The Legwarmers

On December 1, a Saturday night, I went out to Falls Church, VA to see an amazing 80’s cover band called the Legwarmers. The Legwarmers formed in May of 2001 and have taken DC by storm since then. At their performances, the audience comes dressed up in their ultimate 80’s gear.I was no exception, and dressed up in my skirt with leggings, tennis shoes and of course a side ponytail.I saw a plethora teased hair, legwarmers, sweatbands, and shoulder pads. All this adds to the experience of traveling back in time to the 1980’s with the fabulous music played by the band. Throughout the night they played the classic 80s music from stars like Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Blondie. My favorite songs that got the crowd going were Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train, Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger. The the lead female vocalist, Cyndi Sindee sounds just like Cyndi Lauper! She was rockin an awesome Madonna outfit too. The guitarist were amazing too. Gordon Gartrell played the guitar solo in Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train, and he killed it! Every band member held was great and held their own. Here is a list of the band members and their forte:
Chet Reno - Bass / Vocals
Cru Jones - Guitar / Vocals
Cyndi Sindee - Vocals / Percussion
Gordon Gartrell - Guitar/Vocals
Lavaar Huxtable - Drums
Capt. Morgan Pondo - Keyboard
Clarence McFly - Tenor Sax

Each band member played a specific character related to 80’s pop culture. For example, “Capt” Morgan Pondo was dressed as though he stepped off of Gilligan's Island and again Cyndi Sindee dressed up as Madonna. Overall, I loved dancing and listening to the music. I had a blast at the performance and will definitely return to hear them again in the future.

Latin Music

Afro Cuban All Stars

The Afro Cuban All Stars was a group that flourished under the tourist trade between the U.S. and Cuban before the Cuban Revolution. They reemerged in the 90’s when they were recorded. I listened to their album, A Toda Cuba Le Gusta, which translates to “Everyone in Cuba Likes it”.  The entire album made me want to dance, even the slower songs like, “Habana del Este”. I enjoyed the flute in the song and you can definitely hear the clave keeping the beat in it. I really like how in “Maria Caracoles” it opens with the bong drums and the rest of the percussion comes in followed by the horns and so forth. It is a party song to me. I have found that through listening to this album, I really enjoy this group!

Jazz

Art Blakey 1919-1990

Art Blakey was a renowned jazz musician and his music is still widely appreciated today.  He commanded the drums in the jazz world. I listened to the live album, A Night at Birdland. From the first song, “Split Kick” Art’s skill is evident. The drums carry the bass line and give it a snazzy feel. The whole album has the big band jazz feel. I enjoyed the extra history Art gave about playing “A Night In Tunsia”, that he was with Dizzy Gillespie when Dizzy wrote the song. I love the trumpet in “Mayreh”. It is paired perfectly with the drums. 

Romantic Era

Franz Liszt 1811-1886

Franz Liszt was a Hungarian Piano Virtuoso during the Late Romantic Era. I listened to Horowitz Plays Liszt. My favorite piece was “Piano Sonata in B minor”. The beginning is very dramatic as it starts out slow then jumps into music with loud piano keys crashing down. Not quite halfway through the first part in the Allegro energico, the drama ceases into what I view as a stroll across the pond. Very soft notes on the piano are played with much of the moving up down across the keys. The range begins to pick up around the halfway point, but the music is still calmer than the opening. At one point, it sounds like fairies are flying around. Then the drama picks back up in a dramatic fashion. The second part Andante sostenuto, starts out calm then gets dramatic for a few minutes but afterwards it stays relatively calm. It amazes me how a pianist can play those notes on a piano, the sound is so complex and fast. The complexity can be heard in throughout the third part, Allegro energico (fugato). The music is beautiful and amazing at the same time. I don’t know how Horowitz fingers did not fall off playing this piece! 

Baroque Era

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Johann Sebastian Bach was the most influential Baroque era composer. In a period that was overly ornate and frilly, Bach was not household name until well after his death. I listened to a playlist on Spotify of Bach’s music performed by various groups. Included in my most enjoyed songs that I listen to is “Orchestral Suite No 3. in D minor”. This music flows very sweetly. I feel like I am in the music hall of a great palace, watching servants go to in fro in the graceful manner befitting such a place. The music is proper and lovely at the same time. The song, Suite No 1 in G Major, reminds me of someone galloping on a horse to attend to urgent business, but elegantly. It seems like this to me because of the cello being the highlighted. When the notes are lower, it sounds like conflict. The end resolves itself nicely. 

