The Jazz Composition “Up Jumped Spring” Exemplifes Economic Unity Among Men

By: JOSEPH EVANS, DEAN OF MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF RELIGION

It would take 228 years for African Americans to amass the current wealth of white families, a 2016 study stated. This economic gap does not permit us to not participate, accommodate and not share another’s vision, arrangement, and composition. Because of the disparity, in economic resources, a collaborative must be made, sustained and taught – similar to that of the jazz traditions.

Drummer Art Blakey was among the original geniuses of jazz. Recently, I heard “Up Jumped Spring.” This time, I carefully listened to Blakey’s arrangement. Immediately Blakey uses his drum roll to introduce a driving cool, hypnotic rhythm to make subtle space for the melody to be heard.

Blakey’s rhythm makes visible, a blueprint for the compositions. The blueprint is to set the composition’s boundaries and establish it’s timing as the melody unfolds. We hear alongside his drum, a trumpet, a trombone, and a piano. Each instrument does not impose individualism that overpowers and impolite to the composition. Instead, each instrument’s contribution is within the contours and context of Blakey’s vision and composition’s scheme.

It is masterful. We hear Blakey’s musical tasty premise, which doubles as an introduction for what is to come.

Without notice, Blakey invites into his vision of spring the soft, muted tones of a trumpet solo played with nearly perfect rifts. The trumpet solo is followed with a tenor saxophone, and trombone solos. The saxophone makes us see spring’s new life bursting, even struggling to come through the ground. This takes muscle and the saxophone provides it. The saxophone is followed by the trombone, which offers another level of sophistication. The trombone solo reinforces what the saxophone has said previously, another indication of Blakey’s genius.

While the trombone plays, Blakey invites the piano to share his rhythm responsibilities with his drum. Again, another sign of Blakey’s genius. Blakey then issues an invitation for a piano solo. It is smooth, and jazzy but underneath; there is an indication that another genius is interpreting Blakey’s spring. The contrast between the piano and the remerging drum rhythm is tasteful and makes what we hear seem symmetrical and complete.

It’s Blakey’s drum, however that is the constant reminder of rhythm’s significance, his significance. Blakey borrows from classical rhetoric’s literary devices (inclusio and conclusio). He uses the literary devices as brackets or frames that are often used to help readers or listeners further appreciate what they previously heard and now understand. In this way, we see, feel and experience spring jumping.

Many of the musicians who shared Blakey’s stage and vision were emerging names. Later, they would join Blakey and rightly be recognized in their own right, as geniuses of jazz. Causal listeners may think Miles Davis is the trumpeter because of the familiar phrasing and muted tones. However, it is Freddie Hubbard’s work. Curtis Fuller plays the trombone and a prodigious Wayne Shorter plays the tenor saxophone. Herbie Hancock’s piano genius is evident. Indeed, Shorter and Hancock became well known because they played with Miles (we don’t’ need to repeat his last name do we?). (STOP!)

What is of import: these jazz legends played on another’s album, added creative talent to the arrangements (now let’s call this syntax) and composition. Remember this particular rendition of “Up Jumped Spring” was Blakey’s; and it was Blakey’s vision that Hubbard, Fuller, Shorter and Hancock embraced and supported. Jazz musicians understood, it is important to play on another’s album, to support another’s vision and accept employment.

In this way, all are paid, all were exposed, and all were successful. This principle is mobile and pliable to other contexts such as economic distribution. This was amazingly obvious to the prophetic musician. Limited monies were dedicated to their art form, but the art form and its message were more important than the individual(ism). Those committed to the prophetic understand that those called to change a paradigm are not fitted to placate the low hanging fruit that is the mainstream. The prophetic is rarely if ever popular but there contributions are remembered always. While they waited, they made sure all collaborators were paid, that all survived.

When the leaders of our black communities play on each other’s albums, we will not necessarily close the income and wealth gap, but we will make certain that monies circulate and recirculate through our communities until everyone gets paid and survives. Like the jazz musicians, economic visionaries must know that they must participate on another’s albums. These emerging jazz geniuses knew it was highly improbable honor bestowed upon them and that they would play alongside legendary jazz aficionados. With legends such as Blakey or Miles, you better get in and learn what you can. Can we see the parallels? Economic deals are made by a single idea, which becomes a single team that supports the single vision.

It is the idea that becomes a vision and the visionary must be take ownership of that vision and only collaborate with team members who share the trajectory of the vision. Not so tightly that the vision does not grow; it grows when dedicated others are permitted to add water, sunlight and rotation to that which jumps in spring.

What ends this composition is we must identify jazz like visionaries who understand the prophetic, and who accept the limitations of capital resources, but fully take responsibility for the survival of their communities. Resist greed and larger tycoons who want to diminish the art, degrade the artist and sanitize the message by signing you a large record contract that excludes emerging geniuses. If you can do this, if we can do this, we will be a part of Blakey’s “Up Jumped Spring” and be among those who accept his vision, understand and appreciate his genius.