Page 54 - The Jazzsipper Novel

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THE JAZZ SIPPER

suggesting that “Itutu” which he translated as mystic coolness, is one of three
pillars of a religious philosophy created in the 15th century by Yoruba and
Igbo civilizations of West Africa. Cool or Itutu, contained meanings of
conciliation and gentleness of character; of generosity and grace; the ability
to defuse fights and disputes.

It also was associated with physical beauty. In Yoruba culture, Itutu is
connected to water, because to the Yoruba the concept of coolness retained
its physical connotation of temperature. He cited a definition of cool from the
Gola people of Liberia, who define it as the ability to be mentally calm or
detached. In another worldly fashion, from one's circumstances; to be
nonchalant in situations where emotionalism or eagerness would be natural
and expected. That’s what the Jazz cut Bumping on Sunset epitomized, that
kind of cool.

Vance loved the vamp in the song. Vance thought about how his mother
Lizzie broke down the different Jazz cuts they would listen to during their jam
sessions. His mother told him that in music, a vamp was a repeating musical
figure, section or accompaniment used in jazz, gospel, soul and in other
genres of music. Vance remembered also that his mother said a vamp may
consist of a single chord or a sequence of chords played in a repeated rhythm.

The repeated rhythm In the Jazz cut Bumpin on Sunset, which was the
vamp, Vance thought. He could hear Wes picking the notes on his guitar over
and over in is head. The day was sunny and windy in the lower 70’s, a good
day for horse racing. Vance dug in his pockets he had about a hundred and
fifty dollars left over from his part time job. Ever since meeting Regina, he had
started trying to make money honestly he pulled back from hustling and had