This episode discusses the abolition of the World Languages Department at WVU and the effects of monolingual education. It explores alternative paths for literary studies and the cosmopolitan cultural abundance often overlooked. There is an interview with Joe Locke about his jazz education and his new album honoring a Lebanese musician. The impact of social media on self-perception and the issue of access and privilege in the arts and humanities are also discussed. The chapter concludes by exploring the value of podcasts as platforms for meaningful conversations.
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Quick takeaways
Cultural diversity should be celebrated and incorporated into humanities education to capture the multidimensionality of culture and promote cultural justice.
Literary criticism needs to adopt a more inclusive and diverse approach that goes beyond national and genre traditions, addressing the effective, aesthetic, political, and subjective dimensions of literature.
Jazz education and criticism should embrace an intersectional approach, valuing diversity across disciplines and cultures, and recognizing the importance of diverse knowledge and perspectives.
Deep dives
Inspiration from Makram
The title track of the album was inspired by Lebanese composer Makram Roumana. Joe Locke was touched by Makram's humble and genuine email thanking him for a masterclass. Makram's animation accompanying Stravinsky's Rite of Spring struck a chord with Joe and renewed his faith in people. After the Beirut port explosion, Makram shared his experience of helping dig for bodies. The connection between the two grew stronger, and Joe wrote a song named Makram for him. Makram later reimagined the song with his chamber trio, the Oud, Rick, and bass. Joe then incorporated their part into the album, creating a unique and meaningful blend of the vibes and Middle Eastern instruments.
The Intersection of Cultures
Joe Locke believes in the importance of acknowledging and celebrating cultural diversity. He emphasizes that culture is alive and thriving in the world. Instead of narrowing resources and focusing on one winner, Joe believes in capturing the multidimensionality of culture. He advocates for a broader view of the humanities that reflects the diverse experiences and interests of students. Although there may be challenges in achieving this goal, Joe believes it is crucial to connect the humanities with cultural justice and create conditions that allow students to explore various cultural assets.
The Crisis in Literary Criticism
Joe Locke reflects on the crisis in literary criticism and the need for the humanities to align with cultural realities. He criticizes the narcissistic aspects of academia and notes that humanities scholars often lose touch with the aliveness of culture in the world. He advocates for a more inclusive and diverse approach to literature, one that transcends national and genre traditions. Joe suggests that literary critics should harness the complexity and multidimensionality of culture, addressing effective, aesthetic, political, and subjective dimensions. He believes that humanities education should focus on capturing diverse cultural identities and experiences.
An Intersectional Approach
Joe Locke highlights the importance of an intersectional approach in jazz education and criticism. He emphasizes the need for diversity across various fields of knowledge and expertise. Joe challenges the notion that scholars from minority backgrounds should only focus on racial issues, suggesting that a broad view of cultural expertise is necessary. He discusses the negative impact of specialization and the exclusion of other disciplines and cultures. Joe argues that the growth of cultural capital should not be limited to specific identity boxes, but encompass a diverse range of knowledge and perspectives.
Embracing Cross-Genre Pollination and Personal Identity in Music
The podcast episode discusses the artist's appetite for cross-genre pollination in his music. He emphasizes his desire for mutual connection and learning, which sets him apart. The artist expresses his distaste for cultural appropriation but highlights his love, appreciation, and deep respect for different cultures' music. He believes that his sound has a geographic place of origin, which he discovered later in his career. Despite not being an expert in certain music genres, he finds that being fully himself in collaborations with musicians from different cultures still works due to the universal nature of jazz.
The Journey of Technical Virtuosity, Composition, and Critique
The podcast delves into the artist's continuous journey of attaining technical virtuosity and honing his compositional skills. He emphasizes the importance of constant practice and maintaining technical ability to achieve a fluid and seamless sound on his instrument. The artist also discusses how his identity as a composer has become more individual and stronger in recent years. Additionally, he shares his critique of the hierarchical and institutional structures in jazz education, which he views as a grift that limits access to the art form. He advocates for the recognition and promotion of lesser-known talents and the need for intelligent and soulful conversations, which he finds more prevalent in podcasts.
Last week, West Virginia University announced that it would abolish its World Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics Department, proposing to replace it with automated digital instruction. This is the apotheosis of trends going back decades. In this episode we talk about the effects of monolingual education, the case study in Ponzi Austerity at WVU [5:00], alternative paths for literary studies [11:00], the cosmopolitan cultural abundance that is sometimes overlooked by Anglophone criticism [50:00], and Matt Seybold interviews Joe Locke about "Makram" and jazz education [57:00].
Cast (in order of appearance): Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera, Ignacio M. Sanchez Prado, Matt Seybold, Joe Locke
Soundtrack: Joe Locke's "Makram"
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