The Real New Orleans and Bounce Music

A few sundays ago, February 27th to be exact, I was on my way to Audubon Park to watch the ducks. It was one of those day where I was not planning to get out of bed, but a spur of the moment decision made me get out of bed and go outside. On my way to the park I ran in to a friend,outside the library, that I had met several months ago and, that I had seen for the first time in a few months a couple days previous. I stopped to say hello and we went to the park together. We met up with another friend of ours and planed to bike down town to the French Quarter. On our way, my friend who I found outside the library decided that he wanted to stop at the the house he was currently living in, he said that he wanted to see how I reacted to the neighborhood. We turn off St. Charles and the familiar Uptown image quickly changed. The grand mansions were replace by the notorious shotgun houses of New Orleans. It automatically reminded me of some of the New Orleans neighborhoods I worked in when I came to help rebuild the city after hurricane Katrina. But there was something I had not noticed before: when we were about 2 blocks in from St. Charles I began to hear music and in the next block there was people of all ages in the street gathered around the source of that music. My friend who lived just at the beginning of the next block waved and started dancing as we went by on our bikes and him on his longboard. I would later learn that the music was the well known Bounce music of New Orleans.( I’ll talk about this later) Another thing I realized was that we three were the only white people I had seen since we left St, Charles, granted that we were only four blocks way. But anyways, we stopped at my friends house and relaxed for a bit, then continued our journey to the Quarter. Later that evening we went back to my friends house where I met several interesting people, including other people my friend lived with, and people from the neighborhood. One of the most memorable people I met was Unk, short for Uncle,( this is what people in the neighborhood call him) he stopped by several times to chat with my friend who lived there. Unk is one of those people that just by looking at them you know that they have gone through a lot of rough times in life, but still have an optimistic attitude toward life. By the end of the night he kept calling me and my other friends his nieces, he make us feel a part of the community. He had a ‘if you’re friends with my friend here you’re a friend of mine’ kind of attitude. The reason why I am telling you this is because this was the first day after being in New Orleans for several months of school that I actually felt like I experienced the real New Orleans. The New Orleans I fell in love with when I came to rebuild after Katrina. To tell you the truth thats kinda sad, I feel as college students we should have experiences like this, but it is hard when school work and our never ending need to party take up the majority of our lives. Most people in general fail to realize what happens in our own back yards because we tend to separate ourselves from those who are different or not of the same background. So go realize that you are not the only people in this city full of different races, ethnicities, social classes, and income levels. Lets try to be apart of the community. 

So what exactly is Bounce? Bounce is a sub-genera of Rap/Hip-hop that started in New Orleans. It is call and response style music thats “sound was stripped-down and raw, intended to drive a dance floor with its speedy, infectious “triggerman”  beat and repetitive lyrics.”  It is also very sexual and is always accompanied by a lot of bootie shaking dance moves. It is described as the music of the streets and has “ruled New Orleans’ club and block-party scene for years”  and has only recently become more nationally known, “thanks to 'sissy bounce', the handful of gay and trans[gender] rappers who are among the scene's most popular performers.” Bounce is whats ‘real’ in todays New Orleans and has been related to the jazz and blues of an earlier time. Bounce is whats happening now, it is what I experienced briefly a couple of sundays ago.  Recently is has been part of an bigger movement.  One of the most popular and well know Bounce artist is Big Freedia, and openly gay rapper who likes to be referred to as she, although she was born male. Whats cool is she brings the straight and gay Bounce artist and audiences together, as Diplo says in his video about Bounce, “If the music brings out the girls, the boys are sure to follow.” Unfortunately this is all I know about Bounce. But if you want to see Freedia and other bounce artist they are performing at the Republic on March 31st, for the event Bounce V. If you know more let me know! 

Diplo's No One's Safe (Pilot Episode "NOLA Bounce") from jason miller on Vimeo.

