Fever

Marsha Hammel comments: “Jazz has always had an anti-establishment perspective. That the form has been absorbed into society today does not mean that it is not still at the edge of creativity. A new generation of players has claimed it as their own and they are enhancing and expanding the body of work. I do not make paintings of ‘Famous Jazz Musicians’. Instead I dedicate my work to the thousands of players who give their lives to Music, for no fame and very little money. It is they who are the heart and blood of this remarkable art form. Very often the exuberant energy of the music allows us to rise above a greatly troubled mind. I cannot listen to the news and not be affected by the terrible events around the world. So, as I made this painting, I began with black. Black is the symbol of mourning and darkness of mind. Black ground is behind the bright colour and joyful movement of the figures. The brushstrokes are aggressive, expressionist. The energy of the stroke carries out the detail of the forms. Yes, in troubled times, art and music can give us relief from the world’s worries.”