Historian: Your views...thanks

[HL]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4jtWrv6vCE

[Historian]

I Love It!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4jtWrv6vCE

Beautiful, boss! Really beautiful!

HL, I can honestly say that I really like this “English Fireplace 1992” by Culture. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but this is the stuff that has made me an unapologetic reggae fan, and this particular recording demonstrates the sub-genre of reggae I have missed the most!

I had never heard this recording before, but it really is an enjoyable production. Early this morning I listened to it five times repeatedly, my cup of coffee beside me and a satisfied smile on my face! As in the case of the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble’s version of Dave Brubeck’s “Take 5”, posted by X a couple of years ago, I will be listening to this Culture recording repeatedly in the weeks and months to come.

I love the driving ska-influenced drum and bass rhythm in particular, and the drum mix. I have no idea who played the drums, as it could have been any one of our excellent drummers. (Have you noticed how the sound of the drums in popular music has changed today when compared with the 1980s and early 1990s?)

The haunting harmony by Joseph Hill and the other two guys is perfectly suitable for the theme of this song, “missing Jamaica.”

The keyboard introduction and the harmony in the second bar of the introduction reminds me of USA For Africa’s “We Are the World” (I suspect that’s where the idea for this intro came).

Now, HL, you see why I get so angry when I listen to today’s bastardized reggae (that is, 21st century dancehall)? We once had it all – a rhythm that the world grew to truly love, songwriters who generally wrote meaningful lyrics, and singers who often interpreted those themes and lyrics perfectly!

Of course, I agree that music, like everything else, inevitably evolves, but like R&B in the USA, our gift to the world has evolved downward into jabbering hogwash by artists who, in many cases, clearly should be involved in some other careers, and by (some) producers who should be banned for life from access to computers! My only consolation is that we are not alone, as our downward musical spiral parallels to an amazing extent that of the USA (although they at least still have country music and jazz holding their cultural banners high).

Think I’m joking about our past greatness?Just watch this YouTube video of Peter Tosh live, backed by one of the greatest aggregation of reggae musicians ever formed! This is my idea of what a truly great reggae performance is like. Sadly, those days are gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4e7kUgSQ00

[HL]

Historian; I would (venture) to list myself among the few music consumers who buy an Artist--and not just the popular songs by an artist.

I appreciate an artist for their body of work.

Time have changed, so I don't buy CD's as I used to. Most of my purchases are done through iTune. My point is, whenever I buy an album, I listen to every song by the artists. I get to know the "unpopular" songs by that artists. It is incredible how much is missed when we listen only to the main cuts.

Take for example Nina Simone. I find her body of work -- extermely incredible!! Her talent is way beyond her song "Young gifted and black".

Same applies with artist that i buy like, Culture, Israel Vibration, Ziggy Marley, Robert Cray, Miles Davis, O'Jays, Spinners, David Benoit............>>>>. et al. I listen to their entire works.

I recently down-loaded an album by Andrew Tosh (Peter's bwoy) called: Legacy--An Acoustic Tribute to Peter Tosh. Simply put, i was extremely impressed by this compilation. I am recommending it to you.

I was privileged to attend a concert with Word Sound and Power band as back-up for Andrew tosh. The band exudes talent!!

Here's what you said that made me laugh (seriously).

Of course, I agree that music, like everything else, inevitably evolves, but like R&B in the USA, our gift to the world has evolved downward into jabbering hogwash by artists who, in many cases, clearly should be involved in some other careers, and by (some) producers who should be banned for life from access to computers! ......

[And speaking about a sub-genre of reggae music. A lot of this exist. Ziggy Marley's work is one example].

Ever listen to Burning Spear "Estimated Prophet" ...a rendition to Jerry Garcia of the Greatful Dead classic of the same name and a song to the great Garcia himself.

Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDcvrJmaTPU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrpaOyfIIeY

[Historian]

Your Approach is the Most Sensible Way!

HL, I share your view (100%) about focusing on an artist rather than on popular songs. There are countless recordings that never became hits, but nevertheless are remarkable works of art!

ARTISTIC CREATIVITY vs COMMERCIAL SUCCESS
A principle that I adopted from my years as a teen when I first started collecting recorded music is this: If it is a hit, then it’s overly commercial music made for the simplistic musical tastes of the masses (something comparable on another level with our JLPNP messages). Obviously this view is NOT all correct, but when one looks at most hits – in particular since the 1990s (there goes my bias) – then my viewpoint makes more sense.

The bottom line is that Top 20 music is generally music made for commercial rather than genuinely artistic purposes. How else do you explain the success of people like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, and the countless other chart toppers?

Of course, there have been exceptions, as seen in the numerous cases where true artistic creativity happened to result in major hits. You mentioned a perfect example in Nina Simone’s “Young, Gifted and Black.” Nina was never about charts; she was a radical who had a message, and in the example you provided, the message, which I believe was directly influenced by that infamous church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, was accepted on a mass scale.

The many other examples of creativity that translated into major hits include the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Paul Simon’s “Graceland,” George Benson’s “Breezin’, ” Weather Report’s “Birdland,” Toto’s “Rosanna,” and so on. It is obvious that artistic creativity and experimentation were the main focus of these recordings, but fortunately for us all, they ended up becoming major hits.

The indisputable fact is that countless great works have never become hits one way or the other.

Later this evening, I will definitely listen to the Burning Spear link(s) you provided. I also intend to check out Andrew Tosh’s work.

WORD SOUND AND POWER
In the case of “Word, Sound and Power,” if you listened to the Peter Tosh live rendition of “Rastafari I” (that was the Youtube link I posted), recorded in Canada back in the early 1980s, you would have seen my favorite version of the Word, Sound and Power Band. The decades have passed, and so I’m 100 percent certain that those were NOT the musicians at the Andrew Tosh concert you attended.

My favorite incarnation of that band was the early 1980s version, seen on the Canadian performance of “Rastafari I”. In that early 1980s video, the most obvious changes are Carlton “Santa” Davis and George “Fully” Fullwood, who replaced Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare respectively. Other changes in that early 1980s version of the band included the American lead guitarist Donald Kinsey who replaced his fellow American Al Anderson, and rhythm guitarist Steve Golding who replaced, I believe, Mikey Chung.

[Mosiah]

You mentioned a perfect example in Nina Simone’s “Young, Gifted and Black.”

The many other examples of creativity that translated into major hits include the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Paul Simon’s “Graceland,” George Benson’s “Breezin’, ” Weather Report’s “Birdland,” Toto’s “Rosanna,” and so on. It is obvious that artistic creativity and experimentation were the main focus of these recordings, but fortunately for us all, they ended up becoming major hits.

You mentioned some names here that forced me to respond.

Nina Simone did a song called Feeling Good that was covered by Michael Buble to rave reviews. Buble certainly crushed it but it's nice to know who created it.

Reminds me of last year's big hit, The Weakness In Me, done by Keisha White. I thought that song was too well written and composed to be done by a Keisha White and so I checked it out. Surely enough, the original was by the great Joan Armatrading!

Paul Simon's Graceland is certainly one of my all-time favourite albums. Every song is a musical delight.

Most of us know Toto for Africa, which is a great song for sure. But, from the same album is Rosanna, which to me is a better musical treat, from start to finish. If I, a mere Champs medalist can appreciate the musical genius in that song, I can imagine what a musician like you, Historian, feel about it! Genius! It must be their best piece ever!

And since I see our musical tastes aren't so divergent, I think I will go and take a listen to those other songs you mentioned, like Birdland and Breezin.

Thanks!

[Historian]

And thanks for responding

You are certainly most welcome, boss.

I knew all along that, except in the case of 21st century dancehall, our musical tastes travel along very similar paths. I have read the many music comments you’ve made over the years, and I can say that, along with people like HL, Gamma, Sickko, X, and a couple of others, you quite obviously have an eclectic musical taste that focus on quality and creativity.

