(CBS) The Declaration of Independence refers to "a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind." And winning over modern-day world opinion is precisely what some low-key citizen ambassadors are trying to do right now. Striking THE RIGHT NOTE is key to their mission, as Tracy Smith reports now in our Cover Story:
But even in places where they denounce the United States, the U.S. government is, in many cases, reaching out . . . with music. Jazz great Wynton Marsalis is part of that effort.
"They want to love our country," Marsalis said. "We have to present them a side of it that is lovable." The singers Oscar Williams and the Perfected Praise are now on tour in Eastern Europe. They're just one of the music groups the U.S. State Department sends around the world every year representing America.
The program, called the Rhythm Road, is a $10 million-a-year effort, in partnership with the Jazz at Lincoln Center organization. There's no speech-making . . . no U.S. aid handouts . . . just Americans performing American songs. In this kind of diplomatic mission, the music does all the talking.
When asked if there are times a musician can do her job better, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton replied, "Well, I think that there are certainly times when music conveys American values better than a speech.
Complete on > http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/04/sunday/main6645542.shtml
0 Comments:
Post a Comment