Listening Journal - Week 7

At 12:01am on August 1, 1981, The Buggles UK song “Video Killed the Radio Star” became the first music video played on the 24-hour, all music channel known as MTV. In the early years, MTV became the catalyst for many musical careers, as the early music video landscape provided a bold new medium consumers and artists. Starr and Waterman (2014) note, “MTV changed the way the industry operated, rapidly becoming the preferred method for launching a new act or promoting the latest release of a major superstar.” (p. 451) 

The MTV generation launched several careers, as the video production and overall opulence of the early 1980s enabled artists to push the acceptable limits on cable television in a way that was not possible in mainstream media. Madonna became a contentious figure in American culture on the strength of her video and song, "Like a Virgin,” which features video imagery that was considered very risqué for the time, filmed in very diverse locations. With a high concentration on elements of fashion, Madonna essentially launched an entire fashion revolution as her style was emulated by “the MTV generation.” Prince and his Purple Rain album was another staple of the early days of MTV programming. His groundbreaking song, "When Doves Cry,” blurred the lines of performance art, live performance scenes, and film making elements. 

Songs featuring the synthesizer as the primary musical instrument, as in The Eurhythmics' release of the iconic, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” were a staple of the early MTV playlist. The video featuring band mates in classic black suits, with avant garde imagery in the background made the band an immediate hit, and subsequently launching a strong solo career for singer Annie Lennox. Even hard rock artists were influenced by the synthesizer, as the rock band Van Halen found its first widespread commercial success with the their song, “Jump.” Coupled with a relatively tame video compared to their live shows and later videos from the album, “Jump” was a song that bridged the gap between the pop world and the distinctly rock crowd. Arguably, this song was a divisive selection, as not too long after, David Lee Roth embarked on a solo career, predicated on the showmanship of his videos, rather than the traditional rock roots of the remainder of the band.

In some cases, MTV enabled artists to essentially relaunch their careers as they used the work of video producers to expand their audiences through ground breaking work. Artists such as Tina Turner became relevant in an entirely new decade and to an entirely new audience. On the strength of her song and video, "What’s Love Got to Do with It,” Turner’s Private Dancer album was the highest selling album of her career, nearly 20 years after her work with Ike Turner, her former husband. Peter Gabriel, the showman former lead singer for Genesis, received the 1987 MTV Video Vanguard and 10 additional awards for his video, “Sledgehammer,” featuring incredible claymation and stop motion imaginations of the song. In one of the most interesting and timeless crossover hits ever, RUN DMC samples the band Aerosmith, who then join them in a memorable video for "Walk This Way.” Following the release of the song, Aerosmith’s career was relaunched, and using the video medium and careful casting, their later releases sold far better than their albums in the 1970s.

The new hip-hop community also found a champion for their cause with MTV and programming such as Yo! MTV Raps. Artists such as Public Enemy brought a militant element and strong imagery to the video airwaves in the video, "Night of the Living Baseheads.” With elements of MLK in the onset of the video, as well as featuring the S1W’s step based background dancing, the lyrical content and message was enhanced and delivered to an audience that was certainly removed from the original culture. In the early 1990s, Snoop Doggy Dogg released Doggystyle, featuring the song, "What’s My Name?" on Death Row Records, produced by NWA member and co-founder of the label, Dr. Dre. The video and song capture a glimpse of the West coast culture in a rather comical way, reflective of the movie Friday, by another NWA member, Ice Cube.

The grunge era coincided with the beginning of the end of videos on MTV. A steady move toward reality based shows such as “The Real World” slowly eroded the all music programming. One band that was launched during the early 90s was Seattle band Nirvana. The release their epic album, "Nevermind," containing the Alternative rock anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit,” was a profound opening salvo to the war on music in the mainstream. The alternative movement, including bands such as Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, and Alice in Chains were the last beneficiaries of the video movement, from my perspective. Technology advancements were about to change the music delivery landscape yet again.

