Warren L. Oree
November 2001

The Jazz Messenger
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By Warren L. Oree

Several years ago I had the pleasure of performing on a concert tour of Brazil with my group, The Arpeggio Jazz and Music Ensemble. We were in Rio (ahh..the beaches!); we were in Sao Paulo (mmmm..the excitement!), but the best place by far, one with good beaches, plenty of excitement, great food and interesting and diverse people, was the city of Salvador, in the state of Bahia, Brazil!!! Yes, this place was exotic and mellow; it was cosmopolitan and old world; it was inviting and apprehensive. The African roots of many of its residents were obvious, in the dress and mannerisms of its darker skinned inhabitants. The air was thick with the aroma of dende (palm oil), a West African staple for cooking. It was a place that loved music, particularly American jazz music. Salvador, Bahia Brazil was alive with the moods of 300 years ago while it struggled to adapt to the pulse of current mindsets. It was jazz music that gave it the shove it needed; it was jazz music that sparked the fire that burned in the hearts of the people to question and challenge the “tradition” - the tradition of separatism and elitism based on skin color. My experiences in this country showed me, confirmed for me, the power of jazz music as a healing force, a “weapon” to combat the ignorance and unconsciousness that seems to attach itself like a pit bull to people who appear to be in a trance-like state as they go about their lives doing what has been deemed the “norm” in their treatment of their fellow man.

On one occasion in the Upper City (Salvador, Bahia is divided into an Upper and Lower City, more of a geographical than a class distinction), we were invited to a very rich man’s house for a party. Before we arrived we had met some of the darker skinned residents from the city who were hanging out with us and showing us around. Before we went to the party we asked our new friends to join us. Our road manager (who was of Portugese descent as was the party host and seemingly all the other guests), discreetly told me they would not be allowed in because they weren’t “invited.” I knew better. I told the road manager that they were with us and where we go, they go too! She looked at me as if to say “these musicians just want to create trouble,” but she could tell I was serious and the band was behind me 100%.

When we got to the party we could hear the music blastin’ and the pulse of the people was spilling out to where we stood. It sounded like the joint was jumpin’!!! When the bouncer (?) at the gate saw us (my group consists of five African Americans and one European American) he was ready to turn us away. But, our road manager did some fast-talking in Portugese, told him who we were, and he let us in…but then he saw our friends, his fellow countrymen, and because of their African ancestry he refused them admittance. They were ready to accept this, but again I protested. After some debate and unusual body language on both our parts, and our road manager spraying the air with heated and frustrated Portugese, he relented.

I didn’t then and still don’t understand Portugese (I did buy one of those little pocket books that help you “speak” the language at one word per ten minutes, but they are no help in understanding the reply that you get from some bored native at three thousand words per second. Plus, they make you look like a clucky tourist, and what self-respecting jazz musician wants to look like that?), but the two words I kept hearing our road manager say profusely were “JAZZ MUSICA, JAZZ MUSICA.” Now I know what that meant, and those two words were what allowed our new friends into that party. The real joy was in seeing the astonishment on their faces and the faces of those already at the party as we walked in. After a little while I looked around and dark and white skin were dancing, talking, and laughing together…it was beautiful. Jazz had done it again; put the harmony in the melody while still allowing everyone to solo.

On another occasion, we were performing in the Teatro Acbeo in downtown Salvador. It was the final night of our concert tour. The audience had been comprised of primarily lighter skinned Portugese, but on this night our drummer had invited members of the “Arakito” drum group, musicians from one of the drum societies in Salvador, Bahia. The majority of the members were dark skinned and were not made to feel welcome in the theater. (I thought the “Cotton Club” mentality was dead, and if not it should be. Not allowed to fester and infect others with its archaic and unreasonable segregation policies). Well, we insisted that these musicians be allowed into the theater for our concert. They were, and everyone had a good time – black, white, tan and brown. Interestingly enough, we closed the concert parading through the audience and encouraging them to become part of our musical “train.” It was a powerful sight, to see this rainbow of skin colors and people joined together and playing percussion or clapping their hands to the music – the JAZZ music that allowed them to forget the divisions and differences and work on to enjoy the diversity and the collaboration, the unity and the pulse. Yes, it was the jazz music that erased their apprehensions and fears – at least for that period of time. I guarantee that if given a chance, people would stop using each other’s differences as a springboard for negativity and ignorance, and start using each other’s diversities to stimulate and enlighten.

These are just two examples of the power of jazz music and its ability to heal, bring together - unite. Are we really aware of the potency of this thing we call jazz music? It’s time to utilize the positive forces of the music. Perhaps if the “powers that be” knew this we might have another scenario when it comes to racial hatred and social conflicts.

Warren Oree is a bassist/composer/producer and leader of the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble. He is a “working musician” who tours throughout the world performing original compositions which have been recorded on several CDs. As the founder of Philadelphia’s Po/Jazz Connection, he has spurred the careers of some of today’s most popular spoken word poets.