For the most part there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of blog activity other than required blogs and a couple of exceptions that seem to blog regularly. Liz blogged today expressing her relief at being done with her presentation. (Liz-I really enjoyed the presentation especially the collage guitar that you made...way to incorporate some art in there!) Culture Jammer talked a little bit about the upcoming Jamboree and brought up the idea of doing a mockumentary again. This would be a good way to let people see what the junk band is about if that's what our class ends up doing, but how much time do we have to pull things together before the Jamboree takes place? People should check out I Am Cool Dooner's Blog-he's always got some random blogging going on and it plays music and has pictures to distract those of us with short attention spans. Jacknife blogged about Eagan's performance in class a while back. Check it out...I also meant to do that but never got around to it. It was very cool to get to hear a lot of the banjo styling we've been reading about performed for us in person-it helps a lot for understanding of the music for those of us who are somewhat musically un-inclined (such as myself). Stephanie also had some thoughts as far as the Jamboree goes, check them out on her blog.
People have been working on the podcast blogs and have commented mostly about the wide variety of music offered by the collection and the background of Moses Asch and Harry Smith. Several people used the quote about America changing through music as well as the diversity of the music.
Pandora has also been commented on a couple of times. Dano said that he enjoys listening to the station but wishes he could flip through songs as desired instead of there being limits to the number of songs skipped.
Overall the blogs seem to reflect a generally positive attitude towards the class. Check out Ashley's post from a week or so ago which includes a little overview of class perceptions. There are some that still haven't posted since their initial blogs or since September...get on that! That's all good though as far as I'm concerned, it's less to read.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Folkways-Episode 5
This episode largely focused on Harry Smith's life again as the fourth episode did. Actually the quote that stood out the most to me in this episode was quite similar to the one from the fourth episode regarding Harry Smith's response to receiving a Grammy. He said, "I've seen America change by music." His goal throughout all of his collecting of music was to expand people minds and open up the possibilities for music. This encompasses the entire course that we are taking: the evolution of music from it's roots in America and forward. It has builded onto genres and created entirely new genres so that we can enjoy a variety of music in all sorts of styles. This section again included several musical clips including "Maggie's Farm" by Bob Dylan and Blind Willie Johnson's "Blind Revelator" and many more.
Overall this episode and the third episode far outweigh the fourth which seemed to drag on. This also had a short clip about the world's largest collection of paper airplanes...good stuff.
Overall this episode and the third episode far outweigh the fourth which seemed to drag on. This also had a short clip about the world's largest collection of paper airplanes...good stuff.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Folkawys-Episode 4
"[Folkways] became the resource for a generation of young performers," was included in the introduction of Harry Smith, music anthropologist, during the 1991 Grammy's. Once he was up on stage he had to say, "My dreams came true. I saw America change through music." This is the true explanation of this episode of folkways. Music tends to reflect the mindset of the people in the time in which it is created. As opinions change, the way that people expreess themselves changes as well. This fact is reflected in the music that we have listened to in class. Country grew out of its roots in blues music which grew from traditional African music that came over at the tend of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s. It has continued to transform and the content of the lyrics has evolved along with rhythms.
Harry Smith was put on the folk anthology project by Moe Asch to collect the more commercialized music of around the 30s through 50s. Grio Marcus, an author reflected on Smith's collection stating, "What's fascinating about the way the whole set is put together is the way one recording echos another." Genres have expanded and transformed over the years, but at the heart of many songs you can still feel and hear the connection to other genres.
Harry Smith was put on the folk anthology project by Moe Asch to collect the more commercialized music of around the 30s through 50s. Grio Marcus, an author reflected on Smith's collection stating, "What's fascinating about the way the whole set is put together is the way one recording echos another." Genres have expanded and transformed over the years, but at the heart of many songs you can still feel and hear the connection to other genres.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Jamboree
Performing in front of large crowds is definitely not my forte. My class has been discussing making a junk band and performing (in Edson I think) for the Jamboree. This would be alright with me as long as we're in a big group...I'm not terribly musically inclined. I can't particularly pick out notes or read them for that matter. I think it'd be cool though if we can get together a percussive type of group and do the presentation all together.
On the other side of things we could make a booth of some variety and put up information about blues, country, and folk musicians. We could put up some artwork to make things a bit more interesting. I haven't gotten around to my presentation for class yet, but I have a couple of drawings I'm planning to use in some manner for it-one of Muddy Waters and the other of Bob Dylan. They could be used for a booth if the class wanted.
On the other side of things we could make a booth of some variety and put up information about blues, country, and folk musicians. We could put up some artwork to make things a bit more interesting. I haven't gotten around to my presentation for class yet, but I have a couple of drawings I'm planning to use in some manner for it-one of Muddy Waters and the other of Bob Dylan. They could be used for a booth if the class wanted.