By the way, the superb drummer on “Rosanna” and“ Africa” (both from the same album, “Toto IV”), is the great Jeff Porcaro. I think that the death of Porcaro back in the early 1990s is a big, big loss to the musical world. Jeff, in my opinion, was a true genius, and probably the most outstanding member of Toto, although lead guitarist Steve Lukather and leader/keyboardist David Paich are also very outstanding musicians.

However, Porcaro’s replacement, British drummer Simon Phillips, is also a technically brilliant musician.

Regarding the jazz quartet Weather Report, here’s a link for a live 1978 version of “Birdland,” performed in Europe by Weather Report:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o

“Birdland,” which was written by Weather Report’s founder and keyboard player, the late synthesizer genius Joe Zawinul, is one of the greatest jazz classics of all time. Every jazz musician plays Birdland at some time or the other.

The half-naked bass player in this live video is another genius of modern music, the late Jaco Pastorious (who, I believe, was beaten up and killed by a nightclub bouncer sometime around the early to mid 1980s). Jaco was not only a brilliant bass player (regarded by many critics as being among the greatest of all times), but he was also a sometimes crazy, eccentric guy, and this in no small way contributed to his untimely death.

Jazz guitarist George Benson’s “Breezin’ ”is one of the biggest jazz hits of all times and the album and single that brought him squarely into the limelight. “Breezin’,” by the way, was written by Sam Cooke’s guitarist, Bobby Womack (I hope my memory is correct here).

Here’s a link for George Benson’s hit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rwHp34HR7Q

[Assasin]

You can't listen to her and not want to listen to another of her song. She is great live. You have singers and performers.

Nina is both.

[Mosiah]

Thanks for those links!

So Bobby Womack was a guitarist? Didn't know that!

[Gamma]

Actually I prefer the szabo/Womack version

[Historian]

Bobby Womack

Thanks for those links!

So Bobby Womack was a guitarist? Didn't know that!

You are welcome, boss.

Yep, Bobby Womack is bigger than we probably realize! In addition to his guitar work with Sam Cooke (live and also in the studios), he has played guitar on recordings by people like Aretha Franklin and Sly & the Family Stones, among others.

He’s also a successful songwriter who has written hits not only for himself, but for other singers, both white and black.

Back in the good old days of LPs, I used to read EVERYTHING on the jackets of every long playing record I got, including the musician and production credits. The immense information included on many album jackets is one reason why I have missed LPs so much!

[Assasin]

That Word Power and Sound Band was simply too good to last. Had too many stars.

[Mosiah]

Back in the good old days of LPs, I used to read EVERYTHING on the jackets of every long playing record I got, including the musician and production credits. The immense information included on many album jackets is one reason why I have missed LPs so much!

Yes, I did that too. Pity, in today's world, I am not sure what substitutes for that. Does iTunes give you such information when you purchase a song?

And when my cousin, Valentine Douglas, used to backup some of our best artistes out there, that would encourage me more to see if he was actually on a track or not.

I take it you are familiar with Val?

[Assasin]

"Back in the good old days of LPs, I used to read EVERYTHING on the jackets of every long playing record I got, including the musician and production credits. The immense information included on many album jackets is one reason why I have missed LPs so much"

Good ole days. LOL

[Historian]

Re: Szabo/Womack

Actually I prefer the szabo/Womack version

Here you go, boss, guitarists Gabor Szabo and Bobby Womack with Womack’s “Breezin’.” This tune was indeed a wonderful composition.

Gamma, I know that Bobby Womack wrote it, but did this Hungarian guitarist Gabor Szabo have anything to do with the composition as well? I am just wondering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetYKshzUac

What Benson did was a slightly more up-tempo, extended, jazzy version. The keyboard solo on Benson’s version is simply brilliant!

[Historian]

So True!

That Word Power and Sound Band was simply too good to last. Had too many stars.

Lol, I agree!

You are also certainly correct about NinaSimone (in your other post), boss!

By the way, what I dislike about making lists of individuals is that some inevitably get left out of that list! In my naming of posters with wide musical tastes (see my post elsewhere in this thread), I inadvertently left out your name.

That was an unfortunate oversight on my part.