WORDS & MUSIC: ES08

Storytelling

My definition of a story is an abstract thought revealed in prose or verse poetry and music expressing what is real, mythological or imaginary personified by a character about people, place, things/objects, expressed orally, or visually or utilizing media such as paper, video or film, streaming or by any instrumentalist through diverse musical forms.

(See reference below for an online definition.)

 

Telling stories is as ancient as the seas, the stars, and the moon. Gathering under the moonlight, a tree, in a backyard bonfire or a party, telling stories by some of the neighborhood tail tellers was an entertaining event. In this blog, the emphasis will be on storytelling utilizing the oral and written words combined with its musicality and sonic experiences.

Some of the great minds in musicology, such as Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and others such as Lenard Bernstein, one of the great American composers and conductor in modern history, have influenced the way in which I view the relationship with words and music. Searching to find meaning is not always visually understood unless its abstraction once revealed for the general audience to experience.

An author of prosaic compositions sees the structure of sentences containing the following, subject, verb, object and other modifiers that describe their parts individually and ends with a period. On the other hand, in music, a sentence could have various movements or parts to a song in the form of AAB as an example and has its period only at the conclusion of the song. Thus, a sentence in prose is much shorter than in music.

Telling stories in either words or music is a universal concept that is culturally as diverse as there are people around the world. How people communicate with words or with music is relational to the language we speak and the source of our ancestral origins. Whatever the spoken language, throughout the known history of humanity on earth, one can find people telling stories utilizing expressions indigenous to whatever is unique about particular people, cultures, and traditions.

 

I can remember as a young child, and very impressionable loved to go out and listen to the elders telling stories. They were the same once repeated over and over, but they were told each time differently. If the same person were retelling the exact tail, he/she would’ve made it seems fresh as if it was the first time telling it with enthusiasm and freshness. One other thing I began to notice was the manner in which the storyteller expresses it and how deliberate he interweaves in and out to make it more attractive with colorful languages understood by not only us kids but all the adults listening on the periphery. They’ve probably heard these tales repeatedly all their lives retold to their children similarly.

The stories told were extremely done in a balanced and performance manner. You could clap and tap your feet to the flow and tempo of the teller. His emotional expressiveness becomes yours. Every child was either afraid to leave alone or was captured by the stories.

The storyteller would sometimes slow speak to invoke a singing style with the words expressing the many dynamics to keep his young audience engaged and awaken with joy or fear. Sometimes we as kids were afraid to go home alone if the story was to horrific a tail as a ghost following us home.

The other thing that these storytellers had in common was the ability to make music. The rhythm and placement of each word were as if deliberately placed for impact. His entire body would react to each word as if he was playing a percussive instrument and to infer an active verb. The was always movement in these storytellers. Also, his verbal expressions communication was like melodic notes from the same repository of one diverse instrumentalist. Each part of his body would help to convey the story in a unique cultural way.

As a child, it was meaningful to watch the masterful artist repeating stories and improvising on ones that were already told and extemporaneously coming up with new things improvising whenever they ran out of the old ones one after the other on the spots. That was the skill I gained growing up under the influences of these elders who I do still give homage to whenever I perform. I might not remember the names of most of these individuals, but I do recall some of the stories told these prolific and eloquently expressive storytellers.

 

After hearing about Lenard Bernstein, I grew extremely interested in learning about his genius in the American culture. I found out that he was very expressive when it comes to telling a story in words and through music. He was an exceptional storyteller. Remembering one of his lectures I watched on a video, and how he explained the relationship between words and music still fascinate me after seeing and viewing his series of conferences and lectures held at Harvard in the Seventies, “The Unanswered Question” he went on the explain his fascination relating words with music.

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What is most important in any culture is a community that preserves their truth. Stories are kept for generations orally through the repetitive telling of their stories. It must be a story that depends on who you are and not what is told by you or someone else.

Jazz played in many countries all over the world, but its birth and definition are from people out of Africa to the corridors of Congo Square, in New Orleans. It’s the story that is Jazz. Each instrumentalist knew its origin and the pain of its history. Thus, when it’s played and enjoyed by the masses, the music and its cultural roots remain for discovery. It’s an American expression. The way it’s felt from a place experienced culturally, is different from those who just want to play and perform the music for fun.

 

The ethnicity of a musical culture is no different from a tradition of prose and one that’s mundane and from an existence within the boundaries of a known environment. When a composer tries to come up with new compositions, he/she has to think about what story needs to retell. Instinctively, many abstract thoughts perpetually flood the brain waves daily. Each person has to make decisions as to the pompous and meaning of those decisions to write down on paper or in a word processor. Without a doubt, it’s the story that will win every time. Going against telling the truth will produce a false narrative not only verbally, but similarly in a musical production.

An author has to be very careful to know how his/her story is going to end before starting to write a book. Similarly, a songwriter, composer, instrumentalist who are improvisers and are aware of their ending before they begin. Thus, it’s imperative to consider what story one needs to hear in any form of a composition takes. Further, how a story of words or music will emotionally impact the senses and behavior of individuals. It must also make positive suggestions to motivate and influence our changing lives. Though in some unexpected event, there are those who will negate the artist meaning of the original intent of the piece of artistry authored or composed.

