Tonight i listened to the Avett Brothers and The Decemberists live from SXSW in Austin streaming on NPR. I also got up to the minute Twitter feeds, and chatted in the NPR chat room. I loved listening to the commentary from Bob and Robin after the double encore. They played the entirety of their new album, and then 2 encores. The crowd just wouldn't let them go, and the chat room folks listening online didn't want the show to end either.
Awesomeness.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thoughts and anticipation: "4 days of total sensory overload"
The folks at NPR put together the Austin 100. A list of their favorites, of songs they would listen to again. It's part of a new continuous mix of 100 favs they'll keep current. What a great time and event to launch the initiative. Beautifully, some of the songs are also available as MP3s on the SXSW website!
Bob Boilen and Stephen Thomas rock my socks. I love how excited they get when they talk about it.
(on a random note, I just noticed that NPR Music and iTunes have almost the same color background.
A list of old favorites, new interests, and names I like.
Personal Old Standbys (some new-ish folk that have been on my radar much longer than others)
The Decemberists
The Avett Brothers
Thao Ngyuen with the Get Down Stay Down, surprisingly discovered by my roommate when one of their songs was a song of the day on MPR (minnesota)
Phosphorescent one of Eric's recommendations last year
Okkervil River
Beach House
M. Ward, caught my eye while working with another favorite, the beautiful and talented Zooey Deschanel
Been around a while, but not as familiar with
Laura Gibson
Nellie McKay
Bob Boilen and Stephen Thomas rock my socks. I love how excited they get when they talk about it.
(on a random note, I just noticed that NPR Music and iTunes have almost the same color background.
A list of old favorites, new interests, and names I like.
Personal Old Standbys (some new-ish folk that have been on my radar much longer than others)
The Decemberists
The Avett Brothers
Thao Ngyuen with the Get Down Stay Down, surprisingly discovered by my roommate when one of their songs was a song of the day on MPR (minnesota)
Phosphorescent one of Eric's recommendations last year
Okkervil River
Beach House
M. Ward, caught my eye while working with another favorite, the beautiful and talented Zooey Deschanel
Been around a while, but not as familiar with
Laura Gibson
Nellie McKay
Friday, March 13, 2009
It's that time of year...
South by South West!!!!!!!
This is the who's who of new music. I'd love to have a press pass one day for this festival.
Although SxSW is a series of interactive multimedia festivals, the big even for me is obviously the music festival. Since I'm an almost religious follower of NPR music, and a fan of Bob Boilen and his radio show cohorts who host a special every year on NPR.org I'm more diligent in listening and scoping this year.
So I'll be reporting on my favorites that are coming through the tube.
This is the who's who of new music. I'd love to have a press pass one day for this festival.
Although SxSW is a series of interactive multimedia festivals, the big even for me is obviously the music festival. Since I'm an almost religious follower of NPR music, and a fan of Bob Boilen and his radio show cohorts who host a special every year on NPR.org I'm more diligent in listening and scoping this year.
So I'll be reporting on my favorites that are coming through the tube.
Friday, March 6, 2009
If he has to reach way down...
Upgrade!
I'm learning to be internet and computer savvy bit by bit.
Todays lesson is adding audio to a blog.
We'll see how this goes.
Jesus Will Pick You Up | Upload Music
Ok so now that we have successfully embedded music, I'll tell you a bit about it.
This is a group of ladies, including my friends Nell, her daughter Hasee, my sister and myself. But the bulk of the group, including the leader consists of the Bellamy Sisters. A group of 9 sisters born and raised write where I was. They belong to a family of 14 all told.
I posted this because southern roots music has been on my mind. And this is a fine example that it is still alive and kicking just as much as bluegrass is.
I'm learning to be internet and computer savvy bit by bit.
Todays lesson is adding audio to a blog.
We'll see how this goes.
Jesus Will Pick You Up | Upload Music
Ok so now that we have successfully embedded music, I'll tell you a bit about it.
This is a group of ladies, including my friends Nell, her daughter Hasee, my sister and myself. But the bulk of the group, including the leader consists of the Bellamy Sisters. A group of 9 sisters born and raised write where I was. They belong to a family of 14 all told.
I posted this because southern roots music has been on my mind. And this is a fine example that it is still alive and kicking just as much as bluegrass is.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Popular World Music: More Hip Hop and Rap
Brazil
A Filial
Found these guys while listening to The World Cafe on NPR. The discussion about their geographical placement is interesting.
The Brazilian government has also invested in the life of the countries hip hop culture.
