That is actually a major through-line in the history of this thing that’s called jazz—Black artists defiantly showing up and being present in white spaces.
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Tuesday - July 13, 2021
Keyon Harrold at the Apollo Theater, New York, Feb. 27, 2021, during D'Angelo's Verzuz show.
(Shahar Azran/Getty Images)
quote of the day
That is actually a major through-line in the history of this thing that’s called jazz—Black artists defiantly showing up and being present in white spaces.
Vijay Iyer
rantnrave://
Exclusionary Tactics

I loathe the word "exclusive" in almost all forms, from streaming companies who boast about keeping songs and albums out of the hands of any music fans who'd dare spend their $9.99 per month on any service but theirs, to music sites claiming to have exclusive interviews (as if ST. VINCENT isn't going to talk to anyone else during this album cycle), to bonus tracks you have to go to TARGET to buy, which, bizarrely, is still a thing. How does any of that benefit anyone who might be listening or reading or buying? Thankfully, the concept of the streaming exclusive has waned in popularity in the US, but until recently in China, they were taking it to the extreme: exclusive streaming deals with entire major labels (which included the right to sub-license the same rights to competitors, at noncompetitive prices). Enter the Chinese government, which, as we learn in this Reuters so-called exclusive, is stepping in and demanding an end to that kind of exclusivity, as part of a wider crackdown on internet giants. Thank you, China, for this one thing, even if, as some analysts suggest, it might be a little too late as well as a little too little. The country isn't cracking down on its dominant streaming music player, TENCENT MUSIC, as it strongly as it could have, possibly because Tencent, which has been under government scrutiny for some time, had already backed away from most such deals. Tencent still controls an enormous part of the Chinese market thanks to its acquisition of rivals KUWO and KUGOU, which the government is also unhappy about. And it still has the exclusive streaming rights to Taiwanese superstar JAY CHOU's music, which, if you ask me, would be fine if Chou decided entirely on his own that he only wanted to license his music to one service, but which is all kinds of problematic if Tencent was the instigator. Music should be an enterprise of inclusion, not exclusion. In my exclusive humble opinion.

Plus Also Too

In a different kind of Asian music crackdown, South Korea has ordered gyms not to play music over 120 bpm in exercise classes, in an attempt to prevent the kind of over-exertion that could help Covid germs spread. Or, as the British site GRM Daily put it, grime has basically been banned. Say goodbye also, says the Guardian's BEN BEAUMONT-THOMAS, to BTS' "PERMISSION TO DANCE," LOONA's "PTT (PAINT THE TOWN)" and A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS' "I RAN (SO FAR AWAY)"... In other music and gym news, here's the longest article you'll ever read on why PELOTON, which hasn't always been on the best of terms with music providers, has one of the highest effective per-stream royalties in the business. TL;DR version: It's complicated, and the word "sync" probably doesn't appear enough times in the article... The night STEVEN SEAGAL opened for SAMMY HAGAR... The day CAPTAIN BEEFHEART's TROUT MASK REPLICA came to music streaming (spoiler: That day has come if you're a QOBUZ user; it comes in a month for everyone else)... BLEACHERS at NPR Music's virtual TINY DESK.

Rest in Peace

ESTHER BEJARANO, a Holocaust survivor who was forced to play accordion in the Auschwitz Women's Orchestra and spent the rest of her life singing Jewish resistance songs and fighting racism... Chicago drill rapper KTS DRE, at least the 14th rapper to be murdered in the US in 2021, which is barely half over... Pioneering Kuala Lumpur DJ/producer GABRIEL CHONG.

Matty Karas (@troubledoll), curator
ten cents a dance
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LCD Soundsystem is one of the hippest, most beloved bands of the early 21st century, but its frontman says he’s spent a lifetime being uncool and no fun. James Murphy talks with Marc about the personal and global tragedies that precipitated the founding of the band, the character traits he had to come to terms with in order to lead the band, and more.
The Guardian
‘The revolution could not be televised’: why were so many black concert films erased from history?
by Steve Rose
New documentary "Summer of Soul" recalls an iconic moment in '60s music -- but it has taken far too long for us to see the footage.
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by Samantha Chavarria
The history of forced sterilization of disabled communities has been hidden for too long, but stories like Britney Spears’ allow us the opportunity to educate and liberate.
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