Welcome!

Hello and welcome one and all. I thought that I would start a blog about music that I have come across to share with friends and students. My choir students have inspired me this year. Several times during the year I have shared some music from my iPod and been floored by their response of "I wish we could listen to your music every day." I've yet to find some type of music that has not appealed to them on some level. Many of them have started buying choral and folk music that I have shown them in class on their own. I thought this page might be a great way for me to stay current on what is out there of quality and would inspire my students and others to develop a taste for "quality music." Hence the title "music snob."

So, many of you may know that I have friends who loving call me a "Musical Snob" because I have such high standards of music that I listen to and enjoy, as well as what I use in the classroom. I believe in the philosophy of the Hungarian composer and educator Zoltan Kodaly, that "only the best is good enough." Now, of course he is saying this in terms of educational value, but isn't that what everyone wants in their life? Who does not want the best car that we can afford, or the nicest clothes? I'm the type of person that would rather have two nice pairs of shoes that were more expensive, but would last much longer than twenty pairs that won't last a year.

I realized a long time ago that my parents chose the right name for me even though they didn't know it. Remember Daniel in the Bible? He was the guy that did not want to eat the meat and wine of the king. Go with me here. It was the best that could be had and it was what was expected to be eaten at the king's table, but it would not nourish Daniel's body the way that water and vegetables would. After a period of time, Daniel and his friends were stronger than other boys who had eaten meat and wine, while they ate healthy food and lived mindfully. I would rather have a handful of songs that continue to inspire and speak to me than an entire collection of music that is popular and predictable.

So, what is feeding me at the moment? Abigail Washburn. She is a singer and banjo player who has toured Tibet on the government's dime. That said she has incorporated some Mandarin folk songs into her own bluegrass/folk inspired songs. I am really enjoying her work as a member of The Sparrow Quartet, which consists of two banjos, a cello, and a fiddle. I get the feeling that the group enjoys exploring all of the sounds their instruments can make, which is why it sounds a little more rock band than string band. I can't explain what it is, but the sound of a banjo almost always adds an element of earthy soul to any song, which is so refreshing and moving.

I must complement Abigail for being a clearly thoughtful and informed musician. Here's a few examples. 1) on the album Songs of the Traveling Daughter (even the title proves my point) Abigail has an instrumental track entitled: "Backstep Cindy/Purple Bamboo," which consists of a banjo solo leading into a cello solo. The truly informed listener will realize that "Backstep Cindy" is a fiddle tune and "Purple Bamboo" is a Chinese tune commonly played on the flute, but often accompanied by the ehru a two-stringed fiddle with a snakeskin resonator. It's a truly beautiful example of synergy in the fusion of music styles, by combining two very old songs into a new arrangement with a different instrumentation Abigail has created something very beautiful which respects and connects the two cultures traditions, while giving the modern listener something that is enjoyable. 2) "Backstep Cindy" is then followed up on the album by a great Chinese song, again linking one culture with another, but in an artistic way that is not usually seen on outside of a concert hall. 3) the song "Captain" with The Sparrow Quartet. I have to say this song rocks on its own and really shows off the talent of the instrumentalists. Some of the lyrics are borrowed from spirituals of Negro slaves. "If you want to please your captain / Sink 'em low boys, raise 'em high." Bessie Jones tells us that her grandfather and other slaves would use songs to teach younger men how to stay out of trouble. The "captain" might think you were going to do something wrong if you were standing still. So these lyrics were used to remind the boys to sink the shovel low into the dirt and get a full shovel and then throw it high. A light shovel would mean a whipping. Clearly this woman knows some history in addition to her outstanding musical abilities. (Thanks to Arwen for the reference to "Black Theatre" by Paul Harrison and the meaning of lyrics found in "Captain.")

I'm sure that there is much more out there to discover in Abigail's music and I would love to hear what you have found inspiring, moving, or intellectually stimulating about her music.