Watch Peter Brown discuss the obvious segregation in jazz music.

Peter Brown on segregation in jazz music.

Watch Peter Brown discuss the obvious segregation in jazz music.

Most black musicians at the time were outsiders in a society they desperately wanted to be a part of, Peter tells t5m. It was obvious that they weren’t getting their dues, and as a result they adopted a humorous attitude which masked darkness and suffering. This prompted some musicians to get into drugs, but others used it to their advantage by becoming a hip figure in order to sell music.

George Shearing, the blind British pianist went to the USA to promote his new record, which became a huge success, during which apartheid was still prominent. He always toured with black musicians and he was told that this would not be very good for his career. In response, he said “I can’t see who they are, as long as they play the thing right, I don’t care!”