 

A word can either be active or passive. Let’s take for example that a word becomes a character in your story. We could also personify a word or a note for that matter to demonstrate movements, shape, and emotion. For example, let us also say that the word has a personality such as embedded in a question and answer phrases. At a glance, you can make a similar argument for a musical note. In other words, one could think of the passive and active nature that gives an ideal imagined life to the personification of a word or a note. Furthermore, we could also, in a similar manner, think of music as it is a concept borne from an abstract thought of one’s imagination; defined as an idea. Notwithstanding, composers will have to transcribe these ideas on paper for others to understand what complex and abstract thoughts are percolating in one’s head. Thus, the need to write with words in detail is one thing, but to notate music expressively on paper for an instrumentalist to interpret and perform, is extraordinary.

 

I began working on my BLUE MONDAY album released in 2015. While working on the CD, I found a strange scale. It was a Japanese musical scale, ZOKUGAKUSMPO, in one of my encyclopedias. What I heard as it was from me playing the piano was foreign to my ears. As I played the scale, this new sound gradually grew to excite my sonic interest. After trying for several hours to make sense out of it, a melodic theme began to formulate. Even though I had no knowledge of the scale’s cultural origins, the textural thread of its beauty started to weave not only melodically, but rhythmical and harmonically through my creative processes.

To tell the musical story percolating in the faculty of my imagination, I needed more information about the scale. Once again, my buddy and musical generous, Michiro Negishi, a brilliant pianist and Ph.D. in medical research was called on to explain the cultural meaning of the scale. First, I asked him to account for the significance of the word, which he explained. He was born in Japan, so he understood more about the Japanese cultural forms especially, it’s traditions and scale used in Folk music. It was then that I began to realize the nature and characteristic of the melody I had composed.

The story was now taking shape as soon as it was clear to me once the character of the story was defined, that is, the melodic definition of the scale began to direct the composition.

Finally, it’s impossible to depart from the symbols shaped by letters we expressed as words in sentences. Similarly, we cannot have excluded musical notation from it key signature nor the lines and spaces that give it its meaning for weaving a tapestry with its melodic thread through the expression of sonic proportion.

 

I do hope you’ve enjoyed reading these blogs and wish that you comment as you pleased.

L. G Neddy Smith ©2017

 

 

 

 

Reference:

Story Defined:

NOUN

1. an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment:

“An adventure story” ·

[more]

synonyms: tale · narrative · account · anecdote · yarn · spiel

2. an account of past events in someone’s life or the evolution of something:

“the story of modern farming” ·

[more]

 

Retrieved July 17th from, http://www.bing.com/search?q=define%20story&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&pq=define%20story&sc=8-12&sk=&cvid=833E4CC8E6C448859CA62505D9C83BDB

 

WORDS & MUSIC (ES07)

SHE SWIMS LIKE A SYMPHONIC CONDUCTOR. 

(Before reading this blog, please see reference for “Definition” of symphony vs. orchestra below or (CNTL+ Click) on the link.)

This month’s blog is about utilizing words and music to describe a young swimmer’s drive and the orchestrating of her extraordinary swimming abilities as if she’s conducting her anatomy as a symphony while working on becoming a successful Olympian.

Words alone cannot express everything in this universe. However, music, on the other hand, is more complicated as it’s also an abstraction extrapolated from an imagined sonic canvas or recognizable sounds of the known universe. Thus, anyone can acquire knowledge and skills. Furthermore, in our existence, especially for music, anywhere there’s life within our known universe, they are creative beings. It’s in the words we speak, the things we do, and the mere fact that our body is in part, an adorable and powerful instrument in the universe of a well-constructed symphony of individual movements working together as one organically created being shaped within the sphere of the cosmos.

We breathe, feel, taste, smell, see, and discern other senses for every known and imaginary vibration of sounds within and beyond our humanity. There are, in my opinion, no differences between the experiences that a swimmer enjoys having similar vicissitudes within the context of a body of water as one would have in the fidelity of a forest or within the universe of nature.

A pool of water framed according to its context is only one of the four elements (earth, wind, fire, and water. See reference link below.) in the universe of life. Water often is extracted from its natural flow for a human-made lake or pool. Furthermore, If the human being was created to be in harmony with each of its parts, so is humanity. Then, it’s fitting to believe that the body, when likened to an orchestra, is made up of individual players connected by a common thread. That means, it runs like a spine inside and out by a hidden soul similar to nature. Thus, a young swimmer provides us with a continuum of ourselves as we watch her develops into an Olympian.

Swimming within a group is similar to individual musicians playing in a band or an orchestra. On the other hand, to be the conductor of a large orchestra or the anatomy of humanity, similar to a symphony, one has to acquire knowledge and skills of each instrument as one would when relating to the framework of a living person. Moreover, her grandfather does view the human corporal structure and spirit within its framework as a symphonic orchestra composed and arranged into movements (head, shoulder, chest, abdomen, hands, and feet).

“Okay! Are you laughing? Aren’t you? Her grandfather can tell that you’re so let’s proceed.”

Granddaughter takes her position and focuses on her innate composition that she’ll be performing from within her inner orchestra. She then turns to the audience, looked around, then focused her gaze on the target. As she listens for the go, her pulsing heart kept beating time while still waiting for the coach to say go. As she eagerly waits to start, her initial downbeat, she adjusted her gargles and her cap as she poised to dive into the Olympic-size pool.

Granddaughter is calm and ready to swim but stood patiently in her position. Herself and the members of her group nervously await with anticipation. They stood on the diving board for the final signal but only listen to more instructions. They just want to get on with their practice.

She looks around once again, shaking her body and kicking her feet with the whisper of her breath hardly saying a word but feeling her position and glancing more at the pool. She measured her competitors with each glance than at her competition for whom she has the deepest of respect. Still waiting on her managing coach to blow the whistle, granddaughter continued to shaking her hands, head, and feet to free up her muscles from tightening. The others were given the go-ahead to dive as she, the only girl in her group and waiting for her signal to proceed. The coach looked over at granddaughter and gave her the warning before diving. You can see the anticipation in her attitude to dive off the diving board and into the pool like a champion.

