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"Bunny M." is an eighteen-year-old Dallas resident who plays drums, piano
and clarinet. Her passion for jazz and the challenges she faces as
a youthful fan of it is the focus of her Jerry Jazz Musician column, "Accent
on Youth."
Listen to Dinah Washington sing Accent On Youth 
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Accent on Youth
by
Bunny M.
"Coffee Lounge Lizards," a painting by Dale Wicks
The Coffeehouse Culture:
Its contributions to appreciating music, life and style
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Black Coffee , by Peggy Lee
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In spite (or perhaps because) of the efforts of the marketers
of popular culture, a growing number of young people are subscribing -- at
least in part -- to an awareness of art outside mainstream commercialism.
Young people are listening to and enjoying music other than that packaged
by Britney Spears and Eminem, reading nineteenth century literature for pleasure,
and following the styles and trends most suited to their own individuality.
While the pocketbooks of the latest "Of the Moment" icon may be missing their
input, another institution has emerged to reap the benefits of catering to
this New Youth Culture -- the coffeehouse. From the sidewalks of old Paris
to the modern drive-thru era, the coffeehouse revival, spearheaded by Starbucks,
has arrived to fill an ever-widening gap in today's busy world; a return
to an appreciation for relaxation, connecting, and the arts.
| While many may bemoan the "Starbucks takeover," their
contribution to disseminating an appreciation for the arts -- and jazz, in
particular -- is worthy of praise. From the urban, Romare Bearden-esque artwork
on the walls to their jazz-centric soundtrack, Starbucks has been hard at
work priming the minds of young people for an acceptance of jazz. The
café con music synergy is genius in a very "backdoor" sort
of way, filling the minds of the unsuspecting with the likes of Nat King
Cole, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, and others they wouldn't necessarily think
of listening to. Even more genius is the offering of popular jazz and blues
CDs, as well as their own compilations, which are an excellent beginner or
even supplementary course in the best jazz has to offer. I have often wondered
if young coffeehouse patrons ever express an interest in these musical offerings,
so I was amazed and delighted when I recently overheard teenage girls exchanging
excited remarks about artists like Charles, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald
while flipping through their CD's in the store.
On a broader scale, the return of the coffeehouse has had a
tremendous impact on society, fostering a subculture of young people with
a new lust for life and the finer side of unconventionality. You may be
hard-pressed to find a significant number of patrons from our parents' generation
at Starbucks, as people over the age of forty may not understand the rationale
of shelling out three - five dollars for coffee when a "cuppa-joe" can be
had for a quarter or two at the local "Gas 'n Go." But perhaps the
allowance-burning price tag can be justified thus: to disciples of
the New Youth Culture, a coffee drink with a 35-word name is more than a
morning caffeine jolt, it is a firsthand experience in the ongoing "youth
society" versus "the rest of society" dynamic.
Starbucks often stands at the epicenter of commercial
development (or redevelopment) and expansionism, around which springs every
type of retailer catering to the young, hip, and slightly eclectic lifestyle.
College towns are a great example of this, where an abundance of "quality
goods at a low price" retailers reflects the steady patronage of "starving
students" with an eye for high style. Interestingly, jazz music is frequently
heard throughout many of these establishments, but even without it the "jazz
attitude" is prevalent, and typical teenyboppers rarely find comfort amid
the quirkiness radiated by these underground thrift shops and higher-end
boutiques. Even in a downtown Pottery Barn, for example, the jazzy-cool
"coffeehouse-next-door" vibe is alive with the music of Vic Damone reverberating
off 1930's-Manhattan-nightclub-style leather chairs and abstract art prints.
Like Starbucks, Pottery Barn has their own collection of music favorites
available on proprietary CD's (here leaning towards lounge numbers and classic
pop standards), and while you might find a more "adult" crowd here than at
the nearby coffeehouse, the prevailing clientele is very much oriented to
young swingers and reincarnated Bobby Darin lounge lizard-types.
In addition to offering alternatives to mainstream trends,
the presence of a coffeehouse is a vital force in shaping young people's
cultural appreciation. Virtually every bookstore in my area -- and that of
many other large cities -- has a coffeehouse under the same roof, something
I'm willing to bet has had the affect of creating more young, interested
readers. Attempting to sell the joys of early twentieth-century poetry
or cubist art to the average teenager in class generally garners a reaction
as sour as if Lawrence Welk was made required daily viewing. But in the average
urban coffeehouse-bookstore conglomerate, such subjects can be accessed just
a few paces from the espresso bar, in an ambiance where everyone from pink-haired
nonconformists to "mainstream's edge" lurkers are found coexisting,
communicating, playing chess, and reading avant-garde poetry. Suddenly,
discussing the merits of post-modernist art becomes as cool and youth-friendly
as simply hanging out with friends on a weekend. And what better way to take
the edge off a boring homework assignment than with a tall chocolate chip
iced Frappuccino with whipped cream! |
Genius Loves Company
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Here We Go Again , Ray Charles with Norah Jones
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Blue Note Blend
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Let's Get Lost , by Chet Baker
Song For My Father
, by Horace Silver
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Pottery Barn's Backyard Party
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My Girl
, by the Temptations |
Coffeehouses are often closely associated with the arts,
from the gathering places during the Belle Epoch in Paris, to beat-era poetry
readings in San Francisco and New York, they have historically supported
and contributed to the artistic community. Again, Starbucks' role in this
capacity cannot be overstated; at the Dallas Museum of Art, for example,
Starbucks is a major presence, frequently sponsoring special exhibits and
activities for children, as well as offering coffee-tastings and seminars
in an atmosphere of modern art. Art shows, poetry readings, and live music
are often hosted in their stores, and Starbucks is well known for their
commitment to supporting the local communities of each of their stores.
This dynamic certainly extends beyond Starbucks, as independently owned
coffee shops in town are found near art galleries, film houses, performance
halls, and other art-centric locations. By gathering young people in a common
space near such venues, the coffeehouse in effect acclimates its youthful
patrons to an awareness and appreciation of the arts, and how they integrate
into everyday life.
Living in a large city amidst the constant siege of popular
culture, I can say from personal experience that my own life as a java junkie
has played an important role in my continuing jazz education, from the music
itself to the "life is like a jazz improvisation" joie de vivre. In
the ever-present struggle against peer pressure and the need to reject the
cookie-cutter-clone syndrome, the modern coffeehouse is a haven of cultural
regeneration where individuality as well as intellectual and artistic
appreciation are not merely welcomed, but encouraged and nurtured. "Music
and life are all about style," Miles Davis once said, and thanks to the
coffeehouse revival and its support of the arts, today's young people seeking
to resist the vacuous black hole of modern youth culture can get their fix
of all three.
______________________________
Peace is the word,
Bunny
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"Bunny M." is an eighteen-year-old Dallas resident who plays drums, piano and
clarinet. Her passion for jazz and the challenges she faces as a youthful
fan of it is the focus of her Jerry Jazz Musician column, "Accent
on Youth."
You can contact Bunny at: lotusflower1922@hotmail.com
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Accent on Youth archive
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