Ken Burns Country Music History

Another thing about any music to consider is the shelf life. Some music seems to be "good" only within the time frame it was first produced and in the genre it falls into. Some music is relevant over long stretches of time and crosses genres. Sometimes it's the original artist that makes a tune good by the talent they project but more often it is the material itself, although the original artist may do a piece best and be remembered for it.

There are a lot of popular songs that seem to have very similar music with only the words changing. Country music seems pretty guilty in that regard. The "three cords and the heart" goal. Episodes in the TV series history make no bones about how various early successful country singers borrowed music from earlier successful singers and just put different words to the music. Over the history of popular music not only is most of the music nearly identical but in country music the accepted voice twang of the singer seems to be by prescription an extra drag on longevity. The rhyme of the lyrics leaves only a thin thread for longevity.

@BigDub said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

Clarify please: if you don’t like a certain kind of music that means you don’t understand it?
Its simple, the ego gets in the way and the ears go closed. To listen without prejudice is very difficult at least it is for most

2.Does that apply to other things?
I don't understand but I'd say probably not.

3.At this time I would have to respectfully disagree.
How do you disagree with how I personally approach listening to music? No offense but I'll go on being me.

4.I understand rap. Enuf said.
Understanding and enjoying are not necessarily the same thing. If I were to ask you your 7 favorite rappers that's on your playlist...…..
The entry is my personal experience and approach to listening to music. If someone doesn't like a genre of music, I've not a dog in that fight. From my perspective, music is out there for us to enjoy. We have to go to it, it will not come to us but when we do take the time to go to it, then we can reap the benefits of it. From Rap to Retro, to techno, you name it.
I've met and performed with more world class musicians than I can count who wouldn't listen to country or Rap if their lives depended on it. Do I care? Not much but developing the ears to listen to a wide range of sounds only gives the musician more of an arsenal especially if the person is a composer or improviser. Think how much bigger their tool box of ideas would be if they let other genres into their ears.

@Niner said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

So what do you think about Rap? What's Rap telling you?

Oh My! That's a very broad question. The song can range to being oppressed, to being in love, talking about sex, to the loss of someone to something even comedic.
That's like asking me "What's jazz telling me? Really broad.

@Kehaulani said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

I personally like, among others, advanced avant guarde music

I still can't get my head wrapped around Ornette Coleman but I still try. Every now and then I'll listen but for now, I don't get it. Then again, I am a work in progress. With my luck, 24 hours before I die, I'll be listening to Ornette and finally get it.

Kehaulani

@Dr-Mark said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

I still can't get my head wrapped around Ornette Coleman but I still try. Every now and then I'll listen but for now, I don't get it.

A hint, and maybe you know it already: Ornette's basically just Charlie Parker with melodic vs. a harmonic direction. Throw some blues into the mix. I can't even call him atonal, more just keyless.

I've seen him a couple of times and, for me, it was often stretches of nothing great, in particular, and then he'd play a lick that was drop-dead astounding. One just has to listen to him melodically, at least to my ears. Well. I guess it also helps to be oriented to "New Thing" music.

Youtube Video

Penderecki, Stockhausen, Berio etc. don't bother me at all and I guess this makes listening to Coleman easier. I still can't get into Cecil Taylor and Peter Brotzman is borderline.

BigDub

@Dr-Mark said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

@BigDub said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

Clarify please: if you don’t like a certain kind of music that means you don’t understand it?
Its simple, the ego gets in the way and the ears go closed. To listen without prejudice is very difficult at least it is for most

2.Does that apply to other things?
I don't understand but I'd say probably not.

3.At this time I would have to respectfully disagree.
How do you disagree with how I personally approach listening to music? No offense but I'll go on being me.

4.I understand rap. Enuf said.
Understanding and enjoying are not necessarily the same thing. If I were to ask you your 7 favorite rappers that's on your playlist...…..
The entry is my personal experience and approach to listening to music. If someone doesn't like a genre of music, I've not a dog in that fight. From my perspective, music is out there for us to enjoy. We have to go to it, it will not come to us but when we do take the time to go to it, then we can reap the benefits of it. From Rap to Retro, to techno, you name it.
I've met and performed with more world class musicians than I can count who wouldn't listen to country or Rap if their lives depended on it. Do I care? Not much but developing the ears to listen to a wide range of sounds only gives the musician more of an arsenal especially if the person is a composer or improviser. Think how much bigger their tool box of ideas would be if they let other genres into their ears.

I guess I was under the impression that your statement was more universal than personal. I get that, then.
Also, I’m not sure I want to take a comprehensive course on Rap to the degree that I will fully understand it and all the performers names and works,,,,,
I wasn’t trying to be combative about it so if that was the impression, my apologies.

Holy S***! Kehaulani
I get it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!
Faces & Places makes sense.
Not long ago I came up with a methodology called S.H.I. which stands for Spontaneous Harmonic Improvisation which seems to fall somewhat in line with Faces and Places. Basically the harmony section creates a backdrop which is created on the spot and the soloist reacts to the patchwork harmony that's being created. I tell musicians that if we screw it up, the audience will add a "T" to the end of S.H.I. and that'll be the last time we do a gig there.
Man this is cool. You don't know how long I've been chasing Ornette.
I know its early but a celebratory drink is in order!
Thank you

@BigDub said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

I guess I was under the impression that your statement was more universal than personal. I get that, then.
Also, I’m not sure I want to take a comprehensive course on Rap to the degree that I will fully understand it and all the performers names and works,,,,,
I wasn’t trying to be combative about it so if that was the impression, my apologies.

Yes, it was a personal glimpse at my thought process through the years as it pertains to listening to music. Now days I'm a less testosterone filled guy with a DHC in his back pocket who is still discovering how much he doesn't know

Kehaulani

@Dr-Mark said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

I get it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!
Faces & Places makes sense.
Man this is cool. You don't know how long I've been chasing Ornette.

Anytime. "Space is the Place."

@Dr-Mark said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

@BigDub said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

I guess I was under the impression that your statement was more universal than personal. I get that, then.
Also, I’m not sure I want to take a comprehensive course on Rap to the degree that I will fully understand it and all the performers names and works,,,,,
I wasn’t trying to be combative about it so if that was the impression, my apologies.

Yes, it was a personal glimpse at my thought process through the years as it pertains to listening to music. Now days I'm a less testosterone filled guy with a DHC in his back pocket who is still discovering how much he doesn't know

I'll bite. What's a DHC that is in your back pocket?

@Niner said in Ken Burns Country Music History:

I'll bite. What's a DHC that is in your back pocket?

That's just me being lazy. DHC = Double High C

@Dr-Mark Oh.....good place for it.