Jazz The Vote is part of Rock The Vote network.
WHAT DOES JAZZ HAVE TO DO WITH POLITICS?
A whole lot.
Improvisation is the basis of jazz; grooving off of each others intuitions and vibrations. The jazz group is like a democracy where everyone gets their solo moment to voice how they feel: the ecstasy, triumphs or sadness and misery of life. Blues men and women tell their sagas of hardship every night and all they ask for in return is a little applause to know we're with them and enough money to get by in life.
Improvisation is what we need now from our leaders more than anything: we've played our drums (loudly) in front of City Halls and Town Halls around the world. Now it is time for our leaders to hear us and play their part. The venue for this occupation is around the entire world and so there is no way that one club owner can just pull the plug on it. And if they do pull the plug than without electricity or transportation or any other support we will simply take to the streets with music and dancing because there is no power like the power of the people. The revolution may not all be televised but it will certainly be improvised and if our leaders in the media can't keep up with the tempo changes, speeding up slowing down, with the off key complex harmonies of millions of voices at once, than it is up to us, the people, to step up to the bandstand.
Politicians like to show how cool they are from their taste in music, whether it was Bill Clinton with his saxophone or Stephen Harper with his piano and Beatles songs. True jazz musicians can show them that what it really means to be cool is to be responsible and socially conscious. Having soul and having a soul are two ways of saying that you've got the warmth of humanity and there is nothing more human than music. Jazz will never die, no matter what.
We get that not everyone is going to go out and protest that Tar Sands or the violations against Native and First Nations land. We just want you to know that there is another way to protest: vote with your dollars. Support a movement that is aiming to give jazz and world musicians a platform to extend their time on the stage into an online community that spans the protest movement and advocates for political change and reform. A donation to Jazz The Vote will ensure that we keep putting on nights of entertainment (more on these soon) and going forward are able to launch new campaigns to raise awareness and "jazz up" the public debate.
http://www.JazzTheVote.com and www.JazzTheVote.CA
is a partner of Rock The Vote and Rock Nation
