Music History

First, I want to set the record straight:  I do not listen to modern day Pop music but I happen to hear it in stores when I'm out and about occasionally;  I try to keep my standard of music pretty high. However, I'd like to delve into this purely and simply as a study in music history.

Music historians say that Hip/hop, Pop and Techno are nothing more than the logical conclusions to Big Band Jazz.  Is this true? Are there differences between modern day Pop andCount Basie's Big Band Jazz...Are there similarities?

       "The origins of jazz, an urban music, can be traced in the late 19 th century to the plantations of  the  Southern USA, the streets of America's cities, and from two distinct musical traditions, those of West Africa and Europe. West Africa provided the incessant rhythmic drive, but the European influence had more to do with classical qualities of harmony and melody." http://www.gre.ac.uk/band/history

I agree with the above quote as it can also be applied to what we hear today but I think the West African musical tradition dominates modern music more so than in early Jazz music, even though Jazz is mainly where random and syncopated rhythms came from.  

What function did big band music have?  Like today's music, it made you want to grab your partner and get out on the floor and cut some rugs up!! (Isn't that the saying?) Could we consider this just merely an "innocent" diversion? Well I believe that our grandparents were young once too... and I'm sure their desires were the same as any young person of today wanting to go out on the dance floor to do the worm. (Do they still do that?)  I just think our grandparent's generation didn't delve so deep into the sensual aspect as today's music has done.  It was however the precursor to the development of 50's Rock and Roll, the 60's Beatniks, the 70's Disco techs, the 80's Big Hair bands, the 90's Grunge Rock and of course to what we have now: a hodgepodge of all six decades glob together to make up the ear vomit you hear in public places.

I think music historians are right, Big Band Jazz is the Grandmother of Pop music.  They are the same because they still, in whatever degree, feed the physical rather than the spiritual.   Godly music follows after this: words, harmony then rhythm.  Big Band and Pop music are opposite; following rhythm, harmony then words.  Aren't the words of each type of music nonsensical or rather "innocent" diversions?  But how innocent are they really? 

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isa. 26:3

Let's leave on a good note. (pun intended) I really think that we do have a glimpse into how God intended our voices to be used for him...I choose to share with you Handel's Messiah No. 7, "And He Shall Purify", because I can only imagine the heavenly hosts sounding a little like this when we see Jesus as He is. And isn't this befitting for the season in which we are in?  I like what one person said in response the below music, so much that I'm putting here...

"When the world is made new, the regenerated followers of Christ will sing. No sin, no defects. If we like anything in this world that's good, it's because it's a shadow of something in the real world of Eternity. CS Lewis said it better than me."

1niftyjay 2 days ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDuVTzVvyvs

Just a thought....