During the mid 1980s, a series of technological events were set in motion that have affected the delivery mechanisms for music. In 1985, the first commercial music compact disc (CD) was pressed in the U.S., Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA.” The CD did not immediately replace cassettes or LPs, but the higher quality audio, reduced media failure rates, and the reduced size of the media were factors in the adoption of the standard. in 1995, the MPEG file format for compressed audio, which significantly reduced the file size for audio files enabling users to “rip” the audio from a CD to a digital version. In this period, where dial-up access to the Internet was still developing, the reduction of file size compared to the uncompressed WAV file made it possible to share music. This file sharing potential was the impetus for the development of the Napster platform in 1999, which became a household name after a group of musicians set out to end the software and the drag on sales by those who were offering pirated music on the service. After a long legal battle, pioneering Napster ceased operations in 2002. The growing digital libraries of music were changed in 2001 when Apple releases the software called iTunes, with its easy to use interface and the ability to legally purchase music in digital form directly from a service. Soon after, Apple again changed the audio content landscape with the introduction of the iPod, a device that enabled a user to carry 5 or 10GB worth of files. The development of comparable mp3 players, and later the advent of SmartPhones grew out of this initial personal device concept. As Internet speeds on phones increased, so too did the demand for mobile content and delivery of audio and video files. In 2005, three former PayPal employees founded the video sharing company YouTube, ushering in a new mechanism for sharing video content. Google purchased YouTube in November, 2006 for $1.65 billion, and is a primary means of delivering content on many mobile devices. Recently, offerings such as Spotify, Google Play, Apple Music, and Rdio have provided monthly subscriptions that enable users to listen to entire catalogs of audio content, further impacting worldwide record sales.

References

Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (Fourth ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Listening Journal - Week 8

For the final week of our listening, the only listed recording is by the band Radiohead. Below is a performance video of "Bodysnatchers," a song released on the album, In Rainbows. The band recorded a film of a majority of the songs from release in a rehearsal style performance. The video is a strong reminder of a very polished garage band, with exceptional access to music technology. The band and their signature style has developed in from their high school years, honed on the stage, and continues to evolve over the span of their career.

One of the most revolutionary elements of this song was the manner in which it was released. The typical pattern of receiving a record contract, entering the studio, completing an album, then essentially releasing the album and all control to the record company. After fulfilling their EMI contract, Radiohead left essentially millions of dollars on the table, choosing to essentially return to their roots as an unsigned act. Their rationale was driven by the desire to record their own material, in their own manner, without the outside influences of the record company driving artistic decisions. This is a dramatic development and reversal of a trend that was at the pinnacle during the Motown era, when Barry Gordy essentially was at the center of every decision made in the recording process. In a completely revolutionary release, Radiohead released the album for download, offering purchasers the opportunity to pay what they considered a fair price for the album. I am pleased to say that In Rainbows was my first Radiohead album, thanks to this release concept. 

For years, my closest friends had always been curious why I did not listen to Radiohead, as they felt that their sound and lyrical content fell directly in line with my musical tastes. "Bodysnatchers" was the entry point into my conversion into the Radiohead fold. Sonically, the work is cut from the distinctly U2 Achtung Baby album, with a an overdriven guitar riff that is the glue of the tune. The three guitar approach of the band is unique to the current musical landscape, but borne out of the 1970s bands such as The Eagles and roots rock bands such as Lynyrd Skynrd. Three guitars create a very dense sonic palate, notably in the chunking that is evident in Jonny Greenwood's lead guitar. The riff is doubled in the chorus on a hollow bodied Gibson by Ed O'Brien at the octave, adding a very sci-fi riff at the conclusion of the chorus, an obvious nod to the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" era of B-movies. The second verse features a counter-melodic texture in Jonny's guitar, again adding tension to the undercurrent in the bass and drums. This interplay between bass and drums are a strong backbeat, evident until the "la la" break immediately preceding the outro. 

