Uncategorized – Music: Listen, Look and Enjoy

August 30, 2026

Language as a (music)instrument

From now on, every blog post will be accompanied by a video podcast. The podcast provides an introduction, whilst the blogpost explores the topic in greater detail. The podcast is in Dutch, but YouTube can translate it into English. If you like, you can also watch the podcast on your TV. Simply select YouTube and search for ‘kanaal expeditie muziek’.

I’ll be exploring the question of whether certain musical styles are best suited to a particular language. In this post, I willI explain why that is often the case.

Topics

– language and rhythm,

– language and timbre,

– language, rhyme and vocabulary,

– language and sentence structure

– and language and metre.

Language and rhythm

The linguist Kenneth Pike places European languages on a scale with ‘stress-timed rhythm’ at one end and ‘syllable-timed rhythm’ at the other,

In the ‘stress-timed’ category, the interval between stressed syllables is generally of equal length.

English is the best example of a language with ‘stress-timed’ rhythm. This language has a strong dynamic; the sound is almost bouncy, ideal for rock or rap. Passages between the stressed syllables are often swallowed or shortened (gonna, wanna, ‘n’)

‘It’s been a hard day’s night’

German is also an example of a language with a ‘stress-timed’ rhythm, coming straight after English. Dutch follows next. German also uses many abbreviations to maintain the rhythm.

In languages that belong to the ‘syllable-timed’ category, each syllable generally lasts the same length of time, without any changes in stress, as in English, German and Dutch. You then hear a flowing cadence. You can clap along to each syllable.

French is an example of a language with ‘syllable-timed’ rhythm. The fact that each syllable lasts almost the same length makes the language fluid and narrative, with undulating melodies and a less pronounced rhythm.

Je marche seul dans la nuit

You can also easily vary the stress because it is less pronounced. You could, for example, stress ‘seul’. Sometimes the final syllable also receives a slight stress.

Italian and Spanish also have have a ‘syllable-timed’ rhythm albeit to a lesser extent than French. A good example in Spanish is Richie Valens’ song ‘La Bamba’. The syllables form a series of equal beats:

Pa-ra bai-lar la Bamba.

There are almost no differences in stress. You hear open vowels in almost every syllable and even-paced phrases. The effect is a danceable and singable song with a melody that moves in time with the lyrics.

Below, I also examine other characteristics besides rhythm, such as timbre, rhyming possibilities, vocabulary, sentence structure, expression and metre. All these characteristics overlap to some extent, which is why you rarely hear them ‘in their pure form’. Combined with rhythm, they give every language a musical personality, and one could almost speak of language as a musical instrument.

Language and timbre

Differences between languages are expressed by the terms ‘hard’ and ‘soft’. This distinction partly coincides with the division between Germanic and Romance languages.

The hardness of a language’s timbre is determined by the number of consonants, the openness of the vowels, the hardness of compound sounds (‘g’, ‘ch’, ‘r’ and ‘s’), and the nasal character.

The timbre of English and German is largely similar and distinctly hard. Italian, Spanish and French are more pastel. Dutch lies somewhere in between, due to the presence of both hard consonants in the Randstad (‘t’, ‘k’, ‘p’, ‘g’, ‘sch’, ‘ch’) and long vowels (‘aa’, ‘o’ and ‘ee’) in the south.

A good example of a harsh timbre is the Rammstein track ‘Du hast’. What you hear is how the clusters of consonants (-hst, -scht, -cht) make the sound harsh and angular.

Language, rhyme and vocabulary

French is an easy language for rhyming: many words end in similar ways (‘-é’, ‘-er’ or ‘-ion’). There are therefore many possibilities, but these are often predictable. Dutch is like French in this respect. The same applies to Spanish and Italian. That is why these languages lend themselves well to arias. English lies at the other end of the spectrum: at the end of a sentence, there is great variation in sound due to differences in pronunciation; this language also lends itself to rhyming within sentences.

A good example of rhyme in French songs is ‘La vie en rose’, originally sung by Edith Piaf. Here you can hear Andrea Bocelli’s version. The song features many identical endings (‘-ose’, ‘-eur’, ‘-ant’ and ‘-é’). There are plenty of rhyming pairs: ‘rose’/’chose’ and ‘yeux’/’bleu’. This results in a continuous vocal line

Sentence structure and expression

You recognise English immediately by its short, ‘catchy’ sentences, and the language lends itself to short and powerful ‘hooks’. In this respect, Dutch comes a close second to English. In German, the verb often comes at the end, which builds tension, leads to longer sentences and a ‘dramatic’ release.

French has on average, longer sentences than the other languages, making it well-suited to narrative texts. French, Spanish and Italian feature a fluid sentence structure, emotional intensity and are ‘naturally’ singable. Jacques Brel’s song ‘Amsterdam’ is a prime example of French as a narrative language. The lyrics consist of long, continuous sentences without pauses for breath but with many conjunctions and subordinate clauses.

The influence of language on the sound of a piece of music becomes even greater when you look beyond English, French, Dutch and Italian. Most of the music in these countries is written in 3/4 or 4/4 meter. 5/4 meteris almost non-existent in pop music. Here is one rare example: ‘Living in the Past’ by Jethro Tull. Incidentally, this song does have a certain resemblance to Southern European folk music. If you go to the Balkans, however, 5/4 time is common

In summary

Of the six languages discussed, Dutch, German and English are the least fluid (‘legato’). In all Germanic languages, sentences often end with a consonant, making them sound ‘hard’. In Romance languages, sentences often end on a vowel, allowing for long melodic vocal lines.

Every language has its own expressive possibilities, and lyricists usually make use of these spontaneously. This contributes to the distinct character of songs from different countries. It is indeed true, that a Dutch lyricist wishing to write a ‘narrative’ song – a ballad or an aria – would be best advised to use a Romance language such as French, Italian or Spanish. Those who do not have a command of such a language would do better to limit themselves to the genres to which their own language lends itself better. Ramses Shaffy’s ‘Zing, vecht, huil, bid, lach, werk en bewonder’ is more of a ‘statement’ than a story, and Dutch lends itself perfectly to that.

August 15, 2026August 15, 2026

Art rock – pop music as a form of art (part 2)

From now on, every blog post will be accompanied by a video podcast. The podcast provides an introduction, whilst the blogpost explores the topic in greater detail. The podcast is in Dutch, but YouTube translates it into English on demand. If you like, you can also watch the podcast on your smart TV.

What is art?

Of course, the first question is ‘what is art’. Opinions differ on the answer. Yet certain elements recur in the various views: originality, recognisability, passion, craftsmanship and recognition over a longer period by ‘connoisseurs’ and/or the public. In any case, whether a work was commissioned or not plays no role. Rembrandt was a commercial painter, and Bach did nothing else than composing for his employers.

For instance, Rembrand’s painting ‘The Night Watch differs from other ‘tableaux de la troupe’, significantly. Rembrandt opted for a distinctive interpretation, in terms of colour and composition, whilst others aimed for a faithful representation of the group. In doing so, he crossed the boundary between craftsmanship and art, although it took a long time for this to be widely recognised.

Incidentally, outstanding craftsmanship often derives its value from the fact that it is rare and is therefore called art. In my view, this is unjustified. Craftsmanship can never be appreciated enough, but don’t confuse it with art.

My previous post was about craftsmanship in popular music. For many artists, recognition as a craftsman or -woman is the primary goal, partly because of the potential for commercial success. In an earlier post, I showed that in the 1960s a growing group of musicians sought recognition in the world of art. Additionally, in a podcast to Christmas and New Year 2026, I played a number of tracks that I consider to be quintessential examples of artistic expression in pop music. This blog post and the accompanying podcast build on that.

