Thank you.

I am not ready for this class to be over. I am deeply saddened and mildly bitter about this last entry. 

What is something you learned about another culture this term that surprised or intrigued you?

I'm going to try and narrow it down to a couple specific examples; this is a very difficult question for me. 

I was surprised by my instant adoration for the middle eastern and Arab culture and music. I was moved through the travels of both Dr. Weeks and Dr. Vaneman and thoroughly intrigued and inspired by their photos, music, and stories. The beauty in the simplicity and subtle complexities of their life (and music) is beauty beyond that which I have yet experienced.

What is something you realized about your own culture through our discussions?

This may sound sad, but through this class I realized that the United States actually HAS “culture.” As we began to delve into the cultures of parts of the world so completely foreign and diverse in comparison to our own, I began to feel more and more perturbed by what I deemed the Lack of Culture here in the states. Maybe I viewed it in that light because I have viewed our cultural aspects as the “status quo” of sorts - the norm. Even though we suppressed our own native music culture, (which is a rant I could go on for 6 days) I was touched to learn that the music of Native American people still exists. Through the eye opening this class provided, I am now able to see the syncretism that gives the US it’s true melting-pot culture; it is this realization that allowed me to accept “Jersey Shore” as a part of our society. 

**Note: “Accept” and “appreciate” are two very different words.

What is something this course has inspired you to learn more about?

(It’s hard for me to write concisely about the inspiration this class has provided me because of it’s sheer profoundness, but here’s my stab at it.)

The answer to this question could be put as simply as, “The World.” Honestly, this course has revolutionized my way of processing and viewing the world and it has also (bold statement ahead) altered the course of my life. Maybe that’s too dramatic, but that’s precisely how it feels. Since having completed Diverse Cultures and Their Musics, my would feels more than 80% smaller and I need to explore, see, and learn. I need to personally discover and experience absolutely everything from every culture I can get my hands on and my feet in. Not want - N e e d. I am infinitely thankful for this class and - KV - this is what we will be discussing over coffee in the morning. :)

Thank you for this class, Dr. Vaneman. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

To all of you - It's been a true pleasure. 

Cool Stuff Friday : The Finale!

Sigh. Alas, we have reached the final installment of our Cool Stuff Journey. But down with sorrow! Here's some mighty Cool Stuff:

To conclude my running movie theme, I'm now going to introduce you to one of my favorites. Everything is Illuminated is a film about a Jewish boy searching for the story of his grandfather in Ukraine, which is right here:

Just across the Black Sea from the middle east. Anyway, if you like Elijah Wood, beautiful stories, and dogs that are slightly deranged (yet so, so playful!) then I highly recommend this flick. 

I thought of this movie when we listened to some music earlier this week. I was quickly reminded of this soundtrack. There are many songs by the artist Gogol Bordello and they are incredibly happy-making. Here's my favorite, fitting for Converse.

Although, Gogol Bordello is a "Gypsy Punk" band based out of New York City... so I'm not sure if it counts.

Next, I was intrigued by the music of Indonesia and eager to see what else was out there, outside the Gamelan and Puppet Shows. I happened to be conversing with my boyfriend about Indonesian music yesterday, and he informed me that he had briefly been "involved" with an Indonesian Pop Star. 

"WHAT?! FOR REAL!??!" 

"Yes, Erica. She was a B%*#$."

"Is she on YouTube!?"

Narissa, everyone, with NIORY:

She's 4'10". Along with this video came a story. Narissa, the lead singer, apparently has a MASSIVE rival who is scandalous.  Her name is Cinta Laura, and is another "pop" example of Indonesian fused with American music. Scandalous or not? I'll let you be the judge.

Next, I am hoping beyond hope that I will be able to go on the Jan Term trip to Egypt next year, so I began to do some snooping. I stumbled upon an abundance of videos using the music of Oman Khairat, whom I Wikied. I discovered that he is an Egyptian composer and pianist born into a familiy rich with musicians. (His uncle established the Cairo Conservatory.) Here's a soothing one:

And... Since I'm talking about Egypt... and Jewish people...

:) The Children get me every time. Ahhh.

I have enjoyed exchanging Cool Stuff with you all. :) 

Happy Friday!

<3

Your secret's safe with me.

I'd like to open with this quote from my best friend:

The beauty in music is that it can take you back. 

For this Field Study on Music and Family, I originally chose to interview my father, however he decided to go to bed early on the night of our interview and I was blessed with the fortune of questioning one of the best women you will ever meet. Sheila Lane: Daughter of the Eighties, Stepmom, Best Friend. 


Upon receiving this assignment, I began forming questions and ideas as to how the interview would go, more or less. I was mildly shocked to discover that I didn't need my prepared questions at all. In fact, through this project I discovered that, given the opportunity, your family elders will give you all the information you could ever need about their past (using only one question.) Now, I asked a few, but for the most part Sheila was thrilled to talk about her musical experience. Here it is:

Key:  Sheila  Erica  Narrative

 What kind of music did you listen to while growing up? 

I remember “Candy Man,” I swear it’s kinda weird because my teacher in 6th grade played “Candy Man” and we all sang it, and that is by Sammy Davis Jr. [

Laughs] I never thought I would ever say that.

But the BIG thing is, my friends and I, our biggest birthday gifts to each other were record albums. Vinyl, full size. And I still have my very first one. “Fantastic 22 Original Hits, Original Artists.” Elton John was one on there twice: Rocket Man and Crocodile Rock. That was when I was in 6th grade. 

THE FIRST ALBUM

Styx was another album that my sister and I used to sing in the living room to each other and we were really into that. It was like, if you could go to any concert, that was the one to go to, but we were not old enough to go by ourselves. 

My cousin and I, Ruth, we would sit in our spa at my house and sing Sony and Cher “I've Got You Babe” going back and forth playing parts, and that was a lot of fun. We always watched Sony and Cher on TV.

How did your parents feel about your music?

You know what, they were fine. I mean, we liked their music but they never said anything about our music, in favor or not. 

The Eagles was another one, I really liked the Eagles a lot. It was a blue album with an eagle on the front. I don’t know if it was a greatest hits or not but I remember if I was just thinking about a guy that...might’ve not called me and I kept waiting for him to call, I was listening to the Eagles. Always. 

It was a Greatest Hits Album.

There was the Eagles album...[lovingly] and then there was Journey. I’m not sure which came first, honestly, but Journey was my first real love, like “Lights” on the Infinity album, that was the first time I could say I had a favorite band ever. And since I’m from the bay area, it’s neat because they were too. 

Ahh..."When the lights, go down, in tha ci-tay"...

Did you see any of their shows?

[Instantly] Oh yeah, I’ve been to seven. And, umm... [chuckles] I’ve, um.. Been to the house of one of the members.

My friend and I, we were taking a drive and [laughing] we were asking the mailman where “the guy from Journey” lived and he actually told us kind of like, “it’s up that street,” thinking you couldn't just find it. It was kind of a windy hill, but we found it and we talked to his brother. It was his younger brother and when we first saw him, he was in a water tower or something and he was getting high. We weren’t trying to be stalkers, but Journey lived up there! I did leave a Christmas card there one time. 

AND When my best friend, Lynnette and I went and saw for the first time, when we were leaving, she turned to the back door and got in by saying, “Oh...I really need to use the bathroom!!” and she met the producer of some of their records and shows and he invited us to come to another show at a different venue. She didn’t really have to go, she’s just creative like that. We went to the next show and stayed the night in a hotel. At the show they had a bit of a meet and greet and we got to meet some of the guys and they put us right on the front row. The next day, it was neat because I was driving her car, a nice, rare Corvette (black stingray anniversary addition), and Lynette had forgotten something in the room so I’m sitting down in her car and the members of Journey were coming over to me, asking me about this car! That was pretty cool!

Journey: The Love of Her Life

I was like: Oh. My. GOD! THEY’RE COMING UP TO ME! And, at the time, I was a little bit upset at Lynette for some of the um, activities from the night before so I was glad she missed out on it, I hate to say it, but I got the glory! I love Journey.

Did you have any other experiences going to concerts?

OH YEAH! One of my friends took me to a Leo Sayer concert. [Laughs and sarcastically exclaims] WOOHOO!! He sings, “You make me feel like dancing,” and during the show he says to the crowd, “Who feels like dancing?!” So of course, I raise my hand, so does everyone else, but I got chosen and he picked me out of the crowd and we were dancing to “You make me feel like dancing.” That was fun. 

Then: Kinda Hot.

Now: Lives in Box

Stay in School Kids

OH! I saw Whitney Houston at the Concord Pavilion! Okay, so, I wanted to weasel my way to get down to the front, I had tickets kind of in the back, and I saw people who had cameras because this was back when cameras were allowed. So what I did was, I had a long rain coat and I hid my camera underneath my coat [laughing] like under my armpit so it was hidden. So, I told these people a couple seats in front of me, I said, “Do you want to try and get closer to the front?” They said, “Yes.” I said, “Okay, I brought a flashlight with me I’m going to pretend like I’m the usher and I’m going to usher you down there.” [Laughing pretty hysterically] So I pointed my flashlight for them to walk and they got all the way down and I sat on the third row! I was just sitting there like, “I DID IT! I DID IT!” I was so proud of my self because it was all part of the game and I won that game. No one tried to move me out of the way - Yeah, I was the usher! 

Did you get more enjoyment out of listening to records or going to shows?

Oh, being at the shows. But there was, ugh, there was some band that I heard that was just.. Sometimes you can get really disappointed and think, “This was so much better to listen to on an album.” 

But then there’re people like Don Henley: the perfect show for him is just to lay on the grass, which I did and it was great! It was...[laughs] it was with the wrong person though; it was a guy who wanted to be more than friends, and I was like, “UH-UH!!” 

He looks like the type to want you to lay in the grass while listening to his music.

The chest hair does it for me. Mmm...

I got to see Paul Simon from third row. I got to set some flowers right on the stage when the lights were low. He had just won his Grammy for Graceland and before he came out, I set my flowers out with a balloon that said, “Congratulations.” And when he came out, all the flowers that were up there he handed to other people, but when he picked up the ones that I put up there, he held them to his chest, looked at everyone and said, “No, these ones are for me.” That felt good. 

You mentioned that you would sit and you would listen to the Eagles when you were waiting for boys to call you. Why else did you listen to music: did you listen to music as a method of coping, or-

[Cutting off the question] Yes, I definitely used it for coping. The Eagles were soothing for me. That’s the best word to describe how it made me feel. I had a lot of loneliness in me and, you know, being in my room and listening to them, it’s just one place where I felt really safe and it was something that made me happy. That was music. But the beauty in music is that it can take you back...

The Eagles. And all of their tight, tight pantsed glory.

What drew you to the music? Why did you listen to it?

You know, when my parents got me my own record player, it was great to have records but....[puzzled] I dunno...it was just the thing to do.

You know what’s weird? I ...[thinking] ...I don’t ever recall my mom singing. I...No I really can’t remember my mom singing. Ever. Not even singing in the car, which I’m always singing in the car. [laughing]Yeah, I know. I love singing with you and Angela. But I don’t recall my mom doing it, but I remember the music being in the house. I remembered the atmosphere that was around when music was playing and I probably wanted to carry that into my own room, the privacy of my own room. It’s something you could do that no one could take away from you; you always have your music. Knowing that just made me happy.

OH! And another person, who was a one hit wonder that I really loved, Debbie Boone. “You Light Up My Life.” I don't know anyone who will openly admit that they did now, [laughs] but I loved it. 

At this point, I needed to cut the interview off. Mothers are only allowed to have a certain amount of fun every decade and she more than surpassed her fill.  :)

In summation, the music of Sheila's childhood served a different purpose than that I would have expected and the quote I opened with explains it all: 

The beauty in music is that it can take you back. For her, that's exactly what music does. She relives the wonderful stories of her life through song -- her life-song. It's beautiful to watch and listen to her describe her life through music and, honestly, this experience has made me a more than a tad homesick. I can't wait to shriek "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Gotta Have Faith" Faith, faith, ooh you got-ta have faith-a faith-a faith-THA! 

So, Sheila, because you light up my life - here's to you.

Your secret's safe with me.

**Update: This is a photo of the "High Brother-of-Journey."

Drei. Zwei. Eins. Cool Stuff Friday!

Sticking to my newly created "movie" theme for Cool Stuff Friday, I am going to expound upon the Latin American culture of...well..Jamaica. Not so "Latin," but influenced by the African culture? Methinks yes. 


Now, I am hoping that most of you have, indeed, seen this movie, as it is of utmost importance to the chapter in my life titled, "Childhood." This is a movie about pride, about power. And bobsledding. In Jamaica. Where it is considerably less-than-snowy. It's also one of the most hysterical, yet uplifting movies I have ever seen. Here's the trailer. 

"What I am saying to you, is that [if you don't watch this movie,] you are the kind of club-toting, raw-meat-eating, Me-Tarzan-You-Jane-ing, big, bald bubblehead that can only count to ten if he's barefoot or wearing sandals."


And Sanka Coffie is, like, my hero.


Next: Fun Fact!


Speaking of the olympics, Ecuador has competed in 12 Summer Games, 0 Winter Games (they should take a lead from Jamaica..). They were recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in 1959, and since then have taken home two medals, both by the same person:

And here is the National Anthem of Ecuador, as heard for the first time on that infamous day in Atlanta, Georgia.

And finally, heading a little North, while simultaneously heading East. Have you heard of Paul Simon? You know...of Simon and Garfunkel? "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover?" Ah, yes. 


Here's "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes." And while I am sure most of you have heard the majority of this song on the radio, it wasn't until a few months ago that I heard the intro. African Influence in Popular Music of the Western World, Take One!

Happy Friday, everyone!


:)