Category Archives: Music Musings

I know this is mainly a political blog, but I love to write about music too. This wouldn’t be my blog if I didn’t.

Music Musings

Houston Chamber Choir Receives Prestigious National Honor

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Some very big news for one of Houston’s most prominent classical music organizations.  Here’s the story from the Houston Chamber Choir’s Press Release (via the Broadway World Newsdesk)…

Houston Chamber Choir has received the prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence from Chorus America, the advocacy, research and leadership development organization that advances the choral field. The award will be presented at Chorus America’s 2018 Conference in Chicago June 20-23.

The Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence honors the memory of Margaret Hillis, founder of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, for her more than 40 years of professional achievement and outstanding contributions to the choral field. The award is presented annually to a member chorus that demonstrates artistic excellence, a strong organizational structure and a commitment to outreach, education, and/or culturally diverse activities.

In its description of this honor, Chorus America noted that “the Houston Chamber Choirhas excelled in presenting a daring breadth of repertoire at the highest level throughout its 22-year history, from historically-informed performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor to rich celebrations of Mexico’s choral heritage to collaborations with jazz musicians Christian McBride and Dave Brubeck. Through commitments to commissioning new works and partnerships with guest conductors, the ensemble maintains a fresh approach to its art, while achieving steady organizational growth. In addition, the Chamber Choir’s educational efforts in the Houston community have brought music back to three of the district’s most disadvantaged schools and established an annual choral festival that is in its 19th year.”

“The Chorus America Margaret Hillis Award is one of the highest accolades an American choir can receive,” says Houston Chamber Choir Artistic Director Robert Simpson. “I am thrilled that the extraordinary work of our musicians, staff and board has been recognized in this way.”

Awarded to a Professional Choir once every three years, the Houston Chamber Choir joins some elite company as the 2018 winner.  Internationally acclaimed groups such as VocalEssence, Cantus, Chanticleer and Conspirare have won the award in recent years.  After Conspirare, the Houston Chamber Choir is only the 2nd Texas ensemble to receive the honor.

In a year that has seen the Houston Symphony claim its first ever Grammy Award, the accolades keep coming for Houston’s classical music and arts scene.  Glad to see that the hard work in H Town is getting noticed.

Check out this special video of the choir, in the midst of recording their next big CD project, the choral music of Maurice Durufle…

 

Music Musings

Music Musings: The Jackson 5 Celebrate 50 Years As Recording Artists

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In 2018, they are known to music lovers around the planet.  Their surname is instantly recognized as the most prominent, most prolific and most successful family in the modern music industry.  For multiple generations now, there’s just no parallel to The Jacksons.

Of the original 9 Jackson siblings– Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Michael, Randy and Janet– all have released at least one solo music project, and have produced hundreds of hits.

That family’s legendary recording history began 50 years ago this month.  Here’s more from Jake Austen of The Chicago Reader…

By 1967 Steeltown had released several singles without scoring a hit. Keith had seen enough Jackson Five show placards around town to convince him that the group was hardworking—he figured they might be the rare young act that combined talent with discipline. He got the family’s number from a group that studied with the Jacksons’ music teacher, Shirley Cartman (another reasonable claimant in the Jackson Five discovery sweepstakes), called patriarch Joseph Jackson, and was invited to the family’s home for a private performance. Before they’d even played a note Keith saw something that convinced him Michael was extraordinary—something he says he’d never seen before and never saw again. “They were setting up in the living room,” Keith recalls, “and Michael walked over to Tito’s guitar cord, which was stretched between the guitar and amplifier, chest high to Michael, and I seen him flat-footedly jump over that guitar cord . . . not a running jump, flat-footed! I was pretty sold right there.”

[…]

So after school one afternoon in November 1967, Michael, 9, Marlon, 10, Jermaine, 12, Tito, 14, and Jackie, 16, piled into the family Volkswagen with Joseph and rode across the state line to Chicago’s West Englewood neighborhood, parking in front of Sunny Sawyer’s recording studio on West 69th. Today that address is a vacant lot overrun by six-foot weeds, neighbored by the last surviving commercial buildings on the block—a tavern called Mitchell’s that’s attached to Rainbow Food and Liquor and a boarded-up pharmacy. But in the late 60s it was at the heart of a busy business district.

[…]

“The Jacksons were little angels,” Sawyer says, “and real professionals, doing their own stuff.” Joseph had trained Tito on guitar and Jermaine on bass, and young family friend Johnny Jackson (no relation, though Motown would bill him as a cousin) was an excellent drummer. All three play on the recordings, but Keith supplemented Tito and Jermaine with adult musicians, including Richard Brown on rhythm guitar, Freddie Young on lead guitar, and Ray Grimes on bass.

And just like that, the young Jacksons recorded their first ever songs in a marathon session, displaying skills that would soon prove critical to their incredible abilities to produce and record so much music, so fast.  The best result of those sessions, Big Boy, was released as their debut single on January 30th, 1968…

Though not an immediate chart success, the single caught on well with local radio in the Chicago area, and was a great seller at the groups shows.  But ultimately, it was a live performance, opening up for Motown act Bobby Taylor, that would finally get the attention of legendary label magnate Berry Gordy, and put them on the world stage.

And so it goes… the start of the Jackson family story in the recording industry.  But in 2018, the family is ready for a whole new era.  Over the holidays, crowds were left stunned by Jaafar Jackson, performing with his father Jermaine and brother Jermajesty.  In the coming years, we can expect big things from him, and lots of other members of this incredible family.

Happy 50th Anniversary to The Jackson 5, and their debut single, Big Boy.

Music Musings

Music Musings: SZA Keeps Us Going Through ‘The Weekend’

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SURPRISE!!

You were probably expecting an angry post about today’s big news… about how the Republican-led Congress has delivered its massive tax giveaway and healthcare destruction bill to President Trump, just in time for the holidays 😀

Trust me, there will be plenty of time to discuss all of that.  But on days like today, I think it’s better for our collective mental and emotional health to conserve our energies, and hit some music.

A favorite artists that has helped me to cope as of late?  R&B phenomenon SZA.  2017 has been the breakout year for this artist, with her debut studio album CTRL hitting number one on the Billboard R&B chart.  As captivating as her music is for it’s innovative soundscape, songs like The Weekend have also drawn their share of discussion and even controversy.  Written from the perspective of a woman having to share a man that is already in another relationship, the work has often been referred to as a “sidechick anthem”, though SZA herself clarifies to say it is not.  In any case, the discussion has been vigorous, so interpret for yourself… ..

My man is my man is your man
Her, this her man too
My man is my man is your man
Her, that’s her man
Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
I just keep him satisfied through the weekend
You’re like 9 to 5, I’m the weekend
Make him lose his mind every weekend
You take Wednesday, Thursday
Then just send him my way
Think I got it covered for the weekend

Much like the way Republicans in Congress tend to treat their constituents, one has to wonder if today’s tax giveaways serve as proof that the American People are the GOP’s ‘sidechick’, while the real people they’re working for are those mega-rich donors??

Oh, wait… did I just go back into the tax bill again?  Well, anyway… here’s an epic performance from SZA.

 

Music Musings

Logic’s ‘1-800-273-8255’ Shows the Power of Music With a Message

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In the fickle world of contemporary pop music, lots of artists are working hard to either get noticed, to reach the top, or to stay there.  It’s a fast-paced, calculated, and highly competitive environment where people are constantly tempted to compromise and sacrifice their artistry to reach the top.  In an era where sound physical record sales have given away to digital streaming and piracy, it’s no surprise that artists are under extreme pressure to stay away from controversial topics, or anything that is not a ‘safe bet’ to generate revenue.

But on rare occasion, an artist turns down the industry noise, follows their instincts and gathers the courage to tackle a taboo subject in the pop sphere.  For artist Logic (and his songwriting collaborators Alessia Cara, Khalid, 6ix and Drew Taggart), the decision to write a song about suicide prevention has yielded ground-breaking results.  The song ‘1-800-273-8255’ takes its title from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  Not only has this incredible work become a huge hit, but the song has made a real impact.  Here’s more on that from Zack O’Malley Greenburg of Forbes.com…

On April 28, 2017—the day 30 Under 30 alum Logic released the song “1-800-273-8255,” named for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline—the organization received 4,573 calls, a 27% surge. It was the second-highest total in the organization’s history behind the day Robin Williams died; the only other event that generated a comparable influx was the election of Donald Trump.

“[It’s about] being able to be a part of something that’s truly bigger than yourself,” says Logic’s manager, Chris Zarou, 28. “Getting the data, to actually see the people it’s helping, is just a special thing.”

Via Twitter, the rapper shared further statistics from the NSPL showing a similar impact after the song’s performance on the MTV Video Music Awards.  There’s no doubt that this song is helping to save lives.

Thankfully for us, ‘1-800-273-8255’ appears to be just the start to Logic’s success.  After the breakout success of the single, the rapper’s new album Everybody debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, becoming his biggest success to date.  Tackling a variety of issues from equality to domestic violence, the pop pantheon hasn’t seen a such a diversity of socially conscious music since Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814.  And much like that iconic work, Logic has found a public hungry for music and art that tackles serious issues, and ready to hear what he has to say.  Despite the pervasive fears of industry leaders, music with an important message is once again creating space, and reaching the people that need to hear it.

If you haven’t heard ‘1-800-273-8255’, check it out below.

 

 

Music Musings

CONFIRMED: Tidal Music Streaming Counted On Billboard Charts

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Anyone that has been following the music industry knows that the 2010s have been an exciting, yet turbulent time.  The digital age has led to a mass democratization of nearly every possible information source, but few areas have been rocked by that impact like music.  Once a dependable source of revenue, physical sales of albums have dwindled to fractions of their former strength for all but a few superstar artists. Even while artists and chart hounds continue to boast about massive amounts of streaming activity, the truth is these plays earn just cents on the dollar when compared to physical sales.  To turn a profit today, artists have had to get rather creative.

One leap in that creative space was Tidal, formally launched on March 30th, 2015 by rapper Jay Z and other Artist Owners.  Tidal’s goal was to set a standard for paying artists a larger percentage of royalties than mostly free streaming titan Spotify at the time.  And while Tidal has actually kept that promise (able to pay between twice and 6 times per stream what an artist would receive on Spotify, dependent on their record label’s contract terms), the service has had a tough time building a sizeable subscriber base.  With no free tier for music listening, Tidal subscribers have to pay a minimum $9.99 per month to utilize the service.

Another significant set back for Tidal?  The service’s streaming data was not previously counted on any of Billboard’s official charts.  In other words, if an artist released music exclusively to Tidal, they would be unable to claim success on the charts.

But after months of confusion and social media debate, Billboard has finally confirmed that Tidal streaming data is now factored into their charting methodology.  On the strength of Jay Z’s explosive new album 4:44 being certified platinum by the RIAA in less than a week, Billboard gave this clarification…

According to an RIAA spokesperson, a sale can count towards a certification if purchased directly by the customer, or a business can purchase the album or song and offer it to customers. In the latter case, customers must take affirmative steps to acquire the album or song (submitting an email address and promotional code, for example).

Note: for Billboard charting purposes, as per the current pricing policy, the Sprint-supported downloads would not count towards 4:44’s chart ranking. However, any streams reported by Tidal to Nielsen Music for the album’s songs in the week ending July 6 would contribute to the album’s ranking based solely on streaming equivalent album units.

So by next week, fans should expect to see Jay Z’s new album somewhere on the Billboard charts, even if it doesn’t place as high as it would if streamed on all services.

For those confused as to how a platinum certification is even possible if the album’s not “for sale”, here’s the breakdown…

  1. As part of Tidal’s mammoth deal  with Sprint, Jay Z gives exclusive rights to the music to Tidal subscribers for a window of time.
  2. Upon release of the Album, Sprint offers its customers a free 6 month trial of Tidal and attach the album as a free download, as long as they actively sign up using their email address.
  3. Tidal can then report these sign ups as equivalent sales, with Sprint being the sole purchaser of the content.  And they clearly got over a million people to sign up.
  4. It’s worth noting that before anything was even posted on Tidal, Jay Z probably made far more from the Sprint deal than he ever could have in traditional album sales or digital downloads.  Even under the old sales model of $15/cd ($15 million) an artist would be lucky to net even a quarter of that sum after paying product costs, distribution, the co-writers and artist performers and the label.

But this victory is only one in a much longer fight.  Though the launch of Tidal and Apple Music have improved the dismal profits of streaming since their low point in 2014, audiences continue to prefer the ‘freemium model’ of music consumption via Spotify, or illegal piracy.  And while Tidal’s superstar artist owners like Jay Z, Madonna and Beyoncé have the power and influence to be able take risks and discover innovative new methods of revenue generation, less known artists are still caught in a challenging situation to profit from their craft.  Just like the political landscape, the music industry’s future is a lot more complicated than one success.

We’ll see what comes next for Tidal.

 

 

Music Musings

Encore!! Houston Classical Music Gains Dedicated Radio Coverage

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Recent years have proven challenging for Houston’s incredible Arts Scene.  After KUHF’s Award-Winning program The Front Row closed its doors in 2013, the city’s diverse collection of artists and musicians lost one of their greatest champions.  In the years since, Houstonians have been wondering what will become of the once robust local music and arts coverage that was offered on public radio.

Past live performance from KUHF’s The Front Row featuring members of the Houston Ebony Music Society, 2012.  Performers are DuWayne Davis, Adavion Wayne, Wayne Ashley and Leon Turner with Dr. John Cornelius at the piano.  

Even with excellent intermittent feature stories from the great folks at Houston Public Media’s Houston Matters and the dedicated work of Arts and Culture reporter Amy Bishop and TV8 program Arts InSight, Houston Arts have dearly missed the programming options and connectivity that our former program schedule provided, and have been left wondering if there will ever be additional options.

Luckily with 2017, part of that open question is getting answered, as Houston Public Media premieres a new program dedicated to classical music in the area.  Here’s more from Clifford Pugh of CultureMap…

Fans of Houston’s classical music scene will have a new outlet as Houston Public Media debuts a new weekly radio show and podcast that highlights performances of local concert organizations. Encore Houston premieres Saturday at 10 pm, with an encore performance Sunday at 4 pm on Classical 88.7 HD-2 and online at houstonpublicmedia.org/listen-live.

The first episode features Mercury‘s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, also known as the “Choral” Symphony, from May 2016, along with commentary and details about the chamber orchestra’s upcoming performance from Houston Public Media classical host and producer Joshua Zinn.

[…]

Other classical groups that will be featured during the first season are KINETIC, Chamber Music Houston, DaCamera, Ars Lyrica, Houston Early Music, Context, Musiqa, Bach Society, Houston Chamber Choir, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, and St. Cecilia Chamber Music Society. The length of each show varies according to the concert performance; most shows will run between one and two hours.

Like other HPM program offerings, each episode of Encore Houston is also available via podcast, so if you’ve missed the debut, you can always go back and check out the previous shows.  Beyond listening, you can also show your support for Encore Houston (and any possibilities of future arts coverage) by posting about the program on social media.  Host and producer Joshua Zinn is on Twitter as @HPMZinn, and though there’s no Facebook page for the specific show yet, you can always like the Houston Public Media page and like/comment on posts about the new show.

After a noticeable drought of music and arts coverage, it’s great to see those resources slowly reforming in the community.  Encore, indeed!

Music Musings

Music Musings: BET Celebrates The Obamas

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As America prepares for a new President and uncertain times, many across the nation have had a tough time accepting the inevitable.  In the coming days, the Obama Presidency will end.  Even as folks do their best to sound reasonable and put on a brave face, the coming Inauguration is going to be difficult for a large part of this nation.

But thankfully, a much-needed healing agent is available to soothe us in our grief.  If you missed BET’s Extraordinary Salute to President and First Lady Obama at the final White House musical event of his Presidency, it is highly recommended.  Top notch performances abound from Jill Scott and Janelle Monae, to Usher, Common and De La Soul, Kierra Sheard, Yolanda Adams and Michelle Williams, this event might leave you crying, but it may also fill the soul with hope for the future.  BET pulls all the stops to let our nation’s President an First Lady know that they are loved, and will be missed.  As the President said himself, “thank you for coming to MY Block Party”!!

None of us can know what lies ahead, but we can be thankful for what this First Family has accomplished over the last 8 years:  always graceful, always thoughtful, and ALWAYS taking the high road despite all of the challenges thrown their way.  That is definitely worth a celebration.