[FA Worldmusic] a post from anonymous on entrypoints, tokenism, and art

[Todd Walker]

Ah yes - just the sort of this we shoudl be getting into.

First off, I like the term "world music" and much as I like the terms
"Rock", "folk" "electronic" "metal" and the rest of it.  I will refrain from
citing the infinite specific examples, but really who cares?

Also, do remember how uneducated we are as Americans - "world music" offers
a bit of clarity for most.

I want to start hearing some thoughts like homeboy (or girl) below.

How do we cross WORLD MUSIC into the main stream?  I have had a few
successes but really isolated and many can't seem to put a finger on it.
Rodrigo y Gabriela is the best example, whom many of you may know the
recently ran for the CAA border to become movie stars.  Regardless, you have
a Mexican guitar duo who basically folded directly into a mainstream plan.

Why?

Why did AAA radio get so crazy on it, why did comm. radio go nuts, TV came
along and all of a sudden you have a MEXICAN guitar duo who will probably
sell over 250K records on their first release.  INSANE!  I personally think
they are an incredible show, but more importantly this experience reinforced
my faith that music from across the world can cross over into the mainstream
and contend with commercial rock bands.

CeU and Angelique are crushing it right now thanks to Starbucks.

Buena Vista thanks to PBS.

There are many more examples, but this is an essential focus for us.  Of
course I want all you ethnomusicology nerds (myself included without degree)
to know about these artists, but above and beyond I want to bring my artists
from the corners of the earth into the living rooms of people outside of the
major markets.  Not only is there brilliant music being made, but culturally
this education is imperative.

What are your successes?

The ideas that flow, the closer we get to a system when tours/records don't
happen once.  We can start building a foundation and structure to make some
noise in this country.

violins (fade in)...cello....and now the woodwinds

with respect.

Todd Walker
International Music Network
278 Main Street - Gloucester, MA 01930
978.283.2883 // 978.283.2330 fax
www.imnworld.com <http://www.imnworld.com>

Check out www.imnworld.com <http://www.imnworld.com/>  for info on all our
artists, tour updates, news, tech riders, image downloads and more.

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-----Original Message-----
From: fa-worldmusic-bounces+todd=imnworld.com at folk.org
[mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+todd=imnworld.com at folk.org]On Behalf Of
Dmitri Vietze
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 10:01 PM
To: fa-worldmusic at folk.org
Subject: [FA Worldmusic] a post from anonymous on entrypoints,
tokenism,and art


----- Original Message -----

So much to say and so little timeb&

Dmitri has encouraged me to post my comments to this list.  My response to
him
was that the usual suspects intimidate me.  My own paranoia, but simply put,
my label would be layperson by comparison to you all who seem much more
knowledgeable in this arena. So, Ibm comfy w/remaining under the radar.
Ibm guessing though, if you donbt stand up, you donbt stand a chance.
b Genesis

Many years ago, while having a discussion with a colleague about the title
of
an under attended art exhibition, she pointed out that the chosen name was
an
obvious title for those intimate with the history of art; however, the
obscure
title for the general populous might not motivate them to visit w/out some
sort of hook, or rather, context.

Butb&did you know the bicycle was invented then?  Wow, that gave this period
some everyday relevance.  And, perhaps this new reference point would even
arouse enough curiosity to inspire a visit.  A little oversimplified, but
just
trying to make a point.

While attending a programming meeting prior to the opening of an exhibition
of
the work of Barnett Newman, a now deceased artist that formerly created
larger
than life, more or less, mono-chromatic canvasses w/a stripe or so down the
middle, or positioned on some other location on the painting.  You know, one
of those artists that elicit reactions such as, bMy Kindergartner could do
that!b orb& bI just donbt get it!b Curators and educators were
debating about what type of tours and gallery talks to present.  Some
historian suggested, bWouldnbt it be fun to just send people into the
exhibition and then gather together after seeing the show for a
discussion?b
Maybe fun for them, even if modern art wasnbt their area of expertise,
because they had the knowledge base to bhave funb w/reactions,
understanding the history of art in general.  When one is intimidated, such
as
myself, Ibm embarrassed to explore my reactions b/c what if theybre wrong.
Poor assumption on my part, Ibm aware, but as a stereotype, thatbs just
the nature of the beast, Ibm afraid.  Coincidentally, during that show, I
took a musician into see it.  The curator happened to be standing in the
middle of one of the main display galleries, where every work of art was
enormous, brightly colored, and the gestalt was magnificent and powerful.
The
focus for me, as well as the musician, was on the room, the installation,
not
just the individual works of art. Following our emotional introduction, the
curator joined us and waxed eloquently about all of it.  It was an eye
opening
and exciting experience for all that gravitated towards her.

So, labels, hmmmm.  When convenient, they are great.  When problematic, we
tend to reject them and bwish they would go away.b

I for one enjoy a love hate relationship with them.  When hired to program,
I
didnbt have a clue as to what I was doing.  Oy, yet another uninformed
producer! But, I had strong feelings about other conundrums, and they
evolved,
just as I did, in this baptism by fire sort of situation.  The first issue
was
what do I do on a bBlack Historyb night.  That made me cringe. There were
a series of problems with this label.  First, I hate token, thematic
evenings
such as that, or Womenbs History night in March, or, you get the picture.
They donbt bother me as much if throughout the remainder of the year, a
broad spectrum of events is presented without an air of tokenism. Also, I
was
told that during my predecessorsb bBlack History Nightsb that Caucasians
didnbt attend and neither did African Americans b/c the overall museum
attendance reported a 1% diversity statistic. That made me angry enough to
attempt to change that.  Long story short again, Black History night, my
first
one, drew the usual 1,000 visitors, rather than the previous scaled down
300.
An African American friend and colleague offered, bDonbt be smug, let me
see you do it again, and not just once a year.b

This led to questioning other types of programming.  The origins of the
above
mentioned, weekly series were to take a thematic approach. The themes were
to
highlight the museumbs exhibitions and permanent collection.  We all know
there are an infinite number of themes in art; therefore, the programming
had
no boundaries.  Wouldnbt it be fun to opt for some general theme, Hearts
and
Flowers, if you will?  What ethnic group fits there?  Can Abba satisfy that
theme? Can the Carolina Chocolate Drops? You betcha.  But, that doesnbt
mean
you canbt turn around and have an American Roots night, or celebrate Malian
culture on another.

I lost myself here with my own free associations, but perhaps, in
conclusion,
labels arenbt so much the issue, but what, when and how one uses them.

Enjoy the music and the art...
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