A group of jazz musicians have signed an open letter declaring asking people to listen to jazz by imagining musical notes not played is micro-aggression.
“Not only is it micro-aggression. It’s ‘notes-shaming’ and probably racist too. And very insulting to deaf people,” according to the group’s leader Chris ‘Jambalaya’ Connick (no relation to Harry).
Jazz is a sophisticated musical art form that demands the attention of listeners who consume it. However, this can be challenging for many people. For example, those with ADHD or people who consider plagiarism is a form of original creativity.
“It’s exclusionary to demand people listen to something that’s not in their capacity to hear,” Connick said.
There’s also another concern now gripping jazz musicians faced with the “ It’s very traumatic for musicians who are playing but worry if people won’t hear the notes they’re not playing,” jazz pianist Layla Bricksweather explained.
Bricksweather added that some musicians have expressed the pressure has led to PTSD where they’ve become afraid of their own instruments.
“I know one guy. He can’t play the bass anymore. He won’t touch it. Last I heard, he played folk songs with spoons in front of storefronts. It’s heartbreaking.”
Self-described “jazz expert enthusiast” Cliff Claven has seen the micro-aggression unfold in real-time. “You can see the musician’s eye twitch giving way to a hideous contorted grimace. It’s awful. They just don’t make jazz musicians like they once did. These guys live a bourgeois life and then express that lifestyle in their music. It’s a form of micro-aggression in itself. In fact, life is nothing but a series of micro-aggressions when you think of it. And you can definitely hear those damn notes.”
If you feel aggrieved about not hearing the notes in jazz, the group has set up workshops to help those in need. Please contact them at your local grocery store.
I guess musicians are a special class after all. I always thought we were. I mean, the good ones.
I thought I had heard it all. Lions, Tigers, and Bears. OH MY! Poor babies. Stay home and play to the mirror.
Seriously this is on the musician, if they want to be gawked at and "heard" then play the appropriate music and venue for it. I have had musician friends complain that no one dances, they do not like playing to a sitting audience. Others have complained it is so annoying to play and have people talking and walking about. Well then, don't play in a bar. They complain about not making enough money. But NONE of them have ever complained about being so butt hurt they have PTSD.