It’s now time for her to go as suggested by her position on the diving board. Granddaughter got the ready, set and the signal to go. She quickly dove off the diving board with grace and style as she swam towards the far end of the pool and back in record time.

She advanced her well-tuned and thinly framed body progressing up and down, left and right, and in and out of the water like a conductor directing a symphony. Her hands preceded her head as she cautiously but fearlessly swam with maximum energy. The other swimmers were already in the water practicing ahead of her. Some were in the other lanes with other team members. Granddaughter then turned around as soon as she reached the farthest end of the pool and then returned to her coach who waved her on to continue. After several laps, she returned towards the start point once more.

The coach called her and the other swimmers for new instructions. It was time for the swimmers to return to practicing once again. As before, the other kids got their signals one after the other before granddaughter got hers. She was always ready to go back to the pool. The coach gave her the get-ready signal to dive. He blew the whistle on her, and she jumped right in the pool following previous swimmers in her category as the workout in a single lane with a team partner.

She dove stylistically and dynamically in the pool with a moderately loud splash followed by a soft series of kicks. She kicked as she submerged to push herself upward from the dive towards the surface within less than five seconds before emerging to catch air. Her entire body began freely making headway in time and space. She kicks the water like a rudder each calculated stroke of her hands. You could see her head going in and out up and down separating the water. It was as if she was cutting a path for her slim athletic frame to skim through faster without resistance. Her hands were conducting her every move as if taken an initial ictus from a conductor’s intended downbeat.

Notwithstanding, setting the time signature for the symphony of her body and playing organically in a harmonious serenity gave a sense of being in tune and tempo as she flows. Further, having each of her physical limbs working together in unity and dynamic changing motion as realized in her rhythmical stride. Additionally, following each stroke of her hands while keeping her head going directing her entire physical frame as she navigates straight ahead. Each melodic sound she made by the action of movements from her hands, chest, and feet and the beating and pushing against the water, harmonizes with precision and produces a consonance that pleases the ear site and the overall mood of the moment.

Each splash of her hands created a melody that often accompanied by the other members of her tiny bodily frame. The more she swims, the softer her splashes sounded until she gets out and dove back in, then a new composition begins. Each exercise of her repertoire is her symphonic musical accompaniment. The first movement was the dive-in, followed by, the breaststrokes, then the butterfly, the relay, and the backstrokes. Each distinct movement required a defined technique as an instrumentalist would know what instrument to utilize for an intended part to play in an orchestra for the symphonic overture.

Granddaughter was in her elements. She never stopped making music with her 68-pound frame as long as she was in the water. She’s a beauty to watch. Her tiny framed body makes art with every stroke each time she touches the water as she begins her routine. This young lady is developing into a first-class athlete. The way she conducts her body, and the way she flows so rhythmic and making audible sounds with every branch of her framed skeleton body, is musically pleasing. She makes it pleasurable to observe the way in which she’s carving out a path and composing with her 5’3” thinly framed body while pushing forward to the finish line. Whatever she does in the water with her body, from one movement to another, is a musical statement.

As she glides quietly and forcefully from one end of the Olympic-size pool to its opposite, she turned with precision and a burst to the surface head first followed by her tiny framed body. There’s no speculation about who’s to watch. You can see the spectator’s eyes with laser-beam focused on each stroke musically demonstrating her various styles freely each time she has to compete. She’s all about the composition of swimming to the symphony of sounds dynamically vibrating through every heart beat rapidly pulsating as she’s conducting each movement with pride that flows from deep within her competitive soul expressing her abounding joy.

 

L.G Neddy Smith © 2017

 

Reference: Definition

A symphony is a large orchestra. An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including strings, woodwinds, brass instruments, and percussion instruments. So, philharmonic and symphony orchestra are synonymous. Oct 7, 2015. Retrieved May 9th from https://www.google.com/search?q=international+jazz+festival+havana&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS673US674&oq=international+jazz&aqs=chrome.3.0j69i57j0l4.26430j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=symphony+vs+orchestra.

 

Four elements of Earth

Retrieved June 29, 2017 from, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element

 

WORDS & MUSIC (ES06)

Authoring and Songwriting: A SMALL-TOWN GIRL

“When dreams and hope become a passion, there will be consequences.”

 

In this episode of my monthly blogs, and from a personal experience, I dare to take you on a journey through authoring a novel and the songwriting process.

Now that the novel, Valerie Palmary: A SMALL-TOWN GIRL, has been published, its accompanying song, of similar title, and a single recording release, is currently available for worldwide distribution and download. You can find it at, https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/neddysmith3, Amazon.com®, iTunes.com® and all other online stores where music is sold and streamed.

Allow me to tell you the backstory regarding the title, “A Small-Town Girl.” I had started the task of writing a song. Its procedure and structure began to take shape in the summer of 2015. As a songwriter, ideas for titles come flooding into my spirit, and in the recess of my mind frequently. Sometimes, as simple ideas needing physical action to get the thoughts experienced innately and imaginatively, then out to the public. Invariably, those ideas are my intellectual property and must depart from my head and on paper or recorded. Sometimes, it’s done with a bit of haste as quickly with little effort of correctness. On the other hand, writing songs could take me a day, weeks, months or years to complete.

