The Queen's Chair: June Is Black Music Month
There's one good thing about Memorial Day weekend. Besides, the food and seeing family and friends: there is the music. This holiday weekend, I heard classic old school sounds from the genres of pop, jazz, reggae, a bit of R&B, and rap. It all was wonderful as I watched those young and old get their respective grooves on. I write this because sometimes, I think we try to categorize the urban sound as one genre.
We can't do that. So why do we let others do that? When I was growing up "World Music" was what I heard when I visited grandparents in the Caribbean. Today, the stylings of Bob Marley, Shabba Ranks, Peter Tosh, and Billy Ocean are considered "mainstream."
I look at the music and artists I listen to today: The Jacksons, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, Anita Baker, Beyonce, Ziggy Marley, Wynton Marsalis, The Boys Choir of Harlem, The Temptations, Rick James, Prince, and others. The diversity of that sound amazes me. And it's for that reason, that trying to put all those genres in one category just isn't right.
If anything, I would encourage music fans to listen to other genres. Try a little classical or gospel. Find out why young people are listening Sean Kingston. Check out a free concert in the park. Borrow a CD or cassette from your local library. Turn off your TV and turn on the radio. Black people have created so much beautiful music. Take some time to enjoy it.
We can't do that. So why do we let others do that? When I was growing up "World Music" was what I heard when I visited grandparents in the Caribbean. Today, the stylings of Bob Marley, Shabba Ranks, Peter Tosh, and Billy Ocean are considered "mainstream."
I look at the music and artists I listen to today: The Jacksons, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, Anita Baker, Beyonce, Ziggy Marley, Wynton Marsalis, The Boys Choir of Harlem, The Temptations, Rick James, Prince, and others. The diversity of that sound amazes me. And it's for that reason, that trying to put all those genres in one category just isn't right.
If anything, I would encourage music fans to listen to other genres. Try a little classical or gospel. Find out why young people are listening Sean Kingston. Check out a free concert in the park. Borrow a CD or cassette from your local library. Turn off your TV and turn on the radio. Black people have created so much beautiful music. Take some time to enjoy it.
I love to listen to the old time jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, and Nina Simone to name a few. The list gets longer, but I will not keep going. For me it's a nice change from some of this booty shaking music that's all over the air waves.