3x Thursday:

Music Vocabulary Lesson



1. What's your definition of 'Jazz'? What musicians would you put into this category? What musicians would you *not* put into this category? When tuning into a jazz radio station, what would you expect to hear? The musicians I'd expect to hear on a jazz station are Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Muddy Waters, Grover Washington, Jr., Billie Holiday, Poncho Sanchez, etc. The ones I don't consider jazz are Kenny G, Michael Bolton, Peter White, folk like this.



2. What's your definition of 'Rock'? I know this genre is *huge*, but take your best guess. What musicians would you put into this category? Rock is hard driving, guitar riddled, loud, pulsating music. Some of the greats (in my book) Led Zep, Aerosmith, Bowie, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Yes, Pink Floyd, Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, Eric Clapton, Angel, Grand Funk, Moody Blues, Guns N Roses.



3. What about electronica music? This one is probly harder because it's not as well known by the masses (in the technical sense of the word). As a hint, I would say it started in the very late 70s with bands like The Cure, Emerson Lake and Palmer, and Yes, moving up thru Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode and Ultravox, up to things like Garbage, The Crystal Method, Bonobo, and A3 (yes, this includes jungle, triphop, etc). You'll never see this in the US, but if you were going to turn on a radio station to listen to electronica, what would you expect to hear? Where do you draw the line at what wouldn't be considered? Music that's heavily synthesized; even the drum tracks are produced electronically. Thomas Dolby and Kraftwerk were the ones to popularize electronic drums, but then Dolby like Peter Gabriel, has always been on the cutting edge.



Bonus Question for Comments: If you were going to start up a radio station to bring fans out of the woodwork that normally would hide what they listen to, what types of music would you put into the rotation? Would you have to be broad, or could you just do one genre? Please go into detail. Okay, this ought to give everyone a good laugh, but do a search on 'house parties/concerts' and I'll prove I'm onto something.....I'd play folk music. Folk music has an untapped audience who's being totally ignored. Of course, I would have to be 'broad', but I'd include folk music in the mix, especially new artists. You'll find many of them performing at house parties/concerts and indie coffee houses. There's something to be said for songs with good lyrics (that almost paint a picture) and nothing more than the acoustic guitar, occasional harmonica and possibly violin.