Afghan Fever
Tonight I attended an important cultural and political event, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and hosted by the Afghan community in London. My friend who works for the embassy gave me a complimentary ticket for tonight's concert, Jazz Bridges. I was delighted to learn that I was in for hearing some of U.K.'s top jazz musicians -- but little did I know what I was really in for.
The concert tonight was part of a continuing project to give a voice to Afghanistan, while aiding in the reconstruction of the nation. This joint venture between the U.S., U.K., and Afghanistan proved to be nothing short of inspiring. What is most inspiring, however, is the use of music as their vehicle.
Two different groups of musicians performed: the Ghulam Hussain Ensemble and Mike del Ferro with the Mondesir brothers (drum and bass). The former is the foremost exponents of Afghan classical and traditional music in their country, once exiled but have reclaimed their cultural significance since the fall of the Taliban. The latter -- incredible, solid, innovative American and U.K. jazz musicians. Fuse these groups together and the result is some of the most exciting world jazz I have ever heard.
The audience lit on fire as they played. I could feel the rhythm in my bones, and my blood ran through my veins like electricity.
As a musician who is concerned with humanity and issues of social justice, I have often struggled to see the pragmatic value in something as abstract as music. After all, how does Beethoven edify a war-torn country? Should music even aim to be pragmatic? When I posed this question to a professor, he told me that the beauty of music is that it is not utilitarian. Still, music cannot solve the world's problems. Are not then medicine, law, and politics -- when practiced in the true spirit of the disciplines -- the most influential and important occupations for humanity?
But tonight restored my faith in what I do. Tonight's music symbolized the coming together of nations, and I saw how it affected the audience in a deep and compelling way. And this is when music moves people to acceptance and positive action.
For more information on the reconstruction throughout Afghanistan:
http://www.state.gov/p/sca/ci/af/
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/afghanistan/
http://www.nato.int/issues/afghanistan/index.html
For more information on the Jazz Bridges Afghanistan project:
www.americanvoices.org/projects/2005/afghanistan/
Tonight I attended an important cultural and political event, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and hosted by the Afghan community in London. My friend who works for the embassy gave me a complimentary ticket for tonight's concert, Jazz Bridges. I was delighted to learn that I was in for hearing some of U.K.'s top jazz musicians -- but little did I know what I was really in for.
The concert tonight was part of a continuing project to give a voice to Afghanistan, while aiding in the reconstruction of the nation. This joint venture between the U.S., U.K., and Afghanistan proved to be nothing short of inspiring. What is most inspiring, however, is the use of music as their vehicle.
Two different groups of musicians performed: the Ghulam Hussain Ensemble and Mike del Ferro with the Mondesir brothers (drum and bass). The former is the foremost exponents of Afghan classical and traditional music in their country, once exiled but have reclaimed their cultural significance since the fall of the Taliban. The latter -- incredible, solid, innovative American and U.K. jazz musicians. Fuse these groups together and the result is some of the most exciting world jazz I have ever heard.
The audience lit on fire as they played. I could feel the rhythm in my bones, and my blood ran through my veins like electricity.
As a musician who is concerned with humanity and issues of social justice, I have often struggled to see the pragmatic value in something as abstract as music. After all, how does Beethoven edify a war-torn country? Should music even aim to be pragmatic? When I posed this question to a professor, he told me that the beauty of music is that it is not utilitarian. Still, music cannot solve the world's problems. Are not then medicine, law, and politics -- when practiced in the true spirit of the disciplines -- the most influential and important occupations for humanity?
But tonight restored my faith in what I do. Tonight's music symbolized the coming together of nations, and I saw how it affected the audience in a deep and compelling way. And this is when music moves people to acceptance and positive action.
For more information on the reconstruction throughout Afghanistan:
http://www.state.gov/p/sca/ci/af/
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/afghanistan/
http://www.nato.int/issues/afghanistan/index.html
For more information on the Jazz Bridges Afghanistan project:
www.americanvoices.org/projects/2005/afghanistan/
posted by Rebecca at
6:27 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home