Everything is Jazz

I was listening to the opening track of a CD by the Hermanos Cepeda in my car, on my way to the train station, and it was a chant to Eleguá, the god of the crossroads in Santería, set to a plena rhythm. That was interesting. The defining feature of Santería is syncretism, the mixture and synthesis of African and Spanish religious traditions. Jazz, on the other hand, has been defined as the synthesis of the mixture of swing, blues, and improvisation. So, in this Hermanos Cepeda song there is a combination of Cuban and Puerto Rican elements---a plena to Eleguá. That’s just great. Everything is a mix. Nothing is pure, except in its combination. Everything is jazz.