...great composer, artist, Jazz music enthusiast, and co-founder of the Jazz at Lincoln Center. Revealing his private side with the help of family, friends, and musical associates. Wynton Marsalis is described by Gourse as an individual who craves a place for Jazz within the classical music establishment. He was born and raised in New Orleans to a musical family. Gourse takes you through his journey through the big move to New York City and training at Juilliard away from home. Soon after through his first band, Jazz Messengers which he began playing with at the age of nineteen. Before long his big Grammy win of both classical and Jazz albums to his present day life. As well as debating...
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...R. Matzen Is Jazz Dead, Or Has It Just Moved Across The Pond? Jazz may appear to be dead, but only at first glance. The era in which jazz first launched and gained massive pop culture status in the United States has come and gone by more than 80 years. Even so, the improvisational genre continues to thrive outside its birthplace with great enthusiasm in the countries of Europe. All it takes is a jump across the ocean to realize that jazz is very much alive and growing thanks to the talent of a few innovative artists residing there. American jazz music accompanied the liberation of Europe after World War II where it came to be strongly associated with freedom. Shortly after the liberation there was a large influx of American jazz musicians, including greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Bud Powell and Ben Webster who traveled overseas to find a wider, more accepting audience and to escape the racism to which they were regularly subjected to in the United States. Having all these jazz legends living in Europe enabled a large cultural exchange between the musicians of America and the musicians of Europe. Jazz music was quickly internalized by the European musicians who were eager to add tinges of their own folk music and culture to the ever expanding melting pot of American jazz. Due to the fact that the Europeans were so open to cultural exchange and so willing to except and support jazz - through the likes of the avant-garde Polish Trumpeter Tomasz Stańko, Norwegian...
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...events. It is not completely detailed, nevertheless the audience can interpret and accurately relate the sequence of the events from the novel. The film was enjoyable, the ambiance and story provided a measure of intoxication and, most importantly, the core thematic concerns pertaining to the American dream, self-reinvention and love lost, regained and lost again are obstinately addressed. At the beginning of the film, Nick Carraway, narrates from a doctor’s office and this effectively distinguishes the present and the past because he is speaking in the present however when he shifts to the past so does the scene. The message that is being portrayed is that the American-dream is not the root of all happiness as it may be displayed. The Great Gatsby is about a man named Jay Gatsby who came from an underprivileged home and worked towards a prestige and wealthy lifestyle and this goal was further driven by his love for Daisy Bucannan. The story is told from Nick Carraway’s point of view, he is man built on morals and values however when he is introduced to the American-dream, he slowly begins to conform to the lavish lifestyle and the behavioural patterns of the people. In short, Jay Gatsby wants to be with Daisy Bucannan, who is married to Tom bucannan, he completely disregards the life she has built and believes that he can rewrite the past. In the battle...
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...Analysis of Dance Styles ARTS/100 Professor Analysis of Dance Styles For centuries peoples have been dancing as an art form that allows them to physically express themselves without using words. These are times when simple dignity of movement can fulfill the function of a volume of words (Humphrey, 1937). A great deal can be understood when a person watches a person dances. The message that is related is strong and clear. When you understand the types of dance the message is clear. I will attempt to examine the different forms of dance. We will look at the forms of dance like Ballet, Modern World/Ritual, Folk, and jazz. Never the less it helps construct a better understanding of the different forms. Ballet During the 15th century in Italy ballet was known as court dancing. The word “Ballet” comes from the Italian form of Ballare which means dance. The first dance was in France in 1581. The French created the first ballet called “La Ballet Domique de La Reine” This caught on fast which prompted Louise Xiv to start the Royal Academy of Dance in 1661. Ballet caught on quick and spread from country to country when the story line and rhythm is expressed it uses eight basic positions to do this. Swiveling on their toes and balancing is critical to perform these dances. Over the ages these have been two great Ballets that are performed across the country and they are in high demand. They are the “Nutcracker and Swan Lake”. Modern Dance The 20th century...
