Black Rhythm Not Product Of Slavery DNA – Miles Davis

February is designated in the United States as Black History Month, a time to honour our brothers’ and sisters’ achievements and rich heritage. One part of the celebrations involves music, where Black people have dazzled with our talent and racked up awards over the decades, helping weave the fabric of globalised US music, even if our musicians weren’t appropriately credited or rewarded.

However, some within the US empire seem to think that our people’s musical prowess is merely a byproduct of our painful history with slavery, suggesting that music was an outlet for channelling suffering.

This notion was put to the test in this clip from a 1989 interview. CBS reporter Harry Reasoner (1923-91) posed a rather misguided question to the legendary jazz trumpeter, bandleader and composer Miles Davis (1926-91). However, the famously cool and collected musician had none of it. Davis pointed out that he hailed from a well-off background and that Reasoner’s question was just another tired stereotype suggesting that Black musicians have rhythm in their DNA, a supposed gift from our enslaved ancestors. As Davis calmly explained to Reasoner, Africans play the blues not out of sorrow, but out of sheer love for the art.

So, let’s crank up the volume and celebrate Black musical achievements without letting played-out tropes crash the party!

Video credit: @60 Minutes / @CBS

Sources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_gZqZfq9xA

https://www.milesdavis.com/

https://music.si.edu/story/musical-crossroads

https://plus.pointblankmusicschool.com/black-history-month-us-10-black-artists-that-redefined-music/

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/foster-musical-movements/