I forgot to mention that I was very glad I took this FYS. Sorry for being a downer sometimes. This was definitely the best.

Blog Summary

I don't know how to tell who is in our section so I am just going through everyone's.
Also, I had a grade on this already even though I haven't done it. But I'm doing it. If my grade was better than this is worth, then I think I should get the higher for my academic honesty. But I don't care so whatev.

The Little Rabbit is sad because s/he wanted to go to the Jazz Dance. (I-T-apostrophe-S)
Nieve Bloggin' talked about how we shouldn't be suprised that this wasn't the 'easy a' class we thought it would be. He also posted about Jamboree, specifically the Insects booth. He dug the radio show, more or less. He also supports the current events theme I talked about in my previous blog. "I personally feel that this theme would be generous in adding to our campus’s global awareness. Along with this I feel that it is essential, as students institutionalized in academia, to be aware (and humbled) by serious events and situations across the world." Well said!
nic_mcphee_is_a_dancing_elf. & used to wear suspenders. Smoking is bad. "The problem is that the claim that smoking (or not wearing a seatbelt or a bicycle helmet or whatever) only hurts the fool is based on a sad and ultimately unacceptable assumption that there is and will be no love in that person’s world when the odds come for their due. To watch my mother hold Dad while he’s vomiting again in the middle of the night, to hear her voice break on the phone after spending another all-nighter with him at the hospital, all this shatters any arguments that the impact of these choices is limited. We are people, and that has implications.
When my father started smoking in the early 40’s, there was no broad understanding of the horrible risks involved, and as that data became clearer the tobacco industry spent millions to confuse and obfuscate the issues. At some point when I was a kid (late 60’s, early 70’s) Dad became convinced and stopped cold, an action I have always admired.
Today’s students can’t claim ignorance, and I sure as hell hope they don’t plan on lonely, loveless lives. I know that I have higher aspirations for them…"
MyFYS posted a discussion summary.
MCFYS posted a blog summary.
LZFYS (Lindsey) posted a discussion summary, talked about commercial (adverstisments) music, and School of Rock.
LSFYS did a blog summary.
KF FYS Roots thinks you should listen to more NPR.
K Rivers did a really late discussion summary like me.
Jacknife's Jottings notes that s/he wishes that s/he had known his/her grade earlier, like the rest of us. Also, a blog summary.
J Web FYS-now understands that hot country and roots country are very different. "Country music isn't all that bad, I like how all country songs share sincerity and a sense of hardships. Also, listening to it is not all that bad either, some of it sounds a lot like blues, and some sounds closer to rock."
Hockey FYS thought Jamboree went very well.
Greenstar did the extra credit paper on a Kitty Wells song.
Fancy Feet liked our FYS and Jamboree, and would do them again.
Culture Jammer expected FYS to be an easy A, but now is glad that it wasn't because s/he "never liked commie classes like that when it doesn't matter what you do."

Word.

Woah. Discussion Summary.

Well. We didn't discuss for a while, but really, I probably wouldn't have done it until now anyway.

So. Last Tuesday I believe we made fun of Jamboree for a while and talked about what was good and bad about our and other people's booths. The question was raised, "How could it be better?" We saw some of the major faults to be the lack of people who came, and the lack of interaction between people. So we thought maybe more advertising of what was there, and making the booths more interactive, or find some way to make it easier for people to learn about each other's classes/booths.
We then moved on to, after many insults, what positive things Jamboree presented. The process of building something together seemed to be the highlight. "gel." That's true I guess. Having a more measurable goal, and then accomplishing it is an interesting and more productive? way to interact and get to know other people, adding to the common experience deal.
Human Diversity. (scoff). How did it relate to this theme? It did not, seemingly.
Possibly a current events-themed FYS, with different professors focusing on different issues, like freedom of speech, povery, etc.
Then we thought maybe it was just that it was a stupid boring requirement and no one would ever be happy with it, so why bother?
But we talked about what the other section of the class had came up with for a plan for a better FYS, which was Current Events with and emphasis on...
A possible problem with this would be the likely spiral of silence of the outnumbered conservatives. Though a solution to this could be assigning positions for discussions.
A current events theme would possibly make it easier to have a convocation or a faculty forum that made sense/related to everyone's FYS.
We also talked about Bernstein Bears for a while.

