After reviewing the posts of my peers, the one that had me reflecting the most was “Car Games”, posted by Folkish Thingamajig. Folkish Thingamajig discussed car games like “The Animal Game” and “The License Plate Game” as a type of folklore that was played in the car on road trips. He also states how his mother gets aggravated at people with children who do not play games while in their cars.
Well I would like to add “The Cow Counting Game” to the customary folklore of car games. I recall playing “The Cow Counting Game” from my Grandparents house in Mooresville, Indiana to my Cousins house in Monrovia, Indiana. My sister and I would always play this game to pass the time from Mooresville to Monrovia. The “Cow Counting Game” sounds similar to “The Animal Game”. The rules are as follows; we would have a race to the car, whoever made it to the car first would get to choose the “best” side of the car that they wanted to sit on. You could only count the cows in the fields on your side of the car that you were sitting on. Whoever counted the most cows was the winner. However, there was a catch, if your side of the car passed a cemetery you would have to start your “cow counting” all over again.
I will have to say that I do not own a minivan with a TV, but my daughter has her IPOD, and my son has his PS2 and those are about the only technologies they bring with them in the car when we travel. Eventually, the batteries die and we will continue the customary folklore traditions of the “The Cow Counting Game”, “I Spy” or “The License Plate Game”.
This is My First Peer Response to Folkish Thingamajig’s Blog “Car Games”.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Bill Monroe and The Bluegrass Boys Album Review
Being a native of Bloomington, the name Bill Monroe has always been a fixture in this area ever since I can remember. Bill Monroe is to Bluegrass music; as college basketball is to Indiana University. Even though I have seen my fair share of IU basketball games, in all honesty, I have never listened to one note of Bill Monroe’s music. That was until I picked up the album of Bill Monroe and Bluegrass Boys. Live Recordings 1956-1969 Off the Record Volume 1. This is the album that I have chosen to review as my first Encounter Project.
The Bluegrass style of music, itself was so named and can be traced to one band; Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. “(Bluegrass Music).” He started a musical genre that made him the “father of bluegrass”; this statement is quite obvious after listening to the live recordings of this album numerous times. Every song was a roller coaster ride of emotion that captured the very essence of Americana.
This album consists of more than 27 live performances from the nineteen-fifties and sixties and is divided into performances from 1956, and performances from 1963-66. The liner notes state that all of the songs that have been presented in this CD, include the categories generally covered by Monroe in any standard performance set:
1. Instrumental show pieces.
2. Monroe’s solo vocals.
3. One or two spiritual songs (usually quartets).
4. A duet with the lead singer.
Instrumental show pieces like songs number (1) and (11) are two different versions of "Watermelon Hanging on the Vine". Song (1) the 1956 version is a more energetic and upbeat and is played as a fiddle duet. Song (11) the 1963-66 version is a solo fiddle version that is not as energetic as the 1956 version. Although both sound slightly different they still both have the same effect of capturing the audience’s attention and if that that didn’t capture the audience’s attention then song (2) "Roanoke" from 1956, another instrumental tune most certainly would. This performance was very lively and up-tempo that included an introduction to the full band. Song (12) "Katy Hill" from 1963-66 performances was another instrumental tune. This particular pieces’ tempo meandered in several different places, leaving one lost in the composition. Some of the other instrumental pieces from the 1956 performances consisted of the uniquely muffled mandolin tone in "Blue Grass Stomp". The Beverly Hillbillies reminiscent "Blue Grass Breakdown" and "Raw Hide". If one wants to hear hints of the Charlie Daniels Band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia” one only needs to listen to the energy and exuberance of Fire on the Mountain. “Get Up John”, another instrumental piece was unique due to the unusual manner in which Bill Monroe tuned his mandolin. Finally, the two instrumental performances that stood out the most were "Wheel Hoss" and "Kansas City Rail Road Blues". Their instrumental sound reflected their titles. Wheel Hoss is a term used for the two horses that are in the back of a four horse team, they are responsible for a majority of the work in breaking the inertia of a heavily-loaded wagon, as well as maneuvering the turns. “(Rinzler 13).” On "Wheel Hoss", there is a sense that the music is taking you on a wild ride on a horse drawn wagon. The recreation of a coal fired train steam engine was the instrumental sound on "Kansas City Rail Road Blues".
The vocals styles and instrumental sounds of Bill Monroe and his band are presented in some of the following songs. The nasal timbre vocals accompanied by the smooth flowing fiddle playing of Bobby Hicks and Joe Stuart on “Close By”. “Brakeman’s Blues” showcases Monroe’s effortless skill at yodeling. One of his most successful hits was the relaxed singing style on “Kentucky Waltz”. The first half of “Blue Moon of Kentucky”; is flowing and slow paced and one hangs on every note, then the music accelerates and the vocals and the music become more staccato. The square-dance feels of “I live in the Past”, which has an excellent fiddle accompaniment and the energetic, Beverly Hillbillies banjo-style of “White House Blues” are very enjoyable to listen to.
Duet performances between Peter Rowan and Bill Monroe on “Wafaring Stranger ” include the haunting and most unique vocals on the whole album. The other duet by Peter and Bill was on True Life Blues, a less memorable song vocally. The power of the song was held together by strong banjo, mandolin, and fiddle playing. Whereas; Cotton-Eyed Joe had power in all areas of the song. From the fluid fiddle playing, intense mandolin solo and the voice of Tex Logan accompanying Bill. The fast tempo, along with a strong banjo performance accompanied Bill Monroe and Hazel Dickens on “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms”. Hazel was the only female voice recorded on this album.
Finally, the spiritual songs like “I’m Working on a Building”, “Angels Rock Me to Sleep”, and “When He Reached Down His Hand For Me” were performed as a quartet with the distinctive nasal timbre and very little instrumental showboating. “The Walls of Time” was performed as a duet but still conformed to the nasal timbre and limited instrumental performance.
In closing, I will say Y’all Come as Bill Monroe’s trademark at the end of his shows.
Works Cited
“Bluegrass Music.” Wikipedia Encyclopecia Online. 2007. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Sept 2007. http://en. widipedia.ord/wiki/blugrass_music.
Rinzler, Ralph. Liner Notes. Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys Live Recordings 1956-1969 off the Record Volume 1. CD. Smithsonian Folkways, 1993.
“This post is my response to the Album Review Encounter Project “
The Bluegrass style of music, itself was so named and can be traced to one band; Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. “(Bluegrass Music).” He started a musical genre that made him the “father of bluegrass”; this statement is quite obvious after listening to the live recordings of this album numerous times. Every song was a roller coaster ride of emotion that captured the very essence of Americana.
This album consists of more than 27 live performances from the nineteen-fifties and sixties and is divided into performances from 1956, and performances from 1963-66. The liner notes state that all of the songs that have been presented in this CD, include the categories generally covered by Monroe in any standard performance set:
1. Instrumental show pieces.
2. Monroe’s solo vocals.
3. One or two spiritual songs (usually quartets).
4. A duet with the lead singer.
Instrumental show pieces like songs number (1) and (11) are two different versions of "Watermelon Hanging on the Vine". Song (1) the 1956 version is a more energetic and upbeat and is played as a fiddle duet. Song (11) the 1963-66 version is a solo fiddle version that is not as energetic as the 1956 version. Although both sound slightly different they still both have the same effect of capturing the audience’s attention and if that that didn’t capture the audience’s attention then song (2) "Roanoke" from 1956, another instrumental tune most certainly would. This performance was very lively and up-tempo that included an introduction to the full band. Song (12) "Katy Hill" from 1963-66 performances was another instrumental tune. This particular pieces’ tempo meandered in several different places, leaving one lost in the composition. Some of the other instrumental pieces from the 1956 performances consisted of the uniquely muffled mandolin tone in "Blue Grass Stomp". The Beverly Hillbillies reminiscent "Blue Grass Breakdown" and "Raw Hide". If one wants to hear hints of the Charlie Daniels Band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia” one only needs to listen to the energy and exuberance of Fire on the Mountain. “Get Up John”, another instrumental piece was unique due to the unusual manner in which Bill Monroe tuned his mandolin. Finally, the two instrumental performances that stood out the most were "Wheel Hoss" and "Kansas City Rail Road Blues". Their instrumental sound reflected their titles. Wheel Hoss is a term used for the two horses that are in the back of a four horse team, they are responsible for a majority of the work in breaking the inertia of a heavily-loaded wagon, as well as maneuvering the turns. “(Rinzler 13).” On "Wheel Hoss", there is a sense that the music is taking you on a wild ride on a horse drawn wagon. The recreation of a coal fired train steam engine was the instrumental sound on "Kansas City Rail Road Blues".
The vocals styles and instrumental sounds of Bill Monroe and his band are presented in some of the following songs. The nasal timbre vocals accompanied by the smooth flowing fiddle playing of Bobby Hicks and Joe Stuart on “Close By”. “Brakeman’s Blues” showcases Monroe’s effortless skill at yodeling. One of his most successful hits was the relaxed singing style on “Kentucky Waltz”. The first half of “Blue Moon of Kentucky”; is flowing and slow paced and one hangs on every note, then the music accelerates and the vocals and the music become more staccato. The square-dance feels of “I live in the Past”, which has an excellent fiddle accompaniment and the energetic, Beverly Hillbillies banjo-style of “White House Blues” are very enjoyable to listen to.
Duet performances between Peter Rowan and Bill Monroe on “Wafaring Stranger ” include the haunting and most unique vocals on the whole album. The other duet by Peter and Bill was on True Life Blues, a less memorable song vocally. The power of the song was held together by strong banjo, mandolin, and fiddle playing. Whereas; Cotton-Eyed Joe had power in all areas of the song. From the fluid fiddle playing, intense mandolin solo and the voice of Tex Logan accompanying Bill. The fast tempo, along with a strong banjo performance accompanied Bill Monroe and Hazel Dickens on “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms”. Hazel was the only female voice recorded on this album.
Finally, the spiritual songs like “I’m Working on a Building”, “Angels Rock Me to Sleep”, and “When He Reached Down His Hand For Me” were performed as a quartet with the distinctive nasal timbre and very little instrumental showboating. “The Walls of Time” was performed as a duet but still conformed to the nasal timbre and limited instrumental performance.
In closing, I will say Y’all Come as Bill Monroe’s trademark at the end of his shows.
Works Cited
“Bluegrass Music.” Wikipedia Encyclopecia Online. 2007. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Sept 2007. http://en. widipedia.ord/wiki/blugrass_music.
Rinzler, Ralph. Liner Notes. Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys Live Recordings 1956-1969 off the Record Volume 1. CD. Smithsonian Folkways, 1993.
“This post is my response to the Album Review Encounter Project “
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Material Folklore and Stained Glass
Material folklore as illustrated by stained glass construction is the area I have elected to use for Reflection Question Number One. While it can be part of an official culture, learned in a classroom setting, in my case it was taught to me informally by my dad. He emphasized the importance of design, methods of construction, glass types, cutting and grinding techniques, pattern making, soldering, framing, cleaning, preservation and restoration. Of utmost importance, was attention to detail.
After mastering these skills, I was able to incorporate another aspect of folklore by sharing my knowledge with others. This was sometimes in a class I was teaching or in conversations with other stained glass artists. Attending arts and crafts festivals provided an interactive process that added to my knowledge.
With this knowledge also came an appreciation of works by professional artists and craftsmen such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, John LaFarge, and Dale Chihuly. While vacationing, I was often able to view stained glass exhibits such as the one at Navy Pier in Chicago. While all of the above represent high art or elite culture, I had been taught the basic skills necessary to produce handcrafted objects, which illustrate material folklore.
For a few years I was able to put this training into practice while working with my dad in our retail store. I was able to interact with clients and produce stained glass pieces that reflected their individual needs. In one instance, the members of a small church wished to have several windows designed for their sanctuary that would depict specific stories from the Bible. It was necessary to gain input from a committee in order to determine the content of each individual window. Working with this committee having similar interests and purpose represents expressive communication within this particular group.
To have been taught the art of stained glass by my dad is important to me because it gave me a sense of self worth, and the ability to express my self creatively through the materials and tools of this particular trade. Stained glass represents something I have created that can be appreciated and valued by others.
This posting is my response to Chapter One Reflection Question.
After mastering these skills, I was able to incorporate another aspect of folklore by sharing my knowledge with others. This was sometimes in a class I was teaching or in conversations with other stained glass artists. Attending arts and crafts festivals provided an interactive process that added to my knowledge.
With this knowledge also came an appreciation of works by professional artists and craftsmen such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, John LaFarge, and Dale Chihuly. While vacationing, I was often able to view stained glass exhibits such as the one at Navy Pier in Chicago. While all of the above represent high art or elite culture, I had been taught the basic skills necessary to produce handcrafted objects, which illustrate material folklore.
For a few years I was able to put this training into practice while working with my dad in our retail store. I was able to interact with clients and produce stained glass pieces that reflected their individual needs. In one instance, the members of a small church wished to have several windows designed for their sanctuary that would depict specific stories from the Bible. It was necessary to gain input from a committee in order to determine the content of each individual window. Working with this committee having similar interests and purpose represents expressive communication within this particular group.
To have been taught the art of stained glass by my dad is important to me because it gave me a sense of self worth, and the ability to express my self creatively through the materials and tools of this particular trade. Stained glass represents something I have created that can be appreciated and valued by others.
This posting is my response to Chapter One Reflection Question.
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