Lyrically, Thom Yorke is rebelling against the over-bearing control of the record company that is stifling their creative control. "I've no idea what I am talking about / I'm trapped in this body and can't get out" reflects a group that has potentially lost their own direction and is being stifled by an outside force.  The sonic element is referred to in the text, "You killed the sound / Removed backbone / Pale imitation / with the edges sawn off." Clearly, decisions that were thrust upon the band were rendered in prior recordings that have boiled over, almost in a East/West coast rap battle." The text "I have no idea what you are talking about / your mouth moves only with someone's hands up your ass" an almost direct repetition from the prior chorus, is the personification of a group that has been confined by the record company, and are being dictated to about all of the decisions  - artistic, process timing, when to support an album, how much experimentation to allow in the development of the sound. The metaphor of the puppet, with the very direct physical reference, is abrupt and certainly regards a high degree of disdain for the process.

The final portion of lyrics speaks in a very cathartic manner, almost releasing the band from the aforementioned puppeteer. The reference to the lights is an interesting connection to the "light bulb" moments of creativity that would cause a group to begin the recording process in the first place. The symbolism in the 21st Century reference evokes a rallying cry that calls followers to realize that oppression (by an employer) is killing creativity. For an ensemble that was defined by a single song in the infancy of the "Alternative" period of music, the fact that they were confined "into a skin" reflects that they are not comfortable in their own skin, which was hand-picked for them. The revelation that "I'm a lie," is the release of the oppressor, and followed by a unified guitar riff, in a maddening pace, with very dense and crunched sounds until the end of the song, concluded with feedback - a fitting sign-off to the song.

Has the light gone out for you?
Because the light's gone out for me
It is the 21st century
It is the 21st century
It can follow you like a dog
It brought me to my knees
They've got a skin and they've put me in
They've got a skin and they've put me in
On the lines wrapped around my face
On the lines wrapped around my face
Are for anyone else to see
Are for anyone else to see

I'm a lie

Week 6 - Listening Journal

This week, we cover chapters 11 and 12 of the Starr and Waterman textbook, American Vernacular Music, which covers the 1970s and the numerous subgenres that were popular during the period. During this period, music becomes even more diverse, narrowing into even more identifiable cultures. It is during this period that the music of the 1960s is taken with the youth of the period, while the newer subgenres develop their own following. The 1970s jukebox was far more diverse in nature than decades prior, and is a sign of the prominent role that music begins to play in shaping culture, in the dance clubs, on the radio, as a counterculture, and as a new political voice.

It is interesting to note that even in the 1970’s, the sense of longing for the 1950’s and the innocence that was felt by those who were now the music makers was very evident. Listening to “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John reveals a chord progression that is ripped straight from the 50’s, with riffs that sound like they could have been played by Sha Na Na. Elton provides an homage to those earlier years and the innocence of the time - “I remember when rock was young.”

The R&B and soul scenes were continuing tremendous crossover growth, evidenced by a recording of Stevie Wonder in 1972 on the Talking Book album, “Superstition.”  This tune also speaks to the development of fusion into mainstream popular music. During this live performance, it is interesting to note the use of Stevie’s Clavinova and the abundance of the Orange amp, synonomous with the sound of the late 1960’s psychedelic movement. Wonder seems to be making a political point, hidden in the discussion about “superstition.” His lyrics, "When you believe in things that you don't understand / Then you suffer / Superstition ain’t the way” seems to call into question government policy choices, and also those who blindly are questioning those policy choices.

The folk and country music scenes also became quite popular during the 1970s, made popular by television variety shows such as Hee Waw. John Denver was an incredibly popular artist in the late 60’s and early 70’s, thanks in part to his folk sensibility and songs that were quite positive, especially when compared to other offerings by artists at the time. Listening to “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” is a window into a fusion of folk and country, using folk, country, and bluegrass elements with a very upbeat and catchy melodic treatment of an outdoor centered set of lyrics. While watching this 1974 performance of the tune, I found myself imagining that artists like Jimmy Buffett and Jerry Jeff Walker, both contemporaries of Denver, share the same clothing, sound, and love of the outdoors, which appeals to a wide variety of audiences. “Pancho and Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt is a great example of the continuation of country music development. The simple arpeggiated guitar and fiddle are understated, keeping the focus on the iconic story telling.

