With the Name of the Gracious and Compassionate
Creator of the Heavens and the Earth
Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam (“NOI”) for over 40 years, told his followers not to listen to jazz, that jazz was not our music, and that we should listen to European classical music, which our Black Muslim Brothers in the East had taught the Europeans how to make.
Most members and former members of Elijah Muhammad’s organization never heard this. It was confirmed to me by Dr. Abdulalim Shabazz (formerly Lonnie Cross), Minister of Temple No. 4 in Washington, D.C. (who was also former chairman of the Mathematics Department at Atlanta University, with a Ph.D. from Cornell University), and also by Nashid Abdul-Baa’ith (formerly Assistant Minister Carl 4X of Temple No. 4), and by W.D. Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad who succeeded his father as leader of the Nation of Islam. We may speculate as to why this important information did not permeate the NOI, but one likely factor is that the then National Secretary, John Ali, was a government agent, who had his own agenda.
For a number of reasons, we African Americans need to understand that jazz is not our music. One of those reasons is that we do not know who we are, still do not know, and have not known since our forebears got off the boats that brought us here. Not knowing who we are, how can we produce our own music?
A second reason is that jazz was originally produced to service the business of prostitution. As practiced in the United States, prostitution meant white men having their way with black women (as well as white women, and others), while black men provided the musical accompaniment (and possibly having their turn with black women). In other words, jazz in its roots is about disgracing all women and humiliating black men. At the famous Cotton Club, in Harlem, in the heyday of big band jazz, black people were not allowed except as musicians and servants.
I taught the history of jazz – at Antioch College in Ohio, and at Howard University – and one of the aspects of jazz that ought to be obvious to students of its history is that jazz became more African through the decades. This is the reverse of what would happen if jazz had been a music born of African roots. The primary influence on the Africanization of jazz was (and still is) Afro-Latin music and musicians. Jelly Roll Morton’s “Spanish tinge”. The habanera rhythm behind W.C.Handy’s St. Louis Blues. “Perdido” (and other influences) by Juan Tizol, as performed by Duke Ellington’s orchestra. The influence of Chano Pozo and Mario Bauza on the work of Dizzy Gillespie. And it was Mongo Santamaria who composed “Afro-Blue” (also famously performed by John Coltrane’s ensemble).
If you are familiar with African drumming and melody, then you should notice that early jazz is almost completely devoid of these elements.
I do not advise my fellow African Americans not to listen to jazz. If anything, we need to listen carefully and closely and critically – instead of just letting it take us wherever it goes. I advise that we need to understand that jazz is no more who we are than the N-word. It’s just not us. Despite the magnificent accomplishments of awesome artists – too numerous to be named here – it is just not who we are.
Then who are we? As I see it, historically, we are in the process of becoming. Becoming what? We’ll find out when we get there. We need to take command of our evolution.
In scriptural terms, we have traditionally identified with the people of Moses, with Joseph, with Joshua. My hope is that we identify with Jonah; according to the Qur’an, only the people that Jonah was sent to (and unwillingly went to) were saved; all the other stories had tragic endings. Except, perhaps, the story of Joseph – who, after being sold into slavery by his brothers (sound familiar?), became a ruler in Egypt (which ought to be our destiny, if we embrace it); but then, Egypt forgot Joseph, and Pharaoh rejected Moses and Pharaoh drowned.
Which brings us to European classical music. Entire operas have been composed on biblical subjects, numerous cantatas and oratorios composed on biblical subjects and even (as in the cantatas of Bach) functioning as an essential part of church services, and symphonies (such as Gustav Mahler’s second, third, fourth, and eighth) incorporate or are based on religious texts. In fact, European classical music began as the plainchant of the early church, which evolved into ecclesiastical (church) music, before becoming the vocal and instrumental classical music of the 17th century to this day.
Jazz is rooted neither in the music of European faith, nor in traditional African music. Jazz is rooted in the popular music of European-Americans – “jazzed up” by the African Americans hired to entertain them. Yes, it became the popular music of dance and song – party music – of African Americans. But that is not how it started.
It is also important to understand that neither jazz nor any of the various types of music that African Americans accept as their own – with the possible exception of African drumming – is war music of any kind. Despite the obvious danger and oppression of our situation, African Americans may get angry, but we are not prepared for war. We are rooted in remaining subservient to the white man.
European classical music — and especially the orchestral symphonic music — contains much war music. A major influence was the military marching band music of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1922) — a Turkish Muslim empire that almost conquered Europe, and laid siege to Vienna, in the heart of Europe, three times, the last time in 1683, two years before the birth of J.S. Bach. Much of the symphonic music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and others consists of music based on Turkish march music. And we sons and daughters of Africa need to know that many of the soldiers and most of the musicians of the Ottoman forces penetrating the heart of Europe were Africans. James Reese Europe (1881-1919) and other leading African American composers and band-leaders brought the institution of the Turkish marching band back to the United States where it became enshrined in the famous marching bands of our African American colleges and universities.
