Who Quadrophenia Rock Music CD Review
by Admin on Jul.22, 2011, under Foghat
Not sure what’s happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Quadrophenia gets. Quadrophenia stated simply is one of their best CDs to date.
Who have been a heavy hitters in the Rock genre for quite a while now and Quadrophenia is an excellent illustration as to why.
Quadrophenia has a pleasantly varied, mix of 17 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.
Overall Quadrophenia is an outstanding release. Quite possibly Who’s best to date. Really sensational from beginning to end. If you’re even mildly into Rock music you’ll enjoy this CD.
While the entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 5 – The Punk And The Godfather, track 2 – disc 2 – Sea And Sand, and track 7 – disc 2 – Love, Reign O’er Me
My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – I Am The Sea. This is a great track!
Quadrophenia Release Notes:
Who originally released Quadrophenia on July 2, 1996 on the MCA Records label.
CD Track List Follows:
DISC 1:
1. I Am The Sea
2. Real Me, The
3. Quadrophenia
4. Cut My Hair
5. Punk And The Godfather, The
6. I’m One
7. Dirty Jobs, The
8. Helpless Dancer
9. Is It In My Head?
10. I’ve Had Enough
DISC 2:
1. 5:15
2. Sea And Sand
3. Drowned
4. Bell Boy
5. Doctor Jimmy
6. Rock, The
7. Love, Reign O’er Me
Quadrophenia Album Notes Originally released on MCA (10004).
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (various instruments, background vocals); John Entwistle (horns, bass instrument, background vocals); Keith Moon (drums, background vocals).
Additional personnel: John Curle (spoken vocals); Chris Stainton (piano).
Tips For The Beginner On Acoustic Guitar
by Admin on Jul.15, 2011, under Foghat
The acoustic guitar is the most well-liked instrument for beginner musicians. It is simple to cart around, you can practice on it any time, and it has a very agreeable sound. The acoustic guitar also is something of an unknown quantity for anyone just starting to learn to play, so in this article I would like to come to grips with issues such as the best acoustic guitar to buy for the beginner, what to expect when you take lessons and whether or not you will need to learn to read music. If you are just starting as a guitar player, and you need some guidance, keep reading.
First you will require a guitar. An acoustic guitar for a beginner is often difficult to find. The best guitar is not too dear but painless to play. With the number of low cost, poor quality acoustic guitars being made recently you will perhaps need someone you have faith in to assist you to decide on your first guitar. If you do not know anybody to assist you choose a guitar, then it would be best to launch into your search based on brand names. There are some acoustic guitars in the average price range that are favorably recommended by veteran guitar players:
The Ibanez AC30NT is a nicely-built guitar with an exceptionally agreeable tone.
If you go to your local guitar dealer you might be able to hook up with a Fender beginner’s package containing the low priced but serviceable Fender DG-8S.
Another cheap beginner’s guitar with an excellent brand name is the Epiphone DR-100.
Takamine is another label to ponder with some fully reasonable guitars in their range. If you are constrained by your finances the Takamine G-340 is a good selection.
For a grand looking, great sounding guitar, seek no further than the Seagull S6 but it is a little more pricey than the others.
If you find yourself looking round for a secondhand guitar, look for the brand names I have mentioned.
Your first acoustic guitar lessons will doubtless be taken up with the basics of stringing and tuning your guitar. You might want to learn some guitar music theory to assist you to understand what you are doing when you begin to play scales and chords.
When you are all set up with your acoustic guitar and you have found a teacher or online lessons, you will be looking around for songs that you, as a beginner, might dream of playing. Just center your pursuit on the kind of songs you enjoy. You should find easy versions of your favorite songs that will make use of simple chords that you will still be using as you grow into a guitarist. The easiest songs will be using open chords which will only use two or three of your left hand fingers. You will be strumming or plucking all six strings, but some of the strings will be “open”, that is, not fingered.
If you are wondering whether to learn to read music or just tabs you will find that guitar tabs are the easiest way to go. A few minutes of reading will give you the basic idea behind tablature, and an online search will clear up any rough spots in your comprehension.
