Extra credit

For the first selection, “El Brujo de Nueva Paz” it starts off with a striking introduction on the trumpet which sets the mood for the remaining portion of the song. With Latin music it’s virtually impossible not to have the desire to move and this song is definitely no exception. With the background vocals and the trumpet continuing to be noticeable throughout the selection, it makes the song more enjoyable and with the accentuating male vocals, the music gets transitioned into another level. This piece would be ideal to salsa to because of the constant pulse element that comes with it that aides the dancer if they lose track if their steps while they are dancing. This number makes me have the impression that it was recorded in a studio and there was not any audience in attendance. I get this impression because, while it is lively, there is absolutely nothing indicating that there are people actively enjoying it and if it were being played in a formal concert setting, there would most likely be audible participation such as attempting to clap the rhythm etc. As far as the vocals (with the exception of the prominent male vocals), I thought they were a slight deterrent to the rest of the piece because they were substantially muffled and with my limited knowledge of Spanish, I could not make out a word that was vocalized.

For the second selection, “La Dueña del Swing”, I thought the piano opening made it instantly enjoyable to listen to and set the continued positive groove for the rest of the song. Secondly, the accentuating call and response vocals add another element to the piece and it made me actively listen and a happier individual while I did that. Being in a ballroom dance club in high school, this song constantly made me want to get up and dance and the brass “rhythm” section strengthened that urge. With the vocals more energetic and easier to understand, it put me in a more joyous mood than the previous song. As aforementioned, it is inevitable that Latin music is bound to put anybody in a good mood but “El Brujo de Nueva Paz” just did not make me aspire to dance as much as “La Dueña del Swing” did.

For the last selection, “Santo Domingo”, shuffling percussive opening and the eventual joining from the accordion created an interesting contrast. This combination created a dichotomy between the call and response vocals that made the listener become more attentive to really retain all of the elements of the number. If the lyrics were intended to be words, they were barely recognizable. To me, they solely sounded like a collection of onomatopoeia that was formed to create a timbre that was intended to make people possibly have the desire to dance. The cumbia itself is both a style of Latin dancing and a style of Latin music and both are known to be substantially lively. Thus, I imagine the occasion in which this song was played must have been at some sort of a fiesta and not in a formal concert setting.

Yundum Nko

When I listen the assigned selection entitled “Yundum Nko” from the jali tradition of West Africa I envision a small gathering listening to one performer who is located in the middle. In my mind the performer in the middle acts as the equivalent as a storyteller and the listeners are his/hers captive audience. In a way, the performer is telling a story through his instrument (which is called the Kora) and that sense this piece gives makes it more enjoyable to listen to. When one thinks of rhythm in this piece, a clear delineation is not obvious. The rhythmic aspect of the track requires a significant amount of imagination, critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and creativity. Since there is no rhythm section or instruments that would make up such a section (idiophones and membranophones), the rhythm is more of the concept of “free” rhythm.

This basically means that the cadences that the Kora produces flow together in relative sections that are definitely not definitive and are largely left for the listener’s imagination to figure out. Having said that, the background strumming of the Kora was not so much ostinato (the same rhythm repeating itself) in that it was constantly changing pace and that definitely added an interesting flavor to the song as a whole. When one also adds the very prominent vocals into the mix, it really brings up the feeling of longing to be there because of how clearly passionate the vocalist is while he is singing. In my opinion, this song would be more enjoyable if it was experienced live and one could actually see the expressions on his face and the impression of the audience. The same things can be said about the so-called “rhythm” of the singer’s vocal style in that it’s not structured in a way that could be easily delineated by the tapping of one’s foot or the nodding of one’s head. With that being said, one (or at least I do) wonders how (or if) an individual dances to this type of music, if they do it often, and what type of event or events in which the dance is done.

The performer, Jali Nyama Suso, lived from 1925 to 1991 and died of TB, but his legacy definitely lives with him being one of the most prominent Kora players. If one has the desire to listen to musicians playing the Kora live and they can’t afford to travel to West Africa, there are at least two options (that I know of) based in the Asheville North Carolina area. The first option is a band composed of Warren Wilson College alumni called Toubab Krewe and the second option is an individual named Sean Gaskel. I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Toubab Krewe perform when they came to Warren Wilson College about three years ago and there was barely any room to dance it was so jam packed. If Jali Nyama Suso were alive today, I am sure that he would have enjoyed that show very much.

