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Wow, we are a generous bunch. Bruno Mars is pure fun - perfect for night club, auditorium or Super Bowl. Great music? No. Fodder for an audiophile listening session? Probably not. But a lot of fun. If anything, hip hop, which is where some of the most creativity in modern music has been coming from for years was clearly under appreciated by the industry at the awards. I suppose most of those posting here were not big Buffalo Springfield/Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Byrds, Bob Dylan or John Lennon fans in the 1960s? Band of Gypsys Machine Gun anyone? For those of you who missed this year’s Grammys and who may still have an ear for current music trends and events, Kendrick Lamar’s performance to kick it off was attention getting and thought provoking. For those of you who lament missed opportunities and “what were they thinking” grammy choices, read this. Given most of the commentary above, I somehow think this review should have gone back much further: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/entertainment/grammys-should-have-won/?utm_term=.a671ab... |
The NY Times called SPCO" the best ensemble of it’s kind in the USA" . Steve is a great musician, there are also at least 5 other string players that, at least in sound, are every bit as good . The Principal Viola player is out of this world , a Korean tiger. After the great Gil Slaham finished the Mendelssohn few years ago he pivoted like a top. ran to her and shook both her hands like a pump . No joke, The Ordway Hall in St. Paul has best acoustics in USA . |
I second the thumbs up for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. The Concertmaster, Steven Copes is a regular performer/teacher here in Colorado Springs at our Colorado College Summer Music Festival. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/summermusicfestival/ Steven is the complete package, sound/feeling/technique and is the master of a wide repertoire. We have had the pleasure of meeting Steven and hearing him in a nice sounding hall for several summers now...His playing continues to evolve and becomes more moving each year....unreal talent. |
Roberjerman, you are too old if you’ve not heard of Bruno Mars. The guy is a wonderful, joyful, soulful singer/songwriter/dancer. Definitely the new “king of pop” very reminiscent of Micheal Jackson. Have you heard of him, or do I have to go back to Elvis? Does that mean I listen to him all the time or buy his albums? No, but you can’t help dancing whenever his music starts. Not that I could see many old farts from this forum doing anything but waiting for their tubes to warm up before playing some Mozart. |
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I have never seen the Grammy Awards ever. I do not watch television, nor do I own one, but every time I hear the word Grammy, I think about an interesting event that I heard about that occurred a number of years ago. Maybe late 80's, or early nineties. There was a category that had something to do with heavy metal. Maybe best band, or album. Not too sure, but Metalica was bested by Jethro Tull. WHAT?? Jethro Tull in a heavy metal category!! Kinda makes me laugh at such miss categorization from an awards show that is music specific. |
orpheus10 said..."that’s because both parties are owned by the oligarchs, and when we point this out, they find ways to destroy us." Not to mention the Bilderberg group is alive and well... as are the Bohemian Club members consisting of major political and business peoples. America needs to wake-up... https://vigilantcitizen.com/sinistersites/sinister-sites-the-georgia-guidestones/ |
Haven't watched it for years...just not that entertaining anymore. Celebrities sing and act mostly. Then when put on an awards stage they have to do something other than that. What do they do? Try to come across as being more intelligent than we (in the audience) are by expressing a political opinion. Got news for them, voice and acting talent does not a political science expert make. And, as we all know, opinions are like buttholes...everyone has one and yours doesn't make you special. |
It was watched by 20% less then last year. This year political BS many so called talents as in much rap I don’t agree ,nor understand or want to . compare back in the 60-70s for example R&B soul these groups had great voices , musicians as well as classic sing writers. Smokey Robiinson ,Sam Coom, OtisReading ,Marvin Gay , Barry white ,booker T ,The temptations ,4 Tops Earth Wind And Fire Tower of Power Isley Brothers. Herbie Hancock just to name a few . Today I donot see any on par . Bruno Mars is a very good talent ,not my cup of tea but ,I stil give credit where due. JZ $100million for What ? I am totally baffled I don’t hear any semblance of musical talent. most certainly not even close to the late Great Michael Jackson. I am from the classics baby boomer era . I am just too spoiled with all the Greats I have seen and appreciate greatly . |
How about every ethnic or social group have their own music awards show and then everyone will be happy? The melting pot has melted when it comes to pop music it produces these days. The more people mind their own business the better off everyone will be. Its not like a random sample of folks are chosen as the electoral college for giving music awards. |
“Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.” I think we are now in the "racket" stage. Kool-aid anyone?? Cheers |
So true, frogman. All the good professional songwriters are in Nashville now. When Al Anderson left NRBQ to be a full-time songwriter, he moved there. The studio musicians who played on all the singer/songwriter albums coming out of Los Angeles in the late 60’s and 70’s are in the Nashville studios now. Bassist Leland Sklar, who was on Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and Carole King albums, is now in Nashville. His drummer/partner on all those albums, Russ Kunkel, is in Lyle Lovett’s band. Los Angeles still has a very healthy underground musical community and scenes (a Brian Wilson-obsessed Pop one, an Americana/Hard Country one, a Blues one, a Surf one, a Punk one), but it is just that---underground, invisible to all but the dedicated, hardcore music lovers. |