http://norient.com/stories/sissybounce/

http://www.omgblog.com/2010/06/omg_a_qa_with_new_orleans_boun.php/

Good Vibrations

(A short stream of conscious piece about music and the 60’s)

ahhh the good old vibrations of music, for all it really is sound waves that vibrate our ear drums then moves through the ear to send a message to our brain, that is translated as sound, but it is these waves that could start a revolution, or aid in a social movement, or just simply put someone in a better mood. It is strange how sound is all around us and how we manipulate sound in to music, with different wavelengths, amplitudes and frequencies. I find it fascinating how music and sound can provoke all emotions, there are songs that make people happy, sad, angry, courageous, sleepy; the list can go on and on. In particular, the 60’s was a movement full of waves and vibrations, a decade of free love, the African American civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and the anti-war movement. Where a simple song such as “We Shall Over Come” gave hope to the masses of African Americans who wanted the right to vote. A time where the Beatles stormed the nation and had hordes of girls go wild over them. Where “ All you need is love” clashed with the beginnings of punk and the essence of rock and roll. The time where Dylan made the switch to eclectic and the Stones released hit single “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” A time where motown and folk rock gave way to bands like the Grateful Dead. A time full of ideas and revolution. A time of good vibrations, vibrations that moved the soul. 

My Music Experience in the Suburbs of Chicago

Recently I have been thinking about what role music has had in my life. I have especially been thinking about all the local shows I used to attend, (by local I mean shows in people’s basements, garages, living rooms, and back yards.) Whether they were the ‘avant garde’ progressive/experimental shows in the suburb or Elmhurst, the screamo/metal and the instrumental indie shows of my home town Oak Park, or the ska and punk shows of other various Chicago Land suburbs, there was always a sense of solidarity. 

One of my favorite experiences was my first real punk show. It took place in september a couple of years ago right after school had started. I went with my twin sister and two other friends of mine. We were all dress rather ‘normal’ in jeans and t-shirts. When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was that everyone else was dressed in studded leather or jean jackets, combat boots and mohawks. Anywhere else all these people would stand out in a crowd, and now that they were all together it was us ‘normal’ people who stood out. I soon learned that no one there really care what we looked like, because we were all there for the music. Me and my friends were quickly integrated in to the group and no longer felt like outsiders. As I look back at this experience I am still memorized by the openness and nonjudgmental attitude of everyone at the show. I would later find this attitude at most shows I attended no matter what genera of music was being played. It is this aspect I miss most, sharing solidarity with a group of people who enjoy music. 

The following is a poem I wrote in the summer of 2009. It basically explains the power and beauty of small local shows.  

 D.I.Y or DIE??? 

When the musics just right it over powers the room and makes everyone feel alright. 

Worries and troubles go out the window and the melodies and beats move through your body like a shock of happiness. 

Each individual part can be heard but they are interconnected in to one. 

The musicians just don’t play the music, they are the music; they swing and sway, and bang and jump giving their all to the music that swirls and flows through the room. 

As everyone moves

To

With

At

The beat, the music becomes more than just notes and sounds. 

It is alive! 

Alive with all emotions 

This kind of music you normally don’t pay a lot or anything at all to see. No ridiculously priced tickets. Just people who love music, the music that lives within. 

Another thing I want to talk about is the music scene in Elmhurst. It was one of the strongest and well put together music scene I have ever experienced. ( Currently I do not know how well they are doing for I have not been to a show there in a while). When I was there there were shows almost every month, this is partly because of UniCom. UniCom is self described as a “collective community made up of kids from the town of Elmhurst, IL. We host shows at various houses around Elmhurst with about 1-5 bands per show. Usually each show has a theme and people tend to bring food or drinks for everyone to share. Come join the fun-loving music scene in Elmhurst! Help us keep the community thriving by coming to the shows and dancing your fucking ass off(pretty much everyone does). Anyone is welcome to join in the fun, unless you're a dick.”  This music community had drug and alcohol free shows that gave bored youth something to do.  If i had to compare it to something in New Orleans I’d say it is i bit like Community Records

I know this post doesn't really have anything to do with protest, but the music from theses local bands helped form who I am today. They made me think about how people interact with each other when gathered for the cause, (in this case the enjoyment of music). I can truly say that I am a less judgmental person because of the music communities I have been apart of during my high school years. I have learned that music tends to bring people together, no matter how different they might be.  

Here are some videos of a few of the local bands I used to see in and around the Chicago area.

Protest in Egypt, Tunisia, and Around the World.

