I contribute by breaking every "minstrel" cd I can find.

While this sounds like a good thing in a way, as it helps educate folks, why does 'black music' (whatever the hell that is) have to be thrown into its own special 'ghetto', as if it exists in a vacuum from, er, 'white music'??

Yes, black musicians often don't get the recognition of their white counterparts, but why is it ok to have a 'black music' month, but if Bush was running a 'white music' month, he'd be seen as a racist good ole' boy??

Imo music has NO COLOUR, it is and has always been the sound of integration in action, and this amounts to yet more segregation ...

While this sounds like a good thing in a way, as it helps educate folks, why does 'black music' (whatever the hell that is) have to be thrown into its own special 'ghetto', as if it exists in a vacuum from, er, 'white music'??

Yes, black musicians often don't get the recognition of their white counterparts, but why is it ok to have a 'black music' month, but if Bush was running a 'white music' month, he'd be seen as a racist good ole' boy??

Imo music has NO COLOUR, it is and has always been the sound of integration in action, and this amounts to yet more segregation ...

Miles said:

Because throughout history in America there's been this thing called "racism" that has held beack and oppressed people of color in every aspect of American life, music being one of them. Most notably of how it needs to be pointed out just how much blacks have shaped the world and culture of music.

"White music month" doesn't need to be showcased in a society where whites aren't oppressed from a history of racism. There contributions are ALWAYS made sure to be out there front and center, even if they are falsely presented that way.

So why it's great in theory to say "Music has no color" but we all know that isn't true.

Miles said:

Because throughout history in America there's been this thing called "racism" that has held beack and oppressed people of color in every aspect of American life, music being one of them. Most notably of how it needs to be pointed out just how much blacks have shaped the world and culture of music.

"White music month" doesn't need to be showcased in a society where whites aren't oppressed from a history of racism. There contributions are ALWAYS made sure to be out there front and center, even if they are falsely presented that way.

So why it's great in theory to say "Music has no color" but we all know that isn't true.

Spotlight for today: Doo Wop:
A form of R&B based harmony vocalizing using phonetic or nonsense syllables (like a repeated "doo-wop") for rhythm and intricate harmonic arrangements

The Evolution of Doo Wop

1948 - 1951 Vocal groups were jazz or rhythm and blues oriented. Nonsense syllables and falsetto were used. Adult themes

1952 The birth of the vocal arrangement and over all feel of rhythm and blues. Blow harmonies and nonsense syllables, use of falsetto to run over tenor leads. suggestive in up tempo innocent love.

1954 Influenced by existing groups. Harmonies are tight and sweet, lead singers not as smooth. Leads alternate between tenor and "falsetto" run above in song ballads and trail off in jump tunes. Bass is given more voice then just background harmony. Nonsense syllables in most songs, but subdued in ballads. Themes are young and of young love. Suggestive lyrics are rare.



Characteristics of Doo Wop

1. Vocal Group Harmony

2. Wide Range of Voices (lead, first tenor (falsetto), second tenor, baritone bass)

3. Nonsense Syllables

4. Simple Beat and Light Instrumentation

5. Simple Music and Lyrics

1954 was a year of transition of the vocal sound, from the adult oriented rhythm and blues to "amateurish" street corner doo wop.

Doo Wop was an urban North sound that has been romanticized as having been born on the street corner. The truth is that these teenagers first musical experiences were in the home and\or black church Most of the these groups began during high school and were of bonding experience. The members were typical teenagers, socially awkward and shy, trying to impress the girls. They formed groups consisting of 4-6 individuals where each knew their role and part within the group

Like teenagers they were carefree, into what made them happy at the moment and often irresponsible. Knowing very little about the world around them and the groups were easily led and ended up making these mistakes:

1. They overly trusted their contacts to the record company.
2. Believed labels owner that told them his name would be listed as the composer because it would be more recognizable to the deejays. This caused the lost of mechanical royalties.
3. Agreed to be paid by session rather then by number of records.
4. Money would come from tours. The fact was they were paid very little.
5. Signed contracts that allowed record companies to pay studio and promotional costs out of artists royalties.
6. Gave the companies rights to the original songs.
7. Split 50\50 with their managers
8. Did big rock shows for free.
9. Groups often paid to be on big TV shows
10. Later this practice would be stopped and the acts received per union scale.

11. Many times they were required to give the check back before the performance and the one received after was much smaller. Little Joey and the Flips, recounted how this had happened to them 1958 and 1962 when they appeared on "American Bandstand"

It is ironic that the little companies, that had much to gain by their success, were the villains. Many of these groups would have survived if they hadn't been cheated of mechanical and performance rights
[Edited 6/6/07 19:43pm]

Afronomical said:

Very well said. Black music in all it's genres...is universal.
[Edited 6/6/07 19:07pm]

Miles said:

Because throughout history in America there's been this thing called "racism" that has held beack and oppressed people of color in every aspect of American life, music being one of them. Most notably of how it needs to be pointed out just how much blacks have shaped the world and culture of music.

"White music month" doesn't need to be showcased in a society where whites aren't oppressed from a history of racism. There contributions are ALWAYS made sure to be out there front and center, even if they are falsely presented that way.

So why it's great in theory to say "Music has no color" but we all know that isn't true.

Afronomical said:

To an extent, I agree. But try to tell that to kvr.com. Most of the white guys over at those forums are STILL in denied.

Okay, since we are celebrating Black Music Month, here some myspace links to some wonderful Black female artists:


SKYE[/b
]Singer/Songwriter - has written songs for many movies like Along Came Polly; Be Cool; One Night at McCool's; Suicide Kings; Mambo Italiano;Very Bad Things;The Family Man, just to name a few. Her current Album is "Mind How You Go". I love her track "Love Shows"...go check out her myspace page.

www.myspace.com/myskyesite



-----
[b]BILLY MILES
- Singer/Songwriter - has a unique sultry/jazzy/blues sound. Now although Billy holds her own sound, I can't help that her voice sort of reminds you of Billy Holiday/Eartha Kit. Her voice also reminds me of female singer/artist Ms. Jack Davey from the group J*Davey. I love Billy's tracks tracks "A Friend Like You and "Disrespected". Visit her myspace page to check out her sound.


www.myspace.com/billymilesmusic






-----

IMANI UZURI
A very powerful and dynamic singer;also songwriter. Her current album "Holy Water;A Black Girl's Rock Opera, can be described as "Black Rock" mixed with some classical, operatic and soulful vibes. I saw her perform live 3 months ago at a college music festival, and her voice just blew me away as it resonated through the walls. Her album is basically intertwined with stories from her childhood. Her voice has been compared to Nina Simone/Grace Jones. I enjoyed listening to her perform "Alone" and "Her Holy Water" check out her myspace page at:

www.myspace.com/herholywater



-----


KAREN BERNOD - This neo-soul artist from Brooklyn will have you on your feet. I saw her perform at Joe's Pub in NYC last year and was very pleased by what I heard. Her current album is called "Life @ 360 Degrees" You can visit her myspace page at:

www.myspace.com/karenbernod



-----



ALICE SMITH:What can I say? This singer/songwriter has an awesome voice. Her track "Dream" is a winner as well as her other track "Do I", which is one of my favorites. Her song "Dream" has also been played by DJ Rashida at Club 3121 Vegas. You can visit her myspace page at:

www.myspace.com/alicesmith





-----


MAYA AZUCENA
This Brooklyn born singer has a voice mixed with soul/hiphop/jazz/blues. My favorite track is "Junkyard Jewel" which is the name of her current acoustic album . You can visit her myspace page at:

www.myspace.com/mayaazucena


[Edited 6/7/07 8:35am]

Wow, I've really opened a Pandora's box here!

I stand by my earlier points, but will add that my opinions are informed by the ideas of racial equality and integration of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, the greatest American civil rights campaigner of the 20th century. African American-influenced music is my favourate music, in all its forms, from ragtime and blues onwards, but I am not blind to history.

I am not an American, so I have a cooler outsider's view, but I have studied American history and the struggles of the African Americans in a white-dominated society, which is why I viewed this new 'black music' event with mixed feelings, as, without going over the top (it is only a cultural/ educational event after all), it truly smacks of segregation to me.

I'm certainly not saying there SHOULD be a 'white music month', but if the boot was on the other foot, and there was one, how come that would be racist, when surely having any musical event based on something as superficial as skin colour is simplistic and verging on racist. Black American musical achievement almost certainly exceeds that of any other group in the US, and I'm well aware of the mainly black origins of doo-wop, gospel, rock n' roll and so on, and give full respect to all artists, known and unknown, involved.

But no music that developed in America can be truly said to have originated only by blacks, or only by whites, or only by any other group for that matter. America was built by all the different and similar peoples that went there, for better and for worse; some just get more credit than others, and this 'black music month' sounds like it was made up by folks on Capitol Hill and in the White House (pun intended) chasing votes in the upcoming presidential election, who don't understand their own history. Now if they were running a 'jazz month', or a 'soul/ gospel month', I could understand it more. In fact, I'd vote for a 'Funk Month', or a national holiday on James Brown's birthday, like Stevie Wonder helped get for MLK. All these are recognised musical types, and don't reinforce racial stereotypes that 'white music is over here, and that black music is over here'. This 'black music month' reminds me a little of the old 'Coloreds Entrance Round Back' problem in the south not so long ago.


Take jazz, as an example. Jazz is not an black African music, it is a mainly African-American-created music, which is a very different thing. Jazz has mostly African American-derived rhythms and melodies (with the so-called 'latin tinge'from the Carribean referred to by Jelly Roll Morton), combined with European melody and harmonic theory. Imo, the vast majority of its truly great artists were black (or mainly black or mixed race, to be pedantic, as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis certainly had Native American ancestry, Charles Mingus was part Japanese and Jelly Roll was a Creole, but these facts are rarely mentioned).