Africa continued

            For the first assigned selection entitled “Atsia Suite”, there was significant amount of repetitive cycles of rhythms that kept the “flow” in the background while the other elements of the track came into play. The timbre in the selection consisted of strong polyrhythmic elements and vocals that had the tendency to come across as not having any variation and hence extremely monotonistic. The song came from the culture of the indigenous Ewe people of Ghana and as a very family oriented culture their music is a very important part of how they orchestrate their social gatherings and is a sure way for them to bond. It is very interesting that throughout the piece the monotonous and virtually monotonic style of the vocals never changed but the style of rhythm changes midway through. The second style of rhythm is much more accentuated and slightly louder than the first one. However, both rhythms stay the same for however long that they last and are extremely repetitive. If I was to advise someone who is about to listen to “Asia Suite”, I would say that the absolute best way to listen to it would be to just keep your eyes closed for the duration of the song and let it put you in a trance. I can imagine meditating and/or relaxing while listening to this particular selection.

            For the second assigned selection entitled “Choral Song”, there were not any instrumentals detected besides vocals. I thought the number was very upbeat and it made me eager to find out what the words they were singing meant. With the vocals being sung in unison and ending abruptly in some parts, it made one get the impression that they were chanting possibly for religious purposes and in my opinion that aspect of the piece slightly drowned out the slightly enjoyable aspect of the song. Since the piece comes from the culture of the Congo, it was sung in the official language of that country, which is called the Lingala language. When listening to “Choral Song” one (or at least I did) wonders what types of dancing (if any) could be practiced and what occasion was appropriate in which the song could be played. As for the structure of the song, it seems as though it was a combination of it being random and having virtually no structure and it being organized in segments with very minimal direction. Unlike “Atsia Suite”, I don’t belief it would be possible to meditate to this type of music.

             For the third and last assigned selection entitled “Music for Divination”, I got a genuine sense of community while listening to it. During the song it seemed like many people are actively trying to pitch in to add their parts to the music. Unlike “Atsia Suite” the vocals were extremely lively and upbeat and made the listener have the desire to get up and move around instead of fall asleep and/or meditate. To me, the vocals sounded similar to about twenty people yodeling in unison and adding their own creative twists throughout the song. In my opinion, the male and female vocalists with each of their “twists” made the song more intriguing as it went along and I found it the most enjoyable selection to listen to out of the three assigned selections. It would be neat to see these same individuals perform this selection live and see/hear how they harmonize in person.

           

            

Nhemamusasa

            After listening to the assigned eleven and a half minute recording and doing a little research on its background, I discovered that the only instrument being played is called the Mbira. This instrument is a plucked idiophone (percussion instrument) and is a native instrument from Ghana but is extremely popular in the Republic of Zimbabwe and that is where this selection was played and recorded. The name of the song is Nhemamusasa. It is often played by the Shona people of Zimbabwe and that is who is playing the specific selection that was assigned for this blog entry. This title of the song (Nhemamusasa) means “temporary structure” or “cutting branches for shelter.”  I would imagine that this symbolizes the constant struggles of the people in that area of Africa to find adequate land to settle and the only way that they can put that daunting thought behind them is to “drown it out” with the joyous sounds of this lively style of music. Many cultures use music to either temporarily put their struggles behind them or to discuss their inherent struggles and ways to actively and cooperatively possibly make them have lives that are not daily dilemmas and often put them into situations that inhibit them from carrying out the everyday tasks that are necessary to live. As for the vocals in the selection, in a way it dampened the level of how monotonous it was. It, if you will, added more “color” to the piece. But, that is solely how I interpreted the addition of the vocals. It’s highly possible that other listeners may have a completely different reaction (for example: the repetitiveness of the vocals made the selection more annoying or something that is along those lines).

