> On Mar 29, 2011, at 11:37 AM, Michael Smith wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:28:49 -0500
>> "Carrol Cox" <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> I love her singing also -- but the hairs rise on the back of my neck
>>> every time I hear such words as "pure" outside the chemistry lab or
>>> in reference to the bacteria count of food supplies. I don't claim
>>> that is the only legitimate context for the word, but whenever it is
>>> applied outside that context it needs to be defended.
>>
>> "Pure" has a rather technical sense as applied to vocal
>> quality. It has to do with the harmonic series of the tone.
>
> Carrol has a purist objection to the use of "pure."
I won't comment on pure, but my in earlier reference to white folks having been responsible for Holiday's career, they were motivated by aesthetic theories that attributed "authenticity" and "genuineness" to african-american musical genres, which other popular music genres didn't possess because of their commerciality.
I don't have the facts to hand, but Hammond, the Café, Folkways records were all fellow cultural travelers to the CP's brand of social realism, and Holiday had a place in all that: something that was folkloric and high art at the same time.
Strange Fruit...
Best, Charles