You will find that starting out as a beginner acoustic guitar player will not be as difficult as you first imagined, but
This Awesome Thing: Products to Help Improve Overall Quality of
by Admin on Jul.08, 2011, under Foghat
This Awesome Thing: Products to Help Improve Overall Quality of Life?
Products such as get rich quick, get rich slow, or just change how your mindset is about the very aspects of life is a multi billion pound industry. Every aspect, including merchandise from motivational speakers to weight loss coaches and diets, to how to build your internet empire, and how to learn how to better communicate with the opposite sex are sold everyday on the world wide web.
There happens to be millions of information products out there, that can serve either one or both of two potential purposes: To benefit the purchaser, or to benefit the publisher, by lining their wallets. Unfortunately, for the most part, the unscrupulous publishers happen to see the latter, and puts the internet marketing genre to quite some horrorific shame.
Imagine a place, a store, or an internet blog or website, which could review each and every one of these claims, and tell you what is the best products possible in a certain genre. Would you be interested in checking out something of this mention? How about finding a place, perhaps a product review site on the internet, which gave an opinion or two on products.
This place happens to be This Awesome Thing! www.thisawesomething.com is one of those sites, where you can look up different product genres and get recommendations. Also there is an opt-in mailing list, which you can join, and keep in the know if there is any changes, additions, or even a great product release coming down the line.
Do you need website services for an reasonable price? We have a review for a couple of reputable website companies as well! Are you an affiliate marketer? I will have products for you for those who want to earn more money with affiliate marketing. Are you possibly going through a horrible sex life? Check out my review on personal relationship products. Maybe you need to build a sense of confidence in socializing with the opposite sex. This awesome thing has reviews for these hot button topics and more!
The Evolution Of The Electric Guitar
by Admin on Jun.17, 2011, under Foghat
References to the guitar more or less in its modern form date back to the 14th century. In its infancy it had four courses of double strings and a rounded body like a gourd or a pumpkin. Its mother would not recognize it today!
Around the sixteenth century the guitar was a popular musical instrument amongst the middle and lower classes of Europe, and as it increased in popularity it began to undergo a change of shape. Luthiers began making instruments with single strings instead of courses and experimented with its form until, by the 19th century, the body of the guitar was made wider, and flattened out. In the twentieth century the wooden tuning pegs which adjusted the tension of the strings were replaced by metal machine heads. Now we have the shape that the modern electric guitar is based on.
The first electric guitars were made in the 1930′s in response to a demand from guitarists in bands whose rhythmic stylings could not be heard above the other instruments. The main problem with these electric guitars was that feedback was coming through the amplifier from the vibration of the guitar’s body. This challenge began the evolutionary process of the solid body electric guitar.
The early electric guitars had sound holes in the body that were smaller than the sound holes of conventional guitars. In 1924 Lloyd Loar, an engineer with the Gibson factory, used a magnet to change guitar string vibrations into electrical signals, which could be amplified through a speaker. Now it was possible to build guitars that did not possess sound holes but could be heard clearly through an amplifier. Amateur guitar players were able to get their hands on electric guitars through the efforts of Paul Barth, George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker who founded the Electro String Company in 1931. Their guitars resembled steel guitars, and were played in the guitarist’s lap using a slide.
Modern electric guitars are made of many thin layers of wood glued together. The top layer is often a more attractive wood to give the guitar a pleasing appearance, and the other layers are of a wood which gives a good tone such as poplar or ash. The use of laminates endows the instrument with the robust body and tonal quality that would be impossible in one piece of wood. The original solid body guitar was however, made from one piece of wood. In 1941 Les Paul turned a railway sleeper into an amplified stringed instrument. He called it “The Log”. When production of his instrument began he stayed with the conventional guitar shape to give his market a familiar image to relate to. Les Paul’s invention marketed as the Gibson Les Paul is still extremely popular.
In the 1940′s, the Fender Broadcaster Electric guitar came into the world. Nobody really noticed until Arthur Smith used a Broadcaster to record “Guitar Boogie” in 1949. After being renamed the Telecaster, it was put on the market in 1950. Another Fender model, the Stratocaster, caught guitarists’ attention with its distinctive tone and light weight. It’s still the second most popular guitar in the world.
Ibanez, Jackson, Paul Reed Smith, ESP and Yamaha have made solid body electric guitars with original designs, distinctive shapes and new materials mixed with modern technologies to produce more efficient and versatile electric guitars. Todays electric guitars produce tones varying between futuristic music or quasi-acoustic sounds.
In the 1960′s, effects boxes introduced fuzz, delay, echo and the wah-wah sound to the arsenal of sounds available to the modern guitarist. A pedal operated by the guitar player’s foot turns the effects on or off. Now guitars contain software that lets guitars sound like other types of guitars or reproduce the sound of other musical instruments. With developments like the latest self-tuning guitars, maybe the old joke about a guitarist “phoning in” a solo will become a reality!
The Many Styles Of Jazz Music Part 2
by Admin on Jun.10, 2011, under Foghat
Bebop-The dance elements gradually faded away into a true art of real music by the musicians Miles Davis, Bud Powell, Clifford Brown, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Stitt, and Ray Brown who wanted to steer away from the commercial type music. These musicians sought to use examples of the Jazz musicians of the past such as Lester young, Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines and Art Tatum to expand Jazz music to another level.
At this time, Jazz music moved away from the basic melodic element of the piece to produce a more abstract chordal sound of dissonant tones, and chromatic patterns. The dissonant tones in Jazz music can be heard when two tones are played simultaneously in a clashing manner that can either sound strange or terrible depending on how the tones of the chord fit together as melody notes from a particular key. Clashing sounds can also occur from the use of lowered fifths and raised fourths.
The chromatic sound of the music allows the musician to freely play each of the twelve tones of the instruments without restriction. Musicians were able to play substitute chords as well as altered chords that could change the key of the piece in a whim. The change in rhythm became more discreetly energetic in sound which is used predominantly in Jazz music today. For instance, the cymbal was hit in beat of a 1+a 2+ a 3 +a 4 +a while the snare and bass drum are suddenly hit without warning.
Soul Jazz- From the late 1950′s, a style of music that derived from gospel and soul using the tenor saxophone, repetition with melodic groove hooks, and less intricate improvisation that occurred over the chordal harmonies. The music from the popular radio artist of the time known as Ramsey Lewis wrote “The In Crowd” a hit in 1965. Souls Jazz music signature was powerful bass lines and changing tempo of the song.
Modal- Bill Evans a pianist of this time made his mark in the making of new jazz music styles by using examples of major and minor medieval church modes which produced altered sounds between two notes. This music broke the rules by allowing the musicians to form new harmonies regardless of the key.
Jazz Fusion- Between the 1960′s and 1970′s, Jazz music infused with rock to the horror of Jazz lovers. The sound of Jazz fusion is complicated chordal harmonies, and oddly mixed meters with syncopating rhythms. The instruments used is similar to the instruments used in today’s bands such as the electronic guitar, electric bass guitar, electric piano and synthesizer. The musicians Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Tony Williams and Frank Zappa and many others performed this music.
Smooth Jazz- From the 1970′s and 1980′s Jazz became a lighter pop style of fusion which begat muzak an electronic form of popular music on the radio. This music made popular by Kenny G., Najee and Grover Washington Jr. is played in many businesses to entertain customers.
The Many Styles Of Jazz Music Part 1
by Admin on Jun.03, 2011, under Foghat
The essence of the appeal of Jazz music has expanded and became reinvented from the use of elements found in African drumming, spiritual and hymn music, bluegrass hillbilly music, blues, impressionist, and classical traits to newer sounds. Jazz music became popular from radio and underground clubs that influenced other parts of the world. For instance, Europe’s French Jazz scene created Gypsy Jazz and South America’s Brazilian and Afro-Cuban Jazz sounds. Not only did make it’s mark on the world, but it also found its way back to its roots through urban contemporary gospel music of percussion as well as brass instruments.
Today the contemporary gospel music uses guitars, keyboard, piano, drums and brass instruments for their sound. One can usually tell during the ballads how Jazz chord harmonies are used in the keyboard and piano. The harmony in Barbershop music like Jazz came from the African American Black gospel church community which use close four part harmony without accompaniment. This particular style of music without accompaniment is known as A capella. The Mills Brothers were popular Jazz musicians who learned how this harmonization in the barbershop owned by their father.
In many Jazz groups such as Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, Acoustix, Bara Vox, Beach Front, BR6 and more the harmonies are similar to that of barbershop. These harmonies are from the chromatic chordal harmony found in Jazz Music. The group Take 6 has expanded the traditional four part harmonies to six tones. Jazz Music did not stop there , but grew into an array of different styles that produce different aesthetic appeal.
The aesthetic appeal can be found in how each part of the music makes one feel once heard. All the different elements from the lyrical content to the kaleidoscope of colorful harmony to the depth of the mood provides its own ambiance of sound. To give examples:
On the extent to which Jazz has expanded are listed below as new expressions to the music.
Vocalese – From 1952 to 1962 Eddie Jefferson and Jon Hendricks made their mark by using their vocals as a substitute for the music instrument in the exact melody. Meaning, the voice imitated the exact solo of a saxophonist solo. It was not wide accepted until the musicians above made it popular.
Cool Jazz- From the latter 1940′s and 1950′s a softer more gentle style of Jazz of both bop and swing with arranged harmonies that are present in Jazz ballads today.
Hard Bop-From the middle of 1950′s the church’s spiritual and gospel roots of African style returned to the Jazz music which assisted in the making of Rhythm and Blues. One example of this music is Davis’ work titled “Walkin”.
Mainstream- From the 1950′s era, Jazz improvisation changed from single line melodic ornamentation to chordal which appeared again as a loose form of Jazz music in the later part of the 1970′s and 1980′s. This style was influenced by the cool, classical, and hard bop Jazz styles.
The Manhattan Transfer
by Admin on May.27, 2011, under Foghat
Anyone who loves jazz music must know about the amazing vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. What some may not know is that the Manhattan Transfer comes from the Name of Two different groups. The first group made one album, then broke up in 1969, the other group is the one, which is the basis for this article. They began in 1972 and still sing today. The Manhattan Transfer does an exquisite job of blending jazz music, popular music and big band together.
The members of the group are: Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, Laurel Masse and Tim Hauser. Their first album entitled, The Manhattan Transfer brought them a hit single, a gospel song called “Operator”. In 1971 an album was made with only one of the members, Tim Hauser. The album Jukin’ was really considered to be released by a different group. This vocal group did a spectacular job performing in Europe.
The next two albums, Pastiche and Coming Out had a number of top ten hit singles. “Chanson D’Amour” went to number one in the United Kingdom in 1977, but didn’t make the charts in the U.S. After that, the group released The Manhattan Transfer Live Album recorded in the United Kingdom. After that, Laurel was terribly injured in a car accident and Cheryl Bentyne took her place. The group has been the same ever since. They went on to make another hit in the U.S. with “Twilight Zone/Twilight Zone” from the album Extensions. This same album gave The Manhattan Transfer their most recognized sound. “Birdland” written by Jon Hendricks gave them their first Grammy award for the Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. They also an award for best arrangement for voices.
The group broke their record in 1981 by winning a Grammy in a pop and jazz category that year. Jazz music was taking a new and enjoyable turn. “Boy From New York City” made it into the top ten, and won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. “Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)” was for Best Jazz Performance Duo or group. Both singles were on their fifth album Mecca for Modems.
By the time their album Bodies and Souls was released in 1983, they took a new turn in jazz music again, their songs becoming more contemporary and urban. “Mystery”, “Spice of Life” were hit singles. “Mystery” is one of the best Manhattan Transfer songs. Anita Baker covered it on her Rapture album. With their next album Vocalese, they were going for complexities and were very successful. That album got not one, but 12 Grammy nominations. It was number two to Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. They won for two Grammys. One for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group and Best Arrangement for Voices.
Lately, the group has released An Acapella Christmas in Japan, 2005. Last year they have released The Symphony Sessions, which is a greatest hits collection. The songs were re-done for pop orchestras and symphonies. Late last year, they released a DVD called The Christmas Concert, which was on the PBS network. The Manhattan Transfer also did an original song for a film, called “Trail of the Screaming Forehead”.
The Manhattan Transfer has really changed and expanded the style of jazz music. Each of the members has appeared on other artist’s albums as guest. To date they have recorded twenty-four albums, and each have done solo albums. Janis’s solo career being the most popular.
The Magic of Jazz Singers
by Admin on May.20, 2011, under Foghat
One of the most beautiful interpreters of song are Jazz singers. The abilities of the human voice is phenomenal in the fact that one could imitate another person or instrument, or sing several octaves on the piano. The human voice can also interpret emotion in a way only a human can. Jazz instruments can express emotion, but the natural gift from within the human voice is conveyed in a variety of ways.
For example, each singer has his or her own style they were born with. Some of them may not be the best singers that Simon Cowell would compliment. However, there are many Jazz legends and people like them who have their own unique style. The je ne sias quoi x factor of a voice that is unusual, yet pleasing to the ears. The Jazz singers who have this quality have been heard in many clubs, and recordings in the past.
These Jazz Legends have helped make Jazz music popular especially with the use of the voice. There are four different types of Jazz singers that made it in the world of Jazz music. One style is the well-known crooner sound from singers such as Ivie Anderson, Harry Connick Jr., Mel Torme` Michael Buble`, Tony Bennett, Billy Eckstine, Mildred Bailey, Michael Kaczurak, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Johnny Hartman, Bing Crosby, and Nat King Cole. The signature element of the crooner sound is a voice with a smooth and sophisticated resonance made for the microphone as clear as a radio announcers speaking voice.
Another style of Vocal Jazz Singers is the soulful bluesy sound with Singers such as Diane Schuur, Nina Simone, Bessie Smith, Etta James, Della Reese, and more. The soulful sound of voice is the skill of ornamentation of the voice running up and down the scale with ease. Bluesy and soulful is also a depth in the range of the voice that sound as if it comes direction from the soul. There are Jazz music Virtuoso’s who have the ability to do anything from vocalese to scat to ballad to fast and complex in perfection. The Jazz singers of this category are Ella Fitzgerald, Phoebe Snow, Eva Cassidy, Ernestine Anderson, Betty Carter, Cab Calloway, Sammy Davis Jr., Eddie Jefferson, Bobby McFerrin Jr., Jon Hendricks, Slim Gaillard, Rachelle Ferrell, Annie Ross, Etta Jones, Dame Cleo Laine, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen Mercedes McRae, Mabel Mercer, Nikoletta Szoke, and Nancy Wilson.
The Virtuoso can croon a ballad and articulate it in a unique way. The virtuoso Jazz singer can also be strong and sassy and scat in great complexity with ease. There is no doubt that the virtuoso Jazz singer is the total embodiment of what Jazz is all about. The last type of vocalist has an ethereal appeal that seems to come out of another place with uniqueness in sound, and suitable to the world of Jazz.
The unique style of Jazz singers is a sound that one doesn’t usually hear. For example, the uniqueness can come from the sound quality of the voice or by doing something that sets the Jazz singer on a different plane than the others. Singers of this category are Amos Leon Thomas, Billy Holiday, Lee Wiley, Blossom Dearie, Shirley Horne, Rita Reys, Eartha Kitt, Anita O’Day, Ray Reach, Ethel Waters, Monica Zetterlund, Jimmy Rushing, Louis Armstrong, Cassandra Wilson, Al Jarreau, and Dennis Rowland. Each one has a particular sound of raspy, lush, high pitched, yodeling, vibrato, or gift of humor.
There are also the average Jazz singers who deserve to be in the spotlight also for having what it takes to make it successfully in Jazz.