In the world of rock, the epic storytelling concept was also developing a set of iconic rock anthems that paved the way for the corporate rock in the 70s. Led Zeppelin released in 1971 the epic “Stairway to Heaven.” The prolific thematic development as the piece progresses enhances the drama of the text, and acts as a blueprint for any hard rock band that has followed. The footage from the concert film, “The Song Remains the Same,” visually documents the over-the-top performance style of the band, and seems to provide a roadmap for groups that follow, such as the antics of David Bowie and Genesis.

Week 5 - Listening Journal

The youth as a consumer of music begins to drive the market in the early 1960’s. This shift is driven by a continued development of the social gathering aspects of music, as in the 1920’s and the post WWII “Big Band” era. As Starr and Waterman note in American Popular Music, “a new kind of social dancing developed, inspired by “The Twist” and a spate of other dance oriented records that gave rock ’n’ roll for the first time a new and distinctive set of movements and social customs to accompany it.” ( p. 285) American Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark, provided a growth avenue for popular music. Movies such as “Grease” in the 1970’s reflect the influence of popular music in high school, on the TV, and as a cultural bonding element. 

Barry Gordy, Jr. and his Motown Records empire was wildly successful at creating music for a broad audience, and his influence on all aspects of the recording process established his label as a formidable economic and musical power. Drawing on influences from blues and gospel, the Motown sound had a pivotal role in the further development of rock and rhythm and blues for generations. Songs such as “My Girl” by the Temptations define a musical generation, offering a strong combination of the foundations of the subsequent rock sound - bass, guitar, and drums. The use of orchestral strings, brass, and harmonic background vocals create a sonic bridge back to the big band era, without the abrasiveness of the new rock ’n’ roll sound. “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes also is emblematic of the era, with universal lyrical content, and a sound that would be emulated by bands such as The Beach Boys in short order.

While the west coast or “surf" sound of The Beach Boys was popular in 1963, an impending invasion was developing, thanks in part to international commercial air travel and the television medium. A four man band from Liverpool, England was just the first in a line of ensembles that crossed the Atlantic to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show, known as The Beatles. The early sound of the Beatles, as on thePlease Please Me album, featuring “Twist and Shout,” draws on the dance vibe from the early 1960s, in a very catchy, hook driven song. The Beatles were quite ingenious in their pattern of rejuvenating song forms from the past with very upbeat guitar and drum patterns, with timeless lyrical content that spoke across generations.  Starr and Waterman compare “A Hard Day’s Night” with a Fats Domino tune, “My Blue Heaven,” which share the same form, and with a modified tempo, a relatively similar feel. Tunes such as “Yesterday” and “Eleanor Rigby” are quintessential songs that are master crafted works of audio art, constructed with artistic purpose that is without equal. 

“The Birth of Rock” is an interesting video chronicling how Jimi Hendrix redefined the Mississippi Delta Blues sound into the beginnings of rock. Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and B.B. King were certainly the blues icons that Hendrix emulated as he honed his craft touring on the “chitlins circuit”. The rhythm and blues music had a strong hold in English society, and bands began to emulate the sounds and structures of the tunes, almost note for note. Even the name of the band the Rolling Stones was taken directly from a Muddy Waters tune. As they began to write their own material, the iconic early British rock sound was derived from the form of the blues tunes, with different treatments of the rhythm and chords. Guitarists such as Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck used the blues influences, with a much more distorted and raw sound, to drive development of the signature British sound.

These reinvented sound introduced musical influences to the American public that was ironically, derived from distinctly American influences. Hendrix, highly influenced by the music of Bob Dylan, assimilated the rhythm and blues elements, with a highly distorted guitar treatment, with a refined lyrical sensibility into an iconic sound that is still emulated by many artists. Artists who followed, including The Who, fed on the new sound, pushing rock into a more performance based art form. A listen to “Like a Rolling Stone,” recorded by Bob Dylan, reveals a more reflective lyrical content than the country music of two decades prior, although the narrative is more influenced by a very rapidly changing level of cultural unrest in the United States. 

