[Dixielandjazz] Greek music information

[OArkas at aol.com]

 In a message dated 2/9/05 2:53:12 PM, jazzboard at hotmail.com writes:



> But for western music with REALLY complex rhythmic elements don't overlook
> the Greeks, who can even dance to 5/4 time signatures as well as other odd
> elements (7 beats to the measure, etc.). And western classical music offers
> great rhythmic complexities (Stravinsky, a Roosian for example) and
> contemporary serious composers galore are busy fooling around with just this
> element of music and most of them are not of African extraction.
> 
> 

Hi, Folks:  I don't know who invented what, and it's ok with me whatever the 
truth is.  However I almost responded to the comment on rhythmic complexity 
and then decided not to.  But when I saw this reply, I thought, "well, that's 
what I was going to say."   You see, Greek folk music is my "meat and 
potatoes."  I play C clarinet in Albert system, and our music uses 5/5, 7/8, 9/8, 7+5/8 
(ie 12/8); and more, and all in different patterns:  ie 7/8 + 3/8 + 2/8 + 
2/8.  We dance to all these meters as well.  However, we haven't even begun to 
discuss the modal system of our scales.  Yes, the pentatonic scale is one of the 
most ancient and still used.  And all of this is western music of the Greeks.  
Old or archaic Swedish and Irish music (some surviving tunes) also use some 
of the old modes.   What does that have to do with Jazz?  Maybe nothing, but 
certainly our western civilization had lots of complexity in both meters and 
scales, long before jazz came around.
I don't want to do a big lecture, and I really hope I'm not boring folks  
[big grin]  but what about improvisation.  That's the biggest part of our folk 
music!!!  Embellishment and improvisation.  The big difference is that our solos 
don't follow the chord progression, but instead work within the mode (or 
scale).
I think I love OKOM because in some ways it has the same freedom as my Greek 
folk music.  Now, I just have to learn the "rules" and try to play some of 
this OKOM on my Albert clarinets!!!!
Thanks,



John

John Pappas
oArkas at aol.com