[Dixielandjazz] What music do young people hear?

Sat Apr 30 14:26:02 PDT 2005

There is no law that says everyone should like the same kind of music.  With
the multiciplicty of styles today it's the teacher's and schools job to
introduce styles that may not be in the main stream.  Musical tastes are
formed primarily in the teenage years.  It's a matter of what they spend the
most time listening to that tends to form their tastes.  In my own case I
was a teen in the Elvis R&R era.  I played with country rock bands and some
Jazz when I was 17 in the AF band.  I got through College playing anything
that someone would pay me to play.  Had I not been exposed to the Jazz
influence in the AF I would be a totally different musician today.  Having
said that, the early rock and Country rock influence still shows through
many of my solos

I think that it's a matter of time spent listening to a kind or type of
music.  There are major portions of the country that only listen to C&W.
The big city areas are going Rap and of course Rock and it's 500 variations.
The trend today is for music where people don't have to think.

I agree that it's an absolute fact that the kids like OKOM but they actually
hear so little of it except at school.  My hat is off to the teachers who
try to introduce different styles of music.  When I was in school I didn't
receive one minute of music from 1900-1958 and not one minute of popular
music of any sort in college.  As far as they were concerned Jazz, Miller or
Goodman or anyone else didn't exist.  Only old, dead, white guys were worth
anything.

I think it's important that the teacher's approach it in a more or less non
academic way.  Having fun is what's it's all about.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Russ Guarino" <russg at redshift.com>
To: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
Cc: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2005 9:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] What music do young people hear?

> My $.02 cents worth.
>
> I worked several years as a substitute music and math teacher between
1989-1993 and
> had many assignments in a variety of schools including a one year band
assignment at
> Crescenta High in the Glendale, So. Cal. district.
>
> One of the traditions of Crescenta HS band was to visit all the jr. highs
and
> perform for an hour with the Stage Band [ 17 pieces ] to promote the music
program.
>
> I was astonished at the student reaction to the music.  We played swing
big band
> arrangements.  My kids had done this before and put on a little show about
the music
> program, etc., I just hung around and watched.
>
> The younger students went "nuts".
>
> IMO, Kids from about age 10 to 16 are  impressionable and  respond very
positively
> to the rhythm and excitement of OKOM, big band or smaller group.
>
> We have since played with our Dixie  group for a couple of schools with
the same
> reaction. These performances are some of the most rewarding performances
we do.  In
> one performance, I was standing by the stage curtain.  The applause was so
> thunderous following one tune, I took the curtain and wrapped it around my
lower
> torso and said to the audience...."I hope your not planning to tear off my
> clothes".  Big, big laugh.
>
> Russ Guarino
>
>
>
> Steve barbone wrote:
>
> > From: DWSI at aol.com (Dan Spink) asked, about my statement
> >
> > Ah me,  lots of people still don't get it . . . just how powerful this
music
> > is to  the young people these days.
> >
> > > Steve: My only question is, what "music" do younger people really
"hear"
> > > these days? For example, I listen very hard to hear those subtle chord
changes
> > > in Snoop Doog (or it Dog?) and Eminem (or is it M&M?) but, alas,  my
hearing
> > > isn't what it used to be. I hear only the same repetitive rhythm and
lots and
> > > lots of shouting.
> >
> > Dan:
> >
> > What many of them hear in the area around our band territory is OKOM.
Wait a
> > day or two and then check my band schedule out. We're working 6 days a
week
> > in various venues WHERE THE KIDS ARE.
> >
> > Sadly virtually no other OKOM Bands are doing this. Why? Because of old
> > fashioned ideas about the music, the audience and the crotchety downing
of
> > anything that appeals to the young.
> >
> > In effect, your (our) attitude about the kid's music today, is exactly
the
> > same as the attitude of our great grand parents was about jazz music and
> > it's appeal to kids in 1920. The only difference is that 'Our" arteries
have
> > now hardened and we have become our great grand parents.
> >
> > DeJa Vu all over again. :-) VBG.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve
> >
> > PS. It is not the "music" of Eminem etc., that the kids listen to. IT IS
THE
> > MESSAGE. This should be obvious to us all. "Music" is what the kids are
> > missing right now and you and other players/bandleaders should be
supplying
> > it. HUGE HIDDEN DEMAND.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>
>
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