The continued development of the rhythm and blues genre is draws on elements of the social dance songs of the early 1960’s, a growing amount of cultural discord, and the need by artists to express themselves to a larger audience with similar viewpoints on the “development” in the United States. Sam Cooke’s tune, “A Change is Gonna Come,” uses imagery that could have been written in songs 100 years earlier, and is set to a hauntingly gorgeous string arrangement - reflective of the struggle for equality that was sadly lacking for all. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin is an exceptional work, composed by Otis Redding, and emblematic of the demand for respect for women by their men. James Brown and his song, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” reminds us of all the dance moves from the early 1960’s. Music from all of these artists would be a prominent feature of the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers, which pays a musical homage to these great rhythm, blues, and soul greats. 


References

Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (Fourth ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

[mADAMeve].  Seven Ages Of Rock - 1 : The Birth of Rock. [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ylq99_seven-ages-of-rock-1-the-birth-of-rock_music.

Listening Journal - Week 4

Frank Sinatra demonstrates a strong connection of the Tin Pan Alley era songwriting style to a far more personal and reflective sensibility in his recording of Nancy (with the Laughing Face). At first listen, Sinatra sounds as if he is doting on someone from his private life, but I was interested to read that the tune is written about his daughter, making the song even more poignant. The use of the strings and light winds creates a very serene audio setting, one that could serve as a movie soundtrack for a black and white film. The audio conventions are created with intention for an older audience, even for the time period during which it was recorded. In the post-World War II culture, this song certainly reflects how music is now received in the home, either on records or over the radio airwaves. Choo Choo Ch-Boogie, recorded by Louis Jordan’s Tympany Five, is an excellent example of the Jump blues, the first commercially successful category of rhythm and blues. (Starr and Waterman, p. 221) The subtle train song element played in the drums offers an audio example of the cultural implications of a society which is settled following the war, yet still intrigued by travel. The musical combination of the horns emulating the train horns and the under current in the rhythm section paints a great picture of the parallels of Western expansion, existing train routes, and the development of the Route 66 corridor.

As settled and refined as the Big Singers period sounds in recordings, several other developments broadened the musical options for listeners during the period.  “The mambo, the most popular form of Latin dance music in the United States in the years just before the rise of rock ’n’ roll, was a branch of the Cuban tradition,” from around 1949-1955. (Starr and Waterman, p. 214) A listen to music of the era provides strong evidence about the reasons why this craze foreshadows very dramatic shifts in the musical tastes which followed shortly. This Cuban inspired dance music is predicated on “an uptempo, highly energized, polyrhythmic variant of big band music.” (Starr and Waterman, p. 215) Mambo No. 5, recorded by Perez Prado and His Orchestra in 1949, is a great exemplar of the style that made this style popular. Recognizable in many ways, the undercurrent in the complex percussion parts are quite hard to listen to without feeling the need to move around and dance. The use of the wind instruments connects very well with the more familiar big band sounds of the time, but the dynamic contrasts in the higher brass are rather out of character with the cleaner big band counterparts. The resulting combinations are energetic and brash, and are present in many genres that follow, including the upcoming rock ’n’ roll craze. 

One new musical center that developed in the 1950’s was the Nashville scene. “Country and western, the industry’s new name for what used to be called hillbilly music, mushroomed in popularity after WWII. … In 1950 … it was estimated that country music accounted for fully one-third of all record sales nationwide” (Starr and Waterman, p. 231). Tunes from this genre built on the blues-inspired hillbilly tradition, with very predictable chord progressions underneath a commentary through text that dealt with the trials and tribulations of the predominantly Southern singer songwriter. In sharp contrast to the uptempo mambo craze, these use a myriad of plucked stringed instruments to create a more pedestrian sounding set of songs. Songs such as Kitty Wells’ “It Wasn’t God Who Created Honky-Tonk Angels” are evidence that not every home in the United States was settled and happy. Hank Williams’ tune “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” and “Hey, Good Lookin’” are required listening for anyone who studies the current Country Music musical landscape, as they provide a blueprint for songwriters to emulate even today. Use of the pedal steel guitar, multiple guitars, understated bass and drum patterns, and a strong focus on text that discusses the challenges of the common man are evident in Nashville tunes over the last 75 years. 