Tuesday we talked about grades for quite a while. Then vending machines, which I will admit was my fault. I don't usually like when we talk about clearly off topic things. Sorry. We then discussed evals and what they do. We also talked about what some people are doing over break. Steph got a harmonica for her birthday. Apples to Apples!

Jamboree

• What was the general participation like? Did people interact much? What kinds of interactions did they have? Were those interactions mostly superficial, or have some thoughtful content?

Well, you were there. General participation was lame. People didn't interact much, unless it was someone they already knew. I have reason to believe that most of the conversation was about something other than their booths, FYS, or jamboree. I asked a couple of people what they had learned in their FYS, but I could have figured as much as I was told by the name of their class. When I was manning our booth, only a few people were still around. I didn't really want to start talking about our FYS because people mostly just wanted food and looked at our video. But a few people asked questions about it. I humored them, but I didn't really have much to say; For weeks we've just been working on our Jamboree booth, which didn't really display anything educational or related to human diversity. Before that we had "discussions" about books we read and the, like, two playlists we listened to. And what to say about the books we read a few chapters out of?

Them: "So, what did you do in your FYS?"

And so my response was more or less, "We listened to some playlists...? And read out of these books (pointed to the books on the table)."

• What did the whole set of booths say about human diversity (ostensibly the theme of FYS)?

Well. It's really quite beautiful. We all have different topics and put varying amounts of effort into it (how we are different), and were put into one building (what we have in common), much like people are different from each other, try hard or not hard at all at different things in their lives, yet we are all stuck on the same planet. The result: a meaningless waste of our time?

• What were some booths that you thought were particularly successful in raising important issues or conveying important ideas?

The one with the M&Ms. Yes, I am part of the problem.

• To what degree does Jamboree (in conjunction with the opening convocation and the common theme) succeed (or not) in generating some sort of "common experience" for first year students?

It was nice to have a small class in which discussion is possible. Too bad we didn't. Convocation was thought-provoking, I thought, and we talked about some interesting things, but we stopped too soon, and I couldn't get a word in, it seemed. Jamboree was not a very successful common experience. I suppose we can all talk about how it was pretty lame, though, I suppose. But how dismal! I swear I am not such a cynic. It's just blatant BS that gets to me.

• What were the strengths and weaknesses of Jamboree as social event? As a piece of academic programming?

Socially, I talked to people I already knew. So. It was okay? But I wouldn't call that a stregnth. Academically, I didn't learn anything. It was a distraction from class in which we could possibly have had more interesting discussions than our first few weeks. I felt more comfortable talking by the end, and can only assume that everyone else felt similarly, so discussions would have involved more people and we would have possibly been more willing to bring up more discussion-worthy topics.

religious music playlists

yeah, it's late.

The playlists were pretty cool, I guess.

From the first one, I especially liked "John the Revelator," "Blind Barnabus," "Mother Bowed," "Move On Up A Little Higher," "and "I'll Be Rested." My significantish connection to other things we've talked about: "John the Revelator" uses call and response, a common musical technique in roots music. From the second one my favourites were "You'd Better Mind," "I'm in the Battlefield for My Lord," "Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb," and "I'll Never Turn Back No More." The last being my very favourite. Sweet chords. Have you heard Bjork's album Medulla? Some of the same chords. Anyway, arguably significant connection: In "Your Enemy Cannot Harm You," the guitar finishes the sentences, similar to "Spoonful."
Pretty much I liked songs with really sweet basses and harmonies.

