Great Day In Oakland Genesis

I first heard about Yoshi's CD released on its 10-year anniversary via an eloquent letter Greg Bridges wrote to the one of the administrators at Concord records. He was dismayed that of all the great musicians of African descent to grace Yoshi’s stage in years past, not one was listed on this keepsake Concord produced. This omission was dismissed by Yoshi's administrators, Kajimura and Peter Williams as an unfortunate oversight but one they could do nothing about. This insult to the memory of musicians like Elvin Jones whose last concert was at Yoshi's, Eddie Moore who died on the stage, Oscar Peterson who always sells out the place, the late Shirley Horn, and John Hicks, and we can go on and on, was compounded when Susan Muscarella, the director of the Berkeley Jazz School produced a five-day jazz festival in August where black musicians were sorely absent.

This led to mad email conversations among people whose busy lives hadn't permitted more than cursory acknowledgement and support up to now. Doug Edwards at KPFA 94.1-FM, host of Ear Thyme, hosted two historic shows, the last May 26, http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=20430 with the director of the Jazz School as respondent to the allegations which she admitted had merit, yet wondered how she could now hire black musicians who might think she was hiring them to perform just because of the outcry.

The e-mail conversations continued. The corporate press weighed in on the issue in a front page story last Friday, June 2, and then another front page story, Saturday, June 3. Yoshi’s Shamed, Pulls CD. Now they're collectors items, one musicians said. Whether the feeling was, okay now let's move on, we have an apology, or one of okay let's keep moving forward on this issue
--an apology doesn't change the facts, that an African American derived musical form is being produced, performed and profitted by non-African American people and this has to change. At least this is the sentiment of the majority of the people in the room May 20 and June 3.

Some present were angry, while others were inspired to be more proactive in using this crisis as an opportunity for black artists and others to gather to support one another and build cultural institutions with a mission to educate, develop audiences, offer classes and performance, career opportunities to the youth, while at the same time be a presenting organization, a place to network and share resources so no one feels alone.

These gatherings, which were open, were held at the Oakland Public Conservatory. Whether the meetings will remain open to nonmembers hasn’t been decided as subcommittees develop goals and objectives, and the organization defines its mission.

Stay tuned to this site for further news as it arises.

--Wanda Sabir
www.wandaspicks.com

For links to the Chronicle articles visit:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/02/state/n120240D35.DTL&hw=yoshi&sn=003&sc=388 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/01/MNGVOQ5TTP1.DTL&hw=yoshi&sn=004&sc=323