I am about to discuss three songs. For each of these songs, I will examine why they are more than just outstanding craftsmanship and can be regarded as artistic expression.

Ramses Shaffy: ‘Zing, vecht, huil….’

This song is more than just a ‘song’; it is Shaffy’s philosophy of life, which a section of the audience embraces. This is also because the song is well-crafted musically. It is certainly a masterpiece.

Lyrics

The ‘hook’ (key phrase) is a series of words, each given equal emphasis, which are sung along to in unison. The rest of the lyrics are also brief, but the message comes across loud and clear.

Music

The melody consists almost entirely of small steps that follow the underlying chords – ‘classical’ triads. This makes it easy to sing along, but you’ll need to have a look at the lyrics. The chorus with the ‘hook’ phrase stands out from the rest of the melody because it is ‘more explosive’, ‘higher’ and ‘more open’, whilst the rest of the lyrics are partly spoken. As the song progresses, the melody swells and takes on the character of an ‘anthem’.

Shaffy’s art?

In ‘Zing vecht, huil…’, the lyrics and harmony together express an almost existentialist motto for life. Shaffy’s enthusiasm resonates with and spreads to the audience, partly because the song is easy to sing along ‘at the top of one’s voice’. The audience experiences it as an authentic story carried by the lyrics and the melody, one that fits the person Shaffy. Moreover, it is not a stand-alone achievement, but part of a series of musically clever, poetic and timeless songs, often sung together with Liesbeth List, such as ‘Pastorale’.

Hendrick Lamar: We gon’ be alright’

For Kendrick Lamar, each album is a work of art. The songs are its carefully crafted building blocks. His work is laden with awards, including 27 Grammy awards. Five of these are for the single ‘Not Like Us’. In 2018, he became the first musician outside the fields of classical music and jazz to receive the Pulitzer Prize. the nominal emancipation of hip-hop is thus a fact. His performance at the Super Bowl LIX half-time show on 9 February 2025 attracted 133 million viewers and was widely praised, despite (or because of) his political stance. Lamar is undeniably a master of his craft.

Lyricx

Given the spoken-word format, the bar for this and other tracks is set extremely high. Lamar tackles social issues (race, identity, discrimination and trauma) through layered metaphors. The assurance ‘We gon’ be alright’ serves as a mantra, just like ‘Zing, vecht, huil….’ The lyrics carry the song.

Music

He blends jazz and soul with hip-hop. This is most evident in his 2015 album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’, the first of his five number-one albums on the US ‘Billboard 200’. He employs jazzy chords, inspired by Miles Davis, with plenty of dissonance, which he uses to further heighten the tension in his music videos. His songs are primarily intended to be listened to and watched rather than yo be sung along to. The tracks draw the listener into a rhythmic flow and feel like a novel or a film.

Lamar art?

I’m not into hip-hop, nor am I into Lamar. But after watching his videos repeatedly, my appreciation for the artistic quality of his work has increased. The lyrics are personal, clever, daring and multi-layered, and the musical ‘backdrop’ is more varied than that of most rappers. He has been writing songs and poems since he was young, experimenting with musical styles and bringing them together in various music videos and films. His Pulitzer Prize was seen as a sign that the American cultural elite formally recognises hip-hop as a legitimate artistic medium. He has been called one of the greatest songwriters of our time and compared to Bob Dylan.

ABBA: Dancing queen

This track deserves even more credit for its craftsmanship than the previous ones. Why?

Music

The composition meets all the technical standards one might expect. The piece is instantly recognisable from the very first bars. This remains true even when played solely on the piano. Nevertheless, the melody is far from simple, owing to the presence of many large intervals and rich chords. It consists of a series of short sections, each with its own distinctive ‘hook’. Musically, there is a sense of transparency, despite the use of synthesizers and the polyphonic vocals.

Lyrics

The numerous ‘hooks’ and the structure ensure that parts of the lyrics can be sung along to in no time at all. The lyrics delve less deeply than Shaffy’s song, but they do capture what is going on in the ‘Dancing Queen’ and the audience senses that. Nevertheless, the lyrics serve the melody.

Is ABBA art?

Many familiar with ABBA’s work might agree that this is a perfect example of craftsmanship. In this respect, it is no different from the ‘catchy’ song ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams that I played in my previous post. However, after listening to it a few times, ‘Happy’ holds no surprises whatsoever and the lyrics consist largely of repetitions. The song is certainly sing-along and danceable, but easily interchangeable. When you listen to ‘Dancing Queen’, you hear more.

The melody of ‘Dancing Queen’ is hardly predictable, and yet the song is highly recognisable. Here, a comparison with Mozart’s compositions is obvious. ‘Dancing Queen’ is not just cheerful. The song has ‘layered’ lyrics with a melancholic and nostalgic undertone that refers to the transience of beauty and youth. This is partly why many of ABBA’s songs are still pop classics 40 years on, with plenty of life left in them.

A closer look at some recognised ‘pop’ artists

Bob Dylan is regarded as one of the finest lyricists in the history of pop music, with ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ as one of his best works. The lyrics sound like a poem; the melody carries these lyrics, but that is all there is to it. This raises the question of whether leading singers draw their strength from either their lyrics or their melodies.

Of the ‘best songwriting duo’ in popular music ever, Lennon and McCartney, the former was celebrated primarily for his introspective lyrics and the latter for his compositional skill. But few are familiar with the music he composed in 1967 for the film ‘The Family Way’.

He himself does not necessarily consider his compositional skills to be his strongest point. It is no coincidence that his autobiography (2021) is titled ‘The Lyricks: 1956 – Present’, and he refers to his time at grammar school, where his affinity for classical English literature was developed.

Once again, it is confirmed that it is the qualities of Lennon & McCartney, both individually and together, that are responsible for the high artistic standard of a large part of their oeuvre in particular during the period 1967–1971.

Incidentally, there are many other contemporary singers who can be praised for both their craftsmanship and their artistic merit. I am thinking of Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish. The latter two will soon be featured in a new series of three podcasts, each accompanied by a blog post. In my Dutch-language top ten at the end of 2023, I expressed my appreciation for the Dutch singers Boudewijn de Groot (Testament), Eefje de Visser (Ongeveer), S10 (Adem je in) and, in first place, Maarten van Roozendaal (Mooi). What strikes me about these songs is the quality of the accompaniment, the beautiful vocals, the poetic lyrics and their significant difference in language and style. It is this last aspect that sets them apart from the songs of decades past. They have become much more personal. Therefore, listen to ‘Mooi’ by Maarten van Roozendaal.

July 15, 2026July 14, 2026

The perfect song

From now on, every blog post will be accompanied by a video podcast. The podcast provides an introduction, whilst the blogpost explores the topic in greater detail. The podcast is in Dutch, but YouTube takes care for a translation on demand. If you like, you can also watch the podcast on your TV. Simply select YouTube and search for ‘kanaal expeditie muziek’.

Every singer dreams of one day writing the song that will bring eternal fame. That rarely happens, and even ‘perfect songs’ remain on the shelf due to a lack of recognition. That won’t happen to establish artists. Their record labels surrounded with professional teams who know exactly how to write and sell a smash hit. How? That was the subject of some older post, which you can read here.

