Ulysses Owens

143: Christian McBride, ‘Killer Joe’ (Red Sea Jazz Festival, 2012)

Jazz isn’t all atonal and brainy and inaccessible. It is more often fun and intelligent and wise and witty and playful and passionate, and open to anyone who is willing to expose himself. It’s that wonderful place which presents you with the present of the present. Christian McBride at The Red Sea Jazz Festival last week: “Rarely do you see this anywhere else in the world, but we saw teenagers dancing to jazz, moving, screaming, running up to the stage. You guys made me feel like Paul McCartney last night. We love your enthusiasm.” Yet jazz is also a place where young people learn respect for The Tradition.

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