April
30, 2005
Bellingham High School Auditorium
Concert photos...[here]
"The
BEST of our MUSIC
from the ROOTS OF AMERICA"
Music
chosen from the best of the Kulshan Chorus
The KULSHAN
CHORUS
joined by: The Mount Baker Toppers
Hello
from the Kulshan Chorus -
We
invite you to a concert featuring music from the Roots of America
that will be held Saturday, April 30 at the Bellingham High School
Auditorium. This program of distinctly American music is drawn
from the very best of our repertoire, and will be taken on tour
in July to share with listeners and singers in France and Switzerland.
Joining
us onstage in April will be the Mt. Baker Toppers, who specialize
in American Barbershop music. The Toppers have captivated audiences
across the Northwest since 1960 and have performed to high acclaim
in Finland and New Zealand.
The
roots of most American music were transplanted from two distinct
cultural groups - European settlers and African slaves – and
until about 1950, most music within the United States was reflective
of these two major influences. Examples dating to the 1700’s
include hymns, such as those of the shape note tradition, African
American work songs, and folk songs from many cultures. These
forms fostered most of the musical styles that were to subsequently
develop within the United States.
Hymn
singing developed two distinct rhythmic styles reflecting cultural
preference. Congregations with European roots emphasized beats
1 and 3 in the musical measure, a style including white gospel,
while African Americans emphasized the 2nd and 4th beats. These
rhythmic distinctions persist to this day in contemporary American
music.
Songs
of African origin became field shouts and spirituals, set amidst
slavery. By 1910 these forms lead to both the “call and
response” within African American gospel and to the blues,
which gave birth to traditional jazz in the 1920’s. Gospel
has produced many permutations, including an African American
a cappella form called “jubilee” (popularized by
The Fairfield Four), and barbershop, within the white community
Folk
songs of European origin were gathered into songbooks, which,
along with popular compositions selling as sheet music, provided
families with home entertainment and produced revenue for traveling
shows. Vaudeville music, with its ballads and gag songs, was
commonly performed by Jewish singers and songwriters who had
cultural roots in Eastern Europe. In the era before T.V., an
upsurge in family musical entertainment paved the way for the
immense popularity of Broadway and pop tunes that became the
rage of the 1930’s and 40’s. Similarly, cowboy and
hillbilly or old-timey songs formed the basis of country-western
music.
Until
the 1950’s, secular music remained primarily separate from
religious music. Few singers successfully “crossed over” to
sing both. The Mills Brothers sang only pop, Mahalia Jackson
sang only religious music. The Andrews Sisters and Frank Sinatra
sang jazz or popular songs, but not gospel. Few “classical” singers
sang folk songs, except those wrung through the classical wringer.
Musically, everybody basically “stayed at home”.
The distinctions between religious and secular, folk and classical
music remained firm.
Then,
slowly, a window began to open to the world, introducing sounds
and entertainment previously unimaginable to the average American.
In the 1950’s and ‘60’s we saw a resurgence
of interest in music, dance, and things of involvement. In an
era of optimism and action it was a time to be heard. White singers
began to perform music typically associated with black culture,
and vice versa. New styles began to erase the old musical boundaries.
Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Kingston Trio, Bob Dylan, The
Beatles, Ravi Shankar helped usher in sounds from the many corners
of America and the world.
Gospel
and jazz pointed the way to rhythm and blues, rock’n’roll,
country rock, and eventually to rap. Soul, a secular form of
gospel, grew to popularity during the 1960’s and owes its
roots, in part, to the creativity of Ray Charles. As black rhythm
and blues collided with white country western we found ourselves
dancing to rock’n’roll, and listening to the stunning
Motown sound. When a “beat preference” for 1 and
3 changed to accept a drum kick on beats 2 and 4, country rock
forced its way out of the cowboy, folk and hillbilly music of
the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. The flavor of music
in America was changed, perhaps, forever.
Songwriters
now draw from vast multicultural sources. Cultural and religious
lines have blurred. Operatic tenors sing concerts with pop stars.
There are still purists who insist that only a very few musical
styles are “true form”, and perhaps this is fundamentalism
at its best. Regardless of the source, we are now presented with
a pallet of rhythm and sound that has expanded to embrace the
entire world. American music has spread its roots.
With
these thoughts in mind, we bring you songs that spring from the
musical Roots of America. You’ll hear tunes like Operator;
Highway to Heaven; Traveling Shoes; City of New Orleans; My Bonnie;
Dancing in the Streets; Blue Moon; Personality; Milford; No Hiding
Place; Bei Mir Bistu Sheyn; Aloha ‘Oe; Bully in the Alley;
A Fool in Love. (Just for fun, see if you can identify the musical
category or style for each song.)
Please
plan to join us for this unique tour through American musical
history. We know you will enjoy it.
Roger
Griffith & Mary Somerville
***
CONCERT LINE UP***
|
1. 99 ½ Won’t Do
2. Personality .
3. Milford
4. Senzenina
5. The Old Account
6. Touch Me, Lord Jesus
7. Bei Mir Bistu Sheyn
8. Somos El Barco
9. Bully In the Alley
10. Ar Hyd Y Nos (All Through the Night)
Toppers 1
Toppers 2
Toppers 3
Toppers 4
11. Blue Moon |
|
INTERMISSION
12.
Highway To Heaven
13. Xilongo
14. Aloha Oe
15. A Fool In Love
16. My Bonnie
17. My Soul Doth Magnify
18. Traveling Shoes
19. Hold On
20. Dancing In the Street
21. No Hiding Place
22. Operator
23. City Of New Orleans
|