Meanwhile, the search for the perfect song continues, and in this post I’ll venture a description of what such a song looks like. Of course, there is no such thing as ‘the one and only’ perfect song. The listener’s taste, mood and cultural background play a significant role in how songs are appreciated. The song’s intention (telling a story, making a statement) and the genre, which is intended to be either upbeat, reflective or sad, also has an influence. Yet, some songs are better constructed than others.

How the song ultimately sounds is the result of the way in which you, as a lyricist, composer or producer, turn a series of ‘virtual controls’ and fine-tune them in relation to one another. I’ll mention a few of these knobs:

– rhythm

– metre

– tempo

– volume

– timbre

– key

– chord progression

You’ll also need to consider:

– the structure of the song

– the arrangement

– and, of course, the theme

– the lyrics

– and finally the purpose of the song

The happiest song

Annaliese Micallef Grimaud has conducted research into the link between the settings of these ‘controls’ and the resulting listening experience. Suppose you want to make your listeners happy. She found that this works best if you opt for a medium-fast tempo, a mix of short and longer notes, high volume, a major key, a high-pitched vocal with staccato articulation and clear tones. The conclusion was that Pharrell’s song ‘Happy’ is a serious contender for the title of ‘happiest song ever’. Listen to it here:

To write the ‘perfect song’, you need to have gained a great deal of experience. Much has been written on this subject, and I’ll give you a point-by-point summary of it. Whether a song is perfect usually only becomes apparent once it has maintained its popularity for years.

The key considerations when writing a (‘perfect’) song are: melody, harmony, rhythm & form, and lyrics. I’ll go through them and give an example of each.

Melody

Guidelines

– Predominantly small steps within the scale enhance the sense of familiarity

– One or two melodic ‘hooks’ (characteristic combinations of notes for the song).

– A recognisable build-up towards the chorus.

– Easy to hum along to, partly due to the repetition of combinations of notes.

– Absence of trendy stylistic devices. Here, recognisability comes at the expense of originality.

– Powerful lyrics with an emotional ‘charge’.

By way of illustration

The melody of the song ‘God Only Knows’ by the Beach Boys (written by Brian Wilson) is certainly not simple. The chords at the beginning introduce the ‘hook’ (‘God Only Knows’) and make the song recognisable after just a few bars.

The almost Bach-like composition is accompanied by classical instrumentation featuring strings, harpsichord, horns and woodwinds, which perfectly complement the lyrics. Paul McCartney called the song the best love song ever written.

Harmony

Guidelines

– Familiar chords with no more than two surprising dissonances.

– A pleasant timbre.

– Captivating combinations of sounds achieved through restrained instrumentation.

– Occasional changes in key and time signature.

– Modulation (shifting up or down the scale).

To illustrate

‘Let it be’ by the Beatles is carried by a unique and instantly recognisable combination of chords. After a short introduction, the melody gradually swells, but by then everyone can already sing along to the chorus. The simple lyrics constantly feature the mantra-like phrase ‘Let it be’, with the emphasis on ‘Let’ and ‘be’. Lyrics and melody complement each other.

Rhythm and form

Points to note

– Surprising, appropriate, yet sparingly used changes in rhythm, tempo and style.

– Contrast between sections (verse and chorus).

– Melodic and lyrical ‘hook’ within 30 seconds.

– Dynamics: build-up to a climax.

– No longer than necessary.

By way of illustration

Aretha Franklin’s ‘Say A Little Prayer’, much like ‘God Only Knows’, elevates love to an almost religious sentiment. The lyrics draw on the daily life of a working woman and illustrate how thoughts of a loved one arise at every moment of the day. The gospel-inspired character of the song is carried by a clear melody. The ‘call-and-response’ vocals of the backing singers reinforce the contrast between verse and chorus. A few subtle changes in metre are also noticeable here.

Lyrics

Notes

– Simple lyrics with a deeper meaning (suggestive, not banal).

– A widely recognisable theme (love, fear, joy) with a personal touch.

– Singable: vowels on long notes, no tongue-twisters, stress patterns as in spoken language,

– Short phrases, no subordinate clauses or superfluous words.

– Strong ‘hook phrase’ (a phrase that recurs and sticks in the mind (‘Let it be…’).

– The style of singing emphasises the lyrics and the singer’s personal connection to the content.

– The lyrics and melody give the impression of having been created simultaneously and of naturally complementing one another.

By way of illustration

In ‘Ne me quitte pas’, Jacques Brel imbues simple lyrics with emotional depth. As a French-language chanson, the song is primarily literary; it feels more like theatre than song. But it is precisely then that it becomes clear how the melody perfectly supports the lyrics. Not a single word is superfluous, and the constant repetition of the ‘hook phrase’ (Ne me quitte pas) intensifies the emotion. The chorus is a climax; everyone knows it, but no one will sing along.

Setting existing lyrics to music rarely results in a perfect song, unless the musical accompaniment is subordinate to the lyrics. Ideally, the lyrics and music should give the impression of having been created together, although in practice both will have been carefully crafted over time. This also applies to the song’s structure and its instrumentation (sound palette).

The ambition of many songwriters, however, goes beyond writing a perfect song. They seek recognition as artists, following the example set in the 1960s by the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan, amongst others. In the next post, I will explore what the pursuit of ‘art’ adds to that of perfection.

February 21, 2026February 20, 2026

Is the iconic pop song ‘Viva la Vida’ really Coldplay’s?

Few (top) hits have become as popular and played by as many singers, vocalists, choirs and orchestras as Viva la Vida, or ‘Long live life’. The song is on the fourth album released by Coldplay, which was called Viva la vida or death and all his friends (2008). The then already popular band had been around for quite some time. In 1996, singer Chris Martin and drummer Jonny Buckland had met during an induction week at University College London. Students Will Champion and Guy Berryman joined the duo and Starfish, a band that mainly performed in pubs, was born. They soon changed the name to Coldplay when a friendly band of that name ceased to exist. The band still exists in this formation.

To introduce the song, here is the ‘official’ music video.

This video gives a better idea of the song than a recording in one of the gigantic stadiums where Coldplay usually performs and where the vocals of the audience dominate Chris Martin’s voice. To have an idea of that, watch a snippet of Coldplay’s performance at Pinkpop in 2011.

According to singer Chris Martin, the song Viva la Vida came about by accident. He could not fall asleep and had just taken a couple of sleeping pills when the words ‘I used to rule the world’ along with a matching tune shot through his head. He expelled the emerging sleep, picked up his guitar and formed an idea of the rest of the song, which he later finished together with his bandmates.

The lyrics are all optimism about the possibility of overcoming adversity, as well as authoritarian rulers. The title of the song and the album as well were inspired by the words on a painting by the Spanish artist Frida Kahlo (pictured above), who herself had endured several setbacks and illnesses, but had always kept her faith in better times. Here is a link to the lyrics

The song is written from the perspective of an authoritarian monarch who has lost his power and now ‘sweeps the streets he once owned’ and complains that he once had the key, but the gates now remain closed to him. The reference to the fact that the gates to heaven will also remain closed is a childhood trauma of singer Chris Martin who, as a ‘naughty boy’, was often promised eternal damnation’. He says he is fascinated by the (delusional) idea that in heaven there is some kind of court analysing people’s lives. On the positive side, at least, there is no place there for the ‘I character’ from the song.

As an interlude, listen and watch the version by a large choir and orchestra conducted by Cicero Alves. The choir’s presentation is infectious.

The instrumentation of Coldplay’s song deviates from the usual piano and guitars. The intro consists of violins, that also carry the rest of the song, along with an electric piano and bass guitar. Otherwise, there are only the sustained thump of a bass drum, the sound of a timpani and a church bell.