Medieval Music

 

The Plainchant, also known as Gregorian chant, is the earliest forms of written music there were. It was religious in nature and used in religious services. However, there were some secular songs during this period. The earliest composers and chanters were Leonin and Perotin. I listened to the Notre-Dame Catheredal’s choir. The plainchant, Viderunt Omnes had no music. I found it very calming like the rest of the album. Throughout the entire album, I found the music normally has just main person and everyone else is in the background. Their voices are the only instruments making music. The entire album is lovely. I particularly enjoyed, Viderunt Omnes No2 salutare suum ante conspectum gentium relevati because it sounds so angelic with the high notes. I am pretty sure it sung by women

Miles Davis and John Coltrane

Miles Davis and John Coltrane are both legends in the world of Jazz. The former was the mentor of the latter. They both have a scattered sound and use dissonance in their composition. The music sounds jumbled together in nonsense, yet it all works and is actually enjoyable. A good example would be Miles Davis’s Spanish Key on Bitches Brew. A horn instrument is normally always the main instrument in both Davis and Coltrane’s music. Many of their songs are similar as well. For example, I think Coltrane’s “Equinox” is also very similar to Davis’s “Flamenco Sketches (Alternative Take)”. Also, John Coltrane’s performance of “Afro-Blue” in 1963 sounds very similar to Davis’s “Freddie Freeloader” on Kind of Blue. Both songs have a competing feel to it, almost as if all the instruments are competing against one another to have their voice heard. However, in Coltrane’s “The Father and The Son and The Holy Spirit”, the music is so disjointed it is annoying and I have to skip through it. At some points in the song, seven minutes in for instance, it sounds as though a donkey is dying. The end of the song is the death of the donkey. I prefer softer ballads, such as Coltrane’s collaboration with Duke Ellington in “In a Sentimental Mood”, just lovely.  Although Miles Davis accomplished more than John Coltrane did in volume and extent of his work, I believe Coltrane would have been just a big of musical force that Davis was, if he had not passes away so early. 

Louis Armstrong

 

Louis Armstrong is known as one of the fathers of Jazz. His distinct voice is recognizable across generations. Heralded as one of the greatest trumpet players, Armstrong’s music is as much enjoyable today as it was during his lifetime in the early to mid 20^th Century. Most of his compilations have a heavy Dixieland Jazz feel to it, except some of his duets. The trumpet is obviously the main instrument in almost all the songs I listened to. In “Muggles”, the trumpet and clarinet trade off in the middle for carrying the melody, but it quickly returns to the trumpet. Some other songs are the same as that, but the trumpet is still the highlight overall. Some things I found interesting were in the song “Knocking on a Jug”, the baseline is actually kept by what seems like tapping on a jug! Also in “Sugar Foot Strut”, the song starts with glass jars being used as drums and picks back up before Louis sings (I could not understand all the lyrics). It sounds as though they are playing in the street, which gives it a cool St. Louis feel. I really enjoy when Louis scats in duets, such as in “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” with Ella Fitzgerald. The trumpet is kind of a backup in this song too. It is heard, but the person singing is the main focus. Overall, I love Louis Armstrong! 

Music of the 20th Century

Maurice Ravel

Le Tombeau de Couperin

1.The Prelude: opens with mainly woodwinds but there is a pentatonic scale on the piano being played as well right at the beginning. The feel starts out very light and airy and as the the strings play it feels like the opening of a soft dance.

2. Forlane: Begins with strings and woodwinds taking turns carrying the melody. The strings and the woodwinds almost seem like two dancers in a dance.

3.Menuet: The Harp plays a more front position in this movement. The harp gives and angelic input. The clarinet is the main instrument throughout though.

4. Rigaudon: The tempo is faster. Most notable are the different woodwind instruments taking different solos when the tempo slows down half way through. At the end, the tempo picks back up and all the instruments return.

Gustav Mahler

Symphony No 5.

