why don't asians have rhythm?

today's topic was music and identity. of course we started out with the meaning of identity (ugh) and on to how music tends to construct identity as opposed to reflect or represent it. anyway, after the break, we watched 'clowns in the hood' or something sort of like 'rize' but a little rawer - not in imagery but production. this was intended to show us the construction of an identity or even a community. so really, the point of all this is that we listened to a pan-asian jazz group. the author had asked a black jazz musician friend of hers what he thought and he said, "technically speaking, they are very good. they're just... kinda stiff". this didn't surprise me. the class sort of tip-toed back and forth over the issue of racial boundaries etc until i said that i wasn't at all surprised or offended by the stereotype that asians don't have rhythm. because it's kinda true. china taught me that there is no room for improvisation. there isn't anything beyond the stuff on the paper. maybe this is why we're so damn good with the numbers.

thoughts?