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Originally Posted by Gem
If anything, I'm a rocker, but I know the roots from where it all sprang, so I go to the earliest audio recordings and understand the progression, link by link. I can't actually separate what is a flowing river. The clip "Dramophone" Captures this in a very interesting way as the dancers merge early swing steps fluidly with hip hop moves as though all time, that whole history, has been distilled to a moment.
The previous post I made was more like another aspect of the question as to whether culture produces art or art produces culture, and despite America being hailed as 'the land of the free', the history of oppression based on race, gender, sexuality and religion/spirituality is the way in which 'America' evolved, and this movement of blues and gospel - jazz - rock and roll - to the plethera of modern genres was largely a revolution, a rebellion, an expression, from it's very inception in slavery.
The music cannot be apart from the social climate it arises within, and the powerful effect it has on the transformation of the social psyche by appealing to youthful energetic bodies. The body moving in new ways for the sake of being and feeling free signifies how social freedom is what we enact together - by a forming band - or as the common audience who gather at concerts and/or to dance. In this way dance movement as the expression is inseparable from the music within the social or cultural dynamic, and all the modern liberties we enjoy today are owed to the historical river of American music with its source in the slave songs.
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Right, well I am right there with you Gem; I still have more to learn about jazz and blues history in particular along that river (I got a compendium but have yet to read it, I also listen to artist profiles and historical analysis in addition to the music itself), but your discussion of its influence on our social liberties is my general understanding of history, yes. Don't have anything else to add at the moment, but sure enjoyed the thread. :)