[Dixielandjazz] Listening to different kinds of music

[david richoux]

I have seen and heard many outstanding turn-tablists and I am very much 
sure that they are musicians. Of the highest order! They are producing 
their own compositions of sounds and rhythms that only use small 
sections of the original material. Their "scratch" dexterity and "ear" 
can be as good as any fiddler, washboardist, accordion player or horn 
player. They can solo or work in combination with other musicians with 
interesting results. Two of my favorites are "Mixmaster Mike" and 
Christian Marklay (he is more of a conceptual artist using phonograph 
records as a starting point, but the results are equally interesting.)

This is a big difference from what are known as "DJs" - they have more 
just an ability to put together longer cuts from various recordings in 
interesting ways to encourage dancing (or whatever...)

I am not saying that everything about Rap and Hip-Hop is just fine and 
dandy - there are a lot of negative folks out there and it can get 
ugly!

But I often read what people in "Polite Society" thought about early 
Jass and Blues records - the profanity, sexual innuendo, drug 
references and the "low class" artists and musicians - the NERVE!

Dave Richoux

On Mar 25, 2004, at 11:27 AM, Craig Johnson wrote:

>   I agree with most of what Charlie Suhor wrote; except that there
> is value in ---
> "-- popular & rap, but I believe there's  value in all music that's 
> well
> played."
> I consider this to be untrue based on its assumption
> that rap is music. or by extension,  that a "scratch" turntable is a
> musical instrument. --
>
> Now a washboard --  That! is a musical instrument.
>
> Of course if you consider Phil Harris to have been one of
> the first rap artists, I shall retract my concern.
>
> OKOM context:  "Dirty Mother For Ya"
> Regards,
> Craig
> -- curmudgeon extraordinaire.