Despite the conventional discussion of space in the context of spatial development within neighborhoods, I would like to focus on a Jazz Club we went to at the end of our stay in Johannesburg. In particular, the band itself. I found that the band and the space in which they operated, the interactions between members and with the audience, was indicative of some of the larger course themes we have been discussing.
On the national scale, the band was a representation of inclusivity not present during apartheid. The band consisted of four older men, three of which were Black and one of whom was White. The guitar player, obviously the eldest of the group appeared to not speak English or preferred to speak in isiZulu both to his bandmates and the audience — at one point, told a joke in isiZulu relying on the drummer to translate. Something struck me about the age and the nature of how art has brought these people together. When I see the band I cannot help but wonder at the story of these old men, especially the guitar player. What were his personal encounters with the Apartheid government? Was he forcibly removed from his neighborhood? Was it a difficult proposition for him to play with a White saxophone player? Did he experience any sort of trauma in his lifetime, and how does that impact who he is know and how he plays music?
Music, after all, is not only an art form it is a representation of a how a person has experienced and interacts with their world. That concept is what really struck me about this band. This band members are a collection of experiences and interpretations of the world that are blending together to create beautiful music. Yet, that music must be, in of itself, relatable to a varied audience. So it is also, in my mind, a process of overcoming. Of not only being able to be in the same physical space as people of varying races and cultures and wealth, but being able to relate to one another on an emotional level. It makes me wonder how similar mediums of expression can be used to break down the barriers created from years of hatred and distrust.
At the same time, the music was also a representation of globalization. A musical genre that began in the United States as a blend of European instruments and Afro beats transported to South Africa where it maintains an avid audience. The music reminded me of something my class had discussed in the “Peoples and Cultures” anthropology course. My Professor, Alan Klein, discussed the notion that there is this misconception that the world falls prey to globalized models and that the often oppressed people have no agency. He spoke against this saying that while globalized models are predatory, people still retain agency and adapt the models to their culture. The music played by this band represented this concept playing classic Jazz incorporated into the performance tinged with distinctly African musical influences. Jazz punctuated with isiZulu: saxophone solos laid on top of Zulu drum beats. In my mind, I found the Jazz performance an expression of integration not visible elsewhere in the city and a perfect summation of what we were attempting to study in Johannesburg and South Africa on a larger scale.
--Kyle Giamportone
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