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...Juan-Carlos Formell y Son Radical at Guantanamera The group Juan-Carlos Formell y Son Radical performed Sunday at Guantanamera, a Cuban restaurant near Columbus Circle. The venue of Guantanamera provided Juan-Carlos Formell y Son Radical with a setting not unlike a typical New York jazz and dinner club; the audience members sat at the bar or a table eating dinner. A trio of musicians made up the band: the Cuban bandleader, Juan-Carlos Formell, played an electric-accoustic guitar and also provided lead vocals; Gustavo Amarante, a Brazilian, played electric bass guitar; and Jesus "Chuito" Quintero, a Venezuelan, on percussion--"Chuito" not only played the congas, but the bongos as well. The instrumentation of congas, bongos, and guitars, derived from both Afro-Cuban and European music traditions suggested the music itself may be son and would also "creatively fuse equal amounts of white- and black-derived musical features" (Manuel 43). Professor Washburne repeatedly mentioned in class the importance of actual Cubans to classifying music as authentic, and although the supporting members of the group were not truly Cuban or even from the Caribbean, Formell's heritage as "truly Cuban" and as the bandleader gave the performance an authenticity that may not exist if Formell was Puerto Rican. Formell seemed to have a unique skin tone, suggesting that he would fall under the classification of "creole" which is defined by Stuart Hall as having the "contemporary...
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...Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, often called the grandfather of jazz, pioneered the artform and to this day is considered one of the most influential musicians of all time. When asked to describe jazz, he famously responded “If you have to ask, you’ll never know”. Many have criticised this reply for its vague nature and for not directly answering the question, but I believe this quote describes jazz and its purpose perfectly. What Armstrong was trying to say was that jazz is meant to be felt rather than thought about. The purpose of improvisational music is to provide a framework for musicians to display unique creative ideas through spontaneous improvisation, and in doing so, communicating with the audience in a way that other genres of music simply...
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...Paper 11/11/13 “Dizzy Response” Jazz has played a major role in the history of society as well as the blue’s which both allowed individuals to succeed in the prejudice discriminative years of the 1900’s. As I was reading in the article “Dizzy Atmosphere”: The challenge of Bepop by Eric Porter, I realized that the history of music and where it has evolved to is somewhat surprising. Artist such as Charlie Parker, Scott DeVeaux, Duke Ellington and John Birks Gillespie aka “Dizzy” all talented African Americans that participated in having a strong persuasive impact on society from the sound and tempo played from their instruments. As I understand, slavery was abolished in the year 1830, and I’m also aware of prejudice movements and racism was lively up to 1960’s or 70’s. To think at the time these young African American men were making moves such as being played on the radio and performing to massive crowds is very impressive. Bebop was the musical language that had a majority of everyone satisfied from what bebop had to offer which included fast tempos, discordant sounds and other different chord transactions that listeners were new to. Most importantly soloing on the frontline instruments became big and allowed artists and musicians to express themselves in a musical manor. “Dizzy” was known for his solos and skills of playing chords on top of chords with the trumpet making up his own sound and tempo. Creating new music came with audiences adapting to the renegade style and enjoying...
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...“The work of each of these artists represents a particular depth of understanding and sensitivity about the history of our nation.” Dakar: Places in Our Live [1] “Thanks to art, instead of seeing one world, our own, we see it multiplied and, as many original, artists as there are, so many worlds are at our disposal.” Andre Marlaux[2] Introduction Art is a tenuous relationship as history would attest but it is one that could not be belittled or undermined. It produced various schools of thought among the ancient Greeks and continues to provide profound forum of debate among contemporary scholars. As President Ferdinand Marcos have stated, “For the artist has always been a dynamic factor in social and cultural development and art is always an essential vehicle of truth and of relationship”.[3] In the realm of human experience, the artist has to confront the truth in its various critical situations consequently depending on, his interpretation of urgent realities; he becomes either the advocate of change or an adversary of it. But he can never be uncommitted nor be irresponsible. In the present time where plans and options for governments shift in the global expediency, the artist must always guard against obstacles to national growth and progress. "Art and Globalization makes an important contribution to the diverse critical practices and aesthetic performances that define the global era.[4]” These remarks were written for the book entitled Arts and...
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...Cultural Moves AMERICAN CROSSROADS Edited by Earl Lewis, George Lipsitz, Peggy Pascoe, George Sánchez, and Dana Takagi 1. Border Matters: Remapping American Cultural Studies, by José David Saldívar 2. The White Scourge: Mexicans, Blacks, and Poor Whites in Texas Cotton Culture, by Neil Foley 3. Indians in the Making: Ethnic Relations and Indian Identities around Puget Sound, by Alexandra Harmon 4. Aztlán and Viet Nam: Chicano and Chicana Experiences of the War, edited by George Mariscal 5. Immigration and the Political Economy of Home: West Indian Brooklyn and American Indian Minneapolis, by Rachel Buff 6. Epic Encounters: Culture, Media, and U.S. Interests in the Middle East,1945–2000, by Melani McAlister 7. Contagious Divides: Epidemics and Race in San Francisco’s Chinatown, by Nayan Shah 8. Japanese American Celebration and Conflict: A History of Ethnic Identity and Festival, 1934–1990, by Lon Kurashige 9. American Sensations: Class, Empire, and the Production of Popular Culture, by Shelley Streeby 10. Colored White: Transcending the Racial Past, by David R. Roediger 11. Reproducing Empire: Race, Sex, Science, and U.S. Imperialism in Puerto Rico, by Laura Briggs 12. meXicana Encounters: The Making of Social Identities on the Borderlands, by Rosa Linda Fregoso 13. Popular Culture in the Age of White Flight, by Eric Avila 14. Ties That Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom, by Tiya Miles 15. Cultural Moves: African Americans and the Politics of...
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...Holland’s playing in this tune, he did a great job maneuvering all the beats and making the song sound perfect, without him I don’t think the song would of turned out like it did. He even had a solo and was accompanied in playing by the drummer. I really enjoyed how the bass had a deeper tone that brought the music together. Herbie Hancock also did great in this performance, like with all the other songs he was able to maneuver many different notes and tunes together and made it sound beautifully. He even managed to great a swooshing sound I wouldn’t expect from the piano. The drummer Vinnie Colaiuta finished off the performance with a great drum solo. This was the longest performance but considering its wonderful potential, it left the audience and me with a great remembrance of this...
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...Review up till now WW1 Economic downturn Fear of radicalism Immigrants might be the problem… Let’s go back to the good ole days… Q: Are the old days really better? The Jazz Age (1920s) The Long Nineteenth Century Historians always ignore what everyone else is doing 1789 to 1918-???? Industrial Revolution French Revolution Victorian Ideas and Imperialism Bigger push for imperialism Ends in 1918- why? WW1 is over, Russian Revolution taking place What replaces it? “The Modern Age” parallels “Return to Normalcy” what does that mean? Science better at understanding the world than religion Individuals have the right to choose their own lifestyles Women control their minds and bodies More rights for minorities? Reactions? The New Traditionalists God trumps science Bible is the ONLY source of morality Women are subservient to men Immigrants are subservient to white Anglo-Saxon men 1920s The New Era The Roaring Twenties Rise of automobile, gangsters, rise of the radio & other gadgets and appliances The Jazz Age Clash of old & new values The Economy after the war… Switch from war to peace initially difficult Gets re-cranked up by 1922-1923 United states’ industry still intact after war, unlike Europe Becomes world’s top producer of consumer products Middle class expands greatly What about the lower classes? Same problems as before Too much prosperity for middle class to care!!! Rise of consumer spending on new fangled items...
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...Contents The Blues – Traditions and Inspirations Origin 2 Musical Format Development Classification Influence References Origin Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States around the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads. The blues form, ubiquitous in jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll is characterized by specific chord progressions, of which the twelve-bar blues chord progression is the most common. The blue notes that, for expressive purposes are sung or played flattened or gradually bent (minor 3rd to major 3rd) in relation to the pitch of the major scale, are also an important part of the sound. The origin of the term of was most likely derived from mysticism involving blue indigo, which was used by many West African cultures in death and mourning ceremonies where all the mourner's garments would have been dyed blue to indicate suffering. Blues has evolved from the unaccompanied vocal music and oral traditions of slaves imported from West Africa and rural blacks into a wide variety of styles and subgenres, with regional variations across the United States. The musical forms and styles that are now considered the "blues" as well as modern "country music" arose in the same regions during the 19th century in the southern United States. Recorded...
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...“Sonny’s Blues” Final Essay In James Baldwin’s short story “Sonny’s Blues” he uses the unnamed narrator also known as Sonny’s brother to provide an intimate insight into both his and Sonny’s lives, but also into their environment Harlem, New York. The narrator used his point of view and personal perspective to reveal both Sonny and Harlem and how the environment they were both brought up in has shaped them into the young men they were in the past and who they are now. This story begins when the brother finds out Sonny was in jail, when the narrator went to pick him up they begin having flashbacks from when their parents were alive and were speaking about racial issues they had been facing. Sonny finds his passion in jazz music. When he finally encourages his brother to listen to his music he takes him to the night club. He has a great epiphany realizing that their hardships can be turned into something beautiful. Growing up in an environment such as Harlem has had immense impact on the people sonny and his brother have become. This tough environment in Harlem would easily shape any person living in it but in particular Sonny and his brother. Harlem influenced the courses of action the brothers individually chose to take. The narrator described the city as a place that seems to entrap the people living in it and suck them into a lifestyle that they cant avoid. The lifestyle of drugs and crime, even if an individual such as the narrator doesn’t choose to participate in these...
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...New Orleans is a city built in a location that was by any measure a mistake. North American settlers needed a way to import and export goods via the Mississippi River, so a city was created atop swamps. By virtue of its location and its role in the international economy, New Orleans became home to a population that was as heterogeneous as any. Besides the French and, for a time, Spanish colonial powers, other groups included African Americans (both free and slave), people from the Caribbean and Latin America, and Scandinavians and other Europeans. The United States purchased Louisiana from France in 1803 (for $15M), and this more than doubled the size of the young country. The Louisiana Territory included parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as almost a quarter of the modern-day United States. Naturally, New Orleans became one of the country’s major cities. Its variegated racial realities played a major role in the spiritual and moral lives of Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman, both of whom first witnessed the true cruelties of slavery there. In his series of essays that eventually comprised the classic The Cotton Kingdom, Frederick Law Olmsted stated the following about New Orleans in the mid-1850s: I doubt if there is a city in the world, where the resident population has been so divided in its origin, or where there is such a variety in the tastes, habits, manners, and moral codes of the citizens. Although this injures civic enterprise—which the peculiar situation...
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...solitary and communal experience, bound at once to tradition and to change (196). Sonny’s Blues are set in the black ghetto of New York City, and tell a story of a young pianist dogged by heroin addiction and alienated from his family (196). Yet he captures and relates a people’s historical existence, leading his audience to a heightened, shared awareness of their cultural identity (196). In Sonny’s Blues, memory, the return to the past, is motivated by a sense of amassment, but by a sense of necessity (196). Baldwin like other African American writers retains a sense of the past that is acutely unstable (196). Instead of feeling animosity to the past, the African American is in search for the continuity that it can provide (197). Writers like Baldwin are concerned with the reconstruction of an individual tradition and emancipating force that is the art which they transform need into fullness (197). Sonny’s Blues is more than a presentation of a voyage or view of our coming forth (197). It’s an invitation to embark upon the journey ourselves (197). The blacks must embark again and again on the journey through difficult straits and toward an understanding of his origin (197). According to the narrator in Sonny’s Blues “while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard”...
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