Read the story in the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/arts/music/14gil.html
A Filial
Found these guys while listening to The World Cafe on NPR. The discussion about their geographical placement is interesting.
The Brazilian government has also invested in the life of the countries hip hop culture.
Read the story in the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/arts/music/14gil.html
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Popular World Music: Hip Hop and Rap in France and Germany
I think what I wanted more of in my ethnomusicology class was more discussion about popular music in other cultures and not just the indigenous, classical or folk music.
I was listening to a neat performance on NPR that sparked me Googling French rap/hip hop and R&B.
I found various videos on YouTube including some playlists people had made of their favorite French rap videos.
Artists I came across were Kaysha, La Brigade, K-Reen, and several others.
Read more on Wikipedia.
While there is some presence of promiscuous sexuality in the videos and lyrics. It appears that most rappers tend to gravitate towards social and political issues in their songs.
Another think I found interesting between French and German rap is that the leading German rappers are white. In France, they are actually black. You can see and hear a little bit of the difference in the French and American, because the black culture in France is different from that in the US. On the other side of that German rap is almost identical except for the white artist part.
Below are a few of the videos I found most interesting.
Kaysha and K-Reen. Notice K-Reen (the female) and her clothing. That would never appear in the US. But that is juxtaposed with the very American styling for the scene with Kaysha. He has the "look" and the dancers and the car. Very typical of the American style.
La Brigade, very politically charged with strong visual images. Even if you don't understand the words, the message is pretty clear in the sound and the video.
Over the past few semesters in my German class with the much loved Mirko Hall, we were not only introduced to the language but also contemporary culture.
This included several showings of videos by top rappers in Germany. Mainly Sido and B-Tight.
The first videos ars of Sido, the top selling rapper in Germany. He's famous for this odd mask he wears.
Next is B-Tight. Warning this one is a little racy. B-tight is like Barack Obama, he is "mullato." Neither fully black nor white.
The embedding for all the B-Tight videos has been disabled by Aggro Records. So here is the link. Ich bin's
Ok. there you have a crash course...
I was listening to a neat performance on NPR that sparked me Googling French rap/hip hop and R&B.
I found various videos on YouTube including some playlists people had made of their favorite French rap videos.
Artists I came across were Kaysha, La Brigade, K-Reen, and several others.
Read more on Wikipedia.
While there is some presence of promiscuous sexuality in the videos and lyrics. It appears that most rappers tend to gravitate towards social and political issues in their songs.
Another think I found interesting between French and German rap is that the leading German rappers are white. In France, they are actually black. You can see and hear a little bit of the difference in the French and American, because the black culture in France is different from that in the US. On the other side of that German rap is almost identical except for the white artist part.
Below are a few of the videos I found most interesting.
Kaysha and K-Reen. Notice K-Reen (the female) and her clothing. That would never appear in the US. But that is juxtaposed with the very American styling for the scene with Kaysha. He has the "look" and the dancers and the car. Very typical of the American style.
La Brigade, very politically charged with strong visual images. Even if you don't understand the words, the message is pretty clear in the sound and the video.
Over the past few semesters in my German class with the much loved Mirko Hall, we were not only introduced to the language but also contemporary culture.
This included several showings of videos by top rappers in Germany. Mainly Sido and B-Tight.
The first videos ars of Sido, the top selling rapper in Germany. He's famous for this odd mask he wears.
Next is B-Tight. Warning this one is a little racy. B-tight is like Barack Obama, he is "mullato." Neither fully black nor white.
The embedding for all the B-Tight videos has been disabled by Aggro Records. So here is the link. Ich bin's
Ok. there you have a crash course...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Brief Update.
My photographs are up on The Lovell Sister's website.
They'll be performing along side all the big guns at both Merlefest and Bonnaroo this year!!!
http://www.lovellsistersband.com/photos/live-shots
4th row: second from left,
5th row: 1st pic,
6th row: 1st and last pics,
7th row: first pic
They'll be performing along side all the big guns at both Merlefest and Bonnaroo this year!!!
http://www.lovellsistersband.com/photos/live-shots
4th row: second from left,
5th row: 1st pic,
6th row: 1st and last pics,
7th row: first pic
Thoughts on writing a research paper in 20 days
My advice to future professional musicians is simply to choose wisely.
As you go through your musical training, just as you do in life, really listen to what you gut, mind, and heart are telling you about what you are doing artistically. If you find yourself contemplating other majors, or trying to figure out what else you can be doing, don't feel pressured to always remain in what you're doing because people tell you that you can.