The song’s popularity was not limited to the music world. In the 2008-2009 season, the song was played in Hamburger SV’s stadium after every goal. Unfortunately for the club, it could never say ‘we used to rule the world’. That same season, the song became the anthem of FC Barcelona and that club was more successful than ever.

Finally, look at a flash mob in which the youth symphony orchestra Amici Della Musica Allumiere from the Italian city of Trento played the stars from heaven.

Is Vida la Vida can Coldplay plagiarism?

It’s not all gold that shines. After Viva la Vida reached the top of the charts, Coldplay faced several charges of plagiarism. Was the song, the melody in particular, all Coldplay’s? When the song became a hit, there were at least four accusations of plagiarism.

The first came from US singer Cat Stevens. The song ‘Foreigner Suite’ features two passages that are suspiciously simi lar to passages in Viva la Viva. The video below compares the allegedly similar parts.

The second accusation came from an unknown American band Creaky Boards. Coldplay allegedly used part of the melody of ‘The Songs I Didn’t Write’ in Viva la Vida as the melody of their song. A song in which the singer is expressing his jealousy of all those nice songs he didn’t write. You only must listen to the first minute. The chorus is clearly different. By the way, it is quite a nice song.

The third song is ‘Love again’ by Carly Rae Jelsen from 2005. The accusation is the intro and the chorus. I believe the similarity is only on a few bars, so here the chance of coincidence is very high.

The fourth indictment came from guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani in his instrumental song’ ‘If i could fly’:

The video below shows the deliberate clips from ‘Viva la Vida’ and ‘If I could fly’ in sequence.

This appears to be the most serious charge for plagiarism. In Joe Satriani’s case, there was a very real chance that a judge would have confirmed plagiarism. Musicologists who have examined both pieces of music find that there is a high degree of similarity. The chord progression, tempo and rhythm are almost identical. A minute comparison of the score shows that both songs have so many similarities that coincidence is out of question.

Yet this does not necessarily mean that Chris Martin deliberately copied the tune. The story is that the phrase ‘I used to rule the world’ along with a matching tune came to his mind at night. At night, our brain works in full force and countless memories can emerge from the subconscious, tunes once heard included.

In 2009, the two parties reached an out-of-court settlement. The content of the settlement was an undisclosed financial agreement resolving the copyright dispute, without an admission of copying by Coldplay and any public disclosure of the exact monetary or contractual terms.

Chris Martin has always dismissed accusations of plagiarism. He says they these accusations inspire him to make even better songs. Deliberate use of ‘samples’ often results from appreciation and is explicitly announced.

September 12, 2025September 12, 2025

George Harrison 1943 – 2001 (The Beatles after the Beatles part 2)

George’s later love of Indian music may have come about in a remarkable way. During her pregnancy, his mother regularly listened to the mysterious sounds of sitars and tablas in the hope that they would have a calming influence on the child in her womb. Later, she fully supported Harrison’s career: when he was 14, she bought him his first guitar and a friend of his father’s taught him how to play it. George’s first musical influences were Django Reinhardt and Lonnie Donogram, under whose influence he founded the skiffle group ‘The Rebels’ before moving on to Lennon and McCartney’s group ‘The Quarrymen’. He accompanied the group, then called ‘The Beatles’, to Hamburg and was deported several times because he was too young to play in nightclubs.

Now, let’s skip ahead to Georges’ later years: In 1999, a paranoid and schizophrenic man attacks him and his wife Olivia in their home. He stabs George with a kitchen knife, puncturing his lung. Olivia eventually overpowers him with a poker. Shortly afterwards, throat cancer is diagnosed, which is successfully treated with radiotherapy. Unfortunately, the cancer returns and George dies in November 2001. His ashes are scattered in the Ganges according to Hindu tradition.

Discography

George Harrison has already made two solo albums while the Beatles were still together: Wonderwall (1968) and Electric Sound (1969). These mainly contain instrumental tracks. ‘Wonderwall’ is the soundtrack to the film of the same name and is mixing Indian and Western sounds. ‘Electric Sound’ mainly features electronic music, in which the Moog synthesizer plays an important role.

After the Beatles split up, George releases the following albums:

All Things Must Pass (1970)
Living in the Material World (1973)
Dark Horse (1974)
Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975)
Thirty Three & 1/3 (1976)
George Harrison (1979)
Somewhere in England (1981)
Gone Troppo (1982)
Cloud Nine (1987)
Brainwashed (2002, posthumous)

All Things Must Pass (1970)

Harrison can now indulge himself. His musical contribution to the albums released by the Beatles had been limited to two songs per album. ‘All Things Must Pass’ contains two CDs with original songs. This album topped the charts in both the US and the UK. You can listen to one of the songs: ‘What Is Life’ (recorded in 1992). The second song, ‘My Sweet Lord’ (recorded in 1970), can be found here:

This last song led to a lawsuit because of its similarity to the hit ‘So Fine’ by the Chiffons (1963). George lost the case and had to pay $600,000.

Concert for Bangladesh (1971)

George doesn’t have much time to dwell on his disappointment, because his mentor and Indian sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar calls on his help in organising a benefit concert for refugees from the former East Pakistan. Two concerts are scheduled for Madison Square Garden, one in the afternoon and one in the evening on 1 August 1971. George calls on his friends and colleagues: Ringo, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston and the band Badfinger. The concert and the album featuring the recordings raised 12 million dollars.

Living in a material world (1973)

Due to his conviction for plagiarism, George struggles with a writer’s block for quite some time, but eventually a new album, ‘Living in a Material World’, was released in 1973, the year in which he professes his Hindu faith. The album spent five weeks at number one in the US and UK charts. The single ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’ was a huge hit. Listen to a recording in George’s later years here.

According to some, this album contains the strongest compositions of his career. Critics used terms such as ‘vastly appealing’ and ‘profoundly seductive’; others found it ‘awkward’ and ‘overtly sentimental’.

Dip in career

After ‘Living in a material world’, a handful of albums were released that were of much lower quality than ‘All things must pass’ and ‘Living in a material world’. With the song ‘Blow Away’ on the album ‘George Harrison’ (1979), he reaches the top 20 in the US and Canada for the first time in years. It is one of his most popular songs, a straightforward pop song with little melodic variation.

Somewhere in England (1981) and Cloud Nine (1987)

The death of John Lennon in 1981 is a shock to George, who still considers John a mentor. He reworks the song ‘All Those Years Ago’ as a tribute to John; Paul and Linda McCartney and Ringo also contributed to it. The song peaked at number two in the US and is included on the album ‘Somewhere in England’ (1981).

I also want mention the album ‘Cloud Nine’ (1987) with hits such as ‘Got My Mindset on You’ and ‘When We Was Fab’, which is also a nostalgic look back at the time when the Beatles conquered the world as a group. Ringo also plays on this song. You can listen to it here:

The song is very similar to older Beatles songs such as ‘I am the walrus’ and contains references to ‘Drive my car’ and ‘Within you, without you’. Complete with cellos, sitar and special effects, it brings the era of psychedelic rock back to life. It is Harrison’s last hit in the US; the public considers it one of his ten best songs.

The Traveling Wilburys (1988)

Harrison’s passion for music has faded somewhat in recent years. Then something happens that brings his joy back: the formation of the supergroup ‘The Traveling Wilburys’, whose members, besides George, are Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers). They present themselves as a group of travelling half-brothers, the Wilburys and released two albums of classic rock. The first is a huge success and has won a Grammy for ‘Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group’. Here you can hear ‘End of the Line’, one of the songs from this album.

The group released a second album, jokingly titled ‘Traveling Wilburys Vol. III’. By then, the group has become a quartet following the death of Roy Orbison from a heart attack. George have big plans, including a series of performances, but nothing comes of it and eventually the interest of the group members waned.

The Beatles Anthology (1994)

A new project ‘The Beatles Anthology’ presented itself. It was a multimedia project consisting of six hours of television documentaries, three sets of double albums and a book about the history of the Beatles, all arranged chronologically. Apparently, each of the three remaining Beatles feel the need to record and document the past as much as possible. They first allow Jools Holland to be interviewed at length. Afterwards they start cataloguing lyrics from the past, unfinished songs, takes from recordings and all the correspondence surrounding them. Several songs by John Lennon also surface: ‘Free as a Bird’, ‘Real Love’ and ‘Now and Then’. Of these songs, only a poorly recorded vocal track and a piano part were available. Then they decide to finish these songs using digital tools and add them to each of the parts of the anthology. Free as a Bird is released in 1995, ‘Real Love in 1996. You can hear that song here

It took until 2023 for ‘Now and then’ to become available, because only then the quality of the source material can be improved with AI.

The production of this enormous project took approximately 5,000 hours of work. Apart from the priceless cultural value of the whole, it was also a great commercial success.

Brainwashed (2002)

Meanwhile George Harrison has started working on a new album: ‘Brainwashed’. He passes away during the production process. The album has been completed by his son Dhani and his friend and colleague Jeff Lynne. The album reachs the top 20 in the US and is positively reviewed by most critics, who particularly praise George’s deeply emotional slide guitar playing.

The album includes the singles ‘‘Inside a cloud’ , ‘‘Road’. The instrumental ‘Marwa Blues’ receives a Grammy Award in 2004 for ‘Best Pop Instrumental Performance’. Listen to this number here.

The song is named after Raga Marwa, an Indian classical raga that was usually played at sunset.

What else did George Harrison do?

George’s somewhat waning interest in making new albums and the overall lower quality of most of the songs in the period 1975–1985 relates to other activities that were taking up more and more of his time.

Dark Horse Records.

In 1974, George founds Dark Horse Records, a label to enable musicians to release songs that record companies were not interested in, following in the footsteps of the now defunct Apple Corps. George is helping them as a producer. Harrison’s own albums are also released under this label from 1976 onwards. A&M Records handles the worldwide distribution of the label. Harrison’s son Dhawi revives the label in 2002 after a 10-year hiatus, in connection with the release of Harrison’s last album, Brainwashed. The label still exists, although its roster consists of a limited number of artists, such as Ravi Shankar, Joe Strummer, Leon Russell, Cat Stevens and, of course, the legacy of George Harrison himself.

Handmade Films

In 1978, George Harrison and Dennis O’Brien found Handmade Films, initially to produce Monty Python’s Life of Brian. The next blockbuster was Time Bandits (1981). Twenty-one other films followed. Most of them flopped, partly due to the excessive debts incurred by O’Brien, some of which Harrison recovers after legal intervention. Handmade Films ceased operations in 1991.

Humanitarian activities

Throughout his career, Harrison has been politically active. In the 1960s, he supports the civil rights movement and is protesting the war in Vietnam. Later, he joins Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth in opposing the use of nuclear energy. He donates one of his houses to the Hare Krishna movement, which turned it into a temple.

Looking back

Harrison demonstrated outstanding songwriting skills, which developed already during his Beatles’ years. However, I doubt whether he ever equaled the standard of his best songs from that period. Inspired by Hinduism, he continued to explore themes such as transience and personal growth. His most important songs as a solo artist are: ‘What is life’ and ‘My sweet Lord’ (both on the album ‘All things must pass’, 1970), although a court ruled that the latter was partly plagiarised. ‘Give Me Love (Give Peace on Earth)’ (on ‘Living in a Material World’, 1973) and ‘Blow Away’ (on ‘George Harrison’, 1979) are simple pop songs, but among his most popular. In addition’’Got My Mind Set on You’ and ‘When We Was Fab’ (both on Cloud Nine, 1987).

Between 1966 and 1968, George devoted himself to learning to play the sitar. Until his teacher Ravi Shankar advised him to go back to his roots. Ravi Shankar saw him as a world-class guitarist, but he was only able to achieve an average level on the sitar. Harrison’s ‘Marwa blues’ (on ‘Brainwashed’, 2002), which posthumously won a Grammy Award, proved that Shankar was right about the guitar.

July 31, 2025

Boogie Woogie

Boogie Woogie is a style of music that emerged immediately after the abolition of slavery in the US in the 1870s. This makes the style – like gospel singing – one of the bridges between African-American music, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues from the beginning of the 20th century on. Boogie Woogie has endured over the years and played a major role in the pop music that emerged in the US around the 1960th and would also gain major influence in Europe.

Listen to a recent recording of the ‘Boogie Woogie Piano’ by Johan Blohm. just for fun.

Origin

Freed slaves migrated across America from 1870 in search of work. At that time, cities developed rapidly and there was a need for lots of timber. Logging camps sprang up, where many former slaves found work, but also provided musical entertainment in so-called ‘barrelhouses’. These are elementary pubs often just a roof, two beer barrels and a few boards over them, completed by an old piano. Pianists travelled around, telling stories about ‘the outside world”””, which gave them a certain status. It took not long, before Boogie Woogie was also heard in pubs in the cities.

Boogie Woogie is very catchy and in its elementary form easy to play. Together with the beer (and the ladies) its sound contributed to the pleasure. The origin of the name Boogie Woogie is not clear. Some think of ‘bogey man’, others hear in the monotonous bass parts the rhythm of the freight trains that carried pianists usually as stowaways from one camp to another.

The first song in which the term Boogie Woogie appears explicitly is Pine Tops’ Boogie Woogie. ‘Pine Top’ (crown of pine tree) was the nickname of Clarence Smith, one of the piano players who also came to climb pine trees like no other.

Here the original 1928 performance on one of the first gramophone records of the time.

Musical style

Characteristic of Boogie Woogie is the tight rhythm on the piano of the left hand and the frivolous runs with the right hand. Melody and rhythm are not that important. The right hand mainly provides variation and inspired dancers to create figures. The lyrics were instructions for dancing. The piano is used like a percussion instrument. This is very well expressed in the following recording, in which piano and drums complementing each other particularly well.

Dance music par excellence

Rhythm, tempo and variation in tone are the key ingredients to put your body in a ‘dancing mood’. To this day, the Boogie Woogie inspires dancing. Nice to see professional dancers displaying their gifts

Boogie Woogie after logging camps and small pubs

Back to history for a moment. When logging camps became history, Boogie Woogie was confined to the many jazz clubs and dance parties. Gramophone records gave its distribution an initial boost. Initially, Boogie Woogie stayed music by and for African-Americans. That changed in the late 1930s with a concert at Carnegie Hall called ‘From Spirituals to Swing’, which led to a huge uplift in the popularity of ‘black music’. Here is a recording of Mead Lux Lewis, one of famous Boogie Woogie players of that time:.

The bridge to pop music

In 1958, Little Richard provided a bridge between Boogie Woogie and pop music with the song Good Golly Miss Molly. This song was widely adopted by other groups and singers. It reached the 92th place of the ‘Rolling Stone Magazine’s hit list of all time.

Dance competitions

Dancing and on Boogie Woogie are inextricably linked. Sometimes visual effects take the leading role and there is no longer a splashing dance party but a show. This extreme form is also called acrobatic rock and roll. Finally, enjoy a recording of a Boogie Woogie competition from 2016.

