Between Advocacy and Criticism

Anthony Dean-Harris
Editor-in-Chief
anthony.deanharris@nextbop.com / @retronius

Quite often, I find myself having to legitimize the job I do. I am well aware that at my core, in my heart of hearts, I am a cultural critic. I have always described myself as a critic. I have always considered my intermittent curmudgeonly nature to be primed for my life of criticism. I have argued quite stridently for the acknowledgement of the critic in regards to interpretation and the hermeneutic circle proposed centuries ago by Ghanan philosopher Anton Wilhelm Amo. Yes, I am indeed a critic, however this publication is not one of criticism and I am more than glad that it has that status at this time. Nextbop is a publication of advocacy for musicians and the ongoing musical creation that is jazz music. We fight quite stridently for the life force of this genre, but it is rather apparent that criticism is an essential element for the tending to an artform, jazz especially. Criticism has its place and Nextbop is incrementally moving toward accepting that form in its role as advocate.

While the internet has heralded a new era of democratization of information and direct access between the artist and the audience (especially as long as SOPA and PIPA are kept at bay not wrecking the infrastructure of the internet), there is still a need for a filter to the public. Initially, this may seems like a negative-- the kneejerk reaction to words like "critic" and "filter" are likely grimaces to most people. However, it's only logical that in an endless sea of music that travelers would seek out a port. Not every listener is scouring Bandcamp for each and every artist to find his or her preferences, completely oblivious to genre, technical skill, or critical acclaim.

For every artist who laments criticism, I always wish I could pull them aside and ask, "...and how will people discover your work?" There are the direct avenues which are increasingly becoming more productive, but criticism has always been the extrapolation of what we already know. What is criticism, at least in a press sense, than a recommendation from a trusted advisor. (The same could be said for punditry, but I'll try not to digress this time.)

What is the difference between asking a friend what he’s been listening to lately and whose new album I should hear and reading Nate Chinen of the New York Times say the same thing? Do I not trust both's aesthetic taste? If my friend is as knowledgeable and eloquent as Chinen or Peter Hum of the Ottawa Citizen, is not the principle essentially the same? Why is the advice of friends merely a fact of existence but criticism in general the cause of so much artistic strife? If the music blog has taken the place of the radio (although, I’d like to think that the two should compliment each other, especially considering I have my hand in both), how is the critic so far off from the DJ? Do not both play what they like and what they think the public should hear (at least if the DJ is on a non-commercial station)? The idea of what is happening is the same, it is the medium in which that idea is presented that seems to raise so much ire in many.

Ultimately, there is nothing inherently wrong with a medium-- which is essentially what criticism is; it is how the medium is used that determines whether its usage is good or ill.There are good critics and bad critics, informed and uninformed critics, helpful and unhelpful critics, postitive and negative critics, but criticism itself is not inherently negative (nor is it a complete co-opting of personal opinion). It is in that spirit that I am announcing a continuation of a feature Nextbop had during our season of lists this past December-- the For Your Consideration reviews. While we may have dalliances as a publication with reviews in the write-ups before our album streams and the mere fact that we rank the best albums of the past year every December (and while I can have a bit of a sharp tongue on my personal Twitter), we have striven to keep a line between advocacy and criticism. This line is about to blur a touch with our staff periodically recommending to you albums we feel should be on your radar. We still act as advocates and filters because we would hope that you trust our taste, our opinions, and our ability to act as a filter-- presenting to you the best new, innovative jazz we can find while casting aside the rest. I hope we as a publication have earned your trust enough that you’ll appreciate our opinions on these sorts of things; we’re rather excited to move in this direction.

Anthony Dean-Harris hosts the modern jazz radio show, The Line-Up, Fridays at 9pm CST on 91.7 FM KRTU San Antonio. More of his writing can be found at his blog, In Retrospect and you can also follow him on Twitter.