Music, Authenticity and Appropriation February 29, 2008
Posted by vchristm in : arts, culture, diversity, history, language, music , 2commentsDo you have a right to sing the blues? Is appropriation with attribution OK, or is it still using someone else’s property/culture/history? About 15 of us discussed these issues today (2/29/08), and our exploration was guided by Prof. Michael Tratner, Shayna Israel ‘08 and Nikki Lopez ‘10. Some of the additional issues we grappled with included identity, everyday experience, money, access, blame, obscurity, recording, preserving, reproducing, stealing and influence. People spoke from both the heart and the head, sharing information from readings as well as from their own performing history/present. As usual, the discussion looped around a lot of territory in 50 minutes. Although there are many questions that remain, three stood out for me: Whose job is it to tell the cultural story [behind music/a work of art]? Can you ever have the whole story? And can we share that story, or do some people, as originators, own it?
What questions stood out for you? Please continue the conversation!