Reviewing the Syllabus

By the end of this course we should:
Have a better understanding of the history of roots music in America, with a special emphasis on the blues and country music, but with some exposure to other styles.
Be able to discuss the historical and stylistic differences and the connections between these types of music.
Be able to informally perform (in small settings) examples of roots music (defined broadly).
Be able to share our experiences and understanding with others.

My personal assessment of how I feel I've grown or not in these areas:
-Better understanding of roots music? I suppose. Well. I was exposed to more, which leads to understanding. The text helped some, but maybe not as much as I would have expected. But as far as understanding what music was to the people who created it, why they made it, and so on, I don't think I know more than I did.
-Able to discuss historical and stylistic differences/connections? Hm. I know some, I guess.
-Informally perform an example of roots music? Heh. No. This didn't happen for more than two people, even when it was defined broadly.
-Share experiences/understanding with others? Not very much more than before, though if we had discussed more recently I think I may have done better.

We'll also explore the importance of music as a cultural artifact and statement and a way for people to express what's important to them.
-We didn't explore this much. The first Folkways Collection we listened to talked about it, and I was super pumped to talk about it in class but aaaaaagggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jamboree.

Our goal, then is to learn more about this music, both its history and its connection to what's happening today.
-Connection to today? We listened to a few recent artists. More than half of the class' presentations were about how an artist or style influenced people later on. So kind of, but I think the goal was shooting for higher.

Two key questions that I'd like to focus on during the semester are:
What can music be?
What can music tell us about ourselves and other people?
In what ways is music both a source of people's difference and similarity?
-No.

Folkways Collection Episode Five

Oops. I accidently saved this as a draft instead of publishing it.

"Everything I say is a lie"

studying the beauty around you?

The New Lost City Rambles

Penny's Farm

Bob Dylan! I saw him play this song.

Blues and folk based bands. Songs that were easy to play, made it our own, went beyond that music

Foxtrot...

Strange religion

Hillbilly music, race records

Take old records and put them together in a new way. Pfft. I wish I could make money doing this.

Anthropoloy
peyote ceremonies, sometimes lasting several days

Harry Smith...He just recorded the stuff, I don't get it.
4 hrs 4 hrs. Drugs opening his mind up to new possibilities

Allen Ginsberg, woah, he lived with him.

Blind Willie Johnson w/ wife Angeline- "John the Revelator"

cantancorous
in that complexity came the positive w/ the negative

Bleh! Moooooooooore muuuuuuuuuuuusic. Less Harry Smith.

Hawaiin guitar...ritual murder, Milstone Hawaiins, Fatal Flower Garden

True Renaissance Man

collectors...string games, paper airplanes

Harlem. jumps into garbage. sold photographs

Carter Family, John Harding was a desperate little man

Dangerous, living in a very different world

lunch w/ Alan Lomax, lunch w/ Harry Smith

"Spike Driver Blues"

the bible

Mississippi John Hurt I liked this one.

exotic records

The study of knowledge

Is Allen Ginsberg still alive?

Folkways Collection Episode 4

Same deal as the last. Random! This didn't make me want to talk as much as the last, but it was still okay, I guess.

1952 American Folk Music Harry Smith

Relationship between artistry and society. Deep commitment to presenting folk music as a vehicle for social change. Do we have folk music? I feel like there aren't many popular recent songs with a goal of social change. Ugh. I feel like such a goon for hating on the pop music industry so much, but it just comes up, you know?

Old people are so funny.

Simple/Amateurist

Uncle Dave Maken/Sam Magee "Buddy, Won't You Roll Down the Line"

Represented state of the art, trying to do there best in the present of when the music was made
Different types of hit
I liked "Judgement" Sister Rev. Mary Nelson
Stregnth of character

Carolia Tar Heels, "Farm Land Blues" ballad.

ballads, story songs, social music, dance music, religious music, sentimental music, and songs

Chubby Parker

Charlie Pool, "White House Blues"

wasn't interested in stuff to preserve a tradition

The Carter Family "Engine 143"

Song line-up: Social changes would result from this. McCarthy era. One recording...echoes another. Extends the one before or sets you up for the next.

Joseph ... more cajun.

"Moonshiner's Dance"

didn't state musician's race. Accepting the music on it's own merit.

Cannon's Jug Stoppers

Surrealistic lyrics Baskemlerkjz...."I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground"

Blind Lemon Jefferson "See That My Grave is Kept Clean" frove to death.

"Fishin' Blues"

Folkways Collection Episode Three.

So this is going to be kind of random because it's just what I wrote down a long time ago so I could remember what I listened to and then what I added later on. I'm a mess like that.

First off, I'd like to say that this was the most beneficial thing we've done in class/been assigned, and if we ever had a discussion day again, there would maybe be something to talk about.

"People will need this as a reference because it reflects something." Good idea. What does our music reflect? Especially pop music, or best-selling. If we disagree with an artist or something the artists believes, should we avoid buying/supporting that artist? What exactly did the music he recorded back in the day reflect? How would we use it as a reference? If we can sing the same songs as then, like say the "Which Side Are You On?" song, should we be concerned? How do we decided what is kept and what is discarded, as far as music goes? Do we even get a choice? Is there anyone making smart music nowadays? David from on my floor and the other class told me that he doesn't like to buy CDs by artists that do drugs. I think that's cool, I guess. Because what do we want to encourage?
"I would become like an encyclopedia." -I like this quote. I wish I could be an encyclopedia.
Leadbelly-Good Night Irene
authentisity - Is best selling music authentistic? Or pretty much the same singing with the same synthesized instruments in the background? I mean, like, back in the day, some people would just get really good at one style that was popular at the time, like Henry Purcell, I think anyway, but I think that it's different. Like. Attitudes of artists, man. Or "artists." I think some people create music because they have to, and others maybe for other (less respectable, in my opinion) reasons. Like, if I could get money for singing karoke, I guess I would. Geeze, I sound so angsty. Gross.
being open and knowing what you want at the same time
pete seeger
"Harlem Rag" by Tom Turpin. I like ragtime. I wish I could play piano.
Commercial success
Nikki Giovanni "the Women Gather" from Legacies Need for love, comfort. We judge a man by his dreams.
Tony Schwartz Portable tape recorder. Sounds that I hear, sounds of my city, my story, story of New York. I thought this would be cooler than it was.
Dr. MLK Jr. Have any of you heard the entire day? It's very powerful and you should.
Dance hall in New Orleans "Music of N.O." Kid Thomas Moulin Rouge
"Snowy Morning Blues"
"Which Side Are You On?" Alamanac Singers featuring Pete Seeger. This song is in a book of documents that I'm reading for my Intro to U.S. History class.
Ella Jenkins Children Songs
"The Chicks" Spanish and English
Bugs.
Sisco Houston.
Kenneth Hatchen Four poems with songs. I like. Like William S. Burroughs&REM-y
Overtones are so crazy! Amazing! He can do it by himself? OMGZ.
I wish I could yodel. So cool... Italian Alps. Alan Lomax field recording.
Cannon's Jug Stoppers
Anthology of American Folk Music-Harry Smith
Jaw Harp Also very cool.
Folk Revival. OMG Bob Dylan. I'm going to see Bob Dylan on Sunday! (Ha! That concert was like a month ago. I'm so behind.) Blind Boy Grunt, like no one would notice? Anti-war ballad. "Good Old Fasioned War" This was cool.
Janis Ian- Blind Girl Grunt

We were at the beach...

Performance Ideas:
-Line dancing with Laura.
-Spray-paintings of famous roots music artists. It looks really cool. And I get embarrassed easily so performing an act or whatev would not be so hot.
-Play a song on an instrument.
-Maybe give a blues theory lesson. I don’t know much. But it could be fun. Or if we could get the piano lab room and have everyone learn how to do a blues progression or something.

Deep Blues:
-The thing about Coyner was maybe meant to show a juxtaposition between Charley Patton and Coyner’s deaths and how some African Americans dealt with oppression as opposed to music as a release/expression of the same type of strong emotions.
- “We know even less about Henry Sloan then we know about Charley Patton.” p.57. Oops! ‘Than’ not ‘then.’

Discussion:
-I like music and I think there are things to appreciate in every genre of it.

Thrizzle

Jake and I are going to have a radio show. FYI. It's going to be awesome. And probably between 3 and 6 A.M. So if you are awake and craving some good music...you know where to turn. Like a dial. It was a pun and it was funny. Except most people will be listening online or in the car or on a stereo that has buttons instead of dials. Just the same.

Speaking of (KUMM, if you don't follow). They are playing the Mars Volta every hour pretty much. Because it's new and TMV.

So. Foo Fighters+acoustic+Bob Dylan!= emily paying to see it = bad budgeting
& the Decemberists. & Paul Simon? Guh!

Well. I was procrastinating and this is about music so it's all good, right? Stefan-e needs something to write about. Sorry that it isn't more interesting. I have to do homework now. Or soon. Before noon.

Oh hey. I like a couple female singers. Just not in general. But yeah. Kimya Dawson. For real. http://www.kimyadawson.com/ Click on MP3, then toward the bottom. "Loose Lips" or check her myspace. Let me know if you do this. I'll probably think you are cool. We could be friends! Just think!

two-ish

So I'm doing this Pandora thing and I don't really understand what we are supposed to do for it. Update? Leadbelly is pretty sweet. Like, I don't understand what we are supposed to update about at all, in general. I think ideas are more important than presentation. Have you played "Would you rather...?"? It's pretty sweet. I guess. This is a hodge-podge. I wish I could roll my r's and stuff. Are we supposed to write about the reading? I didn't know the thing about drums being banned. People are stupid. Ralph Stanley, eh. Pretty sure he was on the Soundtrack of O Brother Where Art Thou? The KKK leader? I think yes. Hey. Johnny Cash did that thing with the tin in between the string and the fret board, but I think he used paper. "But I have to say that my all-time favourite book is Johnny Cash's autobiography Cash by Johnny Cash." I like chords. I like the name Hazel. I like fiddles. I don't like girls voices. Hey. Johnny Cash died three years ago today. Jared Walhowe was born 20 years ago today. "Uncle Pen" is neat, I guess. haha. It reminds me of A Might Wind, though. So I'm doing financial aid stuff, but I'm listening at the same time because I don't know if we are supposed to write about each song or what. Robert Johnson, man. I usually use paragraphs, but I didn't feel like it sorry! But not really. This is how I think. Like my picture? Man, I am so awesome. Yikes.

One!

1. Why did you sign up for a roots music FYS section?
> I like music. & thought it would be fun.

2. If you could take 5 pieces of music with you to a desert isle, what would they be?
> 1. Rhapsody in Blue
2. Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major
3. "Sparrow" by Simon and Garfunkel
4. "Tank!" by The Seat Belts
5. "Over the Rainbow/What Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

This was difficult. I need to stop thinking about it now. Sparrow would probably be replaced with "Long, Long, Long" by the Beatles. Or maybe "Such Great Heights" by Iron and Wine. Geeze. Or maybe Albequerque? I don't know how to spell.

3. What's a piece of music you associate with a parent, grandparent, or someone you know well that's at least a generation older than you.
>I don't really know. Queen in general and "What's Up" by Four Non-Blondes remind me of my dad because I remember him listening to them while he worked out when I was little. I can't think of anything else.

4. If we all decided to replace the national anthem with a new song, and everyone agreed that you got to choose, what would you recommend?
>"This Land is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie

5. What kinds of music related performance stuff (if any) do you do?
> I don't do any performance stuff. But I took violin lessons for a long time. I played clarinet in elementary and middle school. I was in choir in high school. And I took voice lessons for two years.

6. Given the readings and what (little) you know about Governor Blanco, if you had a chance to ask her one question, what would it be?
> What did you learn through this experience?