People Need to Know Whats Happening Around The World

As the new year began protest broke out all over the world. My Facebook news feed has been taken over by a plethora of YouTube videos about the protests in Tunisia, Egypt and other places around the world. I have recently taken the time to watch all those videos. Some of the videos are quite informative, others are just raw footage of the violent protest, and some are a bit strange. It is important that we know what is happening around the world. People are standing up for what they think is right, most are risking their lives for basic rights that the majority of Americas take for granted. While others, like the students in London are fighting against the rise in tuition costs. In Egypt, the BBC reports that, the "Internet and phone services - both mobile and landline - have been severely disrupted, although protesters are using proxies to work around the restrictions." As the protests continue, I think people should at least have an understanding of whats going on.  Below are some of the YouTube videos I found interesting. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH SOME OF THEM

Protest footage

One Mans Call to Action

Anonymous Press Release ****(this one is a bit strange)

A Call to Action *( video made by a friend)

Protest World Wide

CNN News Report. Phone Interview With Activist
(The YouTube search can't find this video so here is the link)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h64hFvGkM60&feature=player_embedded

Here are a few quotes to ponder.

“If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of any clearly written constitutional right, it might, in a moral point of view, justify revolution.” 

- Abraham Lincoln

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.” 

- JFK

"When tyranny takes over the national agenda, it is that time that the voices of protest must be awakened. And if you don’t raise your voice in protest, you are a patriotic traitor."

- Theodore Roosevelt

"They may torture my body, break my bones, even kill me. Then they will have my dead body, not my obedience. We must take a solemn oath that come what may we will not submit to this law"

-Gandhi

Hip-Hop in Gaza

The video above is and interview with two members of the hip- hop group Darg Team from the Gaza strip. They constantly battle music censorship in Palestine because of their controversial political lyrics. Two of their members have been sent to jail and have been questioned. Darg Team has also been band from making music in Gaza because their music speaks out against the the current government. 

“We see ourselves as really honest when we talk about these issues, and it is really dangerous to talk about this kind of stuff in Gaza. Because we don’t have that 100 percent democracy in Gaza. As you know, it is a little bit dangerous. So we are trying to make it like ‘between the lines’, the stuff that we talk about. Especially if it is about the government.” - Bess

They go on to say that they are not afraid to speak against the government, they just have to be careful about it. Darg Team sometimes tries to put their message in between the lines so the government doesn't know what they are talking about. 

"...we use a double meaning and metaphors. We say something that is obvious but the real message and the real meaning is really hidden. If they understood everything we say, they’d really kill us" - Fadi

I found this interview very interesting because I have never had much faith in the hip-hop culture, especially the American hip-hop culture. I now a have more faith in the power of hip-hop music. Darg Team is a prime example of musical protest, because they are taking the risk to speak out against a government that could potentially kill them for what they are saying. 

A Place Close To My Heart

While searching for a topic for my blog post I came across an interesting website called freemuse which is a website based on the freedom of musical expression. While exploring the website I saw that I could find music related news for places all over the world. The first place that came to mind was Tanzania, a country in East Africa that I have had the opportunity to visit with a church group in the winter of 2008.  While there were many aspects of the trip that were inspiring, I really enjoyed the people’s passion for music. Whether it was sung in church or by the orphans who wanted to let the world know that one day they could be doctors or politicians. So when I came across an article and video clip about a Tanzanian woman, Nakaaya Sumari, who sung about coruption in East Afirca I got excited! She sings because she beilves that music is an important comunication tool in East Africa. Nakaaya Sumari says that people relate more to music than a politician or jounalists becase the music is made by artists and musicians who want to tell it like it is. She also says that artists speak from the normal people’s perspective. Nakaaya Sumari’s hit song ‘Mr. Politician’ speeks out against the coruption of politicians in East Africa who try to steal from and lie to the people. Its good to know that there are people who are using music to speak out and protest against corruption, even in a country where music is not greatly supported.  

***** Watch the fist video clip to hear what Nakaaya Sumari has to say about the importance of music. 

 Nakaaya Sumari speaking about the importance of music.

                                                                 

Mr. Politician 

Young girl from Tanzania (photo taken by me)

First Post

This blog will be about the power of music in protest and other social situations. My name is Colleen Lattyak and I am a student at Loyola University New Orleans. I listen to punk, ska, and rock and roll. I am also interested in small experimental bands and have recently been introduced to dub step and other electronic genres.  I have always thought that music is a power force in the world and has the ability to share ideas, thoughts and emotions that could not be expressed in words alone. 

The following video clip is the first scene in Pirates of the Caribbean, At the World’s End. It portrays the power of a song can have even when a prisoner sentenced to death. It gives hope saying that even though all the prisoners are going to die, their spirt will never really die. They are also showing that they still have no respect for the law and they will stick together even in the face death.

"Music is the unversal language of mankind"- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow