Ambiences in Black
It’s Ambiences in Black when we turn the Echoes prism onto the African and black influences in ambient musicbecause black and white is not a cultural divide we want to promote anywhere, let alone music. But with all the Germans, Scandinavians, British and white Americans you hear on the show you might not see or hear the rich traditions of Black art not just underlying much of the music but often very much in the clear. But they are in the clear on Ambiences in Black, Black History Month has never sounded like this!
Here’s my dilemma, John – I don’t want to be known as a ‘black ambient artist’, whatever the heck that means. I AM AN AMBIENT/ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER, period. I’ve found it more than a little puzzling (not to mention patronizing) when folks use Black History Month as a platform to showcase how ‘woke’ they are to the contributions of black folk, while the rest of the year well…..I think you know. You could ask anyone from Michael Bruckner to David Borden and Steve Drews, to Scott Lawlor, Boreal Tiaga, Cousin Silas to Tommy Emmanuel what they think of my work – they are all colleagues as well as friends. Many I’ve collaborated with in the past. I’m about to turn 63 years young, and at this stage, all I can say is – if there’s a dearth of ambient music being produced by artists WHO JUST HAPPEN TO BE BLACK, maybe you’re not looking hard enough. Namasté.