Is jazz a drug? Of course it is; a doctor said so, in a piece called "Jazz — a Drug." He was E. Elliott Rawlins, M.D., writing in the New York Amsterdam News, April 1, 1925:
The form of music called jazz is just as intoxicating as morphine or cocaine; it is just as harmful, and yet its use is not determined by law. . . .Dr. Rawlins' column is a reminder that African-Americans have not always celebrated jazz as a great cultural accomplishment. Yes, the Amsterdam News, if you don't recognize the name, is an African-American newspaper, founded in 1909, still publishing weekly from Harlem.
Jazz is killing some people; some are going insane; others are losing their religion. The young girls and boys, who constantly take jazz every day and night, are becoming absolutely bad, and some criminals. . . .
Jazz, like any other drug, should be used only when needed, in a specific dose, and by those who know how it should be used. A little jazz is all right and proper; an overdose is harmful.
(Thanks, Elaine!)
comments: 8
Curious to know how many "small dose" prescriptions were filled and for what dire cases....dirty looks from pharmacists from out over their eyeglasses as they peruse the scrawled signature of "Dr. Jazz"...
Yeah, he would always write.
What would be the methadone equivalent here?
re: methadone equivalent -
Paul Whiteman Orchestra with Bix and Joe Venuti solos kept to a minimum.
It's not just jazz - classical too. Music does activate the dorsal striatum ("reward center")! Dr. Rawlins was ahead of his time. :)
Here's an abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17290372
Yes, as long as you didn't know about that harder stuff.
I must add, though, I like the Whiteman band (as I'm guessing you do too).
Now that I've let go of finding the Bix solo gems
I can enjoy it more.
Same situation with Lester Young hidden amidst the Basie band, 1936-1941. I wanted a record that chopped all else but Prez away (and still would love that!) but now I can appreciate the whole cloth.
T. — something strange happened; I didn't see your comment until now. Thanks for the link; Elaine will like seeing it too.
There's also work on jazz and the brain from Johns Hopkins: This Is Your Brain on Jazz.
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