historical lapjazz

[Kim Cascone <kim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> someone who was touchy might say, defining jazz by its 'use-value as
> improvisational listening music' is a de-contextualization that comes close
> to trivializing the struggles of its creators.
not at all...the statement stands entirely on its own...I simply drew a
comparison of laptop music to jazz on *one* level - I'm sure there are other
levels where this comparison falls apart - : its use-value as
improvisational listening music...nothing more was inferred or embedded into
that statement and anything you draw from it other than that is your own
interpretation...we can start wrapping my statement in all sorts different
contexts and teasing out the various histories - which is fine and all - but
in terms of 'reception theory' I find my original statement to be true...

> the reason i feel this issue is important is: de-contextualization is a key
> component of the political rhetoric used to justify some evil actions that
> my country (usa) is undertaking. eg., "iraq should want a democracy just
> like the usa" implies that "we cut to the heart of the matter when we forget
> about history + concentrate on similarities". i feel just the opposite, we
> come closer to truth by focusing on history and difference.
without wanting to open a can of worms I will risk asking: whose history are
we talking about? there are many histories, versions of histories and
agenda's being imposed when implementing a history...there are a multitude
of histories depending on who you talk to and at what point in time...
also, truth can only be arrived at via *evidence and argumentation* i.e.,
court of law, due process, etc...this is what democracy is all about and
what Bush Inc is clearly NOT about...they are more from the 'deception and
greed' school of politics...but let's not go there though as the whole
pro/anti war thing has already been played out (painfully) here...
but getting back to the point: 'use-value' is a political/economic concept
and in this way jazz and laptop music share certain qualities... 

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