Jazz for aficionados

Rok, it would take a volume of books to answer the questions you ask in regard to music and the generations. Everything, including economics and social structure has to be taken into account; music is not created in a vacuum. When I attempt to answer your questions, after going around like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel, and finding myself in a tunnel that leads to a tunnel of it's own, I quit; that's when I throw the four sheets of paper in the can.

Frogman, it feels good to be back. On "Take 6", that's really different; religious lyrics in a jazzy groove, I like that. When I requested new groups of "Afro Blue's" caliber, I didn't realize how difficult that is, now I'm changing it to any time frame.

Rok, Anne Akiko Meyers is new to me, now I'm going to have to get everything she's put out; plus DVD's to gaze upon her foxy face, she's a treat for the eyes as well as the ears.

Enjoy the music.

****Rok, it would take a volume of books to answer the questions you ask in regard to music and the generations.***

Not for much longer. :) Today I learned about PLAINCHANT, which is the basis for all Western Composed music.

Did you know, that, Plainchant represents the single greatest body of music created by Western Culture? :)

It is often referred to as 'Gregorian Chant'. I actually have a CD of Gregorian Chant. The last time I listened to it, it put me to sleep.

But, according to this book that was sort of the purpose of it. To get you in a state of mind, conducive to meditation.

Seems as if we can all be grateful to the Christian Church for holding the fort during the dark ages.

BBC magazine ran a piece about a year ago. 'The most influential people in classical music.' The top three were Pythagoras, Jesus Christ, Gregory the Great.

I am now begining to see why.

Cheers

Today's Listen:

Andy Bey -- ANDY BEY AND THE BEY SISTERS

Good tune selection. Great Harmony. Laid back slow tempos. I would have liked more like 'sister sadie', which was my favorite.

Beethoven -- DIABELLI VARIATIONS
Andreas Staier on fortepiano
This CD has the distinction of having more tracks than any other single CD I have ever seen. 46!!

ain't got it git it.

Cheers

you know you like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FSXomH4tCo

cheers

Re Gregorian Chant (plainchant): monophonic. One single moving melodic line; no harmony.

It may come as a surprise to learn that there is an important similarity to jazz. No kidding! It has been asked a few times on this thread what exactly "modal" jazz is. Like modal jazz, plainchant is composed within the framework of a "mode"; modes in music as devised by the ancient Greeks. The simplest way to explain it is this:

Think of the most familiar, and simplest to visualize on a piano keyboard, scale. The C Major scale; eight successive white keys beginning on a C and ending on another C one octave higher (CDEFGABC; every scale is made up of eight notes). The first and last notes of the scale have a natural aural "pull"; the movement of a melody using that scale "wants" to end (resolve) on that note.

Sing "Happy Birthday", a very simple tune in a Major key: the melody starts on the fifth note (G) of a C Major scale and ends on a C. Now, sing it again, but this time, instead of ending on the last "you", end it on "to".

"...... Happy Birthday, dear Ro-ok, Happy Birthday, to....."

Notice how strongly your ear wants to go to "you"; to resolve. That is part of the "flavor" of a Major tonality.

Visualize the white keys on the piano keyboard again:

CDEFGABC(CDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABC etc.)

Now, instead of starting the scale on the "C", start it on the "D" and go up the keyboard to the "D" one octave higher: DEFGABCD

That is the first of the seven "modes"; Dorian mode. It is a mode very commonly used in Jazz with its own distinct "flavor"; different from Major and every other mode. It has its unique "flavor" due to the mathematical relationships of the notes within that particular scale and the subsequently weaker or stronger aural "pulls" to each note of that scale as compared to Major and the other modes.

Jazz tune in Dorian mode:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DEC8nqT6Rrk