Allegro Maestoso: About 2 min in the music transitions to a softer melody with strings, I think its beautiful, however it is quick followed by dissonance as though as struggle as begun. Horn follow the dissonance it is seems as though the struggle was gloriously won. The music becomes softer as though a conversation is occurring. Then a short break occurs with mainly strings coming in followed by horns. It stays soft and flowing for a while with an oboe solo. After the solo it gradually picks up with percussion coming in. The music repeatedly crescendos and decrescendo, leading to a breaking point, followed by a softer melody and horns taking some of the lead. Half way through is a break in the music followed by dramatic percussion and another pause in the music. The following music sounds as though some one is creeping up behind someone, almost spying on them. But the music into a glorious type of sound followed by struggle and almost battle marching music. At about 14:30 the music becomes VERY dramatic followed by a brief halt. The music picks back up and leads yet again to another tipping point. Strings begin to settle the music with the horns continuing the soft melody. The music pauses and the last minute seems to set up the next part with the end being a quick dramatic ending.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony

Movement I

2:15-2:30: it goes from the violins to the just the horns and the dynamics drop and it goes into a soft melody. The horns sound like a prince or a king is entering the room. Then the soft music and instruments seem to begin a dance begins.

Movement II

00:58- 1:18 The music is starts to crescendo. It sounds like an inspiring moment as though something great is about to happen. Then the drum rolls and the horns get louder and it is as if the grand moment is occurring, followed by some procession.

Movement III

2:15- 2:24 Just the strings begin to play starting with the cellos. The deep sound of the cello coupled feels like a break in the music. The violins and other strings begin to come in and add more contrast but they also seem to chase each other as well.

Movement IV

5:20-5:36: The music before this time has just ended in what sounds like a procession. But starting around here, the strings are played softly as though a whisper is being imitated and followed by a quick dissonant notes played louder almost to imitated a sharp response to the whisper.

Throughout Beethoven’s life I found the end particularly striking. The multitude of pain he suffered and the various illnesses he could have had is astounding to me. The ending of his life, which probably turned out to be just a “brain irritation” from his liver failure is quite astounding. Even more so than that, it was not until the last 10 years of his life in his deafness, that he composed his most famous and greatest works. The harder Beethoven’s life was the more brilliant he became. Then again, his life started out with quite a bit of difficulty considering the abuse from his father. 

Madonna

Like a Prayer, 1989

Madonna has been a huge influence on music since her debut in the 80s. MTV helped launch her career as well as the controversy that always seems to surround her. Madonna grew up Catholic and drew from that experience for this album Like a Prayer, in the album, Madonna keeps her tradition of stirring up controversy especially with relation to religion. In the song Like a Prayer, she gives a gospel feel to it by adding a choir in at the end. It is very sacrilegious considering she is singing about sexual desire. ..it is Madonna. Even in Promise to Try, it reminds me of a hymn. It is very simple with a piano and strings. Except that song, the album has an electronic dance feel to it, even in some of the slower tempo songs like Love Song. In that song, it almost makes you want to crump with the distorted beats in parts of it.  Madonna message throughout the album is about empowering women to stand up and take charge of their lives and getting the best from it instead of bowing to the demands of men.  

Grace Slick and The Great Society

Collector's Item 1971

Grace Slick and The Great Society was a band in 1965-1966. Grace Slick was the lead singer but went to Jefferson Airplane to replace Singe Anderson. Jefferson Airplane recorded the two biggest songs The Great Society sung, White Rabbit and Someone to Love, since Grace Slick composed the songs.

In Someone to Love the guitar and drums feel like they are each doing their own thing, yet it still seems to work together. The chorus bridges the gap between them the most. It is an interesting song. The song Sally Go ‘Round the Roses’ has an Indian feel to it, it is unique. There is a lot of dissonance in the song and what sounds like distortion of the guitar. I enjoyed it

White Rabbit feels like a snake charmer. Visualizing the music in my head, I see people sitting on carpets in the desert charming snakes and smoking hookah at sunset. The lyrics are in the last two minuets of the six-minuet song, a big lead up to a few words at the end.

Overall, the recordings have a rusty sound to them. It seems like the band is in a garage recording music. To me, it gives an amateurish feel that is pure instead fraudulent. The music is carefree, open and unplanned just like the era it was made in.

