Well, here goes Howard Reich again criticizing the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (Tempo, May 5) for not fulfilling his narrow view of “Heritage.”
The people in New Orleans, one of the most easygoing cities in the world, know that American music is interrelated in every way possible, whether it be jazz, folk, country, blues, pop–yes, and even rock ‘n’ roll. By presenting all kinds of music without making subjective and elitist judgments, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presents American music as what it is–music of the people, not of a snobbish elite. The proper word is “populism,” not “commercial-ism.” The crowds that come every year are ample proof that this policy works.
Duke Ellington put it best: “There are only two kinds of music–good and bad.” That is something I wish Howard Reich would be more cognizant of.
