I was skeptical when Watcha Clan‘s “world & bass” sound first crossed my path and their first show left me unimpressed (Deciphering Watcha Clan). But there was something there that kept me coming back: the musical goals were ambitious and sometimes sometimes it really worked. Then the second time I saw them it all came [...]
Short Takes: “Jackie Wilson’s Melisma – 20 notes for the word ‘for’” (from History is Made at Night)
Final repost (for now) from the always insightful History is Made at Night blog. Jackie Wilson’s Melisma – 20 notes for the word ‘for’ ‘The extent to which the music is integrated with the literal meaning in soul is apparent in some of its basic stylistic conventions, the call and response structure, for instance, where a [...]
Blues Singer Petite Swanson — Crossing the Gender Line in 1940s Chicago
One of my research interests is the largely forgotten history of transgendered performers in American popular music. I thank Ray Astbury for bringing Petite Swanson to my attention, a blues singer in Chicago who recorded four sides for the Sunbeam record company in 1947 (Billboard reported her signing by Sunbeam in March 1947). At the time, Swanson [...]
Sissy Bounce — an anomaly or just another transgendered musical tradition
Unexpectedly, when I was doing research on the history of a former blues nightclub district in North Richmond, California, I stumbled upon a facet of that history I had not anticipated: the participant of cross-gendered performers and club-goers. And, in mainstream venues. It flew in the face of all my presumptions of the role of [...]
Reimagining the classics — Turtle Island String Quartet does Hendrix
After being exposed to Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin — a piteous collection of pop dreck — I reluctantly turned my attention to the Turtle Island String Quartet’s Have you ever been…? While the latter’s set of Hendrix covers has not received the level of acclaim that Wilson’s butchering of the songs of the Gershwin [...]
Breaking down racial barriers: the “new” folk revival
I’ve written several pieces on what is often described as an ongoing revival of American traditional music (listed below with links). A piece on NPR today and in the N.Y. Times earlier this week on Southern California’s Frank Fairfield brought the subject back to mind. While you (or I) may argue with the assertion that [...]
Thawra — Another Taqwacore installment from Tales from Bradistan
Another installment in the excellent series on Taqwacore from my sadiqi at Tales from Bradistan. MONDAY, 26 JULY 2010 Al Thawra I am the revolution and you are the revolution In your spirit you have the power In your heart lies the secret From your lips spills the truth That the wine of power is in [...]
The Kominas — Another Taqwacore installment from Tales from Bradistan
I’ll have some original material up next week but until then here’s another installment in the excellent series on Taqwacore from my sadiqi at Tales from Bradistan. 15 July 2010 The Kominas In Preston After being brought over to the UK to perform at a special night at London’s prestigiousMeltdown Festival, taqwacore bands from the USA The [...]
Still More on Taqwacore from Tales from Bradistan
Here is the trailer from the film “Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam”. Below is more from the excellent series on Taqwacore in the excellent Tales from Bradistan blog– check it out! Taqwacore Taqwa - (Arabic: التقوى at-taqwá) is the Islamic concept of “God-consciousness” Core - (from Hardcore) is a subgenre of punk rock that’s generally faster, thicker, and [...]