The Beatles

The Beatles (aka The White Album)

1968

The Beatles wrote this album after they traveled India. At the time they were recording the album the band began to fall apart. According to author Mark Lewisohn, Ringo Starr actually quit the band during some of the recording of some the songs so Paul McCartney plays the drums on some of those songs. I found some of the elements The Beatles incorporated into their interesting and odd. In Back in the USSR, The Beatles incorporate the sound of an airplane flying above in the song. The airplane sound plays throughout the song and gives it a feel traveling. The last part of the song is the airplane landing which gives the song its conclusion instead of words or a melody. They sort of do the same thing in the Glass Onion. At the end of the song, everything stops from the guitar, drums, bass etc, and the only thing playing is string instruments in an entire different melody and tempo with no words and it all slowly fades out. To me, it gave the song sort of a tragic ending.  Wild Honey Pie is another odd song for me. It sounds as though The Beatles are deranged back woods village people looking for food. They incorporated that same sound a bit into The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill. Rocky Raccoon comes close to the backwoods country people sound as well.

I like Martha My Dear. It starts out with a few instruments and gradually adds more instruments into the song. I like the stop time with the tuba in song, it has a playful feel to which I think is appropriate sense they refer to Martha as a silly girl.

I love Blackbird! I think that is because I have heard it so much and in movies it’s always played during a inspirational/crossroads moment. The song has an inspirational feel to in the lyrics and instrumentation. They also incorporate singing birds moving water sounds into the song. It makes me think of a dawn breaking by a creek in a peaceful forest. The simple sound of the tap on a wooden block (which keeps the beat in the song) also contributes to the inspirational and peaceful feel of the song. 

Rock N Roll

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley 1956

This self titled album was the King’s first recorded album. This first album launched Elvis’s career and stardom. Today people still considered Elvis Presley as the King of Rock N Roll, which is fitting considering the sex spell he cast upon the females of the 1950’s according to many churches of the day. His music makes you want to shake and sway your hips. In Tutti Frutti, Elvis’s spell is cast on me and I shake my hips like Elvis did on Ed Sullivan.  Even the songs that have a slow melody, like I Love You Because, put you in a daydream of Rock N Roll romance and calms your hips down to a sway. In I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry, Elvis brings out his country roots and twang. I think it is fitting since the song is about losing a woman. Ultimately, in my opinion, Elvis is timeless and this album is no exception. As soon as I started playing this album, my roommates came out of their holes and began to discuss the how much they loved Elvis and how Hott (yes, capitalized with two t’s) he was. Almost sixty years after this Elvis released this album, masses of young women still idolize him.

The Trumpet

Chris Botti in Boston 2009

Chris Botti is a world class jazz trumpeter. I enjoy the smooth notes he plays on the trumpet. It has a feeling of class to it. His music has a lot of consonance and often performs with orchestras. In this album, Chris Botti in Boston, he highlights the trumpet playing with the Boston Pops orchestra. Normally, when I think of trumpets images of the military and Taps comes to my mind, but the music that Botti plays from the trumpet made me rethink the rigid style I normally associate with the trumpet and transforms the trumpet into a classy instrument. There is one high note he plays in Ava Maria that blows me away even though the trumpet is known for its high notes Botti plays them softly and powerfully at the same time. Another song I enjoy is Cinema Paradiso. It pairs the piano, cello and trumpet together beautifully, not to mention Yo Yo Ma is on the chello. The cello starts out with the melody then Botti comes in and takes over the melody with the trumpet with the melody jumping back and forth between the cello and trumpet. Beautiful to my ears! 

Kind of Blue

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis 1959

From this album, Kind of Blue, it is easy for me to understand why so many still appreciate Miles Davis today. The smooth notes he brings out of the trumpet in his melodies bring a calming and soothing rhythm to the soul. The long notes of the trumpet settle on the ear in their perfect consonance. Davis begins with upbeat melodies and uses the cymbol on the drums to keep the beat, which is subtle and not overbearing as a drum would be. Except in Blue in Green, this is my favorite song from this album. I love how the piano and trumpet dance together in this duet. I feel as though I am dancing with them when I listen. After Blue in Green, the album picks back up with All Blues that has a metropolitan feel of the 1950’s era; it’s mysterious sounding. Throughout the entire album, the rhythmic world of Miles Davis carries me away and I forget the past week’s troubles. That is why I love to listen to this album, especially after a long week of work.  I would also suggest glass of pinot noir to compliment this album.