When we were given the music ethnography assignment my first thought was to do something totally out of the box and potentially out of my comfort zone. Since that time, I've decided to do something that was a little closer to home in terms of interest and familiarity. In my opinion, one of the greatest genres of music is Jazz. So, when I chose this as the focal point of my assignment it definitely wasn't something that was hard to gravitate towards.
Even though Jazz has had a significant influence on my life and making it the focus of this project was quite easy, there is still the sub topic of classical jazz that remains quite foreign to me. With that said, I will totally embrace the classical jazz scene here in Dallas. I believe one of the best places to experience and fully appreciate this culture would be the Dallas Museum of Art. They regularly put on jazz performances at events called Jazz in the Atrium. I'm ready more than ever to experience another aspect of the music that has so greatly shaped who I am today!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Music-Culture Blog
My musical taste includes an extremely wide-ranging array of selections so it is safe to say that I'm not necessarily tied to one particular genre. However, for the purpose of this assignment I would have to say that I have been more drawn to Jazz music for the greater part of my life. From the earliest days of grade school that I can remember, my dad would always pick my sister and i up at the end of the day only to be blasting jazz music in the car. On any given day, on our our way home we could be found listening to the likes of Najee, Gerald Albright, Sade, Kenny G, Boney James, Kim Waters, etc.
As the years went by and I grew older, I gained a greater appreciation for jazz. More specifically my love of the genre became more focused on the sub categories of smooth jazz, urban jazz, and quiet storm R&B. Those early influences of jazz that my dad exposed me to translated into my involvement in concert and marching bands as a saxophonist from the latter part of my middle schooling to the entirety of high school. It's hard to pinpoint what drew me to this type of music in the beginning. I like to think that the improvisation and sort of call and response that mimics blues are some of the things that garnered my attention. Additionally, as an African American adult I think my appreciation of the historical context through which jazz is sourced has continued to foster my love of this type of music.
In terms of how jazz specifically shaped my life I would say in general it set a sound foundation of discipline in my life. The structure that music provided in my life kept me on the straight and narrow and promoted education and a strong sense of camaraderie. The calming and mellowing effect that jazz has is just second to none.
As the years went by and I grew older, I gained a greater appreciation for jazz. More specifically my love of the genre became more focused on the sub categories of smooth jazz, urban jazz, and quiet storm R&B. Those early influences of jazz that my dad exposed me to translated into my involvement in concert and marching bands as a saxophonist from the latter part of my middle schooling to the entirety of high school. It's hard to pinpoint what drew me to this type of music in the beginning. I like to think that the improvisation and sort of call and response that mimics blues are some of the things that garnered my attention. Additionally, as an African American adult I think my appreciation of the historical context through which jazz is sourced has continued to foster my love of this type of music.
In terms of how jazz specifically shaped my life I would say in general it set a sound foundation of discipline in my life. The structure that music provided in my life kept me on the straight and narrow and promoted education and a strong sense of camaraderie. The calming and mellowing effect that jazz has is just second to none.
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