2. The Historical Continuum in Jazz

RK: In your writings you have covered the idea of a historical continuum in jazz. You certainly see things from that historical continuum.

DL: I was an American history major, and I tell you it really influenced my thinking.

RK: How do you characterize today, the late '90s, as part of this continuum?

DL: Well, it's the retro-cycle, the cycle of recollection: looking back and reassessing all that happened.

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Jazz seems to move in 10-year cycles. The '40s were kind of innovative; the '50s (really until the end) were not. I mean, it was what Bird [Ed.: Charlie Parker] put down being explored in various tentacles. And then the '60s were quite, quite heavy, while then the '70s were a retrenchment period. Unfortunately the '80s went back to the other side, which should have been a rebellion. In a sense, it was a rebellion against the '70s, against the fusion part of the '70s. It was about: "Let's get back to the roots."

I can't really say much has happened in the '90s. The one really positive thing (...and this may be come to light in a few years as a reaction to the '80s...) is this incredible influx of world music influences not just upon jazz, but also pop. To me, the only recourse that music has is to look outside of its borders. I don't see any other future except to look to the other parts of the world beyond the western axis. They learn our language; we learn their language. It's intermarriage physically, musically and culturally. That's the hope. And this has been the first time that it's been so prevalent. The '60s was the beginning of that kind of thing, but now it's become a kind of fad, this intercultural musical thing. And I think it's very positive. Maybe the '90s will be looked upon as a bit of rebellion against the retrenchment of the '80s. I'm not sure.

Continue

Liebman Interview

1.	Jazz in the 1990s
2.	The Historical Continuum in Jazz
3.	Unique Voices in Jazz
4.	Changing Audiences
5.	Miles
6.	Younger Artists & Underappreciated Artists
7.	Liebman as Composer & Listener
8.	Upcoming Projects
9.	The International Scene

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Dave Liebman

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