Naturally, during the initial writing of, A Small-Town Girl, its framework instinctively suggested that I should keep to the broadcast industry standard, 3 and 1/2 minutes’ recording length. Needless to say, I continued to write more of the lyrics. However, it was challenging me because the recurring phrase of the title relentlessly drove me crazy. In other words, this song couldn’t come as fast as I wanted. Nonetheless, it was the hook; the melodic phrase that was memorable all through the day and night and remains constant that kept humming, playing the guitar and singing. Moreover, it’s that part of the chorus so permanently stored that had me repeating the tune excessively all-day long. By now, the melody and words flooded my thoughts simultaneously. It reached the point where I could hardly sleep, eat, drink or think of anything else to do within my typical day.

 

The hook and-or refrain was so powerful, after trying various other familiar methods and styles, a new approach was needed to get a written song, such as a ballad, top 40, reggae, dance and so on, but nothing was working that complimented the hook. Its idea, invariably, began driving me creatively crazy. Several tried attempts, one after the other, the effort was relentless. I had even experiment adding sounds from many top-of-the-line instrumentations and plugins. Still, the blending and nature of the tune departed far apart from the feel and mood of the song.

 

I remember seeking divine intervention; feeling frustrated over not getting the right feel for the composition, I headed out of my studio feeling defeated. I had too many ideas coming in my sensory about the melody that could work here and there. My wife took one look at me and asked, “what’s wrong? “I hesitated but began to tell her what I’ve been working on after the two weeks passed. It was going on a month now, and all I had was more words that I wanted for the predetermined length originally formulated. So, after sitting down with her and explaining numerous times how I had tried to get this tune working within the standard structure and style of a pop song but nothing worked.

During those two weeks, I could hear the chorus becoming a fixed. It got stronger in my mind. The words were becoming clearer. Although I wanted to go back and finished the lyrics, it was challenging so I continued to write about a character rather than fighting myself and forcing my pen to paper against what the story’s apparent leading role of the main character dictates. Thus, I had to wait a bit longer.

It was incumbent upon me to rest a while as I got a better understanding. Evidently, my patience would directly lead me to words that the melody loves and where it was heading concerning style, fits perfectly with the imaginary character. It was then that I began to obey the melodic shape and motion of the tune before proceeding to write further. What I thought was the lyrics turned into a plethora of words far beyond the original idea transitioned further into several paragraphs.

 

I retreated to the drawing board and began seeking out how to write the lyrics in a way that I the story would write itself; other than from a pre-conceived knowledge of established norms. It then dawned on me to listen to my inner voice. I was forced into a corner and had to stop for about fourteen days and to allow the song to return to me fresh. In those two weeks, still struggling with the lyrics, before finally letting it go.

As I went on explaining to my wife how the hook is morphing into a country mold, she responded surprisingly, “then why not make it a country song?” I looked at her speechless with and expression of disbelief and responded, “I am not a country singer.” I was restless, two weeks had passed heading into two months, but I remained as calm as I could. It was then that she reminded me that the tune needed a guitar and encouraged me to listen to a country station which I did gladly. Although she couldn’t explain what she wanted me to hear, by indicating a guitar style, one that she often heard in country music was enough to trigger my curiosity. Shortly after our discussion, I had to try and get that sound to go along with the melody.

The only guitarist I could call on was my longtime friend, and brother, Willy Dalton. I called him while sitting at the kitchen table with my wife so she could listen and participate in the conversation. After explaining to my friend, the problem, he asked that I send him the track. Instantly, after we hung up our phones, I went in the studio and emailed it to him. I hadn’t given him a timeframe but trusted he would get the parts done at his earliest convenience.  Needless to say, he never gave a deadline to finish, but I need not hurry because he’s a pro.

I had more paragraphs to write leading me further down the path to a novel. However, to say the song is not coming out the way I originally envisioned is an understatement. It appeared to direct me subconsciously in a country style that crept deep within my soul. I then told him to do whatever he feels that would work. He said he would not get to it that day but will get something going as soon as he’s free from his obligations.

One more attempt to locate a variety singer proved unsuccessful. I decided to hire a vocalist who after keeping the demo for over two weeks decided it were not her style and promised to ask someone she knew but did not return with any satisfying results. As time goes by, two months passed trying to locate singers or any competent songstress before giving up.

At my final stage, a musician friend and sister of mine, a tastefully and dynamic keyboard player, Debbie Hawkins, told me over the phone, “man, it doesn’t matter who sing the lyrics, you do it. Sing like a Jamaican, who cares? Everyone is trying new styles.” She continued to explain that I would not find a soloist at this moment in time to do it as I would like it done. Needless to say, her final note to me was, “you’re the only one who had received the memo. It’s a special message directed to you only.” I listened, and I took her advice to record the vocal.

Another musician who I invited to critique the song, Michiro Negishi. He gave some valid points that caused me to rectify the rhythm section. He added the piano track that helped the recording move forward as a professional approaching his craft and playing at the highest level possible.

Surprisingly, I embarked on writing more words than I wanted to. I can remember a strange sensation came over me. It was an emotion trigger moment. It was then that I identified and added the character in a small town. The young woman’s attitude within the settings would dictate her action and reaction regarding any situation will depend on the DNA of her traits. The name Valerie Palmary began taking prominence and shaping a mannerism of an imaginary person in the secret corners of my cranium. First, the thought of Valor came to me. I decided to search online dictionaries for the meaning of the name.

