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BASSISTS AND ETHNICITY

why do we even care whos black or white?
Why cant we just live in a world where people are people?

This same stupid controversy always happened at my school where I was the only white bassist and the other 2 guys were black. We used to joke that they could manhandle a bass because they had huge hands (but thats because they were both like 6'2) but none of this white cant groove blacks do it better or vise versa

I say anyone is good as long they groove, asian, white black or whatever, brown blue whatever!!

If you cant groove, then keep practicing!!!:p:cool:

Andrew
 
This thread isn't stupid. It's a genuine wish to understand many stereotypical approaches many people have towards music actually. I'm a Chinese and there are many times which we exclaim that we wish we were African-American because of the fact that many of the African Americans have the groove. And many of the great bassists are African Americans. Then there's other arguments like Jaco and Lafaro (just barely listing 2) who are great groovy players (though jaco played waaaaayyyy more notes). At the end of the day... It's all about influence and culture.

The truth is, Asians often wow others because they have "sick skillz" on their instruments because many of them concentrate a lot on technique. But when it comes to groove, for some reason they don't touch or impress as much as their African-American counterparts. Caucasians have so many different types from different cultures. So a great rapper in Eminem can come from the Ghettos (people might argue that he wasn't great at all) but it's because of influence, culture and all that he could do this. At the end of the day it's your culture and influences that affect you a lot.

I also come from classical background and see many of my classical friends unable to break out of their "square" structure. After doing jazz I feel myself playing better in classical as well. There are russian violinists who virtually improvise over their own concertos and these people have that flair too just that they're doing classical. At the end of the day, ANYONE can groove and feel. It's just a matter of letting go, being free and feeling it. And that boils down to personality, culture and influence
 
I'll be a proud Canadian, and you be a proud American. :)

Putting XXXX-before "American" is just to be more specific about to which ethnicity within the American melting pot you are referring, or consider yourself belonging. "American" isn't an ethnicity or a race - maybe in a thousand years or so when the countries in the Americas are as old as any of the youngest European countries are today and mostly everyone in each of the American countries share the same unique culture and unique language within their respective borders, such as the nations of France, Poland, Germany, England, etc. - but until then the United States of America is a state, or more specifically a union of states, Canada is a state, Mexico is a state, just like China is a state, South Africa is a state, and New Zealand is a state. "America" is two continents, North and South, and the countries on those two continents are all to varying degrees melting pots of all other world counties.

What I find interesting is that nobody seems to say "European-American," they just say "white." Like everyone else is "ethnic" except for "white" people, and "white" people are native to the USA or something, like they belong there more than anyone else. Where do you think plaid, golf, sausages, and sauerkraut come from??? Chicago?? :)

Geography lesson over. :) Now back to the regularly scheduled thread.

My view is a little different.
My family didn't come to the United States to be XXXX-American, they came because they wanted to be American.

When someone calls me white, I usually grab a sheet of the nearest paper and ask if I look anything like that.

And when the whole PC crap is thrown around, I instantly become Austrian/Hungarian- American. Usually stops people because it's so freakin' long to say!!:D
And sounds kinda silly to me!!;)

BTW, my last name is Fredericks changed from Fredrishruk (fred-ree-shruk) on my fathers side.
Mother's side is Heiduchek-Mackatura.
Crazy huh?!?!

And I'm still waiting for someone to say "Man, for an Austrian/Hungarian- American, you sure are funky!!!"
But I'm not sure thats gonna happen!!!! LOL!!
 
aha thats cause america wants to have their own culture.

I think we may be the only country that sub-divides itself.
Oh my family has culture. Culture drippin' from our freakin' ears!!!

This is taking too much of a left turn from the topic.....

So, why is it that I'm not groovy again???;)
 
My view is a little different.
My family didn't come to the United States to be XXXX-American, they came because they wanted to be American.

When someone calls me white, I usually grab a sheet of the nearest paper and ask if I look anything like that.

And when the whole PC crap is thrown around, I instantly become Austrian/Hungarian- American. Usually stops people because it's so freakin' long to say!!:D
And sounds kinda silly to me!!;)

BTW, my last name is Fredericks changed from Fredrishruk (fred-ree-shruk) on my fathers side.
Mother's side is Heiduchek-Mackatura.
Crazy huh?!?!

And I'm still waiting for someone to say "Man, for an Austrian/Hungarian- American, you sure are funky!!!"
But I'm not sure thats gonna happen!!!! LOL!!



I got the pleasure of traveling through Austria this summer, and enjoyed it immensely. You have a rich family heritage, and BTW, for an Austrian/Hungarian-American, you sure are funky!!!

:)
 
I believe the late Art Davis lobbied, perhaps even filed suit against the classical audition process, due to the fact that it was discriminatory against African American bassists. He felt a screen should obscure the bassist so only the player's music performance would be the criteria. Orchestra's still discourage left handed players, so all kinds of major and minor crap like this still goes on in the 'established' music world. Does anyone out there feel as I do, that the ONE DAMN place that race and color issues be left behind is on the bandstand? All that really matters is if you can play. PLEASE, go buy the DVD "Standing in The Shadows of Motown" The men that made that music were AMERICANS! They were black and white, working together they created some of the most incredible music ever recorded. Music is one of the few beautiful things left that human beings can do together to touch others in a visceral, memorable way. I just hope this commonality we feel in music could somehow enlighten the rest of this troubled planet.
 
Mother's side is Heiduchek-Mackatura.

I'm betting we share a not-too-distant ancestor! My last name is Heiduska, and the name comes from a Hungarian family line, but the only Heiduskas I know of now are in Germany. Of course the borders (including Austrian etc.) have changed quite a bit over the last hundred years.
 
I believe the late Art Davis lobbied, perhaps even filed suit against the classical audition process, due to the fact that it was discriminatory against African American bassists. He felt a screen should obscure the bassist so only the player's music performance would be the criteria. Orchestra's still discourage left handed players, so all kinds of major and minor crap like this still goes on in the 'established' music world. Does anyone out there feel as I do, that the ONE DAMN place that race and color issues be left behind is on the bandstand? All that really matters is if you can play. PLEASE, go buy the DVD "Standing in The Shadows of Motown" The men that made that music were AMERICANS! They were black and white, working together they created some of the most incredible music ever recorded. Music is one of the few beautiful things left that human beings can do together to touch others in a visceral, memorable way. I just hope this commonality we feel in music could somehow enlighten the rest of this troubled planet.

Let me hear an AMEN!
 
I love that Dave Chappel bit! I like him because he can celebrate our differences with out being offensive.

American music is a combination of black and white roots music. It's country and soul mixed into an original new sound that couldn't have happened with out the melting pot. We are the country that produced Charlie Pride and Eminem.

Standing in the Shadows of Motown shows black and white musicians working together with out regard to race. You should also check out the history of Stax Records. They had black and white people working together to create the best music in the world. Most importantly it was owned by an Arkansan named Al Bell! http://www.wattstax.com/pressroom/albell.html

The Stax Story.
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