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Jun

26

Genuine giant

By Ron Wynn | Filed Under Books, Film, Music, Television 

Michael Jackson didn’t need artificial titles or unpredecented record sales to validate his greatness, though his remarkable achievements certainly merited that type of recognition.

But his death Thursday at 50 in Los Angeles ignited a worldwide furor as fans realized they would never again see the incredible moves or hear the exuberant singing other than on record. His planned comeback tour in England now sadly won’t happen.

But over a fabulous career that dates back to his days with The Jackson 5 and extended through into the video era and beyond, Michael Jackson made his mark as a great performer steeped in tradition, yet able to take those things and put his own stamp of innovation on them. 

 Jackson always paid homage to the giants who came before him, at an early age recording covers of doo-wop and soul classics, and later devising a stunning dance production that took the moves of not only Jackie Wilson and James Brown, but Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, updated them and ultimately made his own statement.

Before Jackson’s epic videos, MTV had been operating their own version of apartheid. But Jackson’s label threatened to pull all its videos if MTV  didn’t give Jackson’s an opportunity, and he quickly made history.

Thriller alone, with its eight Grammy awards, multi-million sales, eight top ten hits and anthems Beat It and Billie Jean would have ensured his MTV immortality. But that was only one of several albums where Jackson would creatively use the video to make both musical and cinematic impact.

More than any other producer Quincy Jones understood where Jackson fit into the historical spectrum,  and their collaborations were astounding. Off The Wall preceded Thriller and this two albums alone represent some of the finest work in pop, soul or rock history.

Jackson also made his mark in television and to a smaller extent film. His unforgettable appearance on a Motown anniversary show remains the stuff of legend, while his performance in The Wiz was much better than some critics claimed.

Sadly, Jackson stayed  immersed in controversy and bizarre accusations quite often in recent years. Many commentators felt obliged to recite the litany of abuse accusations or point to the numerous incidents that were fodder for tabloid newspapers and television shows.

Indeed it was TMZ, one of the websites that revels in scandal and gossip, that broke the news of his death first. Because they only had a single source, there was some reluctance to believe it at first, but in this case TMZ proved accurate.

Jackson had also been the subject of exhaustive books penned by supposed insiders and confidants, many of them filled with unflattering accounts, ugly allegations and disturbing claims.

But those things won’t detract from the memories Jackson made through his fabulous songs, videos and television appearances.  The “King of Pop” title will be forever debated among those who use record sales as sole evidence of greatness.

 Others who know genius when they see and hear it don’t worry about those things. They recognize just how special Michael Jackson was, and what a loss to world arts and culture his death constitutes.

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