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Christopher McClain's avatar

I remember playing latin and afrocuban compositions in high school and college jazz bands. Was it cultural appropriation that we played music that incorporated other elements, or did a white appalachian kid get exposure to a wider world through music education? Maybe it’s not comparable because we students were not receiving lots of money and acclaim. But I do believe that both playing and hearing a variety of music made me seek out and celebrate a diverse group of artists, and that’s true even when the artist was an American or other Westerner exploring other cultures in good faith. Check out Béla Fleck’s albums Tabula Rasa and Throw Down Your Heart for some Indian, Chinese, and African exploration by a celebrated American banjo player.

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