Bunny M’s columns appeared on Jerry Jazz Musician from 2004 – 2006
“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.
“Blue Wynton” by Theo Moore
Until We Meet Again…
*
Tiger Rag, by Bix Beiderbecke
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In my last column I wrote of the significance of change
in jazz. From “playing the changes” to changing the face of art, shaping
and surviving cultural change, jazz is well-versed in remembering the old,
embracing the new, and adapting the two in a seamless chain of ontogeny.
Bix Beiderbecke once said, “One of the things I like about jazz is [that]
I don’t know what’s going to happen next”; and so, it is in the spirit of
a jamming musician hopping chords from one tune to the next that I am retiring
my stewardship of “Accent on Youth” in the pursuit of new creative endeavors.
Being able to write my own column for Jerry Jazz Musician,
and getting to know so many wonderful, interesting people as I have the past
two years has been an experience of great joy and learning. My knowledge
and love of music has grown exponentially as a result of all the research,
listening, collaboration, and cultural observation that has gone into this
creative process. Of course none of this would have been possible without
the music; with its rich, far-reaching history, cast of characters, and complex
emotional substance, jazz — and the desire to see it propagate among today’s
young people — has been my inspiration and drive for writing “Accent on
Youth” from its inception.
Many, many are the thanks I extend to Mr. Joe Maita for
taking the chance and allowing me the opportunity to write for Jerry Jazz
Musician. That he saw potential in my sixteen-year old jazz-loving self with
no publication writing experience is, I think, a testament to his fine creative
foresight. His direction and unflagging support and encouragement have been
a valuable aid in my growth as a writer in particular, and a person in general,
and I am honored to have worked and exchanged ideas with him.
Much applause is due the musicians — from major-label
recording stars to neighborhood garage jammers — for keeping the jazz tradition
alive and defying the purveyors of modern mainstream entertainment by stirring
young listeners with quiet boldness to find that cookie-cutter pop is not
the only way. Especially commanding of a hand are the young players, hobbyists
and paying-gig mavens alike. The repeated enjoyment of having come to know
a number of you fellow musicians and listeners through “Accent on Youth”
is a great renewal of my faith in our generation as the new heirs of a musical
genre whose innovations have more than occasionally been the product of youthful
minds. High-fives to all of you for surviving the nuclear fallout of the
bubble gum, Britney Spears-and-company cultural takeover.
And of course, I would like to express my deep appreciation
to you, readers, for sharing in my work, and for the many kind words and
ideas you have blessed me with. Hearing from all of you is always a spring
of joy and encouragement to me that the great spirit of jazz truly is alive
and continues to be nurtured by modern lovers of music. I cherish the friends
and creative collaborators I have come to know among you, and can only hope
your enjoyment of my words and ideas has been a worthy return on the time
you have invested in reading and following my column. Since I am not a person
of goodbyes, I’ll simply say in the words of Count Basie: “To be continued,
until we meet again. Meanwhile, keep on listening and tapping your feet.”
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I rise on the Another tryst And in seconds,
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Editor’s Note:
Getting to know Bunny and working with her has been a
great source of joy and pride. While the publication of her work has
been gratifying and helped attract new readers to Jerry Jazz Musician,
the most rewarding aspect has been in witnessing Bunny’s persona emerge and
her writing mature. I am fascinated by the sincerity of her interests,
and grateful for her devotion to the column.
As Bunny suggests in her farewell column, “Until We Meet
Again,” her life is changing, and so will Accent on Youth. The
search for a new columnist has begun, details of which will be available soon.