Let's hear it for Harmony

Partisanship bores me to no end. I’m tired of hearing debates between people who are steadfast members of the ‘blue team’ or the ‘red team.’ I was reminded of this when I was reading the Summer edition of Jazz Improv magazine, more specifically, the interview with Chris Cortez (a local guitarist that I’ve had the good fortune to be able to take some lessons from). I particularly like this passage from the interview where he was invited to comment on his overall philosophy of life:

"My general philosophy is one where we embrace things that bring us together and reject what separates us. Race and religion, gay or straight, republican or democrat, nationalism. These are examples of differences. In the overall scheme of our evolution, it’s what we have in common that moves us forward. The differences become scapegoats for the little minds who need to blame someone for their own failures."

Amen to that, brother. Maybe we should all learn more music. Why is it that we appreciate harmony so much in music and yet we crave dissonance in politics and social commentary?