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Back in the past of grand jazz lore,
the rent party was a quintessential part
of the musician's life. As many were under-
or un-employed, the rent party was a musician's
equivalent of a modern day PBS fundraiser.
Fellow musicians, cooks, waiters, comics,
et al would come together and have an informal
dinner club atmosphere in the apartment
and charge admission to outsiders to raise
the rent money. Assuming that the party
did not get out of hand and lead to a raid,
a good time could be had by all. Of course,
as Louis Jordan points out, this wasn't
always how things panned out.
We'll hear from a variety of experts on
fish, chicken, BBQ, cornbread, drink, good
time feelings, and a swinging good time.
The music conveys a good time, as that's
what a party is all about. Yet at the same
time, the goal of extending the rights to
sleep in one's pad for another 30 days is
a joyous achievement and worthy of celebration.
Even if you'd never attended a rent party,
or hopefully never had to throw one, the
good times are there to be had, just don't
get caught in the dragnet should things
get a just a tad out of order. |
