COOL STUFF 2
COOL STUFF 2 - Black America and South America
THING 1: I have always loved the way Blues music has sounded, especially using the instrument the banjo. I wanted to do more research on Blues/Jazz music in Asheville, North Carolina since it is in the proximity to Spartanburg. I learned that there are many bars in Asheville but there was a bar called Tressa's Downtown Jazz and Blues bar that just closed down after 22 years this past year. Everyone said there was always good food and great music. While reading articles on this club the people who opened the club 22 years ago wanted it to feel like an elegant small private club in New Orleans. Now a couple bought the building the club was in and are renaming it to Asheville Beauty Academy which opened in Septemeber. They said they are going to keep the same atmosphere as Tressa's and have the main live music on the main level and the private jazz upstairs.
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| Jazz/Blues music being played live at Tressa's |
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| Outside of Tressa's |
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| Asheville Beauty Academy |
THING 2: I remember as a kid around age eight I learned about tango dancing because I was a dancer and there was a workshop one day on tango dancing. I had so much fun with this from what I remember the music was super upbeat, but I also remember that being a eight-year-old I did not fully learn how to tango so I wanted to do more research on the dance and music. As I watch videos on the dance I notice how intimate and romantic the dance can be, it is an absolutely beautiful dance. The dance originated in the 1880's along the Rio de la Plata. The dance has been around for a while and has become one of the most popular dances in the world. Traditional instruments used with tango music are the accordion, violin, double bass, piano accordion, and the bandoneon. When the tango was brought to North America they called it the "North American Tango" because it is different than the traditional tango. The North American tango is more upbeat and has a faster tempo.
THING 3: I wanted to look more into Equador's modern music. I found a guy named Mateo Kingman who has emerged Ecuadorian music and music from past and present traditions. He incorporates hip-hop with old folklore. He uses traditional amazonian and Ecuadorian music and ties in modern hip-hop, rock, and pop that comes from America. He takes the listener from jungle sounds to mountain peaceful sounds that collaborate together to make beautiful music. He grew up in a small town in the Amazon called Macas where he grew his experience with actual sounds of the jungle, rivers, and air of the Amazon.
I never been to a blues/jazz club but I know I would love to one day and I know I would love it. I feel like to tango dance I would need a partner that already knows what they are doing because I wouldnt. The Mateo music is pretty cool and he made it very modern which is cool.
ReplyDeleteI really like the fact that Mateo Kingman has incorporated parts of two different cultures to create his own original sound. The fact that his music surrounds folklore is super interesting to me, especially because he presents it in a manner such as hip hop.
ReplyDeleteIt is so cool to me that Mateo Kingman incorporates nature sounds into his music. He is combining sounds from two different cultures as well as from the natural world! One of my favorite American artists, Maggie Rogers, also uses samples from the natural world in her music.
ReplyDeleteThis is all really interesting, Anna. If you're interested in local bluegrass/folk/celtic/etc stuff, you might check out Jack of the Woods in Asheville--they're a really good bar/eatery and often have local folks playing. I haven't been in a while, but it's pretty awesome.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize there was such a thing as a North American Tango! I think it's really cool what Mateo Kingman does with his music. I wonder where he got the idea to incorporate the sounds of nature into his music.
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