Leaving the mainstream, swimming upstream, and loving what I am hearing / myLot

United States

August 29, 2009 10:08am CST

I love music. I love all kinds of music. On any given day I may play Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Yngie Malmsteen, Metallica, Eminem, Cinderella, Whitney Houston, G-Unit, Mary J. Blige, Cusco, Enya, Sarah Brightman, Celine Dion, and Barbara Streisand songs both old and new just because I felt like hearing something by that artist. I swear the auto DJ function of my Media Monkey software is so cunfused it probably thinks that it is in use by multiple users or that I have a multiple personality disorder. Music has the power (for me at least) to not only alter my mood but my entire consciousness. lately I find myself going retro more often than not or seeking out old favorites regardless of their place on the Pop or R & B top fourty lists. I have found myself often disenfranchised with the bubble gummy, or gansta shoot em up trends of the more recent top 40 selections. I like content, grit, a good story told with phonetic perfection in 3 to 5 minutes. I love to relate to my music and my musicians. I enjoy closing my eyes and watching the colors of the notes and phrases streaming accross the insides of my eyelids. Give me Signs by either the origional ortist or the early 90's version by Tesla unplugged instead of In da club, Murder Murder, and I'm ucking you tonight! What do you like to listen to. Who moves or inspires you with their compositions, their human outcries to be heard, related and empathized with? My boyfriend says that there are no larger than life "Rock Stars" anymore, and I have to agree with his assessment to a degree. In the day of Bon Jovi, Metallica, Jimi, Janis, Tesla, even Motley Crue, and Skid row. These people were MONSTERS! and people laughed, cried, sang, empathizes, sympathized, and GROOVED with them. Or as Steve Harvey says, "We had songs back in the day that when you just heard the opening notes your a*s dam near blew up!" there were power ballads, sad songs, somgs tjhat reminded you of who and when..... Where is that kind of music now. Does our neo-modern society spurn musical talent, depth, true voices raised in harmony over voices played through a synthesiser? Are there any more musicians with a message for us as a people beyond "your money bought me this, and that, one of those, and some of these, and now I think I am such cool beans I will just sing or talk about myself and what i got and the sh** that I bought when I 'blew up"?

1 person likes this

1 response

jazzsue58

@jazzsue58 (2666)

•

29 Aug 09

I agree, modern chart music is soooo lazy. What's the point of rapping over music you've sampled from a genuine artiste, using filthy words and interpreting the music in a totally different way to what was intended?! For me, the biggest revelation in recent years has been the development of Queen Latifah. She has such a powerful vocal presence, both singing and acting - thank god she spurned the airhead environs of hip hop when she did! My biggest regret is that Nina simone never lived longer, and that George Michael only made one jazz album (Songs From the Last Century) His rendition of "buddy can you spare a ..." is superb. Funny, though, how music grabs you. I tuned in to R3 for the jazz hour, but they're playing classical music instead. I don't listen to classical that often, but it's quite good for typing up posts to! Finally ... I tuned in to R2 last night, and the weekly R3 Concert Orchestra concert was on. I usually tune out (too "grannified" for my ears) but, for one session, they transformed into the "Radio 2 Big Band" and I heard, possibly, the finest screamin', blowin' sax solo EVER by Martin Williams (I think) Wow, I don't know what that guy was on, but it blew my cobwebs away for sure. Don't know what the grannies made of it though. Jazz - now THAT's what I'M talking about!!! (Wanders off, listening to Coltrane's "Love Supreme" on ipod)

@sharone74 (4837)

• United States

29 Aug 09

My boyfriend is a huge Jazz fan as am I. I like both instrumental jazz and jazz singers such as Sade and Cabb Calloway. For instrumental Jazz I adore Cusco, Thelonious Monk, Louie Armstrong, and Benny Goodman believe it or not. If you are a fan of older jazz though you have got to try Weather Report if you haven't already and Hiroshima and a whole host of others. If you are into true gritty, get you where you live blues you gotta listen to Joe Bonamassa. He is a fairly new arrival on the "scene" but he has all the talent if not more of Stevie Ray Vaughn and BB King and the sould of a true manic depressive who is just one good solid relationship away from having nothing to sing about anymore.The man has a depth and breadth of talent and soul that will almost make you wanna cry it is so beautiful to hear! And I am not sure if she is blues or jazz but Erika Badu is screamin' not her lyrics, her talent. If you dig blues rock there is no one better than Mellissa Etheridge and Joss Stone. If you're having trouble finding the monsters of their genres then you must not have Winamp downloaded to your computer yet. They have some internet radio stations that will truly knock your socks off, kick you back in your easy chair, and put your slippers on for you. Most of them are commercial free too. Give it a try and thank you for your reply to this discussion.