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Jazz as a metaphor for Democracy

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Jazz great teaches kids about sound of democracy
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David L. Nevins
By David L. NevinsSep 20, 2021
David L. Nevins
David L. Nevins serves as publisher of The Fulcrum. Additionally, Nevins serves as co-founder and Board Chairman of the Bridge Alliance. Nevins brings business acumen, vision and a tireless this-must-and-can-be-done zeal to the burgeoning movement to bridge divides to transform the political process. As a business leader, Nevins excels at building bridges between people and organizations from the right, left and center for civilized conversation and then action. He co-founded the Bridge Alliance because, as he says, “No matter how well managed and how well funded anyone organization is, significant political reform will not happen without an alliance to further collaborative interactions. Together we can and will raise the collective impact of all.” He is a member of the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, with a focus on the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, he established and continues to work with The Nevins Democracy Leaders program at Penn State University. Nevins graduated with honors in economics from Penn State in 1969 and received an M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.
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Famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis sees jazz music as the perfect metaphor for democracy.

"The question that confronts us right now as a nation is, 'Do we want to find a better way?'" Marsalis says.

To understand what democracy and jazz have in common and to see how music can engage a new generation of Americans to appreciate the democracy we all love, watch this short video:

There are so many examples of how music and the arts are connected to democracy. In the coming days and months, we will present many more to you. However, the heart of music is the interplay between the entertainer and the audience. So please engage.

Please email us at pop-culture@fulcrum.us and tell us other examples that you think represent the connection between the arts and democracy. Whether music, theater, poetry, comedy or other mediums, please send us your ideas.

Thank you.


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Hollywood Gets Congress Wrong—and It’s Costing America Trust in Democracy

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Since the 1970s, public trust in American institutions—including Congress—has steadily declined. Approval ratings for the House and Senate usually hover in the teens. Certainly, some misdeeds by our elected leaders have contributed to this decline, and mainstream national media can claim its fair share of “credit” in portraying Congress in a negative light. Yet another major ingredient in the ugly formula poisoning public opinion of Congress is Hollywood. Movies and TV shows routinely portray Congress as craven, corrupt, selfish, and completely indifferent to the public interest. Regrettably, this is a wholly incorrect portrayal of our nation’s legislators.

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More Artists Boycott Trump‑Renamed Kennedy Center

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More performers are visibly withdrawing from the Kennedy Center, with fan-favorite names disappearing from the roster. In recent weeks, news outlets have reported that more artists and groups have called off their upcoming shows. These include jazz drummer Chuck Redd, the jazz group The Cookers, singer-songwriter Kristy Lee, and the dance company Doug Varone and Dancers. Fans holding tickets now face the stark absence that mirrors these artists' discomfort with the renaming and what it represents politically.

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