DOCSLIB.ORG

Joe C Esposito,Is This Jazz?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Joe C Esposito,Is This Jazz? Mixed Magic Presents The Spirit Warrior’s Dream for One Night Only “I have often been aware of the wolf behind the wall,” says Mixed Magic’s Ricardo Pitts-Wiley. “But the thing about the wolf, is that it must come out from behind the wall so that it may be defeated.” Pitts- Wiley makes this observation in the context of discussing the presentation of his musical, The Spirit Warrior’s Dream, which receives a live broadcast via Facebook for one night only on Sunday, November 4. “And when the wolf comes out, it does not mean sheep *won’t* be slaughtered, it does not mean that the wolf *won’t* survive for a while in the sun … but the longer it stays in the sun … it’s like the vampire legends – they can survive for a while but will get weaker over time.” The sun, specifically the “silver sun” is an image that runs throughout Spirit Warrior’s Dream, a piece that Pitts-Wiley (alongside co-creator Robert Schleeter) originally wrote in 1987 while artist-in- residence at the University of Rhode Island. There have been several productions over the decades, but this particular version, truncated due to infrastructure issues at Mixed Magic’s building in Pawtucket, is lean and focused primarily on the music and the story. A “post-apocalyptic look at America,” Spirit Warrior wears its many influences on its sleeve (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, maybe even a little bit of Styx’s Kilroy Was Here), but is, at its essence, a wholly original take on a tale of warring ideals — is it more desirable to destroy the past and rebuild from scratch, or should we embrace the better part of our history and patiently build a better tomorrow? In other words, “Is America an idea whose time has passed, or a yet to be fulfilled promise?” Although the story has evolved over the years, the current iteration of Spirit Warrior revolves around a powerful dictator (“Dreamkiller”) who has taken over the nation, enslaving minds and souls, controlling the will of the people and denying access to music. Through the chaos, two separate factions evolve who represent differing paths towards the future. One represents violence and discipline to bring about “peace” and believes that America was a “failed project” that needs a complete do-over. The second faction, holed up in a former prison called “Yesterday,” holds forth the ideal that America just needs time to evolve into its original promise. Pitts-Wiley tells Motif, “When I first started this piece, I thought I was writing fiction, but now, this shit is really happening!” While political allegories are evident, Pitts- Wiley stresses that the play (or “rock/soul opera” as its described) is ultimately about the roles of women in society, ambition, dreams and the “power of the will.” Also central to the story is the effect of apathy in a society where action is needed. “The Age of Apathy began, and The Dreamkiller destroyed the will,” is a prescient quote here, but Pitts-Wiley is careful to stress, once again, that the story is less about politics than it is about “human nature” and the varying means in which we express that nature. Apathy or action, all modes of response are explored via the varying musical styles employed throughout Spirit Warrior. “While I wrote the lyrics, each song fell into a particular rhythm that informs the song’s style,” says Pitts-Wiley. Bob (Schleeter) is a guitar player, so a lot of the music is very guitar-driven, but the show explores all the qualities of America, and Americana, that make this country great. There’s Gospel, but there’s also Punk and everything in-between. With this performance (on the 4th), there are slides, projections and text that aids in telling the story, but we’re less concerned about the ‘look’ of the piece as we are about the music.” Described as a “17-song, rock and rhythm” score, there is enough variety here to keep Spirit Warrior from being just another bloated rock opera. “It’s a live concept album,” says Pitts-Wiley, invoking several classic albums from years past, up to and including even Michael Jackson’s Thriller. And, like most concept album storylines, the story involves making a stand for your beliefs, regardless of the adversity. The Spirit Warrior fights for our soul, our will and our future, whatever shape that may take. And, as Mixed Magic Theatre faces its own adversity, they take their own stand by presenting their story live, anyway, using the only medium at their disposal. For them, apathy is not a choice. Mixed Magic Theatre presents THE SPIRIT WARRIOR’S DREAM — In Concert; Sunday, November 4th @ 7pm, broadcast on Facebook Live; facebook.com/events/296581344323997; Directed by Gregory Johnson and Kim Pitts-Wiley, featuring Jeannie Carson, Jonathan Grice, Amos Hamrick, Greg Johnson, Kaiasia, Habibah Quddus, Brayam Renovales, Kim Trusty and Seth Woodruff. Donations are accepted in the ticketing section of the Facebook event. Hip-Hop: Plug In: The Outlet lets new local artists shine Although 2018 is edging closer to its end, artists and curators are far from ending their grind. Just ask the folks over at This Is The Plug, more specifically Maddie D and Go DJ. Standing as one of the major outlets geared toward promoting artists on the local scene, The Plug has been making a number of moves in their lane for quite some time. In addition to their radio show, in which they consistently spin local music from the likes of Nino, Cam Bells, Flawless and more, Maddie and DJ premiered a new event titled The Outlet this past summer that featured four performances from some of the top artists around the state. This Is The Plug is returning to Dusk for a second installment of The Outlet on November 13 with a quartet of new acts: Reign Mercedes, Sabs, Cuphasol and Rah Money Ramon. I recently spoke with Go DJ and Maddie about The Outlet and This Is The Plug. We first discussed the strong relationships they’ve had with artists over the past four years and their hopes to build on those relationships. “What we’re working on now is transitioning into a PR company for artists, athletes and influencers. We are able to do this through the relationships we built with venues, media outlets, DJs and more,” they said. The Outlet is more than just a catchy name the duo thought of, they explained. “It stemmed from our name, The Plug. An outlet is a way of expressing one’s talents and emotions. We felt like it was time that we used our hosting skills, honed throughout the years, and create our own platform for artists to display their talent and connect with their supporters/fans.” By putting on events that allow artists to showcase their talents and playing their music on their radio show, they are simultaneously “the plug” and “the outlet” for the local music scene. I asked them what factors went into choosing the lineup for the upcoming show, and they told me that for this specific installment, they based their choices on “lyrical content and the unique sound and stage presence to ensure we put on a great show.” As they described how each artist caught their attention, I could see the cohesion they sought in this installation. They said they were really attracted to Reign Mercedes’ energy, recalling a surprise performance of his at their last showcase where, “he freestyle’d unexpectedly at our last showcase and we said, ‘Wow, that kid can rap.’” As for Sabs, it’s his wordplay that caught their attention. “He is witty with his wordplay and a man with many flows.” Another artist who caught their attention because of his flow was Rah Money Ramon, whose “voice is very distinct as he flows effortlessly over beats.” Hailing from Pawtucket and Providence and currently residing in Miami, his sound features elements from the three locations. RI is flush with talented artists waiting for a moment to shine from outlets (pun intended) like This Is The Plug. As for their goals as a brand, the duo revealed their plans to become somewhat of a home base for artists. “We want to push our culture forward and continue to create a platform for artists and grow to larger stages and cities.” The second edition of The Outlet will take place on Tue, Nov 13 from 8 – 11pm at Dusk, 301 Harris Ave, PVD. The Outlet will also be hosted by Go DJ and Maddie D of This Is The Plug and music will be provided by DJ Dymand. Jazz Insights: Catherine Pratte Jazz enthusiast and veteran violinist Catherine Pratte was born in Providence. Cathy, who now lives in Bristol, graduated Salve Regina University in Newport and went on to receive two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education. She has played violin for more than 60 years, of which some 35 years were with the late famous Joseph Conte, who had dabbled in all facets of music, including jazz. Her background includes many years working for the Providence School Department as a music therapist, helping to solve local youth’s problems with unique musical approaches. Today Cathy is totally enthralled in the jazz art-form, following talented performers like the great and famous Mike Renzi. She has become a jazz critic, supporting local jazz venues, and we are lucky to have her and her following grace the current jazz events in Rhode Island. Jazz will survive, with the help of individuals like Cathy Pratte involved.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Martin Cloonan Introduction an Attack on the Idea of America
    MUSICAL RESPONSES TO SEPTEMBER 11TH: FROM CONSERVATIVE PATRIOTISM TO RADICALISM Martin Cloonan Introduction I want to propose something very simple in this paper: that the attacks which took place on 11 September 2001 were attacks on the very idea of America. This is not a new idea. It was cited by the New York Times soon after the attack and subsequently by the cultural critic Greil Marcus (2002). But what I want to add is that as time went on it became clear that the mu- sical responses which were made were defences of America. However, there were not uniform responses, but diverse ones and that is partly be- cause the idea of America is not settled, but is open to contestation. So what I want to do in the rest of this paper is to first examine notion that the attacks on 11 September were an attack on the idea of America, look briefly at the importance of identity within popular music, chart initial musical reactions to the events and then look at longer term reactions. An attack on the idea of America The attacks on 11 September were strategically chosen to hit the symbols of America as well as the reality of it. The Twin Towers symbolised American economic power, the Pentagon its military might. This was an attack on the psyche of America as well as its buildings and people. Both the targets were attacked for propaganda purposes as much as military ones. What more devastating way could have been found to show rejection of America and all it stands for? But the point I want to note here is that America itself is a contested notion.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF EPUB} I Can't Remember If We Said Goodbye by Steve Earle I Can't Remember If We Said Goodbye by Steve Earle
    Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} I Can't Remember If We Said Goodbye by Steve Earle I Can't Remember If We Said Goodbye by Steve Earle. I remember holdin' on to you All them long and lonely nights I put you through Somewhere in there I'm sure I made you cry But I can't remember if we said goodbye. But I recall all of them nights down in Mexico One place I may never go in my life again Was I just off somewhere or just too high But I can't remember if we said goodbye. I only miss you every now and then Like the soft breeze blowin' up from the Caribbean Most Novembers I break down and cry Cause I can't remember if we said goodbye. But I recall all of them nights down in Mexico One place I will never go in my life again Was I just off somewhere or just too high But I can't remember if we said goodbye. Steve Earle - Goodbye Lyrics. I remember holdin on to you All them long and lonely nights I put you through Somewhere in there I'm sure I made you cry But I can't remember if we said goodbye But I recall all of them nights down in Mexico One place I may never go in my life again Was I just off somewhere just too high But I can't remember if we said goodbye I only miss you here every now and then Like the soft breeze blowin up from the Caribbean' Most Novembers I break down and cry But I can't remember if we said goodbye But I recall all of them nights down in Mexico One place I may never go in my life again Oh was I off somewhere may be just to high But I can't remember if we said goodbye But I can't remember if we said goodbye Goodbye Goodbye.
    [Show full text]
  • MTV Games, Harmonix and EA Announce Superstar Lineup for Rock Band(TM) Country Track Pack(TM)
    MTV Games, Harmonix and EA Announce Superstar Lineup for Rock Band(TM) Country Track Pack(TM) Country's Biggest Artists Bring All New Tracks to The Rock Band Platform Including Willie Nelson, Trace Adkins, Miranda Lambert, Sara Evans and More CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 15 -- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS), today revealed the full setlist for Rock Band™ Country Track Pack™, which includes some of country's biggest artists from Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson and Montgomery Gentry to Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Sara Evans and more! Rock Band Country Track Pack hits store shelves in North America July 21, 2009 for a suggested retail price of $29.99 and will be available for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, and Wii™ system from Nintendo. Rock Band Country Track Pack, featuring 21 tracks from country music's superstars of yesterday and today, is a standalone software product that allows owners of Rock Band® and Rock Band®2 to keep the party going with a whole new setlist. Thirteen of the on disc tracks are brand new to the Rock Band platform and will be exclusive to the Rock Band Country Track Pack disc for a limited time before joining the Rock Band® Music Store as downloadable content. In addition, Rock Band Country Track Pack, like all Rock Band software, is compatible with all Rock Band controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and authorized third party controllers and microphones.
    [Show full text]
  • Sweetland Amphitheatre to Host Steve Earle & the Dukes and Los Lobos Saturday, August 28Th
    Media Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 25, 2021 Sweetland Amphitheatre to Host Steve Earle & the Dukes and Los Lobos Saturday, August 28th Tickets Available at sweetlandamp.com LaGrange, Ga. August 25, 2021 – Two incredible acts are teaming up for a fantastic night of music at Sweetland Amphitheatre Saturday, August 28th - Steve Earle & the Dukes and Los Lobos. Steve Earle & the Dukes Steve Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protégé of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his debut record, Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. Subsequent releases like The Revolution Starts...Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and TOWNES (2009) received consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. Los Lobos The journey of Los Lobos began in 1973, as the band earned their stripes playing revved-up versions of Mexican folk music in restaurants and at parties. The band evolved in the 1980s as it tapped into L.A.’s burgeoning punk and college rock scenes. Early on, Los Lobos enjoyed critical success, winning the Grammy® for Best Mexican-American Performance for “Anselma” from its 1983 EP And a Time to Dance. In 1987 with the release of the Ritchie Valens biopic, La Bamba, the quintet’s cover of Valens’ signature song topped the charts in the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Steve Earle Townes Biography
    Steve Earle Townes Biography Steve Earle had two reasons for coming out with this long-planned tribute to Townes Van Zandt now. The first reason is practical. Earle is currently pushing himself to finish a years-in-the-making novel, and he wants to see it in print before the publishing business goes belly up. The second is a more personal concern. Like all artists worthy of the name, Steve Earle loves the truth, and in the case of Van Zandt, he sees that the waters are muddying before his eyes. Very often over periods of years, the truth first becomes myth and myth later becomes truth. In regards to his teacher, hero and friend Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle was not about to let that happen. “I’m very thankful that when I got out of jail I started meeting people like Jay Farrar and other people his age that knew Townes chapter and verse,” he says. “I’ve always been very thankful for that. But a lot of what powered that is a take on roots music that comes from alternative music, and the crowd that kind of attached itself to Townes was the same kind of people that have White Light / White Heat in the front of their record collection so everybody knows how intense they are when they have a party. I love that record, but I don’t think I’ve listened to it all the way through since I bought it.” “I’m tryin’ not to kill myself,” he laughs. Van Zandt’s reputation has been under something of an overhaul since the dawn of the 1990s.
    [Show full text]
  • STEVE EARLE How a Singer-Songwriter, Actor and Activist Learned to Be a Novelist
    MARCH/APRIL 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A Ted Barron Ted STEVE EARLE How a singer-songwriter, actor and activist learned to be a novelist SINGER AND SONGWRITER STEVE stay clean is to not fool yourself about form. I’m much more old-fashioned, and Earle will soon release both a new T Bone what you’re in control of. Why hire T Bone that comes from songwriting—a beginning, Burnett–produced album and his first Burnett and then try to tell him how to put middle and an end. I had to learn novel—both named for the Hank Williams the record together? how to get a lot of information out and classic “I’ll Never Get Out of This World to develop some sort of narrative in Alive.” Earle struggled with drug addiction Did you know during recording three to four minutes. in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but his that the album and book would be high these days is productivity: He’s also companions? Did having a baby infl uence you? writing a play, acting on HBO’s Treme Not until I sequenced it. I did know the Probably. It’s the ultimate expression of and adjusting to life as a new father—he album was about pushing things as far optimism to have a baby in your mid-50s. and wife Allison Moorer welcomed a baby past the decimal point as possible literarily. Now I want to be in shape to throw a baseball boy into their New York home last year. The book was always going to be called in six or seven years.
    [Show full text]
  • Steve Earle & the Dukes Return with ​Guy​ This Friday 16-Song Set
    STEVE EARLE & THE DUKES RETURN WITH GUY THIS FRIDAY ​ ​ 16-SONG SET COMPRISED OF SONGS WRITTEN BY THE LEGENDARY GUY CLARK THE NEW YORKER PREMIERES GUY IN ITS ENTIRETY TODAY ​ ​ ​ ADDITIONAL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED INCLUDING THE GRAND OLE OPRY IN NASHVILLE, TN, WILLIE NELSON’S 4th OF JULY PICNIC IN AUSTIN, TX & TWO NIGHT STAND AT THE TROUBADOUR IN LOS ANGELES, CA “...a truly sublime homage.” - Stereogum ​ Steve Earle & The Dukes are set to return with GUY this Friday, March 29th, 2019. A return to ​ ​ New West Records, the 16-song set is comprised of songs written by one of his two primary songwriting mentors, the legendary Guy Clark. GUY appears ten years after his Grammy Award ​ winning album TOWNES, his tribute to his other songwriting mentor, Townes Van Zandt. ​ ​ Produced by Earle and recorded by his longtime production partner Ray Kennedy, GUY features ​ his latest, and possibly best, incarnation of his backing band The Dukes including Kelley Looney on bass, Chris Masterson on guitar, Eleanor Whitmore on fiddle & mandolin, Ricky Ray Jackson on pedal steel guitar, and Brad Pemberton on drums & percussion. Today, The New Yorker has premiered GUY in its entirety. Speaking to the magazine, Earle ​ ​ ​ states, “I knew when Guy died that I’d have to make a record, because I don’t want to run into that motherfucker on the other side having made Townes’s record and not made his. I don’t even know whether I believe in that, you know, but I am not taking any chances.” The New ​ Yorker calls GUY a “winsome tribute,” stating “Earle turned sixty-four this year, and, though his ​ vocals have always been suffused with a bit of psychic fatigue, it feels like he’s now the exact right age to give voice to Clark’s particular heartache.
    [Show full text]
  • For Immediate Release: Steve Earle to Perform Four
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: STEVE EARLE TO PERFORM FOUR INTIMATE SHOWS AT WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK’S JUDSON MEMORIAL CHURCH PERFORMANCES TO CONCLUDE SECOND LEG OF NORTH AMERICAN TOUR BEGINNING JUNE 27 th EARLE NOMINATED FOR ARTIST OF THE YEAR BY THE AMERICANA MUSIC ASSOCIATION; SIGNATURE CUSTOM GUITAR INTRODUCED BY MARTIN GUITARS June 16 th , 2008 - New York, NY -- Legendary music renegade Steve Earle will perform four nights at Washington Square Park’s Judson Memorial Church on September 22 nd , 23 rd , 25 th and 26th . The extremely intimate concerts will conclude the second leg of Earle’s North American performances in support of the critically acclaimed album, Washington Square Serenade (New West Records). The tour will begin in Tucson, AZ on June 27 th at the Rialto Theatre with very special guest Allison Moorer supporting all dates. A longtime Nashville (via Texas) resident, Earle has called New York City home for the past three years. Washington Square Serenade, a love letter to his new home, was honored by the Recording Academy in February with a Grammy ® Award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album. The Americana Music Association has nominated Earle for Artist of the Year for their 7 th Annual Americana Honors and Awards Show. Selected by members of the Americana Music Association, the 2008 nominees reflect the genre’s penchant for harboring exciting roots artists capable of career longevity and enthralling reinvention. The awards ceremony will be held September 18 th at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Additionally, Martin Guitar recently introduced the M-21 Steve Earle Custom Edition Signature Model acoustic guitar.
    [Show full text]
  • Austin City Limits Showcases Steve Earle & the Dukes: a Tribute to Guy Clark Joined by Special Guests Rodney Crowell, Joe El
    Austin City Limits Showcases Steve Earle & The Dukes: A Tribute to Guy Clark Joined by Special Guests Rodney Crowell, Joe Ely, Terry Allen & Jo Harvey Allen Special Hour Premieres October 19 on PBS Austin, TX—October 18, 2019—Austin City Limits (ACL) presents a Season 45 highlight: Steve Earle & The Dukes spotlighting the songwriting legacy of the legendary Guy Clark. Americana stalwart Earle makes his fifth appearance on the ACL stage paying tribute to his mentor, the late Texas singer-songwriter and ACL Hall of Fame legend Guy Clark, in a heartwarming hour filled with choice classics and personal anecdotes. Performing a collection of gems from his acclaimed Clark tribute album Guy, Earle is accompanied by his five-piece band The Dukes, and special guests including Rodney Crowell, Joe Ely, Terry Allen and Jo Harvey Allen. The episode is capped with vintage clips from Clark’s own ACL appearances including his 1977 debut. The must-see hour premieres Saturday, October 19 at 8pm CT/9pm ET as part of ACL’s milestone Season 45. Providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for a remarkable 45 years, the program airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding future tapings, episode schedules and select live stream updates. The show's official hashtag is #acltv. Steve Earle kicks off the hour appropriately singing “I wish I was in Austin...,” the infamous opening of Guy Clark’s “Dublin Blues.” In his signature bandana, the Americana maverick Earle showcases a true Texas icon in this moving hour, filled with entertaining stories and personal tales from Earle’s longtime relationship with one of his main songwriting influences.
    [Show full text]
  • Jake Mack's the LIST
    Jake Mack’s THE LIST Updated: July 2019 Don’t see it on the list? Billy Bragg & Wilco - Remember The Mountain Bed Request it anyway! Billy Joel - Vienna SUBMIT AT: Billy Joel – Piano Man wwww.jakemack.com/requests Black – Pearl Jam Fill in “Request It Live” form, and send! Black Crowes - Thorn in my pride (Only tap send once) Black Crowes - She Talks To Angels A Black Keys - Little Black Submarines Aimee Mann - That’s Just What You Are Blind Faith – Can’t Find My Way Home Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign Bob Dylan - Blowin’ in The Wind Allman Brothers Band - Ain’t wastin time no more Bob Dylan - I Shall Be Released Allman Brothers Band - Blue Sky Bob Dylan - Lay Down Your Weary Tune Allman Brothers Band - Melissa Bob Dylan - Mr. tambourine man Allman Brothers Band - Old friend Bob Dylan - Simple twist of fate Allman Brothers Band – One Way Out Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues B Bob Dylan – The Times Are A-Changin’ B.B. King – How Blue Can You Get? Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry B.B. King – Rock Me Baby Bob Seger – Mainstreet Backdoor Slam - Come home Bob Seger – Turn The Page Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me Bruce Hornsby - The Way It Is Barenaked Ladies – Brian Wilson Bruce Springsteen - Growing Up Barenaked Ladies – If I Had A Million Dollars Bruce Springsteen - My City Of Ruins Beck - Beautiful Way Buddy Guy - Champagne and Reefer Ben Folds - Landed Buddy Guy - Feels Like Rain Ben Harper - Diamonds On The Inside C Big Head Todd & The Monsters - Please Don’t Tell Her Chicago - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? Big Star - Ballad
    [Show full text]
  • Pop Goes to War, 2001–2004:U.S. Popular Music After 9/11
    1 POP GOES TO WAR, 2001–2004: U.S. POpuLAR MUSIC AFTER 9/11 Reebee Garofalo Mainstream popular music in the United States has always provided a window on national politics. The middle-of-the-road sensibilities of Tin Pan Alley told us as much about societal values in the early twentieth century as rock and roll’s spirit of rebellion did in the fifties and sixties. To cite but one prominent example, as the war in Vietnam escalated in the mid-sixties, popular music provided something of a national referendum on our involvement. In 1965 and 1966, while the nation was sorely divided on the issue, both the antiwar “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire and the military ode “The Ballad of the Green Berets” by Barry Sadler hit number one within months of each other. As the war dragged on through the Nixon years and military victory seemed more and more remote, however, public opinion began to turn against the war, and popular music became more and more clearly identified with the antiwar movement. Popular music—and in particular, rock—has nonetheless served con- tradictory functions in American history. While popular music fueled opposition to the Vietnam War at home, alienated, homesick GIs eased the passage of time by blaring those same sounds on the battlefield (as films such as Apocalypse Now and Good Morning, Vietnam accurately document). Rock thus was not only the soundtrack of domestic opposition to the war; it was the soundtrack of the war itself. This phenomenon was not wasted on military strategists, who soon began routinely incorporat- ing music into U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The M-21 Steve Earle Custom Signature Edition Steve Earle M-21 Custom Artist Edition a Straightforward Stage & Studio Model with Classic Style 21 Appointments
    The M-21 Steve Earle Custom Signature Edition Steve Earle M-21 Custom Artist Edition A Straightforward Stage & Studio Model With Classic Style 21 Appointments With Texas roots, Nashville credentials, New York toll and after release of The Hard Way in 1990, he took sensibilities, and maverick spirit, singer/songwriter a hiatus from music that included time in jail on drug Steve Earle leaves any pre-conceived notions regard - and firearms charges. ing his music in the dust. That includes the guitars he Putting his problems behind him, Earle came back plays, and helps explain how the new Martin M-21 strong in 1994 with the acoustic Train a Comin’ , Steve Earle Custom Edition came to be. which garnered another Grammy nomination. The In 2005 Earle moved to New York City and soon decision to establish his own record label – E-Squared found his way to Matt Umanov Guitars. Matt Umanov, Records – freed him to move beyond contemporary who has been matching players with instruments since country to tackle rock, folk and bluegrass. In the years 1965, guided his new customer in the purchase of a few since, he has released seven albums, often using his Martin guitars and along the way introduced him to the M music to address social and political issues. His latest, body style, which combines jumbo (0000) size with 000 Washington Square Serenade , which blends acoustic depth. Umanov knows the body style well; his conversion folk with techno sizzle, was released late in 2007 to out - of an old Martin archtop for David Bromberg in the 1960s standing reviews and received the 2008 Grammy served as the pattern for the Martin M in the 1970s (for ad - Award for “Best Contemporary Folk/Americana ditional information, see the David Bromberg article in the Album.” July 2006 “Sounding Board”).
    [Show full text]