Let’s start with the strange bit: I’m white, and I’m Jewish. But I feel
a very strong connection to the black music of the ’60s and early ’70s:
the soul music that came from the Stax studios on McElhone Ave in
Memphis Tennessee. A very strong musical connection: I’ve been
interested and involved in music for most of my life, and this is where
I suspect that my musical heart may be.
When I decided to do my trip to Jazzfest this year, I wanted to
something a little different from my typical US trip, and with Memphis
being fairly close to New Orleans, I scheduled some time at the start of
my trip to pay a visit to this fine city, and take in some of the city’s
cultural offerings.
And there’s plenty on offer here, too!
The old Stax studio is now the Stax Museum along with the Soulsville
Institute, where they spend time helping young kids to get their
academic and musical skills up to scratch. I have trouble thinking of a
more worthwhile endeavour than helping kids to learn, and so this is a
great thing that they’re doing.
So, it’s a Monday afternoon – April 25, if you must know. I arrive, park
the car, and as I get out, I notice that there’s lots of people … just
standing around. I start walking towards the museum, past the two
security guards …. when one of them calls me back to tell me there’s a
fire drill right now. I needed to wait about ten or fifteen minutes.
Those who were evacuated due to the drill go back in. I go back in. When
I pay, I’m asked if I would like to take advantage of the Seniors’
discount, but as it only applies to ages 62 or over, I’ll need to come
back after jazzfest in three years’ time, to take up that offer. I’m not
quite there yet. š
Looking around at the other visitors, I think I may have been amongst
the youngest visitors there at that time. I think there’s a message
there, but I think I’ll just stay in denial for a little longer.
The museum visit starts with a movie giving an overview of Stax’s
history, and then some very high quality display pods going into much
more detail. The first is a recreation of an old gospel church, and it’s
very well done.
The experience just gets better from there, and there’s lots of
different artifacts, like Tina Turner’s dress, and Isaac Hayes’s
Cadillac. That, by the way, proves that having lots of money doesn’t
mean you have good taste – this car has a fur-lined floor, huge gold
plated headlamp rims, very much an example of ’70s excess, I suspect.
Mind you, starting with a Caddie may just be enough of an indicator that
you might be slightly lacking in the taste taste department anyway. š
And there’s other stuff too – really cool stuff, in the actual studio.
Duck Dunn’s Fender P bass (well worn), Steve Cropper’s Fender
Telecaster, and the Hammond organ that Booker T used in Green Onions.
All the way through the museum, the displays are all well done, and all
have very good audio visual content and lots of great music.
As I progress through the museum, I came to realise just how many of the
artists are no longer with us. This is a very sad realisation for me,
and it brought more than just a tear to my eye.
The music and events that are observed within this museum are a part of
my musical heart and soul, and this visit was a very powerful and
emotional reminder to me of just how good those time were, just how damn
good the music that came from Stax was.
Visiting this museum created within me an intense level of satisfaction,
along with an emotional engagement. It touched my heart, and it was a
sort of a home coming for me.
I’m so glad I went.