Louis Armstrong quoted from opera arias in his solos, Duke Ellington was an admirer of Stravinsky and was greatly influenced by European classical composers as well as by black American musicians; in the 1890s- early 1900s, when Jim Crow hit New Orleans, the Creole musicians (who never wanted to considered black) were no longer allowed to play in white orchestras, so they had to go 'downtown' and mix with the often poorer blacks, and the Creoles brought a more 'sophisticated' knowledge of harmony and general music theory from their European classical training that fed into the virtuosity of jazz to come.

Country music, much hated round here, has very strong blues influences, as well as British/ Irish folk music influences, and used to be sung by artists black and white. Little Richard called country the 'white man's blues'.

I sometimes hear about white artists 'stealing' music from black artists; well, if so, it better cut both ways, cos by that logic, if Elvis 'stole' the blues
from Howlin' Wolf, then Bernie Worrell in P-Funk sure as hell 'stole' his classical organ technique from JS Bach, and Bernie don't need to give it back imo.

I'm not saying any of this to take away or deny black achievements or struggles, just to say that America is and always has been a multi-racial society, by accident and design, and music has always been a great way to educate and integrate different groups, regardless of skin tone and past history.

Imo, no race or group can 'own' sound, because as soon as you catch it in your hands or ears, it's gone and hit someone else across the street, and they might have a whole new way of hearing it or playin' it.

Peace and respect to all.
[Edited 6/7/07 5:39am]

Wow, I've really opened a Pandora's box here!

I stand by my earlier points, but will add that my opinions are informed by the ideas of racial equality and integration of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, the greatest American civil rights campaigner of the 20th century. African American-influenced music is my favourate music, in all its forms, from ragtime and blues onwards, but I am not blind to history.

I am not an American, so I have a cooler outsider's view, but I have studied American history and the struggles of the African Americans in a white-dominated society, which is why I viewed this new 'black music' event with mixed feelings, as, without going over the top (it is only a cultural/ educational event after all), it truly smacks of segregation to me.

I'm certainly not saying there SHOULD be a 'white music month', but if the boot was on the other foot, and there was one, how come that would be racist, when surely having any musical event based on something as superficial as skin colour is simplistic and verging on racist. Black American musical achievement almost certainly exceeds that of any other group in the US, and I'm well aware of the mainly black origins of doo-wop, gospel, rock n' roll and so on, and give full respect to all artists, known and unknown, involved.

But no music that developed in America can be truly said to have originated only by blacks, or only by whites, or only by any other group for that matter. America was built by all the different and similar peoples that went there, for better and for worse; some just get more credit than others, and this 'black music month' sounds like it was made up by folks on Capitol Hill and in the White House (pun intended) chasing votes in the upcoming presidential election, who don't understand their own history. Now if they were running a 'jazz month', or a 'soul/ gospel month', I could understand it more. In fact, I'd vote for a 'Funk Month', or a national holiday on James Brown's birthday, like Stevie Wonder helped get for MLK. All these are recognised musical types, and don't reinforce racial stereotypes that 'white music is over here, and that black music is over here'. This 'black music month' reminds me a little of the old 'Coloreds Entrance Round Back' problem in the south not so long ago.


Take jazz, as an example. Jazz is not an black African music, it is a mainly African-American-created music, which is a very different thing. Jazz has mostly African American-derived rhythms and melodies (with the so-called 'latin tinge'from the Carribean referred to by Jelly Roll Morton), combined with European melody and harmonic theory. Imo, the vast majority of its truly great artists were black (or mainly black or mixed race, to be pedantic, as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis certainly had Native American ancestry, Charles Mingus was part Japanese and Jelly Roll was a Creole, but these facts are rarely mentioned).

Louis Armstrong quoted from opera arias in his solos, Duke Ellington was an admirer of Stravinsky and was greatly influenced by European classical composers as well as by black American musicians; in the 1890s- early 1900s, when Jim Crow hit New Orleans, the Creole musicians (who never wanted to considered black) were no longer allowed to play in white orchestras, so they had to go 'downtown' and mix with the often poorer blacks, and the Creoles brought a more 'sophisticated' knowledge of harmony and general music theory from their European classical training that fed into the virtuosity of jazz to come.

Country music, much hated round here, has very strong blues influences, as well as British/ Irish folk music influences, and used to be sung by artists black and white. Little Richard called country the 'white man's blues'.

I sometimes hear about white artists 'stealing' music from black artists; well, if so, it better cut both ways, cos by that logic, if Elvis 'stole' the blues
from Howlin' Wolf, then Bernie Worrell in P-Funk sure as hell 'stole' his classical organ technique from JS Bach, and Bernie don't need to give it back imo.

I'm not saying any of this to take away or deny black achievements or struggles, just to say that America is and always has been a multi-racial society, by accident and design, and music has always been a great way to educate and integrate different groups, regardless of skin tone and past history.

Imo, no race or group can 'own' sound, because as soon as you catch it in your hands or ears, it's gone and hit someone else across the street, and they might have a whole new way of hearing it or playin' it.

Peace and respect to all.
[Edited 6/7/07 5:39am]