IMHO, what follows is a decent, formally-written example of the kind of freedom I feel when expressing myself through Blues music (and possibly the kind of freedom Bobbie spoke of...). From the liner notes to Branford Marsalis's CD, "I Heard You Twice the First Time":
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now, I met the blues this morning walking just like a man. Umh---walking just like a natural man. I said, "Good Morning, Mr. Blues, now give me your right hand." --Son House "Preaching Blues"
So as we learn from Son House, the true purpose of blues music is triumph in the face of adversity. The most common misconception about blues music is that it is, as a second grade student observed, "somebody singing about being sad." Albeit the blues themselved represent a negative force, *blues music* serves as a means of overcoming an oppressive situation. Having the blues is one thing, playing the blues is quite a different matter. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As expression of desire for wish fulfillment, Blues is, for me, freedom.
Two germaine quotes:
"The essence of art, and especially of music, is to elevate yourself as highly as possible above the mundane." --Gabriel Faure
"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." --?
