The Real Chicken Grease

What is chicken grease?

What is funk?

What is hip?

What is music?

2 paraphrase the great Louis Armstrong, “If u have 2 ask, u’ll never know.”

This statement wasn’t intended to demean anyone. It was just a way 2 draw the line, a way 2 extract music from the limitations imposed by words, and 2 present it 4 what it is, which is — something that we don’t have 2 ask, bcuz we already know.

U don’t have 2 ask. U don’t have 2 tell urself. U don’t have 2 define it. U don’t have 2 try and prove that u “have it,” that u know what music is. U don’t have 2 invent it. Music is.

Critical Concept

The whole concept of “artistic re-invention” was itself invented by so-called “critics” who got bored with their job, having 2 review heaps of meaningless musical “products” — and who confused their own boredom with what they perceived as the stagnation of an art that they were no longer able 2 enjoy, 2 grasp, 2 appreciate, bcuz their own musical awareness — if they ever had any — had been deadened by countless hours, weeks, months, years of “Top 40” listening and no-funk radio.

Y would an artist ever have 2 “re-invent” himself? Y should an artist ever elect 2 do away with his very own past, his very own savoir-faire, his very own artistry? In the name of what? Commercial pressure? Market saturation? Hipness and trendiness? What do those things have 2 do with art?

Artists who think they need 2 “re-invent” themselves as part of their “artistic growth” fail 2 c that the very concept of re-invention has absolutely nothing 2 do with art, and everything 2 do with external forces, earthly considerations, public perception, etc.

Let the Baker Bake the Bread

Music is not like a pair of shoes — it doesn’t get comfortable, then slowly wear out. Music is timeless. Music sounds as FRESH the 100th time u listen 2 it as it did the very first time — if not even more.

Music xpands ur mind, and just keeps xpanding it further and further. It’s got that “thing,” that je ne sais quoi that u just never can get tired of.

The authentic, passionate baker never tires of baking bread. He just keeps going at it. He keeps perfecting his baking skills, the flavor of his bread, the beauty of its very simplicity. He doesn’t need 2 “re-invent” bread, or himself. Many people might find it more “efficient” or “cost-effective” 2 buy industrial bread from anonymous chain stores, chock full of tasteless ingredients, harmful chemicals, and artificial “additives.” The authentic baker just keeps going at it, bcuz he knows that he’s on the right track. All he needs is flour, water, salt. It’s that simple. It might not b trendy, it might not b “new” — but it doesn’t need 2 b. It just is. And, as Louis Armstrong indicated, u either get it, or u don’t. U either set things rolling, or u keep trying 2 re-invent the wheel — and never even start 2 touch the real thing. The baker bakes the best bread, real musicians make real music 4 real music lovers — and the whole “pop” scenario is nothing but a dream.

U either respect that, or u don’t. U either get urself an NPG Music Club membership, or u keep downloading the songs 4 free on Napster and complaining that people r not willing 2 “share” the stolen goods fast enough 4 u. U either design a cool, hand-made CD cover out of love 4 this month’s edition of the Club, and share it 4 free with ur community of fellow fams — or u put CD-R copies of the songs up 4 sale on eBay 4 $50 a crack and think u r a cool nerd.

The Work

U either enjoy music — or u don’t. And, if u do, u know very well what it’s really worth, and u respect that. In an empty world full of fast-food, fast-TV, fast-music, u know where stuffing ur face with the latest manufactured junk ends — and where appreciating, savoring hand-made art by authentic artists begins. And u r willing 2 do ur part of “The Work” 2 get there.

There is no “jazz,” “funk,” “pop,” “rock,” “blues,” whatever. In the memorable words of yet another great, Duke Ellington, there is only 2 kinds of music, GOOD music and BAD music. The day people stop jumping on every opportunity 2 categorize, classify what they xperience and start LIVING it, leaving classification 2 those who r bored with life — is the day this world starts becoming a better place — not a “new” world, not a “re-invented” world, but the PERFECT WORLD that it was meant 2 b.