Osho on Jazz

From the first few excerpts it seems as if Osho isn't particularly keen on Jazz. But, in the last excerpt, Osho says something to the effect that "if my people want to become enlightened with jazz what to do?" It sounds like Jazz is indeed a handicap, but that, believe it or not, the possibility of enlightenment is still there ...

... Indian music particularly needs tremendous effort: eight to ten hours' practice every day, a lifelong discipline; only then can you create those subtle nuances. It is not jazz; that, any idiot can do.

Put the child on the belly, because he knows only one contact, only one warmth, and that is his mother's body. He is acquainted only with his mother's body, so let him rest. After a good bath, let him rest on his mother's belly. You can play the guitar. You can sing a beautiful song - nothing like jazz!... something soft, something more Eastern and more classical, which is soothing and which will make the child comfortable in his new world.

Look at modern music: it is simply insanity, it is not music. Just making noise is not music. It may help you to have some catharsis - that's what music like jazz does, it is cathartic. You feel afterwards a kind of well-being, relaxed; but it is not music.

To understand classical music is possible only if you learn - and it is a long learning. It is not like jazz music, for which no learning is needed. Even monkeys can understand jazz - in fact, only monkeys understand it. It is not music, just a few crackpots making all kinds of noises, and you think it is music.

Beloved Master,
We have heard your comments about Jazz music.
Beloved Master, this question comes from two Jazz musicians: is our love of Jazz music an obstacle on the path to enlightenment?

Satyam and Dhyanesh, my comments about jazz music were made in a totally different context. Compared to classical music, jazz music is in the lowest category, because rather than creating a spirituality in you it simply activates your sexuality. The great classical music takes you higher, beyond your mind, to silences which can give you a taste of meditation, a taste of existence.
But always remember that a certain reference in a certain context does not mean my whole approach to a thing. You are saying, "This question comes from two jazz musicians. Is our love of jazz music an obstacle on the path to enlightenment?" It depends on you. You can make your jazz music free from the lower gravitation of sexuality. You can make it connected with your higher centers of being, and then it will not be an obstacle on the path to enlightenment.
In fact, as far as my people are concerned, they are going to enter enlightenment with jazz music! It has never been tried; hence it is a great challenge and must be tried.
Nothing is wrong in the world if it is used in the right direction - with awareness, with clarity. You can purify anything, just as you can make anything impure. It is wholly a question of your clear understanding. If your meditation goes on growing side by side with your music, soon you will find that even jazz music starts having some quality of meditativeness. And if the distinction between music and meditation drops, then whatever classical music was able to do, you can also do it. And you can do it more rejoicingly, more dancingly, with a greater celebration.
So I don't say that there is any obstacle, but meditation must become part of your music; otherwise just your music cannot help you to go beyond the lower instincts, biological drives. It will keep you closer to the earth, but far away from the stars.

It all depends how you understand things...

Okay, Maneesha?

Yes, Beloved Master.

Notes:

• This last excerpt from the Hari Om tat Sat lecture series was held between Jan 17 1988 to Feb 25 1988. It was the time of a no-name phase when sannyasins addressed their master as "Beloved Master". Read more on the different name changes Osho went through here.
• A sannyasin comments, "We once asked Vivek what kind of Jazz music Osho had listened to. She said that his understanding of Jazz was music like ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin (I remember him driving his Rolls on the ranch one day; as he came by with the window down, there was the sound of ZZ Top blasting at full volume). I don't think Osho had ever listened to 'real' Jazz. Certainly he would have loved Jan Garberek, might have even enjoyed Miles Davis... :)
  When I travelled in south india, I often went past temples where the music sounded a lot like Jazz music. Once you move South of the North Indian 'Raga' belt and into more free form Tamil and Karnatak music, there is a strong resemblance to Jazz."

Read also (and listen to):

• Osho on Music
• Dynamic Meditation and Rock Music