            My impression of the piece, Nhemamusasa, besides it being incessantly repetitive and slightly monotonous, was that yes it does take a while to get used to but when one researches the culture in which the music comes from, the type of people that typically play it, the skill set it takes to pay this type of music (it looks very complicated), and the type of instrument used to produce this type of music, one finds out that that back story and culture behind it is actually pretty fascinating. The instrument, the Mbira, consists of consists of 22 to 28 metal keys attached to a gwariva (hardwood soundboard) made from the mubvamaropa tree. These metal keys traditionally are constructed out of smelted iron ore, but now it is possible to see the keys of mbira instruments to be constructed out of common household items and miscellaneous recyclable materials such as insignificant sofa springs, car seat springs, spokes of a bicycle wheel, or any metal product (preferably steel) that can be recycled. The type of music that the Mbira produces creates distinct polyphonic rhythms that make the listener really use their critical thinking skills to put effort into listening in order for them to figure out the various timbres that are present. Another material that typically is part of the Mbira is the addition of recycled bottle caps. These items are really easy to accumulate, are completely free, and contribute a “buzzing” sound to the timbre that is necessary for the type of music that the Shona people of Zimbabwe are producing for the listening pleasure of the rest of the world.

         Last but certainly not least, in listening to Nhemamusasa after participating in the marimba workshop, I detected distinct connections with the two instruments (the Mbira and the marimba) not just because their timbres are substantially similar, but also because of how similar the music flows with the two instruments. As for me, I would not particularly enjoy listening to a whole concert of Mbira music, but learning about the Zimbabwean culture is very interesting.  

Mahakala Puja

                                                                        Mahakala Puja



       

                                        A Tibetan Buddhist Monk Ensemble

 

                 Since I recently completed a class focusing on the history and literature of Buddhism, this musical excerpt is somewhat familiar to me. As a history major and a world traveler (23 countries and 37 states), I have been interested in actively delving into the various cultures of the world for over a decade. This experience has proven to be very valuable and has had me put world music in a different light requiring me to use a substantial amount of critical thinking and deductive reasoning in the process of analyzing how a certain style of music that may be aesthetically pleasing to a specific culture may be a “lost cause” or extremely difficult for other cultures to accept and/or to wrap their heads around the multitudes of changing timbres and elements of the particular musical traditions of that culture. To put it into perspective, a good way to think of this concept is to visualize how difficult it may be to learn a new language and subsequently attempt to assimilate all of the idiosyncrasies that come with it.  

As with this particular selection, it is extremely difficult to bear if the specific listener is used to music that incorporates the basic (and most common) elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony, etc.). In my opinion, one (an individual that is used to the “western styles” of music) cannot go into this style of music with the expectation of having an enjoyable experience simply because that it is lacking virtually everything that they expect from music (all of the aforementioned aspects and elements). To the western ear the excerpt has the major tendency to me substantially monotonous, and headache inducing, however one can only approach this selection with a vivid imagination and creativity. That creativity must consist of attempting to force oneself to have the mind of a Tibetan Buddhist and also immerse oneself in the complex culture of Tibet. I believe that it simply is inadequate for an individual to judge a specific culture, and/or style of music without acquiring a full background first (no matter how averse they are to it originally).

Personally, I am always eager to learn about different traditions and cultures and when I graduate college I aspire to continue doing just that. Specifically, my “dream job” would be to continue travelling the world and to direct documentaries that bring out unknown traditions and cultures so the world can be educated for the purpose of either experimenting with various music scenes life Tibetan Buddhist monk chanting or simply for the purpose of educating the rest of the world how diverse the many cultures on this planet can be. Thus, the moral is, never automatically “write off” a particular music     style/tradition/culture just because you are averse to it, or it is not what you are used to. There is a possibility that it may grow on you when you are more educated on what it may represent.

 

proposal

                                                                       
                                                                              Proposal

         For my fieldwork project I would like to explore the multiculturally diverse busking community and scene in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. There are many different avenues to go down while exploring downtown Asheville and one never knows what solo act or jam session that they might come across and if it would be a waste of their time or actually worth it. I plan to explore as much of downtown as I possibly can and analyze the diaspora, the type of people, and the various specific reasons they choose to busk in downtown Asheville. Exploring questions such as: Why do you busk in the first place? What brought you to the city of Asheville, North Carolina? What is your absolute favorite part of the city to busk? What has deemed you a successful busker and what has not?  What type of music and what instruments to you usually play and use when you busk? Is there a city ordinance that limits busking? etc. The list of questions can continue for quite some time. I also would like to explore the attitudes of city officials and if they have an issue with the busking scene and if so, what is it.  