The roots of European music – plainchant, ecclesiastical music, and classical music – are in Africa. The early Christian church was mostly an African church, until the Middle East and North Africa were wrested from the Roman Empire by Muslim armies (brown-skinned curly-haired Arabs and Black Africans). The plainchants had been originally used to recite scriptures other than the Christian texts. Ecclesiastical music was heavily indebted to the Moors (Black Africans) in Spain, and spread that influence throughout Europe, not only in religious music but in popular music, as well.
Before moving on in this discussion, I am going to make a recommendation similar to, but distinct from, Elijah Muhammad’s recommendation. I recommend that African American men listen to symphonic music.
Listen to symphonic music.
Symphonic music is a category distinct from classical music. Classical music – European classical music, to be precise – includes the operas of Giuseppe Verdi and the waltzes of Johann Strauss, Jr., masters of their crafts, but not specialists in symphonic music. In general, opera is not symphonic music. The waltzes of Strauss were dance music – basically, party music. Johann Strauss, Jr., was known as “The Waltz King” – just as James Brown was “The Godfather of Soul” – a master of entertainment. Music composed for relaxation and enjoyment.
Symphonic music is intended for serious listening. Virtually everything by J.S. Bach. The symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Mahler, and others. Concertos (concert pieces for one or more soloists with orchestra) by all of these same composers, except Schubert and Mahler (who didn’t compose any concertos). Various combinations of chamber music (music for small ensembles), such as string quartets, string trios, piano quartets (for piano, violin, viola, and cello). Sonatas for piano, or for other solo instruments, or for a solo instrument accompanied by piano. Again, by most of these same composers. There are also relatively short pieces for orchestra – usually called “overtures” – by many of these same composers; some intended originally to be actual overtures (openings) for operas (by Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner), and others intended originally as separate concert pieces.
This is a repertoire composed over a period of over 200 years in diverse nations. There is no such thing as “white” music. All of this music is colorful and ethnic. All of it is heavily indebted to the music of Africans and African Americans.
But – above all else – most of it is good music.
Embrace good things, even if they come from afar.
Why men? First of all, because men need it. My experience is that with certain “cultural” endeavors women will embrace them, but men will not. For that reason alone, it is necessary to emphasize that this is something men must do.
Secondly, in scriptural language, the great oppressor, Pharaoh, caused the women to live but killed the men. This is not literal, physical life-and-death. This is the life-and-death of the moral and intellectual life. African American men find it easy to identify as athletes and musical entertainers, but not as physicists and mathematicians. How does this help us in this war?
In other language, also symbolic, Huey P. Newton, founder of the Black Panther Party, said that African American men have been castrated. (He used the word “eunuchs” – which means “castrated men”.) So, in urging African American men to immerse themselves in war music – specifically, symphonic music – I am prescribing a cure for castration. Yes, listening to the symphonies of Beethoven will grow you some balls.
First on my list of recommended listening is the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s fifth symphony. I recommend that we African American men (as many as are willing) listen to this movement (just the first movement, for now) – so that we have it as something in common. This is what the word “currency” means. So that, for example, if one of us goes, “da. da. da. daaaah”, we all know what that means. (That’s the beginning of the symphony. It’s also, by coincidence, Morse code for the letter “V”. The letter “V” in the Roman alphabet represents the number 5 in Roman numbers. And, during World War II, for the western allies, “V” – and the Morse code da.da.da.daaah – meant “victory”. And, incidentally, Beethoven’s given name, Ludwig – German for Louis – comes from an ancient name which meant “famous victory”.)
In the current spate of protests and demonstrations, I wonder if there is an end-game on the part of the protestors. There are, as you are reading this, men meeting in rooms or electronically, who always have an end-game, an overall plan – a plan for their own good, not for ours. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Symphonic music is characterized by an overall plan. By listening to it, we imbibe ourselves not only with the spirit of struggle (so powerfully present in Beethoven’s fifth symphony), but also with the nature to plan.
I am not asking you to like this music. I am not asking you to be entertained by it. I am not even asking you to understand it. This is not a party, it is war. And this is boot camp. Preparation for a continuing struggle for which, even after 400 years, we African Americans have never seriously prepared ourselves. (Serious preparation — which takes years — was hardly possible during the first two and a half centuries.) Better late than never.
The first movement of Beethoven’s fifth symphony. Only eight minutes long. Eight minutes as a first step to victory.
Lester A. Knibbs
13 Shawwaal 1441 / 1 Jumaad-al-Awwaal 1443
June 5, 2020 / December 5, 2021
Which Way Is Up? 