As an aside, notice how Tavis response to Maya's comments with
"Mm-hmm" or another brief comment. That reminds me of "call & response".

I read a book written by an African man who said that listeners are supposed to be active participants in conversations. To do other wise would be considered rude.

This philosphy explains the church congregations' Amens & Hallelujahs and the Blues, R&B, , early Jazz, and Hip-Hop listeners & dancers verbal responses to that music too.

****

Speaking of Blues, here's another excerpt from that same Tavis Smiley/Maya Angelou interview:

"Maya: It's so important, Tavis. People all over the world use food as a device. I mean, of course we use it because our bodies need it as fuel. But we also use it to flirt, to seek a job, to seek emp--and not just employment, but raises.


Tavis: Uh-huh.


Maya: We use it to prepare a climate for our conciliation, reconciliation. We can use food to tell a person you're not very important to me. There's an old blue, 19th century blue, in which the singer says, she makes corn bread for her husband, but biscuits for her man.


[Tavis laughs]


So that's that, you see?


Tavis: Yeah.


Maya: That tells you something. Because corn bread you can throw together with your left hand--


Tavis: Yeah.


Maya: But biscuits you have to take some time.


Tavis: Yeah. Ha ha ha!"

Source: Maya Angelou on Tavis Smiley PBS Show, Oct. 2004