Where else in America do people with legitimate careers pat themselves on their own backs as much as the entertainment/political machine agenda does? There are so many award shows on television that it can make one sick. Kids growing up today emulate these people thinking that there is normalcy to it..in it..of it. Self righteous attitudes on display in all walks of life are killing our children’s path to moral awareness..kindness..and youthful joy. Just look how the fashion industry brain washes young woman into the false concept of how thin they must be in order to fit in to their skewed counter culture. As a parent and grandparent, all I can do is pray for a better way,not only for America, but the whole world... |
Excellent and appropriate choice of example as a vehicle for your sarcasm! Yet another example of a misguided and condescending (not to mention farcical) attempt at “helping” others. Btw, I thought Chris Stapleton was pretty good and deserving of the recognition he got at the Grammys. I remember not long ago that popular country music was generally considered very inferior to the then current “pop”. Ironically, much country music today is leagues above most “pop” music as concerns level of song writing skill, singing and instrumental playing. Good post, bdp24. |
The Grammy’s has always been about 1- promoting the music business, and 2- rewarding those who have generated the most money for the music business. For those looking for an event rewarding the making of superior music, there is the annual Americana Music Honors And Awards Show. Recipients of awards and show participants have included the likes of Buddy Miller (who leads the show’s band), Jim Lauderdale, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Steve Earle, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Loretta Lynn, Alison Moorer, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell, Alison Krauss, Rodney Crowell, T-Bone Burnett, Dwight Yoakam, Chris Stapleton, Gillian Welch, Levon Helm, Marty Stuart, Neil Young, Jerry Douglas, Larry Campbell, Mary Gauthier, Iris Dement, Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Mavis Staples, and hundreds of others. I don’t need no stinkin’ Grammy’s! |
Schubert, you can not possibly be a historian. Your lack of understanding of the causes of problems in this country and the world is truly staggering. Genocide and slavery were introduced to this hemisphere by European countries and since its inception the US has struggled to overcome the terrible legacy that we inherited when we became an independent nation. The US has committed atrocities itself, no doubt, but they pale in comparison to what the European countries did to indigenous peoples in their colonies throughout the entire world. I could go on, but this is an AUDIO forum. We come here to discuss AUDIO. Please understand that and post your criticisms of our country in a forum designated for that purpose. Not this one. |
LOL. Gripes about pop culture and rap. A lot of "get off my lawn." Somehow I'm not surprised by this on this site (given the general demographics of audiophiles). I'm certainly no fan of everything on the Grammys...but is there anything more tired and predictable than complaining about awards shows? Every year. Every single year that I can ever remember: "The Oscars and Grammy shows are sh#t!" I know, I know....get it off your chest ;-) |
If you are suggesting that “true tough love” means to insist on some level of accountability, that is what I’m saying and we agree. If you are suggesting that “true tough love” means to not hold those previously oppressed accountable for negative and destructive behavior today then we disagree. Again, why now more than before? I submit it is in part because those (us) outside of their community are making too many decisions for them; a form of oppression unto itself however well intended the effort may be. The idea that there is no room for criticism because of oppression previously suffered strikes me as very condescending of those that one is trying to shield from criticism and opens too many doors for potential abuses, political and otherwise. By that logic there is no room for criticism of the very society (American) that perpetrated the oppression since that society was itself founded as an escape from oppression. I understand very well what you are saying and I admire your level of compassion. I can only speak from my personal experience and what I see around me. As a legal immigrant to this country who had to escape one of the worst possible forms of oppression (Communism) and who came here without parents and without a cent in my pocket the idea of society insisting on “helping” me beyond helping to get me on my feet would be unacceptable. Again, why now more than before? Regards. |
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I could not agree more with the relevance of the history of it all and that consideration of that history and compassion for the ill effects of oppression during that history are more than warranted. However, why is it then that so many of the issues that come into play, everything from the quality of the music to the strength of values that promote success as a foil to oppression were less of a problem, not now, but at a time when the oppression was truly rampant? I don’t claim to have the answer, but given my own life experience as a minority I have learned that, ultimately, every culture has to take responsibility for movement toward something better. As concerns music, the specific topic most relevant to this thread, we are speaking of individuals who are multimillionaires and have benefitted greatly from this (in their case) “oppressive” environment. Is it possible that maybe, just maybe, it’s possible to be too compassionate? czarivey, you are quite correct there are genuine artists of every color currently. |
No cultural behavior is immune from criticism based on observational behavior or customs particularly if such behavior is detrimental to some of its members. I based this on my own urban experiences (Detroit and Chicago) circa 1960s-1970s. I cannot speak for the childhood/youth experiences of others here. Only my first hand exposure. Schubert I suspect our backgrounds are probably quite different and no doubt informs our respective viewpoints. No problem. Charles |