Folkways Collection-Episode 3
I was definitely dreading having to listen to three one-hour long episodes for FYS, but after one episode it's not looking quite so bad. One of the first quotes in this episode is Moe Asch saying, "[of music pieces] becomes a museum piece or it becomes something that is a documentation. Well you don't take a documentation off the market do you?" He was talking about how music is meant to be preserved whether it is popular at the time or not. He took this quote and formed it into his career of searching for unknown or not popular music and musicians that show the roots of music. His discoveries have formed the backbone of the music that we listen to today. Many of the recordings that he includes in his archives have been covered a countless number of times and unbeknownst to us, they are what we listen to still-in their original lyrics, rhythm, tune, or not. They have affected what music has become and will continue to do so as music continues to evolve in the future. The episode continued on playing several pieces and clips of poetry, music, and speeches.
Most of the clips included in the episode were familiar to me--it started off with Led Belly's "(Goodnight) Irene" which is a song that my mom used to sing to me and my sisters when we were younger. It continued on for a while and later came up with "Which Side Are You On?" by the Almanac Singers which is covered by the Dropkick Murphys, an Irish punk band. It is originally a song from a miner strike in the 50s. The episode ended with a song done by Bob Dylan under the pseudonym Blind Boy Grunt. (I always love a good Bob Dylan song!)
The quote "Science began when man began to observe and to make note of his observation," by Richie Caldran helps explain Moe Asch's motivation for recording and organizing collections of music.
Most of the clips included in the episode were familiar to me--it started off with Led Belly's "(Goodnight) Irene" which is a song that my mom used to sing to me and my sisters when we were younger. It continued on for a while and later came up with "Which Side Are You On?" by the Almanac Singers which is covered by the Dropkick Murphys, an Irish punk band. It is originally a song from a miner strike in the 50s. The episode ended with a song done by Bob Dylan under the pseudonym Blind Boy Grunt. (I always love a good Bob Dylan song!)
The quote "Science began when man began to observe and to make note of his observation," by Richie Caldran helps explain Moe Asch's motivation for recording and organizing collections of music.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Pandora
Well...honestly I haven't Pandora a whole lot lately. When I've used it I've enjoyed most of the songs that it's played for me, and I like it a lot better than trekking over to the class to listen to playlists once a week. It's going to get cold soon and I would rather hang out in my dorm drinking hot chocolate and listening to Pandora than getting snowed on while I walk across campus to keep caught up in FYS. (I know, I'm a terrible Minnesotan)
In the Country of Country-Part 4
Hell's Half Acre-The Louvin Brothers
Charlie and Ira are the Louvin Brothers who were from Henagar in the Sand Mountain area. They spent a lot of the time of their youths in Georgia and Alabama. They sang country gospel music and were very versatile vocalists. They believed that more emotion can by infused into songs that the artist can relate to so they played songs that they knew about such as murders that had recently happened in Henagar.
Just One of the People-Doc Watson
Doc became fully blind before he was one year old, but his father continued to raise him like the rest of the Watson children. Because of this, Watson grew up being forced to be independent and very capable of everyday activities. He started playing the banjo when he was very young and then started making instruments out of what he could find around the house. While he was attending a school for the blind, he began playing guitar and became very good. Watson played old Appalacian folk songs often from the music that he heard on the radio and from old records that the family owned. He's very humble about his skills as a musician, p. 165 "To him it's an acquired skill-something he has a knack for."
Charlie and Ira are the Louvin Brothers who were from Henagar in the Sand Mountain area. They spent a lot of the time of their youths in Georgia and Alabama. They sang country gospel music and were very versatile vocalists. They believed that more emotion can by infused into songs that the artist can relate to so they played songs that they knew about such as murders that had recently happened in Henagar.
Just One of the People-Doc Watson
Doc became fully blind before he was one year old, but his father continued to raise him like the rest of the Watson children. Because of this, Watson grew up being forced to be independent and very capable of everyday activities. He started playing the banjo when he was very young and then started making instruments out of what he could find around the house. While he was attending a school for the blind, he began playing guitar and became very good. Watson played old Appalacian folk songs often from the music that he heard on the radio and from old records that the family owned. He's very humble about his skills as a musician, p. 165 "To him it's an acquired skill-something he has a knack for."
Dawidoff-Part 3
So it took me quite a while to force myself to actually read this book, and I was kept busy enough with my other classes that I didn't get around to my regular posts from the readings until now..
Full of Beans-Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley
Bluegrass music is called such at least in part due to Monroe's roots in Kentucky, the bluegrass state. Monroe is known as the "Father of Bluegrass music." He could play the banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass fiddle and dobro. (Anybody know what the dobro is??)He mostly played old songs that had been passed down through his family and changed them by adding in his own style and interpretations. Monroe's band included himself, Earl Scruggs, and Lester Flatt
Ralph Stanley grew up in Virginia and began singing at church when he was five years old. He played with his brother, Carter, throughout the 1950s with a couple of short breaks in between those years. He was very religous and often seemed preacher-y to his comrades. Late in his life he played Old Time mountain music with Monroe.
Three Fast Fingers-Earl Scruggs
Scruggs is one of the first evolutionary banjo players. He became well-known for his ability to pick through songs with great speed using pciks on his thumb, middle finger, and index finger, and in doing so, he proved that banjos can keep up to a speedy mandolin player such as Bill Monroe. He was a member of Monroe's group (1945-1948) "The Blue Grass Boys" until Lester Flatt and him departed and formed there own duo from 1948-1969. Scruggs played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. He is joined as a former performer at that Folk Festival with the likes of Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters who perfomed at the Newport Jazz Festival. (I'm considering changing my presentation project to the Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals if I can find enough stuff).
Full of Beans-Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley
Bluegrass music is called such at least in part due to Monroe's roots in Kentucky, the bluegrass state. Monroe is known as the "Father of Bluegrass music." He could play the banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass fiddle and dobro. (Anybody know what the dobro is??)He mostly played old songs that had been passed down through his family and changed them by adding in his own style and interpretations. Monroe's band included himself, Earl Scruggs, and Lester Flatt
Ralph Stanley grew up in Virginia and began singing at church when he was five years old. He played with his brother, Carter, throughout the 1950s with a couple of short breaks in between those years. He was very religous and often seemed preacher-y to his comrades. Late in his life he played Old Time mountain music with Monroe.
Three Fast Fingers-Earl Scruggs
Scruggs is one of the first evolutionary banjo players. He became well-known for his ability to pick through songs with great speed using pciks on his thumb, middle finger, and index finger, and in doing so, he proved that banjos can keep up to a speedy mandolin player such as Bill Monroe. He was a member of Monroe's group (1945-1948) "The Blue Grass Boys" until Lester Flatt and him departed and formed there own duo from 1948-1969. Scruggs played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1959. He is joined as a former performer at that Folk Festival with the likes of Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters who perfomed at the Newport Jazz Festival. (I'm considering changing my presentation project to the Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals if I can find enough stuff).
Monday, October 02, 2006
In the Country of Country-Prologue and Part 2
Prologue
The book starts off with Dawidoff researching Jimmie Rodgers. Rodgers was born in 1897 and grew up around Meridian which seems to be a pretty conservative area. He was a little racy for the area-a big drinker and he got around a bit. Rodgers is one of the first country musicians to have recorded music (along with the Carter Family in 1923). He played "plantation melodies, old river ballads, sentimental weepers, novelty numbers, swinging Dixie-land style...and country blues." He is well known for his yodel and the emotion that he puts into his voice which is partially contributed to by a bout with tuberculosis when he was young.
In the 1990s country music was considered the most popular genre based upon radio play. This country however is considered "real country" which basically as put by Dawidoff means that it is overprocessed, unemotional, has bad lyrics, and is insincere. Dawidoff prefers the more raw country which involves feeling that is associated greatly with many of the less popular country musicians including: Merle Haggard, Iris DeMent, Jimmie Rodgers and others.
Part 2: Three Women
Sara Carter was born in 1900 and was an Appalacian orphan after her mom died shortly after her birth. She married A.P. Carter when she was 16 and together along with Maybelle Carter, A.P.'s sister-in-law, they formed the Carter Family. In that time just about all of the well known musicians were men so A.P. took the forefront in publicity so that the ladies could show off their skills. In reality A.P. tended to contribute very little and he didn't need to because of the overpowering effect of Sara's voice which was drowning with emotion. They continued playing with each other after Sara and A.P.'s divorce in 1939 until Sara moved to California in 1943. She was never as tied to the music and having a career as A.P. and discontinued having performances after moving west.
Kitty Wells didn't live the hard life that she portrayed through the emotion in her voice that many people thought that she did. She did not write her own songs but was still able to infuse them with so much emotion that people thought the stories in her songs were real-life experiences. Kitty and John Wright were married for 59 years at the time the book was written and she relied a lot more on him than her feministic ideals songs would lead a listener to believe. She was generally happy and very sincere and greatly enjoyed being a housewife and singing.
Patsy Cline is the most controversial of the three women discussed in this chapter. She was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in 1932. She dropped out of school to help earn money to support the family after her dad walked out on them when she was 16. She started singing in the honky tonks when she was 13 and as she grew older she acted like one of the guys-cursing, drinking, and alluding to different things. She was married and divorced to Gerald Cline before marrying Charlie Dick in 1957. She had a wide vocal range and style that was filled with emotion. In 1961 Patsy Cline had a big hit "I Fall to Pieces." She died in a car crash in 1963, but she is still very well known and her songs are still among the top most played juke-box songs.
The book starts off with Dawidoff researching Jimmie Rodgers. Rodgers was born in 1897 and grew up around Meridian which seems to be a pretty conservative area. He was a little racy for the area-a big drinker and he got around a bit. Rodgers is one of the first country musicians to have recorded music (along with the Carter Family in 1923). He played "plantation melodies, old river ballads, sentimental weepers, novelty numbers, swinging Dixie-land style...and country blues." He is well known for his yodel and the emotion that he puts into his voice which is partially contributed to by a bout with tuberculosis when he was young.
In the 1990s country music was considered the most popular genre based upon radio play. This country however is considered "real country" which basically as put by Dawidoff means that it is overprocessed, unemotional, has bad lyrics, and is insincere. Dawidoff prefers the more raw country which involves feeling that is associated greatly with many of the less popular country musicians including: Merle Haggard, Iris DeMent, Jimmie Rodgers and others.
Part 2: Three Women
Sara Carter was born in 1900 and was an Appalacian orphan after her mom died shortly after her birth. She married A.P. Carter when she was 16 and together along with Maybelle Carter, A.P.'s sister-in-law, they formed the Carter Family. In that time just about all of the well known musicians were men so A.P. took the forefront in publicity so that the ladies could show off their skills. In reality A.P. tended to contribute very little and he didn't need to because of the overpowering effect of Sara's voice which was drowning with emotion. They continued playing with each other after Sara and A.P.'s divorce in 1939 until Sara moved to California in 1943. She was never as tied to the music and having a career as A.P. and discontinued having performances after moving west.
Kitty Wells didn't live the hard life that she portrayed through the emotion in her voice that many people thought that she did. She did not write her own songs but was still able to infuse them with so much emotion that people thought the stories in her songs were real-life experiences. Kitty and John Wright were married for 59 years at the time the book was written and she relied a lot more on him than her feministic ideals songs would lead a listener to believe. She was generally happy and very sincere and greatly enjoyed being a housewife and singing.
Patsy Cline is the most controversial of the three women discussed in this chapter. She was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in 1932. She dropped out of school to help earn money to support the family after her dad walked out on them when she was 16. She started singing in the honky tonks when she was 13 and as she grew older she acted like one of the guys-cursing, drinking, and alluding to different things. She was married and divorced to Gerald Cline before marrying Charlie Dick in 1957. She had a wide vocal range and style that was filled with emotion. In 1961 Patsy Cline had a big hit "I Fall to Pieces." She died in a car crash in 1963, but she is still very well known and her songs are still among the top most played juke-box songs.
Discussion Summary
So I've got discussion summary duty for last week...
Tuesday we spent the hour in the computer lab at the library. It was a marvelous time. We learned how to use the online search through the Briggs website. The library guy (can't remember his name) Explained the computer system and explained SUMMON, WorldCat, Expanded Academic ASAP, Academic Search Premier, JSTOR, Lexis-Nexis, Britannica, and OED. Personally, I preferred WorldCat because you can search several different types of materials.
Thursday we started class off by coming up with some ideas for the presentations that start this week. After that we split up into small groups and discussed the readings that we've done so far from Deep Blues. We discussed James Coyner (who was brought up at the end of the second chapter) and what his relevance is in the book. We decided that Coyner was included in the book at least in part to show the racial tensions that were going on in that area. Also his specific case had whites versus blacks after everything went down because Coyner was protected until his execution which left many whites angry and searching for revenge and African Americans of the area "giddy" because one of their kind had finally been protected by the courts and police. We also discussed some of our favorite or interesting parts of the book that we had taken note of. We discussed the origins and social aspects of blues music as well as some of the musicians backgrounds.
Tuesday we spent the hour in the computer lab at the library. It was a marvelous time. We learned how to use the online search through the Briggs website. The library guy (can't remember his name) Explained the computer system and explained SUMMON, WorldCat, Expanded Academic ASAP, Academic Search Premier, JSTOR, Lexis-Nexis, Britannica, and OED. Personally, I preferred WorldCat because you can search several different types of materials.
Thursday we started class off by coming up with some ideas for the presentations that start this week. After that we split up into small groups and discussed the readings that we've done so far from Deep Blues. We discussed James Coyner (who was brought up at the end of the second chapter) and what his relevance is in the book. We decided that Coyner was included in the book at least in part to show the racial tensions that were going on in that area. Also his specific case had whites versus blacks after everything went down because Coyner was protected until his execution which left many whites angry and searching for revenge and African Americans of the area "giddy" because one of their kind had finally been protected by the courts and police. We also discussed some of our favorite or interesting parts of the book that we had taken note of. We discussed the origins and social aspects of blues music as well as some of the musicians backgrounds.
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