February 9, 2025February 8, 2025

Post-progressive rock (Prog rock 1965 – 2025 part 8)

The first songs called post-progressive date from the mid-1980s. Most prog rock in the years that follow can be characterized as such. So, you can expect ‘post-prog rock’ to have a high degree of diversity. Differences exist over time, by group and within albums too.

Among others, the groups Rush and Marillion illustrate the transition from neo- to post- progressive rock. As for Rush, an album like ‘Presto’ (1989) is characterized by its emphasis on atmosphere and simpler structure. ‘The pass‘ from this album is a simple song, introspective in nature and has meaningful lyrics. In its early years, Marillion embodies the characteristics of the neo-progressive period through its use of synthesizers and dramatic lyrics. Gradually, the emphasis shifts to conveying emotion, creating atmosphere and topical themes, typical of post-progressive rock.

Below, I will I list seven characteristics and give some examples of each^[1] . I have embedded an example in the text and added references to other examples as hyperlinks to YouTube. Many characteristics apply to most songs. The emphasis in this episode is on watching and listening. The explanatory texts have therefore been kept short.

1. Focus on atmosphere and texture

The emphasis is on creating a rich, atmospheric soundscape. The intimate approach is well heard in Porcupine Tree’s song ‘ Trains ‘, from the album ‘Arriving somewhere’. ‘Living with the big lie’ by Marillion from the album Brave is also an emotional song, which goes far beyond a simple ballad due to its layering. You can listen to this song here.

2. Interaction with alternative rock

Elsewhere, I have dwelt at length on ‘alternative’ rock. This style and prog rock have common elements. Both genres set themselves against ‘mainstream rock music’ in the late 20^thcentury. Both are experimenting. Prog rock does so with complex structures, unusual time signatures and is influenced by many other genres including classical and jazz. Alternative rock’s song structure tends to be simpler and influenced by post-punk. At the same time, there is great variation within the genres. Radiohead is a band that can be counted as belonging to both genres, consider the album OK computer'(1997) from which you can listen to ‘Paranoid Android’ here.

3. Minimalism through repetition

Parts are sometimes drawn out for a long time, which can have a hypnotic effect. An example is Radiohead’s ‘Pyramid Song’ (2001). The emphasis is on atmosphere and emotion in a minimal but compelling arrangement

This also applies to the track ‘Untouchable, parts 1 & 2) from the album ‘Weather systems’ (2012) by Anathema, an English rock band from Liverpool. This two-part song embodies the emotional content and atmospheric timbre characteristic of much post-progressive rock. It starts with a powerful acoustic melody and evolves into a grand orchestral climax. You can listen to it here:

4. Less emphasis on displaying virtuosity

The emphasis is no longer on individual solos, but on contribution to a collective sonic experience. An example is the song ‘ Lateralus ‘ by the band ‘Tool’ (2014). It has complex time signatures (7/8 and 9/8) and is about spiritual and philosophical growth. The technically high-quality playing expresses its emotional side.

5. Introspective and social themes

Lyrics are personal, philosophical or socially engaged and often have a melancholic or subdued undertones.

The first example is ‘ Anesthetize ‘ by Porcupine Tree from the album ‘Fear of a blank planet’. For 17 minutes, it addresses topics such as technology and alienation. From a musical point of view, it consists of an alternation between atmospheric and heavy guitar-driven parts. Steven Wilson and his Porcupine Tree are at the heart of the (contemporary) post-progressive movement.

The group Marillion also occupies a central position in post-progressive rock. The track ‘Care’ from the album ‘An hour before it is dark’ (2022) is an atmospheric composition with socially-conscious lyrics, including climate change. You can listen to it here:

6. Broad influences and cross-genre experimentation

I already referred to the interfaces between post-progressive and alternative rock. In many songs categorized as post-progressive, its creators have deliberately used elements from other genres. Therefore, one of the main characteristics of post-progressive rock is its eclectic nature.

Dream Theater is an example of fusing post-progressive characteristics and hard rock. This is evident in the song ‘Through her eyes’ on the album ‘Live in London’ (2020), but also, for that matter, in most of the band’s other songs. The band is heavily influenced by prog rock bands like Rush, Yes and Pink Floyd, but equally by heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

A song like ‘Take the veil cerpin taxi’ by the group ‘Mars Volta’ adds influences of punk, jazz and Latin American music to a prog rock base.

Again, I refer to the group Marillion. The song ‘The party’ from the album ‘Holidays in Eden’ (1991) is almost a pop song. It is accessible, melody plays an important role, and the structure is simpler than most of Marillion’s other songs.

Finally, the group ‘Talking Heads’ combined (post-)punk influences with the more refined sound of progressive rock. This group was a model for many a band. Listen to ‘Life during wartime’ here

7. Dynamics and contrast

Dynamics and contrast are essentially features of prog rock in general, but in the case of post-prog rock they are more subtle and emotionally charged.

As a first example, listen to Porcupine Tree’s song ‘The start of something beautiful’ from the album Arriving somewhere but not here’ (2006).

The second example comes from Marillion, namely the song ‘Neverland’ from the album ‘Out of seasons’ (2009). A highlight of the band’s career, it combines melodic style and layered structure.

Finally, I refer to the song ‘From silence to somewhere’ from the group Wobbler’s album ‘From silence to somewhere'(2017). This album ranks as the highest on Prog rock archives’ database in the period 2001 – 2020. You can listen to it here:

I make a preliminary assessment. In the preceding episodes, the characteristics of prog rock, neo-progressive and of post-progressive rock have been discussed. In each case, I showed numerous examples, which incidentally revealed not only differences but also similarities between these periods.

The main similarities are complexity. layered structure, dynamics, rich lyrics, personal character and virtuoso playing.

The main differences are summarized in the table below.

Aspect	Progressive Rock	Neo-Progressive Rock	Post-Progressive Rock
Complexity	High technical complexity and long songs.	Less complex, focus on melody.	Complexity is in atmosphere and texture, not technique.
Influences	Classical music, jazz, and psychedelics.	Synthpop, new wave, melodic rock.	Alternative rock, post-rock, ambient, minimalism.
Instrumentation	Virtuoso and bombastic (Mellotron, organ).	Synthesizers and modern rock setup.	More experimental, mix of electronic and organic.
Texts	Philosophical, mythical, epic.	Emotional, introspective, often dramatic.	Personal, socially critical, introspective.
Dynamics	Grand contrasts, theatrical outbursts.	Slightly simpler, but still dynamic.	More subtle, atmospheric dynamics.
Public	Niche, music lovers of complex structures.	Broader, often hit-sensitive.	Eclectic audience, including fans of alternative styles.

In summary, progressive rock was characterized by technical complexity, epic themes and classical influence. Neo-progressive rock is more accessible, more focused on appealing melodies and the use of synthesizers plays an important role. Post-progressive rock mainly seeks atmosphere, within the layered structures of the genre.

It is more the rule than the exception that bands evolve and the nature of their music changes, as the diagram above indicates. The transitions are then fluid and each band put its own stamp on it.

In the development of styles, several musicians have played a role beyond the creative power of individual bands, who largely create their songs themselves. In the next instalment, I briefly consider four of these trailblazers: Rick Wakeman, Peter Gabriel, Mike Portnoy and Steven Wilson. In doing so, I looked at their qualities as musicians and those of the bands they played in, the extent to which their compositions broke new ground, their influence on other bands and musicians and social activities.