 

The characteristics, as a young woman had to exhibit boldness virtues but also principled. It fits the nature of the character’s courage in every way whenever confronted with any dangerous state of affair. Secondly, I was compelled to look up the meaning of Palmary. I’ve had to make sure that whatever the imagined personality was asking me to write, it had to be faithful to her every imaginary being. Thus, by definition, she was a young lady of high quality and first-class in every endeavor and importance with principle and professes truthfulness and excellence in ever thing she touches.

The longer I wrote, the less the song became relevant. Evidently, it started to develop into an elaborate structure. In other words, it started something much bigger than what was in my will to do. Unknowingly, the writing grew exponentially outside of the boundaries and beyond a simple song or composing pure music. Therefore, I commence focusing a massive amount of my energy and attentions on writing new paragraphs per day far beyond simple lyrics.

Weeks have passed and turned into months. At one point, all I could think of was the character whispering what to write. On one occasion, I can recall writing from six in the morning to late at night. It became the norm to keep from sleeping for two days after staying up for extended hours the many nights authoring words dripping with the thoughts of an imaginary being. I couldn’t sleep for days. I would beat rest for about less than an hour then jumped back up in the darkest part of the night. It didn’t worry me what I was writing except the words of the character.

It was necessary to continue writing whatever the character was dictating for me to scribble on paper before transcribing to the word processor. She consumed me; every waking moment of my life was taken over. At this point, it didn’t matter what I wanted to say because it was all about the character. She grew more familiar to me like a melodic line in a song.

Valerie became a strong lead within the storyline while sustaining a solid foundation that drew on any supporting resources from beginning to end. Most importantly, she chooses her environment, predicament, friends and family, also when anyone should get close to her heart. Other than her dad, who died after he witnessed her high school graduation, she kept away from anyone negative to her desired goal. His passing devastated her and kept her from anything else but to focus on succeeding by fulfilling her desired dreams.

 

Authoring while songwriting turned into a joyous experience both in an emotional and physical sense. Not only was it a learning moment, but also life changing.

What was supposed to have become a simple song was morphed into a novel. Valerie Palmary: A SMALL -TOWN GIRL. Finally, the single recording was released June 1st, 2017. For worldwide distribution.

If you have purchased the novel, “Valerie Palmary: A Small-Town Girl,” please send your receipt email to, info@nedgjean.com, and you’ll receive a copy of the song via download card/code.

I’ll be having an Author’s Speak and signing, hosted by the Norwalk Public Library, http://www.norwalklib.org/ from 12-noon to 1:30 PM, June 23rd, 2017.

 

L.G. Neddy Smith © 2017                                                                                                                   NedGJean Publishing.                                                                                                         info@nedgjean.com                                                                                                         http://www.nedgjean.com

 

Reference:

Names defined – Valor and Palmary

http://www.bing.com/search?FORM=INCOH2&PC=&PTAG=ICO-4708a5ed&q=valor&uref=chmm

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/palmary

 

Event: 6/23/2017

http://www.fcbuzz.org/events/literature/20281/

 

 

WORDS AND MUSIC ES05

If a sound heard in the dark triggered an emotion, how should anyone go about interpreting its authenticity or fidelity? Can it be approach within the context of words and – or music? I will try my best to respond.

After visiting Jamaica, West Indies, in March 2017, and hidden far away occasionally in the woods, I decided to begin the process of listening to sounds from early evenings and deep into the darkness of night till dawn. In my stillness, sometimes dozing off only to be awakened by new stimuli from its environment. I was amazed at how many different sounds of nature and yes, some human-made ones too, made up the symphony of creation. The instrumentation arrangements of sounds from the voices of birds, trees and waterfalls, animals and humans transporting waves after waves of rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic beauty gliding on every whiff of wind surrounding the sonic atmosphere of my conscious recognition was fascinating.

According to Collins online dictionary, regarding the frequency spectrum, it states that: “A full-range device is any audio device capable of capturing, reproducing, or processing the full audio frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.” Retrieved April 26, 2017, from, https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/frequency-spectrum

Given the plethora of hypnotic sounds I was experiencing, coming from all directions, as I relaxed in silence throughout the night, my stillness got rewarded abundantly. Further, within the broader milieu of nature, I could appreciate what was heard based on limitations of my humanness to hear only some harmonics outside of my capabilities. Some sounds beyond the fundamental frequencies that exceeds my hearing faculties in a distracted environment can be challenging. In other words, I was acutely aware of nature’s fidelity based on what I’ve learned from science and the creation of sound within the range of mortal recognition listening for a myriad of tones. Thus, constituting a relationship to the sonic canvas and the frequencies registered on the spectrum of intelligence between (20 Hz to 20 kHz).

A stereo device is designed to reproduce the fidelity of acoustical sound into electrical pulses. Some pitches are way below and beyond the spectrum of human competency. However, people can only hear and produce sounds on or within the given ranges with some exceptions. For example, a young child will recognize sounds closer to the lower and upper ranges of the 20 Hz and 20 KHz. On the other hand, older adults will have lost some of those proficiencies to hear anywhere near the lowest, and the highest ranges given their age and loss of hearing those frequencies.

Wow! That was heavy. But what does all that have to do with words and music? Plenty! As a songwriter, I do use words to describe what I am physically experiencing with my seeing eyes. But not necessary what I see within the scope of my abstraction of imagination. That’s when I will switch invariably to poetry, especially to abstain for grammatical rigidness and pure abstract music notation; whenever expressing my other senses and experiences opposed to what is visually standing in the path of my vision.

It’s important for me to work in the dark at times so that I can get in touch with the higher frequencies not present if I am distracted. For example, each frequency within my hearing ability can have a plethora of effects on how I write as a songwriter or whenever composing instrumental music. Further, it’s imperative that I get in touch with the senses of my current mood and determine the sound that’s affecting the words or the music that will be pouring from my soul.