I spent 3 years with a voice teacher who kept telling me I could have a big career if I wanted it.
That's great and fabulous news. Right?
Well, yes. If you want to be an opera singer.
I tried it. I did some work on actual operas, preparing a role, working on some scenes. I did well with it, but simultaneously I was always online exploring other concentrations in music and the arts in general.
I didn't listen to myself early enough. I kept feeling pressured to pursue performance, and ignored what my gut was telling me.
So...here I am, having made the decision just a few months ago to become a musicologist rather than a singer, writing a 12-page research paper in 20 days
Here are some thoughts on that experience and what I've learned.
Exploit your resources. This sounds "wrong," but trust me it's not as bad as it sounds. Use your librarian's knowledge, and scourer the brain of your professors for information and ideas.
Make a rough schedule, and try to be as reasonable about your free time, and try to stick with the plan.
Make sure you're in a class and frontload the paper. This way you have a professor as a resource, and an ever-growing abundance on the time period you choose. The bonus is that you're done with your paper when everyone else is flipping out near exam time.
Focus your topic as you research. If it's a time period you aren't as familiar with. Start reading as much as you can and take notes. Be sure to write down the bibliographical information of the sources you use. As you take notes and get ideas, keep track of where your info is coming from. This will help later when you are documenting and formatting.
Don't misplace that style manual you were required to buy freshman year. Make sure it stays on your shelf every year.
And work a little bit whenever you have free time.
As you go through your musical training, just as you do in life, really listen to what you gut, mind, and heart are telling you about what you are doing artistically. If you find yourself contemplating other majors, or trying to figure out what else you can be doing, don't feel pressured to always remain in what you're doing because people tell you that you can.
I spent 3 years with a voice teacher who kept telling me I could have a big career if I wanted it.
That's great and fabulous news. Right?
Well, yes. If you want to be an opera singer.
I tried it. I did some work on actual operas, preparing a role, working on some scenes. I did well with it, but simultaneously I was always online exploring other concentrations in music and the arts in general.
I didn't listen to myself early enough. I kept feeling pressured to pursue performance, and ignored what my gut was telling me.
So...here I am, having made the decision just a few months ago to become a musicologist rather than a singer, writing a 12-page research paper in 20 days
Here are some thoughts on that experience and what I've learned.
Exploit your resources. This sounds "wrong," but trust me it's not as bad as it sounds. Use your librarian's knowledge, and scourer the brain of your professors for information and ideas.
Make a rough schedule, and try to be as reasonable about your free time, and try to stick with the plan.
Make sure you're in a class and frontload the paper. This way you have a professor as a resource, and an ever-growing abundance on the time period you choose. The bonus is that you're done with your paper when everyone else is flipping out near exam time.
Focus your topic as you research. If it's a time period you aren't as familiar with. Start reading as much as you can and take notes. Be sure to write down the bibliographical information of the sources you use. As you take notes and get ideas, keep track of where your info is coming from. This will help later when you are documenting and formatting.
Don't misplace that style manual you were required to buy freshman year. Make sure it stays on your shelf every year.
And work a little bit whenever you have free time.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Like A Version
I spent sometime over the weekend with my friend Kaung exchanging favorite YouTube videos and exploring our iTunes libraries. I found myself sharing lots of covers of songs.
A list:
"When Doves Cry" (Prince cover) Damien Rice
A beautiful cover. Rice's voice has so much depth and emotion it brings a new color and meaning to the piece
"A Case of You" (Joni Mitchell cover) Prince
He leaves out the first verse. My favorite verse, but his classic falsetto really makes the song his own.
"Sweet Home Alabama" (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover) The Leningrad Cowboys
Just funny. Worth a view on YouTube. Europeans are strange. They're so good, but I don't think they'd survive working in the U.S.
"Teardrop" (Massive Attack cover) and "Heartbeats" (The Knife cover) Jose Gonzales
Gonzales is a highly skilled guitarist from Sweden. He has two arrangements of pop electronica songs.
"The One I Love" (R.E.M. cover) and "Free Man in Paris" (Joni Mitchell) Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan rocks, and folks.
"Lithium" (Nirvana cover) The Polyphonic Spree
Note for note this cover is almost dead on, except for the fact that there are a choir of voices rather than Kurt Cobain.
"Irreplaceable" (Beyonce cover) Sugarland
At one of the music awards shows last year. Almost better than the original, even when Beyonce herself came out to join them. On YouTube as well.
"Sadie Hawkins Dance" (Reliant K cover) The Bluegrass Tribute
Silly.
"Jolene" (Dolly Parton cover) The White Stripes
Just fun.
A list:
"When Doves Cry" (Prince cover) Damien Rice
A beautiful cover. Rice's voice has so much depth and emotion it brings a new color and meaning to the piece
"A Case of You" (Joni Mitchell cover) Prince
He leaves out the first verse. My favorite verse, but his classic falsetto really makes the song his own.
"Sweet Home Alabama" (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover) The Leningrad Cowboys
Just funny. Worth a view on YouTube. Europeans are strange. They're so good, but I don't think they'd survive working in the U.S.
"Teardrop" (Massive Attack cover) and "Heartbeats" (The Knife cover) Jose Gonzales
Gonzales is a highly skilled guitarist from Sweden. He has two arrangements of pop electronica songs.
"The One I Love" (R.E.M. cover) and "Free Man in Paris" (Joni Mitchell) Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan rocks, and folks.
"Lithium" (Nirvana cover) The Polyphonic Spree
Note for note this cover is almost dead on, except for the fact that there are a choir of voices rather than Kurt Cobain.
"Irreplaceable" (Beyonce cover) Sugarland
At one of the music awards shows last year. Almost better than the original, even when Beyonce herself came out to join them. On YouTube as well.
"Sadie Hawkins Dance" (Reliant K cover) The Bluegrass Tribute
Silly.
"Jolene" (Dolly Parton cover) The White Stripes
Just fun.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Back! I'm going to revive and maintain
I had the most amazing weekend.
Thursday night I went up to Asheville to The Grey Eagle. I got to see The Lovell Sisters. Their band is made up of 3 sisters all under the age of 25, and some younger than 20, plus a guitar player and bassist.
I also got to see Asheville's own Kellin Watson along with her band and friends Zach John Blew, whose twin identical I later embarrassed myself in front of, and Tania Elizabeth of The Duhks.
The Duhks played a killer set on Thursday night. It was supposed to be a "seated" show. But Leonard Podolak, banjo player and preverbal glue for the band, managed to quickly get everyone on their feet. By the end of the night the audience had removed all the chairs in the front along with couches so they could stand and dance.
Afterwards I got to meet both Leonard and lead singer Sarah Dugas (she's french canadian...doo-gah). They were so sweet. I told them I would be there for the Friday night show too and that I was bringing family.
Friday night at The Neighborhood Theater the floor was already set for people to stand and dance. (someone learned) I stood stage left again so I could see Leonard and Sarah. I was able to get great pictures all night. I didn't have the space at The Grey Eagle.
At the end Leonard made a thanking, bowing gesture to me from the stage and mouthed "thank you for coming again." He almost walked off the stage where there were no steps. We had a little quiet giggle.
I introduced my dad and uncle, got to chat with all of the band and have them sign my t-shirt.
A few my photographs from the weekend that I am so proud of. View the rest on my Flickr
I also met The Lovell Sisters. Jessica gave me her email so that I could send her my pictures.
Thursday night I went up to Asheville to The Grey Eagle. I got to see The Lovell Sisters. Their band is made up of 3 sisters all under the age of 25, and some younger than 20, plus a guitar player and bassist.
I also got to see Asheville's own Kellin Watson along with her band and friends Zach John Blew, whose twin identical I later embarrassed myself in front of, and Tania Elizabeth of The Duhks.
The Duhks played a killer set on Thursday night. It was supposed to be a "seated" show. But Leonard Podolak, banjo player and preverbal glue for the band, managed to quickly get everyone on their feet. By the end of the night the audience had removed all the chairs in the front along with couches so they could stand and dance.
Afterwards I got to meet both Leonard and lead singer Sarah Dugas (she's french canadian...doo-gah). They were so sweet. I told them I would be there for the Friday night show too and that I was bringing family.
Friday night at The Neighborhood Theater the floor was already set for people to stand and dance. (someone learned) I stood stage left again so I could see Leonard and Sarah. I was able to get great pictures all night. I didn't have the space at The Grey Eagle.
At the end Leonard made a thanking, bowing gesture to me from the stage and mouthed "thank you for coming again." He almost walked off the stage where there were no steps. We had a little quiet giggle.
I introduced my dad and uncle, got to chat with all of the band and have them sign my t-shirt.
A few my photographs from the weekend that I am so proud of. View the rest on my Flickr
I also met The Lovell Sisters. Jessica gave me her email so that I could send her my pictures.
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