Connect with us

Music

Jon Batiste’s Beethoven Blues transforms classical works into unique interpretations of blues and gospel

Published

on

Jon Batiste, Beethoven, Beethoven Blues, theGrio.com

NEW YORK (AP) – When he won a Grammy Jon Batiste he was a toddler of, say, 9 or 10, moving between musical worlds – through the day he participated in local piano competitions and then “performed in nightclubs in the heart of New Orleans.”

Free from the rigidity of the genre, but additionally committed to exploring it, his tastes intertwined. He found himself transforming canonized classical works into blues or gospel songs, injecting them with a style-independent spirituality became famous. On November 15, Batiste will release his first album of solo piano pieces, a group of similar compositions.

Entitled “Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1),” the 11-song album finds Batiste in a way collaborating with Beethoven, transforming the German pianist’s immediately recognizable works into something seamless that spans musical stories. It begins with the lead single “Für Elise-Batiste” with a straightforward intro, known all over the world as one of the primary pieces of music that beginners learn on the piano, then transforms the song into a full of life blues.

“My private practice has always been about honoring, of course, but also demystifying the mythology associated with these composers,” he told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of Wednesday’s album announcement.

The album was created through a process called “spontaneous composition”, which he says is a lost art in classical music. It’s improvisation; Batiste sits on the piano and interpolates Beethoven’s masterpieces to make them his own.

“The approach is to think about what the approach would be if we were both talking to Beethoven, but also if Beethoven himself was here today, sitting at the piano?” he explained. “And combining, you know, my approach to artistry and creativity with my imagined approach to how a contemporary Beethoven would approach these works.”

He said there may be a divide in popular understanding of music, where “pristine, preserved and European” genres are seen as more beneficial than “something black, sweaty and improvised.” This album, like most of his work, destroys assumptions.

Contrary to what many might think, Batiste stated that Beethoven’s rhythms were African. “On a basic technical level, he does what African musical ingenuity delivered to the world, which is to play two and three meters at the identical time, almost on a regular basis. He plays in two different time signatures without delay, almost exclusively,” he said.

Featured Stories

“When you hear a drum circle, you know, the African diasporic tradition of playing together in time, you hear a lot of different time signatures playing at the same time,” he continued. “Overall, it combines the entire practice of classical and symphonic music with a deeply African rhythmic practice, making it refined.”

“Beethoven Blues” honors this complexity. “I am deeply repelled by classism and the cultural system we have created that demeans some and elevates others. And ultimately, what appeals to me the most is how excellence transcends race,” he said.

Given their spontaneous nature, when these songs are performed live, they are going to never sound exactly like they do on record and no two sets can be the identical. “If you came and saw me perform these works 10 times in a row, you would hear not only a new version of Beethoven, but also a completely new Beethoven concerto,” he said.

“Beethoven Blues” is the primary in a series of pianos – what number of will there be, in what timeframe and what’s going to they appear like? Well, he keeps his options open.

“The themes of the piano series will be based on, you know, what is current to me at this point in my development, what I am exploring in terms of my artistry. It could be another series based on a composer,” he said.

“Or it could be something else entirely.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Music

NWA, Janet Jackson and George Clinton receive Songwriters Hall of Fame nominations

Published

on

By

Janet Jackson, Songwriters Hall of Fame nomination, theGrio.com

NEW YORK (AP) – Eminem, Boy George, George Clinton, Sheryl Wrona, Janet Jackson, Doobie Brothers, NWA and Alanis Morissette are among the many nominees within the competition’s 2025 category Songwriters Hall of Fame, an eclectic group of rap, rock, hip-hop and pop pioneers.

Bryan Adams joins them with such radio hits as “Summer of ’69” and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” and Mike Love of the Beach Boys, who hopes to get in 25 years after band founder Brian Wilson. David Gates, co-leader of the pop group Bread, can be applying for admission.

Each yr, each performers and non-performers are invited to the Hall, and this yr’s category of the latter includes Walter Afanasieff, who helped Mariah Carey together with his hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You”; Mike Chapman, co-writer of Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield”; and Narada Michael Walden, architect of Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” and Aretha Franklin’s “Freeway of Love.”

Eligible voting members have until December 22 to solid ballots to pick three nominees within the lyricist category and three within the performance songwriter category. The Associated Press obtained an early copy of the list.

Featured Stories

Several acts have one other probability to make an entry, including Clinton, whose Parliament-Funkadelic collective made a big impact with hits like “Atomic Dog” and “Give Up the Funk,” and The Doobie Brothers — Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons and Michael McDonald — with classics like “Listen to the Music” and “Long Train Runnin.” Steve Winwood, whose hits include “Higher Love” and “Roll With It”, also participated within the voting earlier.

Hip-hop this yr is represented by Eminem – whose hits include “Lose Yourself” and “Stan” – and NWA members Dr. Dre, Eazy E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella. Hip-hop stars similar to Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Missy Elliot are already within the Hall. Tommy James, with hits like “Mony Mony,” “Crimson and Clover” and “I Think We’re Alone Now,” also earned a nod.

If Jackson, whose 1989 album “Rhythm Nation” was a breakthrough, gets into the Hall, it’ll be greater than 20 years after her late brother Michael. Canadian songwriter Morissette, whose influential song “Jagged Little Pill” won Grammy, Tony, Junos and MTV awards, would also join the ladies of rock within the Hall. (Glen Ballard, who helped produce and write the album, is already present.)

Like Crow, the “All I Wanna Do” and “Everyday Is a Winding Road” singer-songwriter is experiencing a renaissance after being introduced to the band Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Boy George raises the flag for ’80s New Wave with Culture Club’s hits “Karma Chameleon” and “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.”

Other nominees within the unperformed category include Franne Golde, co-writer of Selena’s “Dreaming of You”; Tom Douglas, who wrote country hits for Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert; Ashley Gorley, fresh off her co-written hit “I Had Some Help” with Post Malone and Morgan Wallen; and Roger Nichols, who co-wrote The Carpenters’ “We Only Just Begun.”

They join Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, who contributed to Brandy and Monica’s hit “The Boy Is Mine”; Sonny Curtis, former member of The Crickets, who wrote and performed the theme song to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, “Love is All Around”, and British composer Tony Macaulay, who wrote “Build Me Up Buttercup”.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor creators of popular music. A songwriter with a big catalog of songs is eligible for induction 20 years after the song’s first business release.

Some already in attendance include Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond and Phil Collins. Last yr we saw REM, Steely Dan, Dean Pitchford, Hillary Lindsey and Timbaland introduced.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Music

Beyoncé leads 2025 Grammy nominations, becoming the most nominated artist in the show’s history

Published

on

By

Beyonce, Beyonce Grammys, Beyoncé 2025 Grammy nominations, Beyonce Cowboy Carter, Cowboy Carter Grammys, 2025 Grammys, 2025 Grammy nominations, 2025 Grammy nods, 2025 Grammy nods, theGrio.com

NEW YORK (AP) — Welcome to Beyonce country. When it involves Grammy Award 2025 nominations, “Cowboy Carter” rules the nation. She leads the rankings with 11 nominations, bringing her profession total to 99. This makes her the most nominated artist in Grammy history.

“Cowboy Carter” is up for album and country album of the yr, and “Texas Hold ‘Em” is nominated for record, song and country song of the yr. She also received nominations in multiple genres, including pop, country, Americana and melodic rap.

This is her first time receiving nominations in the country and the Americana category.

If Beyoncé wins album of the yr, she’s going to turn out to be the first black woman in the twenty first century. Lauryn Hill last won in 1999 for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” joining Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston as the only black women to win a significant Grammy award.

Post Malone also received his first-ever nominations in the country categories this yr, releasing his debut country album “F-1 trillion”in August. The song is nominated for Best Country Album, and “I Had Some Help,” a collaboration with Morgan Wallen, is nominated for Country Song and Country Duo/Group Performance. This is Wallen’s first-ever Grammy nomination.

Malone is just behind Beyoncé with seven nominations, together with Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Charli XCX, who earned her first nominations as a solo artist.

Lamar the ubiquitous diss track released during his feud with Drake, “Not Like Us” is nominated in the categories of album and song of the yr, rap song, music video and best rap performance. In the latter category, he had two simultaneous entries, which is a primary for his profession: Future & Metro Boomin featuring Lamar. “Like That” is nominated for best rap performance and best rap song.

This is his third time receiving two simultaneous nominations for best rap song.

Taylor Swift and first-time nominee Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan each can boast six nominations.

Last yr, female artists dominated essential categories. This yr the situation continues, but the essential trend appears to be species diversity. In the album of the yr category, together with “Cowboy Carter” were latest age André 3000, alt-jazz “New Blue Sun” and “Djesse Vol.” multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier. 4.” Rising pop stars Carpenter and Roan round out the album with “Short n’ Sweet” and “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” respectively, in addition to Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft” and “Hit Me Hard” and Soft” by Eilish. and Charlie XCX ready for the rave “BROTHER”.

Eilish is the only artist whose first three albums have been nominated for Album of the Year.

Last yr Fast won Album of the Year for “Midnights”, breaking the record for most wins in this category (4). This yr, she becomes the first woman in history to earn seven nominations in this category.

“The breadth and diversity of genres represented in the overall field feels new and truly exciting,” says Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason Jr. a developing electoral body for his success. “We were very conscious about our membership and tried to balance it. So not just gender or people of color, different races, but also genre equality and trying to make sure all types of music from different regions and locations are represented in every way possible.”

Only recordings commercially released in the U.S. between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024 were eligible for nomination. The final round of Grammy voting to find out the winners will happen from December 12 to January 3.

In the best latest artist category, Carpenter and Roan will go head-to-head, alongside Benson Boone, Doechia, Khruangbin, RAYE, Shaboozey and Teddy Swims.

Beyoncé was joined in the song of the yr category by Eilish for “Birds of a Feather,” Swift and Post Malone for “Fortnight,” “Good Luck, Babe!” Roan, “Please Please Please” by Carpenter, “Not Like” by Lamar Us,” “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, and “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey.

Shaboozey she can also be a first-time nominee. His “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is the biggest song of the yr, spending more weeks at primary on the Billboard Hot 100 than some other – it is so popular that a remix of the song can also be up for a remix recording.

Additionally, Shaboozey is nominated in the Melodic Rap Performance category for his feature on Beyoncé’s “SPAGHETTIA.” The song also features Linda Martell, the country’s first black musician to realize business success and likewise earned the 83-year-old artist her first Grammy nomination.

Featured Stories

In the Record of the Year category, “Texas Hold ‘Em” will compete with Swift and Post Malone’s “Fortnight,” Eilish’s “Birds of a Father,” Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and “Good Luck, Babe!” Roan, Carpenter’s “Espresso.” “, “360” by Charli XCX and the last latest Beatles song, powered by artificial intelligence “Now and Then”.

“We strive to keep up with how music creators and our community use technology. In this case, the AI ​​corrected that record and allowed him to qualify in the categories in which he qualified,” Mason Jr. explains.

So what’s missing? Like last yr, there is a big dearth of Latin music – fastest growing streaming genre in the United States – overall and without representation in major categories. There are only 4 entries in the Best Música Mexicana Album category, although it is usually one in every of them the fastest growing species.

There doesn’t appear to be any K-pop either. There aren’t any nominations for BTS members who released solo material this yr: RM’s “Right Place, Wrong Person” J-Hope’s “Hope on the Street” Vol. 1” and “Muse” by Jimin. As a boy band, BTS has received five nominations in their profession.

“I definitely see room for improvement in many genres and we continue to invite people to be a part of the academy” – Mason Jr. says. “Without proper representation, we will not get the right results. When I say “appropriate”, I mean reflective and representative of what’s going on in music today. So the work continues.”

The 2025 Grammy Awards will air on February 2 survive CBS and Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Music

Review: Whitney Houston’s Incomparable Talent Returns on ‘The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)’ Live Album

Published

on

By

Whitney Houston, The Concert for a New South Africa, Whitney Houston The Concert for a New South Africa, Whitney Houston live album, Whitney Houston South Africa concert, theGrio.com

“Find Strength in Love” Whitney Houston she sings at the tip of her latest live album, “The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban).” He spends a full minute saying those five syllables.

The song is titled “Greatest Love of All”. At the start of the last verse, Houston jumps from note to notice. At the word “strength,” her amazing alto blossoms, climbs and adds vibrato. When she gets to the word “love”, she playfully skips a few notes, leaving the last one alone, and the strength of its beauty matches the message.

Houston was a singer, as confirmed in “The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)”. Unfortunately, the album also shows how the pop diva’s unrivaled talent was wasted on her died in 2012 on the age of 48.

The album might be released on Friday after a limited theatrical release a film commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of Houston’s three concert events in 1994 in South Africa – in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. They celebrated a newly united nation after apartheid and elections Nelson Mandela as president.

This album presents the primary album which took place in Durban on November 8, 1994. It can be the first-ever live concert album in Houston.

“I’ve never felt so much love,” Houston tells fans on the stadium. Ten of the 21 tracks on the digital album (there are 24 tracks in total, including the intro and three versions of the identical song, which include a live track, a previously unreleased studio recording and a remix) have titles with the word “love” or some variety, and there are huge hits throughout the set. These include “I Will Always Love You”, “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, that are nice to take heed to in such a festive setting.

Featured Stories

Unfortunately, the dimensions of the event only reinforces Houston’s tendency to over-sing. Her message appears to be intended for the upper row of the stadium, which is comprehensible but tiring when listening through headphones. Maybe you needed to be there.

The theatrics of the vocals often don’t match the inferior material, and Houston twists the lyrics like he’s attempting to remove lather. This is complemented by the dated, dated arrangements of its large supporting solid, which range from lush synths to hairband guitar solos, although there are also great contributions from horns and backing vocalists.

The second half of the show is stuffed with moments of grace. Houston’s song selection is “Love Is,” a sweet ballad that also appears on the album in a previously unreleased 1990 studio recording and a remix. Houston gives a compelling reading of “The Greatest Love of All,” and the occasion is full of the energetic “Touch the World.”

The best episode comes when Houston takes the audience to a megachurch. “Jesus Loves Me” becomes a song for children of all ages since it shows an unusual soul in tradition Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Ray Charles AND Aretha Franklin.

“Amazing Grace” follows, and when Houston twists the word “wretch” with brutal vulnerability, the lyrics sound as honest as anything she’s ever sung.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending