For Wynton Marsalis, one lesson of Hurricane Katrina lies in the jazz principles of swing. "At the heart of swing, two extremely different instruments - the drums and the bass - must be played with absolutely the same intention," he said Thursday at the National Press Club.
"Swing ultimately tests the limits of your desire to work with other people to create a mutual feeling," he said. "That's what we've created in our country due to this catastrophe - a wonderful mutual feeling - and we have to figure out how to hold on to it."
Wynton's talk was magnificent. THIS is the heart to have, now when we're on the brink of action with Fitzgerald, with Bush's numbers dropping, with the dangerous Delay cornered and ready to release his tide of crazies; when Murdoch is taking over the internet, total darkness coming down. Wynton knows the path to take, the way to survive in the darkness, the way to keep heart and link hearts. The way to be the better people. Higher ground! This is hope and how to give it.
