Once again some interesting selections, for various reasons.
Starting with the required listening excerpts, "St. Louis Blues" is of course known to many. What I found most interesting in this selection was the insight that the text gave into the era in which it was released, revealing that until many songs were both published and recorded, a tune might have many possible variations as opposed to one or two versions being considered the standard. Seeing how both Handy's published music combined with artistic license was taken with Bessie Smith to create the version in which we consider the most "authentic" is quite interesting. Also hearing Louis Armstrong again just helps to cement in my mind his legacy in that time period, for he seems to be on quite a few of the recordings we as a class are blessed to be listening to.
I liked the Fletcher Henderson piece if only because of how much it showed his impact on the rise of swing, especially since I never remember hearing his name before. Going on to see how his arrangements were so central in many other groups, like the very next piece with Benny Goodman (one of my all time favorites as a clarinet player), was quite eye opening for me. His style fits right in with all the other examples, though the sound is a little more rough and nasal as opposed to the more rounded fullness of other examples in the era, like the Benny Goodman piece. What I was mildly surprised at in "Taking a Chance on Love" was Benny Goodman's tone. It was a little more open and less refined than I remember on other recordings, yet still not once loosing the polished control of a master I have always idolized. In "Paper Doll," a piece I do not believe I remember hearing before, I still found myself thinking I've heard it before. Maybe because it has been used somewhere in the background of a commercial or movie. Maybe because it has elements of form and harmony that sound sentimental and invoke the thought that I'm supposed to recognize it, even if I have never heard it before. I know there are other pieces described in the text meant to portray such feeling, but I was not expecting it with the group by the Mills Brothers. After reading the text analysis first, I was also expecting a different sound, more like in "Black Snake Moan." Evening looking back at the era years and years later, with the, I find myself falling into the trap of stereotyping.
As for the other required piece, "In the Mood" also surprised me for two reasons. First, I never believe I have heard cow bell in that piece near the end before! How is it when we have period recordings like this and I have never heard or played it like that before? Secondly, the background riff of the saxophones was not nearly as accented as I have been drilled to perform it. I find it perplexing that such a standard chart can have been modified so drastically by the majority of ensembles playing it today while attempting to be authentic.
The first of the elective listen I did was, as you may have guessed, "Black Snake Moan." I chose it simply because of watching the movie some years back, and wanting to know what music inspired the title of that film. The song, in all its grittiness, did not disappoint. I did not seem to mind the irregular and sometimes absent sense of a beat, in fact I hardly noticed it begin so enthralled with the imagery and feeling evoked by Blind Lemon Jefferson.
I also listened to Jimmie Rodgers sing "Blue Yodel No. 2" and was struck with how familiar with the yodel sound was to a song in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou" and after some research quickly discovered that the track I was thinking of entitled "In the Jailhouse Now" was written by Blind Blake and, you guessed it, Jimmie Rodgers! The style and pitches used in the yodel was almost the same a couple times.
Listening to "Caravan" I was surprised at how mysterious this version one was compared to version I have heard and played in the past that were much more "in your face." Other versions I have done have the percussion section, and I mean a full section, playing and much more robust and consistently on every beat driving pattern instead of this more every other beat pulsation demonstrated in this recording. "New San Antonio Rose" did not sound like what I expected at first, but when the vocals entered it began to take shape. I guess I just did not have a good mental construct of what to expect from western swing, with so many musical elements and style converging to make this piece come to life. The semi-mariachi style trumpet line was unexpected, even using the text analysis as a guide, and the rhythmic groove that was established while still having elements of big band swing was quite unique. The final selection I listened to was "Brazil" which made me feel like I should be in a Vegas showroom, but I enjoyed hearing this early version.
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