         For the best results, capturing film and recording audio would be the best mediums to get the most of what this project entails but due to limited resources, I will most likely have to rely on taking field notes and remembering the gist of what people say. This has the tendency to be very difficult due to the possibility of missing important things and never retrieving them, but sometimes one misses things that they wish they didn’t. Due to the insanity of my schedule (it’s my last semester of college) it will be a genuine struggle to find time to do this project properly. Being a history major I am constantly research in various archives on campus and off and I barely have time for anything else. Even Saturdays during the day (typically from 1-4PM) I am doing research. So, the only feasible times that I can get downtown are Saturday evenings and I will have to rely on the bus for all transportation unless I can possibly find a ride that is willing to work with my insane schedule.

         As the coordinator of all student film and video relations at Warren Wilson College, I would be the first person to include a supplemental short film as part of this project. The only problem is the lack of resources and individuals with the appropriate equipment on this campus. I’ve already contacted a local filmmaker but she unfortunately is busy until after December. With that, the odds of including a much desired supplemental short film are slim. However, I could try contacting that same filmmaker and see if she knows anybody else that may be able to help me out.        

Allash

       

                                                                      

                                                             Allash

            On Wednesday, October 1^st I was fortunate to have had the amazing rare opportunity to enjoy a live performance at the Isis music hall and Restaurant in West Asheville of famed Tuvan Throat singing from the internationally acclaimed group called Alash. Each musician in the ensemble had won individual prestigious awards and the ensemble had played in every single one of the forty-eight continuous United States. In fact, they had done so much traveling that when they were asked what their favorite place in the United States was, they could not give a concise answer.  The music itself was extremely unique and certainly was not something to be taken for granted.

It’s a given that it must take years of training to master that impeccable skill of singing up to four notes at the same time with your throat. If anything, the intricacies of them doing just that, made me actively pay attention for the entirety of the show. One of the many “icing on the cake” moments was when I actually got the opportunity to meet one of the band members and he relayed to me that he has been training since he was a little boy and has won some of the top awards in Tuvan throat singing. I also thought it was really impressive that this individual from Tuva (a state in Russia) has been to all of the continuous 48 United States. I have been to 37 states, and I thought that was impressive!

As far focusing on their repertoire, I could not help focusing on their impressive dynamic range in all of the tones that they produced and their talents as multi-instrumentalists. It was also intriguing to see both how their instruments differed in their various timbres and sounds depending on the many ways that they chose to play them; For example: if the drummer stroke his drum in different area of the instrument, it made a different sound and thus brought a different “flavor” to the specific piece.  The stringed instruments were similar to the types that we are familiar with in America (banjo, guitar and violin) but with less strings and therefore less options to tune them with. They also brought a specific style of accordion that is specific to the culture of Tuva and one of the members performed a solo number on this particular instrument. I did notice that they did have a traditional acoustic guitar with them, but they definitely focused on using the Tuvan instruments. One other interesting flair that added to the overall status of the gig was that they brought out a local fiddle player to play with them for one number. In my opinion, this both showed how cultured Allash is, and showed the diversity of the talent in the city of Asheville.

As far as the band communicating with their audience, they didn’t.  They had an interpreter/manager that came out explained the culture of the state of Tuva and the context of virtually every number of the eager crowd of about forty people. Some of his explanations were quite humorous and they all were informative in some way. Overall, I felt very lucky to have had experienced a live Allash concert for only $12. That’s much cheaper than a trip to Tuva.

Music as I see it.

                                                   In Salamanca, Spain (Summer 2012

                                                                         

My music life

Throughout my life I have been constantly exposed to music in some way or another. Either by playing it, and/or listening to it whether it may be via live concert settings, radio, various portable devices and/or just during the jam sessions that occur on Monday afternoons at my college. Music is ubiquitous, some of it is unfortunately “painful” and some of it quite the contrary but no individual can escape the presence of music in their lives. At a very young age, I started taking violin and piano lessons and with that eventually joined an orchestra. From participating in that ensemble, I received a well-rounded musical education (mainly classical) and developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for live music.

