Viva Charlie Haden!

Charlie Haden has died.

The liberals have Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder (You can tell liberal political music because its fuzzy message is always easily expropriated by corporate commercialism and even conservatives.)

But the authentic left had Charlie Haden. A man who defined earnestness, Haden was a key figure in the last wave of innovation in the African American-inspired art form, jazz. Concurrent with political stirrings in the 1960s, a musically radical group of musicians pushed improvisational music to its limits. Liberating times produced liberating music. Charlie Haden was an important part of it.

On the economic side, Haden was a charter member of the Jazz Composers' Orchestra Association, a group dedicated to overturning the greed of club owners and record companies. 

On the political side, he founded the Liberation Music Orchestra, a project paying homage to leftist music, ranging from the Spanish Civil War to the South African Liberation movement. A sampling of the LMO can be found here.

Haden's unassuming manner belied an iron resolve. In 1971, despite warnings, he publicly performed his Song for Che in fascist Portugal, dedicating it to the liberation movements in the Portuguese colonies. Caetano's political police were not amused, detaining him until US officials intervened. A performance of Song for Che can be heard here.

Charlie Haden, paraphrasing Brecht, was essential.

Today, righteously radical music is a rarity in the US. As in the fifties, most musicians strive to make up for their timidity and sameness with audacious names, theatrics and posturing, and juvenile “rebelliousness.” All the more reason to celebrate the few radical artists. The only self-described communist US artist that I know of is the enormously talented and intelligent Boots Riley of the group, The Coup. Listen here, here, here, and here. Other hip hop artists with a radical left lean are Paris, Dead Pres, and Immortal Technique. All forgo civility for truth.

Tom Morello, a brilliant guitarist and often a collaborator with Boots Riley, occupies the political space in rock located some distance left of Springsteen.

And country music has Steve Earle, about as radical as the genre will allow since it hitched itself to hyper-patriotism.

The revered genre of folk remains a friendly form for leftist lyrics. David Rovics counts as perhaps the best new voice with fresh, bold themes. Listen here and here. And Anne Feeney's intense partisanship has earned the deserved title of labor's best musical friend. She can be heard here and here.

Thanks to Carlos Sa, my eyes and ears have been exposed to a treasure trove of interesting international music available on youtube.

There are countless versions of the haunting, poignant Carlos Puebla tribute to Che Guevara, Hasta Siempre. Polish saxophonist, Jan Gabarek, has offered a jazz version for decades. A recent one can be found here.

The Spanish group, Jahmila, has an impassioned interpretation here.

French singer Nathalie Cardone has made a career out of offering an impassioned emotional interpretation of Hasta Siempre in settings ranging from slick studios to elaborately staged videos. In this video, she takes on the role of a French Marianne, clutching a baby to her breast and a Kalashnikov over her shoulders while leading cane cutters and urban poor to the Revolution. A bit over dramatic, but certainly moving in the admiration evoked for the great revolutionary.

Supremely tasteful and elegant while intense and impassioned, Classico Latino offers this unique version of the tribute to Che.

No music has inspired generations like the songs embraced by the Republican cause in the Spanish Civil War. Contemporary versions salute the dedication and sacrifice of the anti-fascist fighters. Mexican American Lila Downs' version captures the determination of the Communist organizers and leaders of the legendary Quinto Regimiento.

An equally impassioned interpretation is available on youtube from the French group Watcha Clan.

Other exciting videos recommended to me by Carlos Sa include:

Camila Morales Millones

Brazilian hip hop activists, O Levante Pretos e Pretas de armas na mão

Spanish Marxist artist, Pablo Hasel Comunista and Apologia al comunismo

Two tributes to martyred Communist agricultural worker, Caterina Eufemia, here and here

Cyril Mokaiesh Communiste

Three videos from the powerful, hard driving Marxist-Leninist rock group Los Monstruitos:

    Fidel Castro

    USSR

    El Comunismo y sus Formas

La Roja Bandera-Socialismo en Libertad

We can say that rebel music-- hard-core revolutionary music-- is alive and well, though little of it is in the English language. We can find hope in the fact that young people in other lands are not afraid to include socialism or Communism in their musical vocabulary, though rarely in the US.

At the same time, revolutionary zeal and romanticism often overwhelm judgment and depth in youth culture. But maybe we are more in need of zeal and romanticism at this historical juncture.

There is no lack of zeal with this elderly Italian priest and his rendition of Bella Caio!

Zoltan Zigedy

zoltanzigedy@gmail.com