^[1] This post is based on an analysis of articles in Wikipedia (Eng.) and recordings on YouTube. ChatGPT was used as an aid in structuring the information.

September 2, 2024

John Coltrane (The evolution of jazz 11/11)

John William Coltrane (nicknamed ‘Trane’) is born on 23 September 1926 in Hamlet (North Carolina, U.S.) and he died on 17 July 1967 in Huntington (New York, U.S.). He played clarinet and tenor in a local marching band. Later, he switched to saxophone. After high school, he found work in a sugar refinery to supplement the family’s income, which had by now moved to Philadelphia.

1940s

On his 17^de birthday, he was given a saxophone. June 1945 was an important moment in his career; it was then that he first heard Charlie Parker play, about which he later said, “the first time I heard Bird play, it hit me right between the eyes.”

In the army, his musical talent was soon discovered, and he joined the Melody Masters, the swing band at his base in Hawai. His first record recording was in 1946, where he played several jazz standards and bebop songs. Back in Philadelphia, thanks to a scholarship, he took courses in music theory and saxophone. While playing in various bands, he continued to practice fanatically.

1950s

Meanwhile, Charlie Parker had also discovered his talent and Coltrane regularly played with him as a freelancer, as did Dizzie Gillespie and Johnny Hodges. In 1955, Miles Davis invited him to join his quintet when it was coming back from his heroin addiction. With this quintet, Coltrane recorded the albums Cookin’, Relaxin’, Workin’and Steamin’ (with the Miles Davis Quintet).

From ‘Relaxin’, you can listen here to a live performance in Zurich by Coltrane and Davis in ‘If I Were a Bell’. The recording dates from 1961.

The quintet ceased to exist after several years, now because of Coltrane’s heroin addiction.

In 1957, Coltrane teams up with Thelonius Monk, but due to various contractual obligations, a joint album never materialised. Only in 2005, a good recording of a concert in November 1957 surfaced and an album was produced after all: ‘Thelonius Monk Quartet With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall’. This album was highly acclaimed. Newsweek spoke of the “musical equivalent of the discovery of a new Mount Everest”. The album shows how Monk gives all the space to Coltrane and subtly supports his solos. Listen to ‘Sweet and Lovely'(1957):

In 1957, Coltrane resumes collaboration with Miles Davis, who perfected the style he had already practised with Monk, i.e. rapid succession of notes, fitting within a predefined sequence of chords. At this time, Daves’ albums ‘Milestones’ and ‘Kind of Blue’ were also recorded.

1960s

Free jazz

In the early 1960s, Coltrane recorded the album ‘Giant Steps’ (1960). In the history of jazz, this album rivals Davis’ Kind of Blue’. This album has a trickier sequence of patterns of notes than any jazz song. Listening to the title track ‘Giant steps’ while watching an animation of the notes flying by is fascinating. ‘Giant steps’ is compulsory practice material for conservatory students.

Of a very different nature is ‘Naima‘, a tone poem dedicated to his wife. This also applies to two other songs referring to family members: ‘Cousin Mary’ and Syeeda’s Song Flute’, dedicated to his stepdaughter. Watch and listen to the latter song. Played here by the Colorado State University Jazz Ensemble:

A recording like this gives a good idea of what the song sounds like on the record. The difference, of course, is that the song on the album is largely improvised and this version is a transcription of it.

Coltrane forms his first quartet now, later quintet. Its first record was ‘My Favorite Things‘ (1965), on which he plays soprano saxophone. The group plays regularly at the famous jazz club ‘Village Vanguard’ in New York and develops increasingly towards ‘free jazz’. This is evident in one of the most frequently played pieces, ‘Chasin’ the Trane’ (1961). Later, Coltrane added a second bass player to get a deeper pulsating foundation. You can hear that on the albums Olé Coltrane’ (1961), ‘Africa/Africa/Brass’(1961). This song is played here by Archie Shepp and the Hessische Rundfunk Bigband. The beauty of this arrangement is that a second bass player has also been added to this orchestra and the timbre is made extra massive by four (!) tubas.

Of slightly later date are ‘The John Coltrane Quartet Plays’ (1965) and ‘Ascension’ (1965). You watch and listen to part of this album here.

A middle ground?

Many critics were decidedly negative about Coltrane’s development. They spoke of ‘anti-jazz’ and fellow musicians, including Miles Davis, also disliked it. Coltrane took this criticism to heart and the style of the ‘Classic Quartet’, as it was called, becomes more harmonic. This is especially evident in the albums ‘Ballads‘(1961).

In live performances, he continues to push the boundaries between jazz standards and more free forms of jazz. This is evident on albums such as ‘Impressions’ (1963), ‘Live at Birdland’ (1963) and ‘Newport‘(1963). You can watch and listen to ‘I want to talk about you’, from the latter album, here.

Spiritual inspiration

In 1964, the ‘Classic Quartet’ produced its bestseller, ‘A Love Supreme’. This work is an ode to Coltrane’s love for and belief in God. For this, Coltrane thoroughly immersed himself in the writings of various religions. His spiritual inspiration is continued in other albums, such as ‘Ascention‘ (1965), ‘Om‘ (1965) and ‘Meditations‘ (1966) . ‘Om’ is main symbol of Hinduism and refers to the infinity of the universe.

In these albums, Coltrane deepened his commitment to avant-garde jazz, inspired by Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and Sun Ra. He asked Pharoah Sanders to join the quartet and attracted a second drummer. Other members of the quartet could no longer follow Coltrane’s path and left the band.

Cosmic transcendence

With his new group, Coltrane plays long versions of earlier work, sometimes up to 30 minutes. Some concerts have been recorded: ‘Live at the Village Vanguard Again! (1966) and ‘Live in Japan’. Studio recordings appeared on ‘Expression‘ and ‘Interstellar space’(without Sanders).

Death

Coltrane died unexpectedly of liver cancer at the age of 40, after which the African Orthodox Church canonised him. Coltrane is depicted as one of the saints on and 280m² icon – the ‘Dancing Saints’- in St Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco.

Coltrane’s sons continue his musical work. I end with a song taken from the album ‘Expression’, played by Ravi Coltrane’s quartet in 2008.

‘Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary’ is a 2016 film directed by John Scheinfeld. You can watch it here

July 28, 2024

Neo-traditionalism: hard bob, straight ahead jazz and neo bob (The development of jazz 6/11)

Previous instalments dealt with trends and changes in jazz during the post-war period: ‘Bebob’, the flight into virtuosity that didn’t catch on much with audiences. ‘Cool jazz’ that took the hard edges off bebop. ‘Fusion’ and ‘smooth jazz’ that inspired musicians to mix jazz and other genres. ‘Free jazz’ that gave musicians room to break free from most of the rules that had hitherto governed jazz music and improvisation.

Several jazz musicians feel drawn to none of these trend and continue to search for the ‘true nature’ of jazz. It is obvious that not everyone thought the same way. The result is a range of new styles’, some of which this posts highlights. These include ‘hard bob’, ‘straight ahead jazz’ and ‘neo-bop’. ‘Soul jazz’ is often included in this list, but in my opinion, it belongs under ‘fusion’ and is also discussed there.

Hard bop (1950s – 1960s)

What distinguishes hard bop from bebop and cool jazz? Essentially, the difference is about increasing the appeal of jazz to a wider audience while preserving jazz as an art form.

Features

– As in bebop, solos take chord sequences as a starting point, which are repeated throughout the song.

– The tempo of hard bop is often as fast as that of bebop;

– The melodies are more recognizable and simpler.

– Piano and saxophone are dominant instruments.

