Wes Montgomery Research Paper

Two of the biggest groups to separate themselves from the other bands of the 1960s were the Beach Boys and the Beatles. Each had their own style of rock ’n’ roll and their own way of creating new music. The Beatles had a very British pop style at the start, which morphed into their unique style of music as they blended and mixed it with different kinds of “world music.” The band worked together to write and develop their style, which was different from the Beach Boys “whose creative center was unquestionably one member of the group” (Starr & Waterman, 305) Brian Wilson. Through Wilson, the Beach Boys developed a surfin’ style of rock ’n’ roll and like the Beatles, Wilson liked to experiment with different instruments and effects to change their sound. Having the ability to play with their music like this meant that they needed an encouraging producer, like the Beatles producer George Martin, or they needed to be the producer, so Wilson took on the job.

Music carries each and every one of us to a new awareness. It can reach to the innermost part of an individual. Music can envelope our emotions from tears all the way to our joy. It captivates and motivates. As I attended a concert on Saturday, November 7, 2015, Lynyrd Skynyrd performed with power and feeling to their audience. The audience ranged over four generations. For a band to begin forming by 1965 and performing by 1970, their music can punctuate and electrify the generation of today. By understanding the origin of Lynyrd Skynyrd, an individual could feel how this Southern Rock band injected sorrow, joy, and sometimes confusion in their electric jams. They loved their guitars. This group was not a Confederate flag-waving, redneck band. Their music

These following songs affected the bluesman’s vocal and the guitar style in the later centuries. Furthermore, the song "Come On In My Kitchen” in my kitchen was another popular and dominant blues music during the 1920 to 1930s. This song wasn’t like the ones which influence the tone and style of the song, but it totally revealed the impact which was caused by Skip James “Devil Got My Woman”. The lyrics of the song was written as poetry and Robert Johnson sang it with a strained voice to make the tone and the output of the song more nervous. What’s more, another song,”From Four Until Late”, showed that Johnson’s ability in blues style did not only associate with the Delta. He sang softly in a manner reminiscent of Lonnie Johnson, a blues musician and jazz singer, and his guitar style was also more ragtime influenced. Because of Robert Johnson’s specific types of expression in blues music, many other later jazz singers, musicians and guitarist were affected by Robert

Elvin Jones’ drumming and the bassist, Steve Davis, really add dimension to Coltrane’s solo. I would describe the style of these soloists as bop and hard bop. Bebop or bop is a style of jazz characterized by fast tempo, instrumental virtuosity, and improvisation based on the combination of harmonic structure and melody. Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. It incorporates influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in saxophone and piano playing. Modal jazz is jazz that uses musical modes rather than chord progressions as a harmonic framework.

Jazz has shaped the world we know today. Jazz would have never been as popular without the help of the famous musicians: Jelly Roll Morton, Joe King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. These people helped spread the new genre through radio, railroads, and the records that they played. Where did this all start? The jazz age began in New Orleans where a certain King was born.

I have selected ‘Cross Roads Blues’ written and recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936, one of the best Delta Blues singer, song-writer and musician (May 8, 1911-August 16 1938). Robert Johnson performed ‘Cross Roads Blues’ as a solo piece with his vocal and acoustic slide guitar in the style of Delta Blues, produced by Don Law. This song has become a part of Robert Johnson’s mythology because in this song he is talking about the place where he met the devil and sold his soul to the devil in exchange of his musical talent, even though lyrics do not comprehend those references.

Jimi Hendrix, probably one of the greatest guitarists of all time, in 1968 covered "All along the watchtower," a song originally written and performed a few months earlier by Bob Dylan. Even though Hendrix 's admiration for Dylan 's work was well known , his choice to cover a song belonging to a completely different music genre is emblematic. So why did Hendrix decide to cover Bob Dylan 's "All along the watchtower?" In this paper, I will argue that Hendrix 's cover of Dylan 's "All along the watchtower," thanks to its lyrics and sound dynamic, optimally conveys his anti-war and anti-violence beliefs.

Andres Segovia was a prolific twentieth century classical guitarist who had a profound influence on the classical guitar. Segovia emerged from a musical family in Linares, Spain and from a young age had lessons in an array of traditional classical instruments. But he did not discover his passion for music and the guitar until attending a private concert of a flamenco guitarist after which he received his first lesson. Following this, Segovia began studying the instrument, working diligently, ignoring the wishes of his family “to study an acknowledged and respected classical instrument” (Gorman, 2008). Soon after this Segovia began to realise the guitar’s shortcomings in the realm of classical music. Hence, he outlined his ambitions “To extract the guitar from the noisy and disreputable folkloric amusements” and make it known all over the world … “To create a wonderful repertoire for my instrument” … “[and] to place the guitar in the most important conservatories of the world … Thus securing its future” (Gorman, 2008). The influence Segovia had on the guitar can be best recognised within four specific areas of repertoire, technique, publications and the media.

The performers are Greg Billings: Lead vocals, Tom King: Bass guitar, George Harris: Guitar and vocals, Rob Stoney: Keyboards, vocals and harmonica, Mark Busto: Drums and vocals. Kyle Ashley: Guitar. The band today includes Greg and Tom from the original band Stranger. Greg is a friend of mine as well as a colleague. He has since left the company to pursue music full time. I have seen Greg and Tom perform as Stranger and The Greg Billings Band. Greg is a very down to earth typical guy that anyone could associate with. Stranger released several albums as had some hits that established them as a “Florida Rock Band”. Greg has been performing since the early 1980s when Stranger began in 1981. Stranger was together for 16 years. Greg then was in another band Damn the Torpedoes for a few years which then led him to start The Greg Billings Band.

A Brief History of The Blues . (2005, August 16). Retrieved from All About Jazz: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-brief-history-of-the-blues-by-ed-kopp.php

Muddy waters, or McKinley Morganfield son of Ollie Morganfield and Bertha Jones was a well-known Blues Musician, guitarist born in Issaquena County, Mississippi. Waters father was a farmer who played the blues guitar and his mother sadly died when McKinley was only three years old. Upon his mother’s death McKinley was sent to live with his grandmother Delia Jones in Clarksdale, Mississippi. While living in Clarksdale with his grandmother, McKinley enjoyed playing in the mud it was then he was dubbed Muddy Waters.

By the 1920s, African Americans began to migrate to northern cities such as Chicago, New York for the search of a better opportunity. This was known as the “Jazz Age” or “The Roaring Twenties.”

Ray Charles is a well known American musician. He played in country, pop, rock, blues, and jazz, but pioneered in soul music. He combined gospel and blues music together, theses are two completely different genres. One is the teaching or revelation of Christ, while blues is about feelings. Charles is so important because he accomplished all of this while being blind. Charles never let him being blind be a problem with his music. He has accomplished receiving twenty-seven grammys. He received a National Medal of Art by president Clinton, and being inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

John Coltrane (1926-1967) was an influential saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. John Coltrane was gaining popularity in the mid-1950s when he developed his own unique style. His original style was influenced by Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, and Sonny Stitt. He played with a dark and rough tone and his sound was full in all registers from low to high. Because he had great command over his instrument, he played with speed and control. Coltrane had an obsession with chord changes and his pre-1960s style displayed that. Coltrane was also great at playing slow tempo songs and adding deep and full-bodied tones. He popularized pedal point which is when a single note is played continuously underneath a melody to achieve a drone-like effect. As

Marvin Gaye, also known as the Prince of Soul, didn’t start his solo career until 1961 when he was signed to Motown records. Early on in his career he was a session drummer for many different Motown legends and it wasn’t until 1962 with the release of “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” that he got his first hit. Even though he had hits that were dance style and 12-bar blues he favored romantic and sexual songs. Gaye amazed everyone with duets with both Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell. Some of his greatest duets were with Terrell and the two were close up until she died of brain tumor. Not long after her death the song “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” was released. This became Gaye’s biggest single of the 60’s and was also Motown’s best selling single