Many of the musical subgenres discussed in the American vernacular music history to this point have been geared at an adult public who are listening to music in dance halls, social settings, and in the home. In the mid-1950’s a paradigm shift in the music business occurred, “in particular, record companies began for the first time to target young people, many of who had more pocket money to spend on records than ever before” (Starr and Waterman, p. 199). To fund this newfound desire to consume music that became increasingly popular, "many teenagers took on the adult responsibilities, working for wages while continuing to attend high school” (Starr and Waterman, p. 199). The implications in the entertainment industry are enormous, and radically affected the cultural identity of the United States and the world. “The advent of rock ’n’ roll … brought enormous changes to American popular music, and eventually to the world of popular music… Most significantly, styles that previously had remained on the margins of pop music from a marketing standpoint now began to infiltrate and eventually to dominate the center completely” (Starr and Waterman, p. 240)

Those familiar with the movie “Back to the Future” are familiar with the great quote by Marty McFly following his raucous performance of a new style of music, “I guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna LOVE it.” This blues riff in B was of course a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B Goode,” a tune that features a new way of playing the electric guitar that would revolutionize the popular music world. Renowned artists such as Steven Van Zandt, guitarist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, noted in a video about the development of rock, "Chuck Berry created the form and structures of lyrics that would be copied by even Bob Dylan.” A careful listen to “Maybelline”by Berry provides a snapshot into the development of the last 75 years of rock. The text follows the hillbilly style of narrative commentary about a rather fast drive, from a certain perspective. However, much like the music 100 years earlier, the lyrics can be perceived as an encoded message. Who is Maybelline? Why does the singer need to drive 110 MPH to chase someone down? The ambiguity of lyrical content in the rock ’n’ roll style might have been a key factor in the pushback of parents everywhere. The sound of the guitars, which are overdriven in a very profound way, considering the tube amplifier technology of the time, is the “holy grail” of guitar sound, and it is no secret that bands emulate this sound even today. The archtop guitar and twin reverb amp combination is used by bands such as U2, Radiohead, The Black Keys, speaking to how revolutionary this sound was in the 1950’s. 

References

Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (Fourth ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

[Vanity Fair]. (2014, January 14). Steven Van Zandt Traces the Roots of Rock 'n' Roll-The Snob's Dictionary-Vanity Fair. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XJRKo5TvTmI.


[Movieclips]. (2011, May 27). Johnny B. Goode - Back to the Future (9/10) Movie CLIP (1985) HD. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1i5coU-0_Q.

Listening Journal - Week 3

During the period between World Wars I and II, several key shifts occurred. Population shifts from rural to urban areas were accompanied by the cultural influences on music. The emerging commercial radio medium expanded the access to music, including an expansion of stylistic options to consumers based on demographics. Independent record labels played a significant role in the expansion of “race records,” or music that featured sub-genres such as blues, jazz and gospel choirs, which was indicative of the positive developments of black nationalism into the mainstream media (Starr and Waterman, p. 127). Blues sub-genres such as Mississippi Delta blues, twelve-bar blues, and East Texas blues were more available in the broader market were popular equally across racial divides (Starr and Waterman, p. 130). An example of a “cross-over” hit song between white and black audiences is the tune, “St. Louis Blues,” performed by Bessie Smith.

“St. Louis Blues” uses a predictable twelve bar blues format for the two repetitions of the A theme and also in the final C theme The entrance of the B theme is different in terms of melody and form. Indicative of the blues format, the chord progression is vamped on an organ, and the vocalist and primary instrument (cornet) have an almost conversational call and response throughout. Louis Armstrong provides an exceptional display of cornet playing in response throughout. This style is still prevalent in the style today, even in recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble or the John Mayer Trio. Tunes such as Cross Road Blues, recorded by Robert Johnson, provide a blueprint for current artists for the demonstration of prolific solo playing in the context of often painfully personal lyrical content. Even in a Delta blues song such as Tom Rushen Blues, the pain of an entire portion of the American population is evident. The pain of the Dust Bowl era and the broad economic impacts of the Great Depression are equally evident in hillbilly songs, such as in the narrative songs of Woody Guthrie, such as “Talking Dust Bowl Blues."

