn't get
it or
completely understand it they had to have a lil taste...CROSSOVER TIME!!!!
And dats exactly what Don Cornelius and Soul Train did for not only Black
America but America as a whole.
Nothing has EVER been like it before or since. RIP indeed Mr. C!
Now bout this whole 'coward's way out' piece that alludes to our sorry
state of revisionist attitudes as it relates to DC and any and everything else
about our culture and music in particular.
Juice and I have gone at it about this tooth and nail in the past and I
maintain my stance albeit with a dollop of capitulation today.
Juice always sez (and now you too Lee) that there ARE cats out there today
to replace (?) or continue the tradition of the greats of the past.
My argument is no matter WHAT you do the cream ALWAYS rises to the top!
CJS said you can put MJB, Alicia Keys and 'B' and their entire body of
work all together and it can't hold a candle to Aretha's Mary Don't You Weep
off of the Amazing Grace Gospel album
I wholeheartedly agree and that is the problem.
Don't y'all realize that if this under (over) the radar individual existed
somehow, some way we'd know?
There hasn't been one artist that I've personally seen that can touch ANY
of what we've known musically, artistically or any other 'ly'!
I'm sorry...every time I see somebody today we've ALWAYS got to compromise
SOMETHING. Why do I have to accept MJB's off key warbling even though she
sings with such feeling?
I love the SHIGGITY out of my MAIN man Tre Williams but as I've written he
don't bring that overall 'entertainer' vibe to the stage in dress,
attitude or presentation...AND HE'S GREAT!!!!!
If for forty, fifty, sixty years prior to the 80's, 90's and new millenium
we saw a constant and consistent production/creation of musicians and
artists that came out the box extremely talented, smokin, writing, sanging,
dancing and just kickin natchel ASS why must I today say: oh well...that's just
how they are today.
BS!!!! Period!
They don't sing, play or perform like they used to and dat's a FACK
JACK!!!!
Sonny Hopson (WHAT AM DJ of Philly days gone by ) used ta say: "
make-a-no-mistake-a-jaka"!!!! And that's no joke.
Now is there talent today???? YESSS...a thousand times YESSSS...but don't
blame us ol's haids for our lament.
Should we listen and support? Maybe...depends on what floats yo boat.
Selah and I have gone at it about Victa Wooten.
I think he's great and have supported him by attending concerts and
purchasing his stuff. Does he knock anything out the park by the previous
purveyors of bassflagrations? Not necessarily but he's cool. I'm not going to go
as far as some and say this will NEVER be as good but needless to say the
proof is in the pudding.
No new Aretha's or Stevies or Marvins.
No, no NO don't tell me that this one or that one can sing. Don't ask me
to accept that limping ALMOST shit.
EVERY ONE of these artists had a shot of learning things the RIGHT way
either through schooling or by SIMPLY FOLLOWING THE BLUEPRINT OF THEIR
FOREBEARS!!!!!
It's THEIR choice to decide to do it their way or another way.
If anything BEFORE we do as you suggest Juice (the twitter/FB etc. thang)
we need to hold these cats to the same standards that got cats lustily
BOOED off the Apollo stage (and anywhere else they tried some of the nonsense
they've tried).
Now if somebody comes along and has cleverly used that 'man-in-the-box'
that I so detest or actually uses a band to represent and record their
musical thoughts with the love, passion and sensitivity to their craft THEN and
ONLY then will I do as you suggest.
I'm truly sick and tired of all of these excuses and a-hems and whatnot
for these lame excuses for whatever many call themselves today.
If Ike could find Tina and Gladys could find Michael and Bobby connect
with JB then I KNOW that there's probably somebody out there today that can
cut the mustard. But to quote JB and Bobby Byrd: "...but they got to be
FUNKY". No excuses, no well er ums and er ahs...just give me what we all know to
be GREAT black music.
Otherwise we've got more filler for the black hole...and that's where our
greatness has gone as a culture of people!
Hire A Band (nunna dat dumb stuff eeever)
Peace
LP
j.j.