For me, the definition of ethnocentrism is a little scattered due to the significant amount of globe trotting that I have been fortunate to experience in my short life thus far (23 countries and 37 states). But, I was born in Boston and raised near New Orleans, so if one would the true root music of my culture it would be Cajun music and/or jazz. Thus, I have experienced a fair amount of both, whether it being through live concerts, and/or digital recordings; I have also been taught by well-known Cajun musicians in their own right. Scenarios like these are truly valuable and create more of a bond with the music that one’s culture is connected to, however for me (because of all the traveling I have done) they create a catch 22 situation. Traveling the world allows one to experience numerous amounts of music styles, cultures, and traditions that create a cumulative amount of impressions and/or experiences and compared to someone who has never had the opportunity to leave ones native culture, I believe I am able to get more out of the music rooted in my culture by tying in the knowledge of the specific traditions I learned about from various parts of the world. Also, I have found that jazz (not so much Cajun) has infiltrated many parts of the world (in some cases where one would least expect it namely Turkey).

In conclusion, learning about the various cultures and traditions of the world fascinates me and music is an integral component of that education. If I would pull just one minor example of how my music education deeply coincides with my travels, while I was enrolled in my second study abroad course this past summer (this particular time in Turkey), I experienced a massive show of folk music and dancing specific to that region of the country and it was extremely enjoyable, fascinating, and well attended. Another example would be during my first study abroad experience (in Spain) when a band of college aged students  (depicted) called “La Tuna” played their hearts out every night in the Plaza Mayor. In a nutshell, just like the saying “you have to see it to believe it”, with music you have to be there to experience it.

Bowfire! You will be entertained!

Even though this song is in portuguese, it is very popular in Spain

El Caballito

                                                                           El Caballito


                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHvcjZFZX2I

              After listening to the song “El Caballito” by Los Camperos de Valles and watching the youtube video of the group, I discovered that both the cadence and the timbre of the song itself proved to be quite enjoyable throughout. Besides just being seemingly happy, the musicians clearly harmonize well together and this makes the song extraordinarily more enjoyable to the listener. The band Los Camperos de Valles consists of all male members from Mexico and mainly plays a style of music dubbed huapango. This style of music usually consists of an upbeat rhythm and an inevitable dancing component.  From my analysis and observations, I gathered that this style of music could easily be compared to the mariachi style of Mexican music except for (at least for this piece) it has less instruments and there are less sounds that are needed to flow together. The prominent violin introduction to the piece, gives the listener an idea of what he/she is getting into as the piece continues. Furthermore, the falsetto male vocalist and the guitar back up from the other members of the band create an overall enjoyable and vibrant experience for their audience.

             With the name of the song meaning “little pony” in Spanish, if one concentrates and listens to it with that in mind they can detect a timbre similar to the galloping of a pony in the way that violin plays out throughout the piece. The backup guitar strengthens ones imagination of a pony galloping through meadows and having a great time. Since the male vocalist is singing in a falsetto voice; that confirms that the objective of the band is to promote joyous dancing and fun with audiences of all ages. I imagine this group being hired to entertain audiences after they just enjoyed a massive meal of burritos con carne asada and modelo.

             The whole band and its listeners are involved in “musicking” for this situation. Meaning that this type of music allowed avenues for everyone to participate and to have fun doing it. For instance, after about 4 modelos (or before) an individual will inevitably begin to clap and/or yell as the music is going on and therefore they are taking part in the process of “musicking”. The definition of “musicking” is solely to partipate in the art of making music. That participation may include listening, showing appreciation through clapping (on the beat or not), showing appreciation though dancing, and of course the act of actually playing the music.  As far as class (judging by the included youtube video) I would surmise that they are solely middle class Mexican men attempting to make days more enjoyable for many individuals through their music. There is never a dull moment in this piece of music (in my opinion) and it definitely will make an individuals day brighter and I think that is the bands sole intention.

            In conclusion, the great thing about this particular type of music is that it is just a taste of what Mexico has to offer and (at least for me) it entices individuals to learn more and/or actually travel to Mexico to experience this band in concert and many others as well. After studying abroad twice in my college career, I can personally attest to this. This song serves as a gateway to Mexican culture and the huapango style of music.