Innovator Miles Davis introduced hard bob at the first Newport jazz festival (1954) with his song ‘Walking’. You can see and listen to this song on a 1957 recording here.

Other Miles Davis compositions from this era can be found on albums like ‘Milestones’ (1958) and ‘Kind of blue'(1959). You can now see and listen to the song ‘All Blues’ from this last album, played by the Frankfurt Radio Bigband (2020)

Other prominent hard bop musicians include Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey with their band The jazz Messengers (Live in Belgium, 1958), trumpeter Clifford Brown (Stompin’at the Savoy, 1954), bassist Charles Mingus (Devil’s blues, a 1975 recording), saxophonist Cannonball Adderley (Work song, 1962), pianist Thelonious Monk (Live in 66 Norway & Denmark concerts, 1966) and flugelhorn player Lee Morgan (Moanin‘, 1961).

Straight ahead jazz and neo-bop (1980s and later)

Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (1961 – ) played an important role in the succession of hard bop by ‘straight ahead jazz’ (1960s-70s) and neo-bop (from 1980s onwards). Marsalis’ ideal was also that jazz would achieve ‘fine-art’ status and would eventually be compared to classical music.

Features

– Both straight ahead jazz and neo-bob seek connection with old-time jazz and swing.

– Straight ahead jazz musicians reject both free jazz and fusion because of the influence of pop music.

– The emphasis is on acoustic instrumentation, such as conventional piano, walking bass patterns, 4/4 beat and swing and bop-based drum rhythms.

– Neo-bop had a more swinging and melodic character than straight ahead jazz, influenced by the styles that had developed in the pre-1980 period.

– ‘True’ jazz, according to Marsalis, was based on swing, acoustic sounds, tonality, craftsmanship and knowledge of the jazz tradition.

Wynton Marselis has performed in 30 countries. His Grammy Awards in jazz include for ‘Best Instrumental Solo’ : Think of one1(983) and Hot House Flowers, (1984) Best Jazz Instrumental Album : Black Codes (From The Underground) (1985, recorded 2013) and Marsalis Standard time (1987). You can listen to ‘Smokehouse Blues played by the Wynton Marsalis Septet in 2015 here.

Horace Silver and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers were also a breeding ground in terms of style for young musicians who wanted to play ‘true’ jazz. Marsalis, incidentally, also played in this group as a trumpeter. A leading album by the Jazz Messengers is ‘Straight Ahead ‘(1981). You can listen to ‘Just By Myself'(1958) here

Another ‘straightforward’ musician was tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton. His first album was ‘Scott Hamilton Is A Good Wind Who is Blowing Us No Ill’(1977). Also: Jackie McLean with his album The Jackie Mac Attack live (1991) and Eric Alexander Solid (1998) , The second Milestone (2001) and Gentle Ballads (2008).

Several musicians who had made a mark on ‘fusion’ in the 1970s started recording acoustic jazz again, including Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. Even Miles Davis’ music of the 1980s, though certainly still fusion, became more accessible and recognizable at that time than his abstract work of the mid-1970s. Nevertheless, he had nothing to do with neo-traditionalism. He spoke of a ‘warmed-up’ turkey and considered Marsalis the jazz police.

Coda

If you listen to bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, straight ahead jazz and neo-bop, you will hear a wide variety even within these styles and recognizing them is often difficult. Probably they represent the core of jazz. However, it is going too far to speak of ‘true jazz’. Fusion and free jazz have stretched the playing field and ultimately enriched jazz.

June 24, 2024May 24, 2024

1990s: ‘Alternative rock’ (History of rock after 1960 6/6)

Record companies started to apply the term ‘new wave’ as a label to groups they wanted to promote as an alternative for punk rock. Music critics rather speak of ‘alternative rock’ – or ‘alt-rock’ – an umbrella term for all music they consider more original, challenging, or experimental than the musical ‘mainstream’. Unlike ‘art-rock’, it is about music that makes audiences dance and sing along, and bands that fans can identify with. R.E.M. is an example, as well as Nirvana, Pearl jam, Red hot chili peppers, Pixies, Cure and Green day’ who all figured in the alt-rock boom in the 1990s and later. Here R.E.M. sings ‘The one I love’.

Grunch

Another recognisable style developed under the alt-rock umbrella, namely ‘grunge’, with the city of Seattle at its epicentre. Nirvana’s ‘Smells like teen spirit’ on the album Nevermind marked the beginning of this genre. Listen to singer Kurt Cobain in the song ‘About a girl’ here. I choose an ‘unplugged’ version to illustrate Kurt’s musical prowess.

Grunge, like punk, was a reaction to the commercialisation of pop music. Grunge refers to the ‘raw’ sound of the music, sometimes also the result of the amateurish nature of the recordings. Grunch combines elements of post-punk and heavy metal. Most songs are introspective, melodic and have a melancholic undertone. Whatever you call the genre, the musical level towers above that of most famous (or infamous) punk groups.

Grunge may be a reaction to the commercialisation of pop music, but the genre also unintentionally contributed to it through its (cash) success. Kurt Cobain, lead singer of Nirvana also known as the voice of generation X, was uncomfortable with this. We don’t know if this led to the fatal self-inflicted shot that ended his life.

Under the predictable rubric of ‘post-grunge’, bands like Bush and Candlebox imitated the sound of Nirvana. Other post-grunge bands in the early 20^ste century included Queens of the stone age, 3 Doors down, Foo Fighters, Nickelback and Matchbox Twenty. Alanis Morissette is one of the female solo artists within the genre. Form your own picture by clicking on the links. Listen here to Queens of the stone age with ‘Go with the flow’.

Britpop

Grunge was a predominantly American phenomenon, and as a reaction to the pessimism of grunge, another form of alt-rock developed in Britain, namely Britpop, fronted by bands such as Blur and Oasis. Oasis’ album ‘(What is the story) Morning glory’ (1995) was the third best-selling album in British history. Listen to Oasis’ song Wonderwall here

Of course, several groups also resisted the fact that these two groups defined the image of Britpop. Examples include Radiohead, Travis and Coldplay. In their turn, they used the label – how could it be otherwise – post-Britpop. Listen here to Radiohead’s ‘Karma police’, a good example of the broad genre of ‘alt-rock’ because it is more original, challenging and experimental than the musical ‘mainstream’, however you name it.

Rock versus pop

This gives cause to reflect on the terms rock and pop music. Rock artists generally set themselves apart from pop. Either because they found pop too commercial, or because of their artistic pretensions or because of their connection to the subculture from which the music they made came. Much of pop music is made with the intention that a wide audience will appreciate it and buy the albums in question. The ‘producers’ of this music are outspoken professionals with no artistic pretensions in the first place. They usually employ a mix of styles to create ‘hooks’ to attract and hold the audience’s attention.

What about art?

But when is art? Such a predicate remains extremely subjective. The fact that songs are ‘played’ and ‘covered’ for decades may be an indication of their artistic level. The same is true of much ‘early music’. Of the many compositions from past centuries, only a small proportion are constantly played, listened to, praised, and elevated to art.

Parts of the rock music I am featuring in this series are now widely known and appreciated. Think of the songs that have been in the upper echelons of the Dutch NPO Top 2000 for decades. It’s only one criterion, but I have little problem speaking of art in such cases. I will close this series of posts not with number 1 (Bohemian rhapsody), a work of art par excellence, but with the long-standing number 2, the original version of Hotel California by the Eagles (1977), a song that shows off both my daughter’s and my grandson’s playlists. This version features Felder and Walsh’s famous two-minute-plus guitar solo: