What is "Black music"? In effect, I think that question could be probed even deeper, ultimately transforming itself into the musical question asked by none other than Funkadelic so long ago when they mused, "What is soul?"
For me, Black music, while indeed tied to the artists of color who create and generate the material we listen to, I guess that I could also probe deeper and suggest that Black music is an entity that surrounds us, envelopes us, sustains us and I do mean, "us" as in the collective "us" of humanity itself. If Black music is woven into the fabric of our nation, then, it is woven into the fabric of our overall existence as human beings. And if that is so, then should we not celebrate an aspect of our very own life force?
Black Music Month has now become a tradition of my mythical radio station of WSPC as I, now for the fifth year, will use this month to celebrate these artists of color whose legacies have surrounded, enveloped and sustained me for the entirety of my life. These artists tie directly into my own heritage certainly but even moreso, I want to take the month as I would take any journey into a record store: utilize this period as a month of discovery.
I am no expert to any degree regarding the wealth of musicians, singers, songwriters, composers and producers who have given the best of themselves within their art for all of us and I am often stunned with how much I don't know. That these world class artists are not as universally known as say someone like...Paul McCartney, for example. Yes, as Prince once sang, "Everybody can't be on top," and this realization is not based within race. But, it is a sad state of affairs with how little we all actually know about those who have contributed their all to this life force that has surrounded, enveloped and sustained us.
So, for the month of June, I will do as I have done for the past four years, flood my Facebook feed with WSPC sets culled from You Tube and all featuring Black artists from top to bottom. Now, that I am so fortunate to have my own real world radio show on WVMO FM, I will use three of the five Wednesdays of the month to have 60 minute sets also spotlighting Black artists. My mind is already racing with what I know I will play but also with what I am hoping to discover in the process.
Should you all choose to join me on this journey, just remember to turn that volume up and.....
...PLAY LOUD!!!!!!
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