Let’s go a bit further. A sound that’s heard within a context. Any one will do; pick one based on your present location and state of consciousness. Begin to listen to the tonal sequences surrounding your current existence. It will depend on how long you can be still with your eyes close. Think about Stevie Wonder and others like him who are super talented and wonder what and how do they see to write. What you’ll come away with is nothing but miraculous. If they didn’t use their eyes, how did he do it? This question will be left for you to answer on your own after testing it for yourself by closing your eyes in the dark and listening to the sounds of the current environment you’re now occupying.

Allow your mind to wander until your thoughts become silent and free from previous thoughts. At this point, you should have a blank slate to experience your new state of being.

Any sound heard is within a context. Depending on the environment, persons from diverse cultural backgrounds will interpret an experience of utterances to mean something different. For example, a child playing in the forest will hear at some higher frequencies than most adults. Let me explain.

After observing my grandson for some time, whenever he would come over to visit, he would put his hands over his ears. The music would be playing at a very low level; nonetheless, he would cover his ears and leave the studio. He would continue to repeat too loud and run upstairs. Is it because of the music? What was his problem? Was it the loudness indicated on the level meter or a particular frequency within the range of human hearing (20 Hz to 20KHz) that was bothering him? It didn’t’ bother him with all music at similar sound level but left me to wonder that it was certain frequencies.

The above questions will have to be investigated more in depth before he grows any further than 5-years of age. Whenever he’s around again, I’ll try to get him to sit still for five minutes while I test various frequencies even though I know he’ll sit for under three right now before running off to play.

One thing I’ve sometimes tried whenever I am on stage playing, I would stand directly in front of my bass amp and play the lowest note and turn up the volume nob and increase the bass level for a deeper sound that would rattle the foundation. It’s a feeling that seems to decompose the existing state of being. Is it due to a frequency or a noise level? Whatever it was, it makes my body feels strange as if being in an intoxicated state of mind.

Finally, I do believe that whatever words I write and whenever I author prose, verses for poetry, and lyrics for songs and even composing absolute music. There are some regards to the sensitivity of adapting the sounds of nature by utilizing made instruments, hardware and software technologies.

Nevertheless, but importantly, recognizing and the perceptivity, the awareness, and insightfulness, of the human soul.  If only to hear and communicate within the guidelines of certain frequencies. That said, it will depend on how one is affected by the mood and impressionability defined by the boundaries and elasticity of the creative mind, body, and soul directed by our natural and – or spiritual senses. Instinctively, I do utilize words and or music whenever interpreting any strange or recognizable sound.

 

L.G Neddy Smith © 2017

 

 

Words & Music (ES04)

Jazz & Poetry Celebration Month:

April 1, 2017

April is all about Jazz and Poetry. Whichever way anyone turns, there’s always an experience of sounds and music. It’s all about the fidelity of nature influencing how we imitate these sounds from the context of the human or physical man made instruments and with the detailing of slow speech into poetic words shaping and imitating the natural sounds of nature.

As a composer of absolute music, at times it’s important to utilize words to express vividly the meaning of human thoughts stored deep within the cavity of the writer’s creative imagination. Given that music naturally is voiced by living beings throughout the known universe and beyond. This invariably gives us on earth a unique way of communicating with each other and by painting the sonic canvas with musical thoughts.

Music is a universal language. Specifically, it gives us all special ability beyond cultures to relate in a pleasing manner where words might limit or fail us verbally. Because words can restrict or limit communication to a particular culture within nations and countries, it’s best to draw on the language of music across any cultural divide to unite us all.

From the spirit of the creator above to the depth of a composer’s mind, spirit, and soul of any artist, the result is a transformation of the abstract thoughts of ideas to the physical being for release.

As a musician, songwriter, author and poet, it’s important to recognize the importance of Jazz and Poetry in the month of April. They’re both art forms uniquely joined to the American experience.

April is designated and acknowledged as Jazz Appreciation and National Poetry month for celebration throughout the nation.
Including below for this blog, is a poem titled, “What’s Jazz?”

What’s JAZZ?
by Neddy Smith
9/14/2012 – 17

What’s Jazz?
It’s words and music
It’s music, lyrics, poetry and songs
It’s how you dress and style in movements

It’s Swing, improvisation and the Blues
It’s rhythm, melody and rhythmic harmony
It forms aab, aba, ab; you got the meaning
It’s given a time and key signatures

Initiation of a Riff in a major Key
for happiness or brightness
Start of a Riff in a minor Key
for sadness is darkness

It’s a circular and repeated figuration
that’s in motion
Jazz is a word

galactically known worldwide by many,
It contains a multiplicity of universal established sounds
Jazz include forms, devices, styles and cultures and expressions
The Jazz Blues, it’s deeply sensual, sad, happy,
It’s fast, medium, slow and melancholy.

Jazz is a feeling that’s personal, intimate and experimental
Jazz is nationalism, pride and joy
From New Orleans in American
To Jazz in Jamaica, that’s Ska

It’s rooted in the African experience
dance and cry for freedom
It’s filled with emotions
and expressions of various senses

Dixieland – Charleston – Swing bands (1930’s) give context
Boogie Woogie – a beat derived that goes on and on
Crazy Bop (Dizzy) – Easy Bop (Miles Davis) –
Swing Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald
Latin, Mambo, Samba, Caribbean, Cuban and so it goes into Jazz

Jazz comes from the pain of folk music,
Working folks making music in the fields
Hollering on the ground from the roots up
from sunset to sundown – dusk to dawn
Jazz is blood pouring sweat and tears as rain
crying turns to chanting and the pain into joy

Jazz and its elements,
Melody – Rhythm – Improvisation –
Harmony, self-expression -tone color
Swing – Syncopation – Blues –
It’s all about Words and Music
Jazz and poetry in jazz.
What’s Jazz?
You know.

L.G. Neddy Smith © 2017

 

WORDS & MUSIC (ES03)

Reflection:

It’s so wonderful to write yet another blog in keeping with my promise to post one each month. This March, for me is about the reflection of a busy February month performing in Hollywood, CA and Norwalk, CT.

Words help us to reflect on our state of consciousness more deeply and to communicate our actions in detail. But with pure unadulterated absolute music, we’re allowed to imagine within the theaters of our mind and to paint the sonic canvas with various impressions of sounds, fidelity, and its purity to relating to the senses of our actual nature in a living and breathing universe.

Performance:

Performing live in front of a large or small audience of peers is one of the highest honors for mostly every artist in the entertainment industry. That said, whether it’s receiving an award or applauding others being awarded give everyone a sense of pride and that means peers have acknowledged them for their hard work.

Some may perform their spoken words accompanied by an instrumentalist such as a piano, guitar, percussion or just the pure sound of naturally produced instruments of the human body.

Performing at the final winter concert series in the auditorium at the Norwalk Public Library was a treat. All the headliners including myself performed and it was a wall-to-wall success. The audience in attendance was well entertained with a variety of styles from each talented professional. Utilizing the power of words and music in a call and response manner engaged the audience melodically in a chant as I got them all participating.

It’s no wonder why music, when put to words, are so equally compelling.

Combining words to music allow those who looks for details and visual representation to find common ground. That said, they can read and recognize the spoken words that are poetically in a way what accompanies the abstract nature of pure unadulterated music and gives a composition clear meaning.

Whether performing by means reading a novel or reciting prose, it the nature of verse poetry that joins to music in a unique way. For example, Rappers and Poets who have combined their work with music have found great success.

Performing for the first time at the Kulak’s Woodshed, in Hollywood, CA was one of the best choices made to have an exciting performance.

Venues:

Words and music came together during Grammy week. It was one of the best time to meet and greet peers at the many performance halls in preparation for the awards night big show

The real news is how we kept meeting up at various places to either continue our conversations or starting new ones.

It does not matter the size of the venues. A performer can find ways to give an excellent performance not only using the room to his/her advantage but also to engage the audience intimately or suggestively.

Parties:

The parties were all right. They were organized to get more people in our industry communicate freely with each other not only one-on-one but also in small groups.

Grammy week was a special time for many professional music creators and authors who written and have created audio books and various other creative works with music. Everyone came together to participate and have fun but also to make new friends and share in the excitement leading up to the awards night.

People:

Grammy week is always about music and people. It’s an excellent time to meet up with new peers and old friends. Over the years these friends have gotten closer, and alliances formed. Some are into words looking to collaborate with instrumentalist on current or future projects.  One good thing about this time of year in the music industry is when many of the creative minds come together as one to participate in small and large parties all over Los Angeles and other neighboring cities.

 Freeway:

Freeway driving in LA is not always the faster. If anyone is in a hurry to get to their destination from Long Beach to LA in thirty minutes, you better think again. It can take two hours. In the meantime, turn on the radio, listen to the Neddy Smith, EastWestTrio, BLUE MONDAY cd or just take out a tape recorder and begin recording new ideas for a future project because it’s going to be the longest short distant ride on the Freeway.

Downtown LA:

It’s always amazing how many people you can find moving around at any time, day or night in downtown LA. There’s a mystique about the city that makes it ideal for movie scenes if only many could see the reality of her close to real life, so many movies are. Living in a bubble without experiencing the real-world life of Skid Row will not give you the actual meaning of what others want you to share. But it’s a place to visit and feel for oneself what human do feel for one another.

Skid Row:

As a creative person, driving through Skid Row was an eye opener when first encountered that this place was not a movie but real. On this second trip, I took some time to slow down as I had to travel through this community to attend an event with Grammy peers. My mood went from happy to sad then muted before snapping out of a moment of silence before getting back into conversing with peers and sharing the experience.

Conclusion:

It’s no wonder we as human beings are so connected in so many ways. We’re joined by the spirit of our humanity to live and share in life as time only allows us a daily passage with others and to pass on what was learned from generation to generation through the experiences of the visuals, sounds, words and music.

 

Lester G Neddy Smith © 2017

All rights reserved.

 

Words and Music (ES02) Dreaming

Dreaming of the things I see through the annals of time is visionary, innovative and explosive in my mind eyes.

For example, as a musician, I am trained to think in the abstract and to create pleasant, rich dynamic and melodic conversations and essence to calm the turmoil in the hearts and minds of humankind. So, when dreaming of musical thoughts, there’s another part of my brain in the context of an author/poet function that wants to induces visual and metaphoric imagery to conjure meaning by adding details with words association to my music.

Alternative compositional approach sometimes skews an instrumentalist traditional way of thinking. Especially, one who tries to satisfy one’s innate consciousness whenever composing beautiful melodies as the norm and utilizing the senses due to self-virtuosity and, with various new and old technologies emulating the fidelity of nature. Moreover, to bring calmness to the soul with the pleasing of a plethora of sounds arranged in an extraordinary manner for pleasure is a subjective expression. And in an elaborate way, music is to engage the thought process and to relax the mind, body and soul with meaning and thought provoking expressions is by far the ultimate satisfaction recognized by all cultures.

Thinking

Thinking of the way we go about the processing of our thoughts is diverse. Based on our culture and training received from the many institutions of learning at home and abroad. How we listen to a piece of music is, therefore, subjective. What is relevant to an individual is the relationship between opposing views. Having a conversation, in my opinion, is why great thoughts developed in such a dynamic manner. Similarly, when music is composed, one has to think conversationally. A question stated, and then an answer response is given in return.

We converse in pros with lots of details, but in poetry, it’s about matching word to word as I would do when composing music. When creating a musical piece, it’s how each note matches or relates to the other that demonstrate its dynamics both its vertical and horizontal motion, up and down and from left to right with contours and shapes produced by an instrument that distinguishes a unique timbre of sounds from human, nature or with new technology.

Playing

Playing with words is a fascination of mine. I am not an English major but love the thoughts that come from the imagination and detailed in words. In a similar way, performing music on stage in front of a large or small audience is a dynamic way of playing and having fun with musical notes. Imagining how to interpret a piece of music or a poem is one of the same to me. As a songwriter, it’s adding meaning to the visually minded individuals who’s not familiar with the abstract analysis of absolute music.

Mentoring

Mentoring is one of my greatest joy. I am excited to see the expression on the faces of my students whenever they get a new concept. The immediate application of such a concept is of vital importance whenever you’re coming from a none artistic discipline. If your orientation is towards linearity, then it’s going to be tough to break that way of thinking. But if your orientation is towards random reflection, then it will be easy to get creative not only as a poet but also as a music creator.

Finally, how you dream, think, play and obtain knowledge and skills give credence to a combination of all the experiences accumulated over a period of one’s lifetime. Remember this, my reality is not yours, but the fact that meaning came about and extrapolated from a mentor give hope to a new generation to composing with words and music that will uniquely represent and influence generations to come.

Lester G NEDDY Smith ©2017

WORDS AND MUSIC (ES01)

WORDS AND MUSIC (SE01)

January 1, 2017

The Christmas season has come and gone. We’re now looking forward towards living in a New Year of optimism in 2017. The past is how we got to this moment in the human interlude of time and space we call the presence. Our experiences and how this period will treat us in the future is how humanity speculate on their history to either build or tear down obstacles. We as a human family belong to one race if we would only just close our eyes of colors and show similarities as much as share love. Instinctively, we’re all musically inclined. Weather by traditions or cultures we are a living orchestra.

As human beings, we share in making music to communicate our diverse cultural experiences and traditions. Not only are we our original and individual melodies, but we’re also rhythms and harmonies vibrating as living instrumental human beings. We’re musical. Every man woman and child at any given time in their homes or away from it. We all bleed and birth from the same source as the wind blows and our hearts pulsate indicating life.

As in my home, we were rocking with joyous celebration throughout the gathering of the family as we do each holiday season. Having fun, singing and playing games as a family gave us a sense of continuity as we’re brought closer together. And so, if everyone does the same or similar around the world, we could witness peace and goodwill throughout the universe.

There’s hope. A family gives time for a diversity of opinion and thus demonstrates to the younger generation who’ve come to participate, are watching and learning how to share and have clean fun from their elders to carry on in the tradition of caring and sharing.

It’s pleasing to say that every occasion we get together especially when we’ve all gathered around in my home it becomes a warm and special moment for my family and me. In my abode, whenever we come together and share the blessings of each family, naturally for me, It’s worth the preparation and the bonding. Furthermore, it’s about keeping everyone entertained with goodwill.

What was special about our last festive moment was having live music and performance. I did my first family performance playing the guitar, singing and encouraging the entire family to share in the singing of Chorales, and without thinking of being in perfect pitch, especially, and not to be constrained by any one musical key. It was all about the human spirit from everyone that made our family event even better. We had a blast each moment of time we were together.

Great! It’s another New Year. And I am looking forward to changes within the year 2017 as time goes on ahead as it usually does throughout human history.

Lester G NEDDY Smith ©2017

 

Words & Music

 

Words and Music (ESoo)

My name is Neddy Smith.

I am first a musician, educator, producer and quickly becoming an author working on my first novel titled, A Small-Town Girl.

Wow! This fascinating and politically transformative time in our lives is one that will go down in history for better or worse as our ways of doing and thinking things is no longer the norm but a remapping of us all into becoming better citizens.

The year 2016 is rapidly coming to a close. It’s with joy that I can report with enthusiasm; finally, I am finished writing my first novel which I’ve since passed on into the hands of a competent and trusted editor. The way she thinks is in words as I do in music.

This year was brutal for me working on creating content not only for my novel but also for my music and other projects. It’s been a busy period for me at this moment in my life. Additionally, I was mainly focused on authoring, in my opinion, a fascinating fictional work of art that started from writing a simple song title A Small-Town Girl.

It was an enjoyable time authoring this novel because it was the year that I also submitted the Blue Monday cd/album for Grammy’s 59th consideration in 2017. So yes, it was an exciting and rewarding year as I am looking forward to Publish the novel.

Frankly, I was more than blessed to continue working on composing music for two generations with my family while still charting various other projects from my musical experiences while still engaged in both a poetry group at the Poem Alley at Curley’s and or the Writer’s Guild at the Norwalk Public Library in Connecticut.

PS: Please let me know how you feel about transitioning from what you do for work to the things you’d like to do for the love.

Lester G NEDDY Smith ©2016-7