Is Jazz Music Urhobo? III

Is Jazz Music Urhobo? III

In part II of this series, we must mention the choice of the Art Ensemble of Chicago as archetypal to Uhuoro’ojevwu. Such is not a case of searching for patterns or resemblances where none exist. There’s no dreaming here either.  Archetypes though clearly defined take on different appearances. But their core and characteristics remain the same.  Their recognition is not too difficult.

The Art Ensemble of Chicago embodies the archetype of Uhuoro’ojevwu with high fidelity. It may not have been deliberate but it happened so for whatever reason. The cosmos knows better.

Back to Uhuoro’ojevwu.

Ọmọmẹ gbe obo ijevwe

Ọmọmẹ gbe obo ijevwe

My child, dance anyhow you like

My child, dance anyhow you like

This is a phrase of the freedom to dance in response to music. The intent of the phrases none of my sources seem to know. We know the phrases come from Uhuoro’ojevwu, rhythms of the wastrel, nowadays known as jazz. The original phrase is,

Okomẹ huoro obo ijevwe

Okomẹ huoro obo ijevwe

A vaghan vughu vaghan (The isologu playing line)

My man, play it anyhow you like

My man, play it anyhow you like

Again, we meet the freedom of each player in his contribution to the music. Playing what he can however he can, the better the better.  The Ensemble captures the spirit of Okomẹ huoro obo ijevwe well.

It is unforgivable not to link Uhuoro’ ojevwu with the Art Ensemble of Chicago besides other jazz combos. Lester Bowie declared, “All music originated in Africa and all music must reach back to Africa.” I am willing to bet $1000 he first made that declaration with conviction circa 1969.

1969 was a musically productive and sublimely conscious time for the Ensemble. I refer to those years as the Freedom Years. Perhaps, triggered by the counterculture of the day.

Once again, back to Uhuoro’ojevwu, it was a rebellious form of music played underground in the bush, on the farm. The practice of Uhuoro’ojevwu first mushroomed and entered the public eye when it challenged spiritual practices in Urhoboland.  Foreign idol worship was having unwelcome impacts on the Urhobo way of life.

The rule of the older persons was trampling the rights of the younger people. The male- female rights once equal became oppressive to females.  The true believers, younger people and women were unhappy with the new times and new beliefs.

Uhuoro’ojevwu thus became the outlet to express these crises though underground. Listen to Old Time Religion by Art Ensemble of Chicago. It is a song asking for Christianity. Uhuoro’ojevwu also grows in that direction in present day Urhoboland.

Old Time Religion recreates Uhuoro’ unueko, quarrel music. A mimicry of quarrels, disagreements, or emotive agreements among singers. It is a style of call-response singing. The caller and the responder sound as if in conflict with each other. If done well it can be entertaining and thought provoking.

Musicians can execute Unueko with both their voices and musical instruments. And let the listeners appreciate the tensions that arise from it.

In the Warsaw Concert of 1982, the Art Ensemble of Chicago open with a breathtaking version of Toro.  Towards the end Lester Bowie and Roscoe Mitchell had finished their extended solos on their horns and try to bring the song to an end. Joseph Jarman had not played his last notes. He resists the conclusion of the song with errant stubbornness rekindling the playing of Don Moye on the drums and Malachi Favors on the bass.

All Jarman fought for was a minute to make his treasured contribution, a great moment. In Urhoboland people will say of that moment, “that is the sweetest moment of the music.” Then Bowie and Mitchell must conclude the song all over again. Such is musical unueko.

David Ayadju, a gifted Urhobo musician who died young under mysterious circumstances in the 1970s was an exponent of protest music using the call-response approach without raising Unueko tensions. Ayadju went after practitioners of idol-worship in Urhoboland, foreign idol worship most of all. Ironic?

No. Christianity though foreign was closer to the traditional beliefs of the Urhobos than the introduction of ghoulish traditional religious practices from nearer by. Ayadju’s case is analogous to if blue is my natural colour give me green and take your red away! Jọvwẹre!

Common with the imported idol worship was the pronouncement of curses upon people. Unwitting persons against their will had to partake in ghoulish oaths, known as swearing. Ayadju left the underground and came out in public to sing against idol worship. His death was a mighty loss to Urhobo music. However, he had inadvertently created Urhobo traditional Christian music. Yes, through vehement protest.

Still, the Art Ensemble of Chicago in present times could engender much protest and nonconformity. Just by their mere presence. Without a note played or a word spoken. Nyiovwioma, feel it for yourselves. When the Ensemble begins playing music, you sense a new reality, new possibility, or new potentiality. A sublime feat. The archetype is real and it alive. So is the protest. It is irrepressible.

Is Jazz Music Urhobo?

Be Good, not Lucky.