I find David Caute’s text reminiscent of the one written by Hermano Vianna because they both explain how music, and culture in general, helps shaping a country’s identity; on one side by creating their own cultural object and on the other by regulating something that does not fit their ideology. The Soviet regime was wary of jazz music. Not only because it originated from the United States, but also because improvisation is one of the essential elements of jazz. Jazz was a symbol of artistic freedom and individual expression, and it was difficult to control. The regime’s central message was that Western culture was decadent. Soviet citizens had absolutely nothing to learn from the West. On the contrary, Western progressives had much to learn