 In contrast to the gloomy sentiments typical of the blues, the dance halls were the place to take in the  jazz-inspired “swing” music. Starr and Waterman (2014) note, “swing - initially developed in the late 1920s by black dance bands in New York, Chicago, and Kansas City - transformed American popular music” (p. 155). The authors also provide a staggering assertion about the role of swing music in the overall record industry, stating, “By the late 1930s, largely as a result of the popularity of swing, the record industry had begun to recover: between 1935 and 1945, well over half of the records that sold more than a million copies were made by big dance bands” (p. 156). Certainly the affluence of those who could afford records should be strongly considered in this statement, as those with the ability to purchase records would be more inclined to choose more upbeat material than blues. Swing music, and the bands that played swing, were also in need of airplay on the commercial radio stations to remain popular, similar to the bands of the early 80s in the MTV generation (Starr and Waterman, p. 157).

An example of the swing style is the catchy tune, “Wrapping’ It Up,” performed by Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra. The group is rather large, with 5 brass (3 trumpets, 2 trombones), 4 reeds (saxophones and clarinets), and rhythm section consisting of piano, bass, piano, and guitar (Starr and Waterman, p. 161). The absence of drums is rather hidden on first listen, as the rhythm section provides a solid foundation of pulse that the brass and reed instruments move against throughout. My recollection of the early Harry Connick, Jr. albums, such as “Red Light, Blue Light” seem very informed by the swing style, after careful listening. “Taking a Chance on Love,” recorded by the Benny Goodman Orchestra in 1940, sounds like the soundtrack to a World War II biopic. The addition of a singer to the group seems to foreshadow the rise of the genre with greats such as Frank Sinatra. “In the Mood,” by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, features a clever arrangement, removing instruments in sequence, prior to the rather full ending. Much like a composer like Beethoven, Miller uses a single motivic idea throughout the arrangement, creating an incredibly recognizable hook.

When considering music education impacts of the blues and swing styles, a case can be made for playing an instrument by ear rather than off of a chart. In the case of the blues, most of the stylistic treatments, including specific “licks” are only possible after becoming entrenched in the vernacular of the style, as if learning a very specific language. Each subculture of blues has its unique dialect - Mississippi Delta blues and Chicago blues have the same alphabet, but the words that are painted from the instrument are as unique as the environment. Robert Woody offers great examples of curricular implications and practices in his article about playing by ear, which is an intriguing read regarding ways to incorporate careful listening into our rehearsals. Woody’s article reminds me of the Dave Growl produced series, Sonic Highways, which chronicled how the Foo Fighters incorporated the influences of specific regions into an album recording, notably the influences of the blues in Chicago.

References

Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (Fourth ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Woody, R. H. (2012). Playing by ear: Foundation or frill? Music Educators Journal, 99(2), 82-88.

Listening Journal - Week 2

This week, our reading selections and listening examples all center around the time periods from roughly 1917 to 1940, covering social dance music, Jazz, and the golden age of Tin Pan Alley songs. The post World War I era was a time for tremendous development of the American culture, through the mediums of song, film, and radio. Several significant events had a profound effect on the music industry and how music was consumed by the larger public. Starr and Waterman (2014) note, “One important shift in the industry was the increasing reliance on phonograph records, rather than sheet music as the main means of promoting songs and artists. The year 1919 saw the first hit song to be popularized in recorded form before it was released on sheet music” (p. 75). Consumers of music benefitted in this time period from advances in technology, in many forms. Transportation accessibility allowed for easier travel for musicians, enabling greater lengths of trips in shorter times, expanding their audiences. Recording advances, such as the electric microphone enhanced the quality of sound, and the development of radio networks expanded opportunities for audiences to experience performances from remote broadcasts at concert venues (p. 77) Even in this period of media expansion into the home, the desire for people to connect in groups around music, as Starr and Waterman note, “The years around World War I saw the rise of hundreds of dance halls and cabarets in cities across America” (p. 79).

Castle House Rag

The music played in dance halls at the time would have been performed by ensembles of hired musicians. James Reese Europe was an African-American musician hired as the musical director by Vernon and Irene Castle, known  as media superstars for their approaches to dance and choreography in the World War I era. Reese’s groups became highly regarded for their ability to perform syncopated music and challenging arrangements of ragtime and tango music, even with rather robust instrumentation for the time. One of our listening examples this week, “Castle House Rag,” is a rather quick ragtime selection, which is played an exceptionally brisk pace. The melody is relegated to the string section, with a rather pronounced rhythmic treatment from the snare drum. Upon the first listen, a very strong parallel can be drawn to music that would have accompanied the earliest movies, and my first impression was that this tune could been used for an animated picture, such as the original Disney short, “Steamboat Willie.” The recording is very lo-fidelity, which speaks to the necessity for the development of the electric microphone, in order to fully communicate the tone color of the actual performance.

April Showers (both versions)

The discussion of the necessity for development of the electric microphone is evidenced by the two recordings of “April Showers,” performed by Al Jolson in 1921 and 1932, respectively. Each of the recordings feature a very distinctive approach to over-exaggeration of the consonants to emphasize certain words, embellishing the word painting distinctive of classical choral music 100 years earlier, such as the music of Schubert. An example of this approach is the overall crescendo on each iteration of the words that describe flowers, such as daffodils or violets, as if the word is blooming. This over-exaggerated style of singing, known as crooning, developed out of the necessity to sing or perform louder on a theatre stage. The first recording however has a very compressed, or squashed sound, which reduces the instrumental color of the accompaniment into a narrow equalized band. The mix predominantly features the voice, with the instruments very muted, comparatively, likely due to the placement of a sing mono mic for the recording. Conversely, the later recording is a more modern balanced sound, with more musical tone color from the voice as well as the instruments. The newer microphone technology affords the performers the ability to emote far more effectively. The second recording also speaks to the popularity of the tune, becoming a standard performed by Bing Crosby, Mel Torme, and Cab Calloway, to name a few.

My Blue Heaven

The Gene Austin performance of the Walter Donaldson tune, “My Blue Heaven,” is an example of the Tin Pan Alley song style. Similar to “April Showers,” Austin represents the crooning performance style, exaggerating specific key words in each musical phrase, personifying the peaceful concepts that are communicated through the text. There is considerable interplay between the instrumentalists and the singer, notably the call and response within the chorus section. Another interesting development in the song is the use of a scat-singing section in the middle of the piece. In the video, "Walk On By - The Story Of Popular Song,” the concept of interplay within the music scene was explored, and this narrative seems to be evidenced in “My Blue Heaven.” What was happening in Jazz was what was developing in the popular music style, such as the development of scat-singing by Louis Armstrong, an exceptional trumpet player in the Jazz genre, which created a crossover opportunity for the style to become integrated into the popular music genre. It is interesting to note the further argument that Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong needed each other: Crosby learned the concepts of scat singing, and the resulting popularity that was afforded to the style made Armstrong more approachable to the American musical consumer. 

I Got Rhythm

The culmination of this week’s listening is found in a recording of “I Got Rhythm,” recorded by the incomparable Ethel Merman. This George and Ira Gershwin tune was written for the musical Girl Crazy, and is written in the typical AABA song style of the period. The syncopated rhythms throughout encourage the listener to tap along, and the interplay of instrumentalists and vocalist are intriguing. Merman sets up the scene in an introduction that is reminiscent of the recitative style from the Baroque opera style. In contrast to the opera, this musical theatre aria is an incredibly up-tempo number that features the full throttle singing that is distinctive to Ethel. [TV Performance of the main section]



References

Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (Fourth ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

[Roy Gardner]. (2011, July 3).  Walk On By - The Story Of Popular Song (BBC Documentary 2/23). [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OlXaRz87UU#t=111.