The Friday Riff

This show continues our investigations of the alternative roots of jazz, and the music that was developed from these roots. Two specific areas are the focus: Roma (or “Gypsy”) jazz (the Roma originated in India) and jazz and its connections to India, riffing off of our previous show on jazz and Native American (“Indian”) music. Includes readings from Vijay Prashad. Bryan also asks– is jamming around the campfire better than sitting in a concert hall? Find out on this edition of TFR. . .

Blues musician Willie Dixon famously noted of the history of American music that “the blues are the roots, and the rest are the fruits.” This show begins with that premise but investigates some alternative roots besides the blues, and the music that developed from those roots. Standard histories of jazz typically describe the blues as “evolving” into jazz; the problem with this is that it takes Dixon’s “roots” metaphor and kills the original plant. That is, if we assume that jazz evolved from the blues, then that makes the blues a dead form. In reality, the blues continued to develop its own variations, even after jazz was developed in tandem. (A future edition of The Friday Riff will explore this more nuanced version of jazz/blues history). Since this show was originally recorded on Columbus Day, our Friday Riff jazz origins show begins with the sounds of Native American music, and then looks at Native American jazz musicians and the way Native American music has influenced jazz. Includes readings from Dick Hebdige, John Szwed, and others.

The inaugural edition of The Friday Riff presents the central concerns of the show: how and why has jazz been defined in the ways it has been defined over the last century? What kinds of music fall inside or outside the label of “jazz” and who decides? What is jazz and why does it matter? What influence has jazz had on other music around the world and within the Americas? Bryan and Rob present a diverse range of musical selections that in one way or another are within the orbit of jazz music. Also presented are readings from critics and scholars including John Szwed, Robert Walser, and others.

Thanks for visiting the website of The Friday Riff. Our first show will air this Friday, October 13th at 12pm (noon) PDT. You can listen locally at KCSB-FM 91.9, or check out KCSB’s webcast. Podcasts will follow soon as well.