Rock n Roll Baby

Good evening everyone! Welcome to yet another week of music! I hope that you all have been dancing to the rhythm and music of life! The Olympics last week were a lot of fun to talk about and proved to have more music embedded as the weeks progressed! I hope that everyone took the opportunity to try and catch some of the games, but also some of the great music. Both the ceremonies and the games themselves had music and great entertainment.

This week we are going to talk about a genre of music that has managed to create quite a name for itself. It has been a genre that has caused many scandals and some even attribute some revolutions and that is, Rock. We will jump back in history for a little while to see just what this musical styling had and continues to have to offer. We will see where Rock got its birth and what has made it one of the most influential musical phenomena’s of recent years.

The birth of Rock and Roll originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was a musical genre that took the country by storm and captured the hearts of many. Rock in roll was mostly originated from country music, gospel and blues. It had a rhythm that many could not deny and caused a scene when young men and women began dancing and “thrusting” to the music in a way they never had before. The piano or saxafone originally took the stage as the lead instrument and the source of the music’s unique sound, but later as the styling took flight the instrument of choice became the guitar.

Alen Freed was the first to coin the name “rock and roll” on his radio show. He was referring to new music he was broadcasting and the name just stuck. Other performers of this style began using the phrase “rock and roll” either in their songs or in their names. The phrase took off and is still recognized today.

In the 1950s a new and slightly different sound to rock came about. The music was brought to the attention of audiences though Elvis Presely and Jerry Lee Lewis. This slightly different sound was sometimes referred to as “rockability” but nevertheless was rock and the fans adored it.

The next big name in rock was not even on our own turf. The British band The Beatles took the world by storm. Their presence in the United States is still one of the largest of a musical group. When they were broadcast on television they simply won the hearts of thousands of women and fans across the world. The Beatles were a social phenomena and rock did not take long to follow.

An Olympic Sized Song

Hello all, and welcome to another wonderful week of music! I hope that everyone has had a fist pumping and toe-tapping good time! I thought that for this week’s blog I might split up what I was talking about. First, I thought in light of the Olympic games we could discuss the history of the Olympic Anthem and also other musical components that accompany the games. Second, I thought we might look to another source of music that has great history embedded in its notes. Jazz music. So lets get started!

The Olympic Hymn, more commonly known as the Olympic Anthem, was first performed at the 1896 Olympic games in Athens. This was the start for a tradition that would continue for years to come. Each year the Olympic Anthem was played it would be sung in the country’s native language, something very different from today. This tradition was a staple of the games up until the 1960 Olympic games in Rome. The Olympic Anthem was composed by Spyridon Samaras and was written as a choral cantata. The lyrics were first written in Greek and then obviously translated so that each country could perform the piece when it hosted the games. Kostis Palamas was the Greek poet who placed words to the music. Demetrius Vikelas, the first President of the International Olympic Committee, selected both of these people to compose and create the anthem as we know it today. The hymn is not used as often as it used to be, however can still be heard before announcements and often times at the opening ceremony. Not only does the Olympic Anthem bring countries and people of all kinds together but each country’s individual national anthem also showcases their differences. If a contestant is honored to receive a gold medal, the national anthem of the recipient is played. Hearing the unique differences, yet similarly strong sounds of each anthem’s ring is amazing as an audience member.

The history of jazz is one that is very near to a lot of people but not quite as lengthy as the Olympic Anthem. The music itself has a life form of its own and weaves in and out of much of history. The music first originated in some of the more southern states, combining both African and European music styles. First came New Orleans Dixieland sound in the 1910s, then on to big band or swing of the 1930s and 1940s. Jazz music then continued to transform and influence music as we know it today. Some of rap and hip-hop can be attributed to the sound of jazz. The music was stylistically different and still today marks a different sound. Jazz is a unique class of its own, but can be noted as a contributor to other music forms.

Both the Olympic games and Jazz music have rich history. The sounds of the games and the sound of street are unique and most enjoyable to listen to. For years to come people all around the world will be listening to and celebrating the music. I hope that one day the two sounds will have the opportunity to be joined together in a possible New Orleans Olympic games.

Oh, Say Can You See

Good evening my music loving friends! I hope everyone has had a tune filled week! For this weeks blog I thought it might be kind of fun to talk a little bit about the Super Bowl XLIV last week! I know you might be curious to know why that would be part of the topic of discussion, but really its simple. Music is a huge part of the every aspect of life, including current events!

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched television broadcasts in the world, so to be asked to perform at it is a great honor. We all know that there has been much talk over certain performances in the past, because of the high volume of viewers and the excitement within the performance. Some of the hype has been created due to the talent displayed on stage and some of it was from unexpected moments. Whatever the case maybe, the Super Bowl always promises great music. The other important thing to recognize when discussing the Super Bowl is not only is the halftime performance a great musical moment, but so too is the singing of the National Anthem. Each year the talk about the National Anthem and the performance of it increases and more and more pressure is placed on the performer chosen.

The Super Bowl XLIV played on February 7, 2010 was a night filled with sports and entertainment. Carrie Underwood sang the National Anthem to kick off the game. She is American Idol’s fourth season winner and from there she has grown to stardom. The halftime performance of the 44^th Super Bowl was a British band, The Who. Some of the younger crowd might have found this performance to be some what foreign to them, given The Who’s truly active years took place in the1960s and the 1970s. Although, their music might have been first loved in my parent’s young life, the songs played were familiar to my ear. The Who have left a legacy of great music and still to this day perform at charity events and concerts.

Lastly, music can be found in yet another aspect of the Super Bowl, probably in a place that most would not think to listen for it. If people watch the game at all it is one of the most influential placements for the music industry, the commercials. Music alone playing the background of a commercial can alter the response from their audience. Some commercials have no talking it all most of what the advertisers want to say can be produced through music and text. My most favorite example of this was the Google commercial played during the game. If you haven’t seen it you should check it out here: Parisian Love

I hope this blog has helped to increase the awareness of music’s place in this world. It is simply not just your Ipod and radio, it is much, much more than that! Until next time, keep have a safe and music filled week!

"Music's Biggest Night"

Hello all! I hope you have had a fabulous week thus far! So as promised today I will be discussing the 2010 Grammy Awards! It is as the Grammy’s refer to it “Music’s Biggest Night” and they speak the truth when they coin it that. Music means so much to millions of people and this night is dedicated to honoring those who will make musical history. Most winners have stylized or created musical genius and deserved to be recognized for their talents. So lets dive right in!

I want to start off with a little history about the Grammy Awards, it is important to know when and how these great traditions of ours got started. Knowing some of the history behind the awards will help you as a viewer understand some of the legacy, judging and awarding. The Grammy Awards, originally know as the Gramophone Awards, are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Artists and Sciences of the United States. It is wonderful and interesting that the word science is used in the academy’s name because there is a true science to the development and achievement of fine musical styling. The awards were started in the year 1958 and were taped an then broadcast under the name, The Best on Record on NBC. In the year 1971 the Gramophone Awards were aired live and could be found on ABC. Nominations and submissions of music can be done through record companies or individuals. Those nominations then are sent to the academy to be thoroughly checked to make sure they comply with rules and regulations. These reviewing sessions comprised of 150 people then go through a series of votes. Finally after the votes and ballots have been cast, there are tabulated. There has been a long line of fabulous tradition and today this program is one that is greatly anticipated.

Now that you have learned a little of the history behind the awards, we can move on to the current 2010 Grammy outcomes! The most important or highly acclaimed awards are Record of the Year and Album of the Year. The Record of the Year award went to Kings of Leon for “Use Somebody” and the album of the year went to Taylor Swift for “Fearless.” Some of the other recipients throughout the night include; Beyonce, Zac Brown Band, Jason Mraz and many more. Some of the performers for the awards include; Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Green Day and Dave Mathews Band.

I hope today you were able to learn a little of the Grammy Award’s tradition, some of which you might not have known! There is so much great history that has been made through the music industry and with awards shows such as the Grammys there continues to be! Musicians deserve the honor and recognition they receive from programs such as this! For more information please access the following website: Grammy.com The website is full of fun facts and links to videos and performances if you missed the show. Thanks again all for “tuning” in!