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Music/Jazz/Opinion/Comments/Business How can we listen to music?
greg@cmporg.org for your comments
Today, I
have listened to a Gospel Choir with very fine soloist, Wagner’s Ring and some
vocal music from the 40’s on a tune called Only a Paper Moon. Now, how can we make sense out of all of this
is my question? I have been and still am studying music to see what it is made
of. I have learned that the modern time
has passed me up and I am living in the past and the present at the same
time. But my present is not the present
of today’s youth. My desire to be a rape
musician is dull or Gospel Choir musician, even though I did perform with the
Martin Luther King Choir in New York and was the soloist with Nat Adderley on Trumpet at the famous Theatre on 125th
Street.
I know I
have some very strong feelings about modern pop music. I would not even call it music it is pure
entertainment. Now would you ask me if I
like the Wagner’s Ring. I would say no, this presentation, it was too
dark and sad. So what is wrong with me
Wagner is an established composer and well respected in the musical world, but
here I am saying I have a lot of trouble relating to it. So what does that make me I do not know? Just am telling my feeling about it. Because this is what this newsletter is all
about what kind of music should we like and respect. My point is many people do
not even think about it or care about it. Must we respect it all or must we
pick and choose this music? I am saying
Only a Paper Moon was a song I could relate too because I performed with the
group who made it famous many times in different supper clubs in the States.
The Gospel
Choir was very good, but it had too much dancing and flash and took away from
the music.
I go into
restaurants and they have music playing so soft you cannot hear it. So what is the point of having music on if
you cannot hear it? You go into a disco
and the music is so loud it hurts your ears.
And sometimes it is just a beat and they call it music!!!
I can say I
am lost in this world of so many kinds of music and attitudes. I am trying to present my attitude and my
music which is instrumental solo music.
Now is this important? I guess it
is because it is both (important and unimportant).
In Shenzhen,
people hear do not even know what jazz music is or the history of it. It is very complex and detailed going into
about 15 different styles and basic rhythms: Latin, Pop, Swing, Avant garde,
Modern, Main Stream, Blues, Gospel, Big Band, Jazz Band, Dance Band Music,
Blues (Chicago Style, New Orleans, 30’s, BeBop Blues,
Rhythm and Blues, Nashville Blues etc.) Latin Jazz, Fusion,
Broadway, Vocal, Sinatra Big Band Style, etc.
So my music
comes in about the 50 and goes to the 80 from a historical point of view. I have some very modern music but I would not
call it jazz. It is a new kind of
improvisation music. I ask myself why am
I doing this?
It puzzles me sometimes why just I cannot be a pop star like everybody
else. Why do I have this drive to be an
artist? Someone different, why do not I
want to blend in?
Well some of
us have a responsibility not to be part of the masses but to stand out and be
different to contribute to world history and not just be a part of it and watch
it go by. But this meaning is too off
the wall and why would anybody want to believe me. Is Greg all right? I can hear it all ready.
My point is
all of us have a taste in music. The
point of this letter is I would hope you could expand your list of items on
your music list and try to venture out into other areas. I am and I have been studying music all my
life. Go through your record collection and make a judgment of what music you
like. Maybe you can enjoy it on a higher level and it will give you more
pleasure.
Just some
thoughts about listening to music! Greg
Henry Waters
Objective: This newsletter came out of my
experiences dealing in a new culture and a new history plus my experiences in
the
Music Business :
Need a VCD made at your next event. I can produce them for you just let me know. greg@cmporg.org