I guess I will be accused of being way too PC, but does anyone else have a problem with the way the term ‘ethnic’ is thrown about in musical circles?
Too often ‘ethnic’ seems to be used as a collective way of lumping together rich, complex, diverse and very beautiful musical traditions in order to distinguish them from what? ?mainstream music? ?proper music? ?classical music? But that all seems a little culturally-centric, don’t you think? After all, the only thing that so-called ‘ethnic’ music seems to share is not having their origins in the dominant cultures of the North Atlantic (and at worst this can imply the traditions are somewhat secondary, unsophisticated or even inferior)? In contrast, when I hear people writing ‘ethnic’ tracks, they seem to be cliched and trying to repeat old Hollywood stereotypes rather than being very original, let alone informed or respectful.
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for experimentation, innovation and hybrids. I also understand that music is so complex that it is difficult to talk about it without doing an injustice to that complexity. But, in 20 years time, could it be that the current use of the term ‘ethnic’ will be thought of as archaic or no longer acceptable? It would be great to have more nuanced and informed ways of talking about some of the worlds richest and very beautiful musical traditions. We live in a post-colonial world, don’t we?
Claude Plummer
Too often ‘ethnic’ seems to be used as a collective way of lumping together rich, complex, diverse and very beautiful musical traditions in order to distinguish them from what? ?mainstream music? ?proper music? ?classical music? But that all seems a little culturally-centric, don’t you think? After all, the only thing that so-called ‘ethnic’ music seems to share is not having their origins in the dominant cultures of the North Atlantic (and at worst this can imply the traditions are somewhat secondary, unsophisticated or even inferior)? In contrast, when I hear people writing ‘ethnic’ tracks, they seem to be cliched and trying to repeat old Hollywood stereotypes rather than being very original, let alone informed or respectful.
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for experimentation, innovation and hybrids. I also understand that music is so complex that it is difficult to talk about it without doing an injustice to that complexity. But, in 20 years time, could it be that the current use of the term ‘ethnic’ will be thought of as archaic or no longer acceptable? It would be great to have more nuanced and informed ways of talking about some of the worlds richest and very beautiful musical traditions. We live in a post-colonial world, don’t we?
Claude Plummer