The Production of Gospel Music: an Ethnographic Study of Studio-Recorded Music in Bellville, Cape Town
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The production of gospel music: An ethnographic study of studio-recorded music in Bellville, Cape Town A mini thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology Robin L. Thompson Department of Anthropology and Sociology University of the Western Cape November 2015 Supervisor: Professor Heike Becker Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................ ......................................................... i Declaration ................................................................ ................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................... iii CHAPTER 1: Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1 1.1 The prevalence of Pentecostalism and music in Christian households, churches and media in Cape Town .............................................................................................................................................................4 1.2 Rethinking the idea of genre through ‘Pentecospel’ music ....................................................................8 1.3 Going forth ............................................................................................................................................10 1.4 Chapter Outline .....................................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER 2: Making sense of ‘Pentecospel’ in Cape Town: Paradigms of thought ................................13 2.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................13 2.2 Track 1- The rapid growth of Pentecostalism in Post-Apartheid South Africa ....................................14 2.3 Track 2- Overview of research on gospel music ...................................................................................19 2.3.1 Lyrical connection .........................................................................................................................22 2.3.2 Authentic vs. New sounds ..............................................................................................................23 2.4 Track 3- The Capetoniazation of the Gospel: an anthropological perspective on music production ...25 2.4.1 Appropriation at Home ..................................................................................................................29 2.4.2 Aesthetics and performance ...........................................................................................................30 2.4.3 ‘Pentecospel music’ and socio-technological relationships ...........................................................32 2.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................34 CHAPTER 3: Setting the tone: doing research in a studio as a musician-anthropologist ..........................36 3.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................36 3.2 Entering Bellville ..................................................................................................................................36 3.3 Being in the field: entering the family home/recording studio .............................................................37 3.4 ‘Sounds of the Nations’ vision and the anthropological concept ..........................................................39 3.5 Ethnography ..........................................................................................................................................41 3.6 An overview of main interlocutors .......................................................................................................47 3.7 Being in the field as a musician-anthropologist ....................................................................................50 3.8 Ethical considerations ...........................................................................................................................52 3.9 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................52 CHAPTER 4: The production of ‘Pentecospel’ music ...............................................................................54 4.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................54 4.2 Rehearsals and Meetings: The behind-the-scenes look ........................................................................55 4.2.1 Social views on the ‘divine’ and the divide in Pentecostal and gospel music ...............................55 4.3 Meeting with Keziah: “Who I am” .......................................................................................................58 4.4 Following the drummer to the unfamiliar/familiar space (rehearsal) ...................................................61 4.5 Preparations for the public concert at V&A Waterfront .......................................................................66 4.6 Human and technological intervention in music production: captured sound and negotiated noise ....67 4.6.1 Back in the studio: “Flawless” performance ..................................................................................67 4.6.2 Logging Online within ‘meaning-making’ individuals of production ...........................................70 4.8 The production of the “Everything to Me” soundtrack .........................................................................74 4.8.1 The production of the “Everything to Me” music video ................................................................78 4.9 Recording raw tracks with Byron .........................................................................................................83 4.10 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................................87 CHAPTER 5: ‘Pentecospel’ public performances: a critical engagement with artists and audiences .......88 5.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................88 5.2 A brief note on the public sphere and audiences...................................................................................89 5.3 Attending and performing at a CD launch in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain .............................................90 5.3.1 Setting the scene for launch venue .................................................................................................91 5.3.2 The CD launch commences ...........................................................................................................93 5.4 ‘Pentecospel’ showcase at the V&A Waterfront ..................................................................................98 5.4.1 Getting to know the audience.........................................................................................................99 5.4.2 The concert begins .......................................................................................................................100 5.5 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................................109 CHAPTER 6: Conclusion .........................................................................................................................110 Reference list ............................................................................................................................................112 Abstract This thesis explores the production of music with musicians, singers and music producers who adhere to and promote Pentecostalist Christianity. The music they produce is a recently emerged genre, which I call ‘Pentecospel’. I have coined this term to refer to a contemporary form of religiously inspired popular music, which is performed by young musicians belonging to various Pentecostal churches in Cape Town. I argue that ‘Pentecospel’ music is an emergent social form of self-representation, which is framed around Pentecostalism and the sound of Cape Town, as identified by Martin (2013). Young musicians and singers in Cape Town are absorbing and appropriating global styles of music, concepts and beliefs and music making techniques within their own musical compositions and transform their music performances in a way that enhances their local popularity. Thus, I elaborate on the processes of production through technical and social interpretations. This thesis will explore how performance, engaging audiences, the social interaction between people and technology, and the creation of their own unique sound on their musical instruments are linked to visual approaches located in the anthropology. This thesis is based on ethnographic fieldwork which took place mostly between December 2014 and February 2015. During this period, I worked with music producers and young people who have recorded at the ‘Sounds