Media Meditation #2: Music and Lyrics Redefined

My Creative Writing professor, Jim Ellefson, recently hosted an event called the PoJazz. This event is an incorporation of fellow Champlain students reading their poetry accompanied by a jazz band. It took place at the Red Square Bar and Restaurant located on Church Street in the heart of downtown on Friday, September 24th.

The above image shows the audience of the event enjoying the show. Professor Jim Ellefson on far left. (photo credit: picasaweb.google.com)

What stuck me the most in this media experience was the principle of pacing that the bands music had. Before each poet's performance, the poet would converse with the band and explain to them the emotion they were trying to relay with the poem, as well as the mood and style that was going along with it. So with each performance, the band would exemplify the poem's meaning by accompanying it with a light jazzy instrumental behind it.

Jazz, defined as "an improvisational and mostly instrumental musical form" is able to take in a "diverse body of musical styles." (page 180) Because of this, jazz works so well to accompany poetry. Jazz music in this aspect, is a comprehensive symbol which supports and anecdotes the poet's work.

As overall an appreciated experience, I left the PoJazz with a new outlook on both jazz music and poetry. The combination of the two let good energy float within the crowd and I was left with a positive imprint by the two.

Media Meditation #1: Almost Famous, The Double Whammy

Over the weekend my room mates and I had a movie night. I got the chance to revisit the story of Penny Lane and amateur journalist Will Miller accompanying the fictional rock band Still Water. A rather clever film which depicts the relationship between an up and coming Rock band and their untrustworthy journalist, Almost Famous incorporates both medium of music and print (magazine) which effectively are shown to correspond with one another throughout the film.

The above photo shows the crew of groupies (respectively known as the Band-aids) and youngster journalist Will Miller with the aspiring rock quadruplet Still Water on tour. (hollywoodteenmovie.com)

Throughout the film, Still Water is hesitant of trusting their new roadie Will Miller, the journalist whom is going to give them their first exposure to popular media in Rolling Stone Magazine. There is a cultural shift in the climax of the film where the band goes from being a mediocrely known band to being thrown into the spotlight by the end of the film.

What the band was most worried about was that Will would turn on them as a friend, and use the technique of card stacking and writing the article to make the band look worse off than they are, initially hurting their chances of making it into the spotlight.

While the correlation of Will and the band still stood in the air, they continued with a good relationship on tour. "Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong." (Lester Bangs, mentor of Will Miller) Still Water had convinced Will with the technique plain folks, that Will was just one of the guys on the road, partying and hanging out. He grew to be one of them.

Still Water at their best, official music video for their hit song Fever Dog. (youtube.com)

My favorite scene of the film is while the whole crew is on the tour bus after a long night. Tiny Dancer is playing on the radio, and the mood the song sets is amazing. The productional techniques that are used in this scene portray the sense of family that has grown within the band and how connected Will finally feels with everyone. The camera angels and slow motions help initiate the moment on the bus and everyones shift of emotion once singing along.

The now family, on the bus singing Tiny Dancer. Truly a bonding experience for them all. (youtube.com)

Ally Mae Russo

~ I was born in Bridgeport, CT and moved to Fairfield when I was 5, which is only the town over so I wasn't going far. I have two older brothers, 22 and 20, a sister who is a junior in high school, and a lab mix puppy who is a little over a year old.

~ Over the summer I went to a couple music festivals. One in Maine called Nateva and the other in Bridgeport, CT called Gathering of the Vibes. I saw two of my favorite bands moe., and Furthur (which is a band with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead). It was definitely the highlight of my summer. I try and see as much live music as possible.

~ One thing that I do like about new age media is the fact that you have access to almost anything over the internet. No need for a TV, you have a laptop to watch movies/shows on. One thing I do not like is the exposure that celebrities are given in magazines/TV/internet and how their personal lives are now available for anyone to read about. It’s not that interesting and people become so consumed in it.

~ I see myself in the future traveling and writing professionally. My major here at Champlain is Professional Writing, obviously. I would love to write for a magazine someday (my dream would be in Rolling Stone), even perhaps a novel. I also hope to become involved in a non-profit organization in either South America or India.