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kuulei88
Akahai
USA
75 Posts |
 Posted - 09/23/2009 : 05:03:35 AM
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Grammy voters receiving their preliminary ballots this week are mystified to find that the category for Hawaiian music, placed within the field named "Folk Music," now resides in a field renamed to "American Roots."
Same field, new residents, new name.
For the record, the field includes Americana, bluegrass, traditional & contemporary blues, traditional & contemporary folk, Hawaiian, Native American, and Zydeco or Cajun.
pehea la hoʻi e pono ai? How are we to live in harmony?
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amy k |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2183 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2009 : 07:17:36 AM
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In all those genres, the key of "G" figures prominantly. Slipry1 calls "G" the "Peoples' Key". We can be thankful for digital tuners.
Too bad such "niche" music forms don't recieve their due recognition, but , alas, those forms tend to attract musicians and conoscenti. Sort of like us guys preferring "home-made" meals to the MacShack of the pop-scene. Good can appear in the pop-scene, and the niche types of music do support some mediocrity, but that is the human experience. At least we are conscious of educating our ears and minds and in the process, help others also. |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2009 : 07:54:10 AM
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Wooooo Kory.
That's so deep. Take a bow laulau. Pretty good observation. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2009 : 11:54:42 AM
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I told you we need a book of Kory-isms.
But Amy, I do not see how this would change anything very much. I mean it would still be Hawaiian music competing against other Hawaiian music, no? Or does Hawaiian now have to compete with Cajun/Zydeco, et al?
Funny thing, that so named American Roots music is all stuff what I like. Wonder why blues wouldn't be in that category? |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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keoladonaghy
Lokahi
257 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2009 : 1:03:39 PM
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| Wanda, it's the political/social aspect - identifying Hawaiian music, no matter how western-influenced these days, as "Americana". Given the political scene and the attempts to reestablish Hawaiian sovereignty/self-determination, I thought the designation as "American Roots" was distasteful to say the least. Its roots are still indigenous, with western influence. Unfortunately those who don't know the music and the history flip it around. |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2009 : 1:46:24 PM
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| "American Roots" seems to be the new PC name for American ethnic music - I don't know why, but I've noticed it creeping into use lately. There's a pretty good show on NPR out of New Orleans called "American Routes", which ain;t a bad idea. BUT - as I've often said, I don't care if it's called "Fred" or "Goombah", or whatever. It's just a name. It's what happens when I hear or play it that matters. btw - one week from now I'll be free! My boss came into my cubicle this morning and said "Jack! You've been terminated!" OH, BOY! And.... G IS the people's key. |
keaka |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2009 : 10:25:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by slipry1
.... btw - one week from now I'll be free! My boss came into my cubicle this morning and said "Jack! You've been terminated!" OH, BOY! And.... G IS the people's key.
Bummers Jack. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 02:16:04 AM
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Keola, I get it now. I am ashamed to say that I commented from the haole perspective, I guess. I couldn't see what was so wrong with the name of the category, just as long as somehow the music I love so much gets recognized.
So who makes the decision on how to name it and is there a way that people can affect that decision by writing letters, etc.? After all, there are a fair number of people on this Taro Patch forum, and we all can write letters or otherwise do something.
And PS: Jack is retiring. I can highly vouch for the swellness of retirement. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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kuulei88
Akahai
USA
75 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 03:41:56 AM
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Keolaʻs comment gets at part of the problem--although for Native Hawaiians it is THE significant part of this. There is another much more insidious part.
"American Roots" has become a fashionable marketing term for American ethnic music. However, if you look really really close, that roots music is and always has been ONLY white peopleʻs music and black peopleʻs music. Everything else in between came late to the party. So, in PBSʻ American Roots series several years ago, the first 3 episodes are only white and black music. And all the color--zydeco, norteno, Native American, but NO Hawaiian--is stuck on the last episode in a token kind of "oh, yeah, thereʻs this stuff too."
The same thing has happened on other CD anthologies. The first inclusion of Hawaiian music on an "American roots" CD was Led Kaʻapana, on the Masters of American Folk Music CD--produced from concert tapes at Wolftrap, around 1995!!! 1995, folks. Nearly 100 years after Hawaiʻi was incorporated into the United States.
The same thing has happened in college music textbooks. Believe me. Iʻve had to teach from the stuff for more than a decade.
Hawaiian music is not, and has never been, included as a part of the nationʻs musical heritage. There is no recognition that Hawaiian music is present in the roots of the nationʻs musical heritage. Thatʻs why, to be in a category now that is NAMED American Roots is really really insidious. |
amy k |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2183 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 05:22:22 AM
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Suits will be suits. As my bro says, "You don't know what you don't know." Thus we all have areas of "inexpertise". What causes problems in any sphere of human interaction is when one form of ignorance is foisted upon others, whether knowingly or unknowingly. My Grandmother used to say, "All the cards haven't been played yet." Some try to control their cosmos under the pretense (thus they are "pretending") of dealing the cards, or saying that all the cards have been dealt. Don't let the ignorance of others hem you in.
Those who can, do.
Those who can't, teach. (Sorry, Peter, it's just a saying)
Those who can't teach, administrate. (no offense, Admin)
The best thing we can do is play music and share it with others. We will never run out of ignorance, but we can help diminish it. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2183 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 05:26:46 AM
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| BTW, I talked with Chris Strachwitz (of Arhoolie fame) at Slipry1's house a few weeks back. He agreed with me that there seems to be an unspoken prejudice against polka music nowadays. I figger that some folks are just embarrassed by their ignorance. More brats and kraut for me. |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 05:48:56 AM
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Oh wow man. |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 06:39:48 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Peter Medeiros
quote:
Originally posted by slipry1
.... btw - one week from now I'll be free! My boss came into my cubicle this morning and said "Jack! You've been terminated!" OH, BOY! And.... G IS the people's key.
Bummers Jack.
No bummers, Peter. When anyone leaves Boeing for any reason (quit, retire, fire, layoff), they are "Terminated". I'd signed my papers the day before. I'm REALLY happy about retiring! Mo' music, yeah? |
keaka |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2183 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 08:01:11 AM
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| Just got back from a job and will be putting on the leather shorts soon. Here's some more ruminations. In a broad sense, some might think of Hawaiian music as a "roots music" in that back in the 'teens and 20s, Hawaiian music and its sincere imitators sold more recordings than other genres. Because of the popularity, it influenced other genres on the Mainland. Thus the steel guitar got into Country music. Among Dobro and resophonic guitar players, "Island Chimes ("Maui Chimes") and "Sailing to Hawai'i" are still played in a Bluegrass context. |
Edited by - thumbstruck on 09/29/2009 03:35:19 AM |
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keoladonaghy
Lokahi
257 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 11:48:23 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by kuulei88
Keolaʻs comment gets at part of the problem--although for Native Hawaiians it is THE significant part of this. There is another much more insidious part.
I just cracked the door open a nudge so you could get in and elaborate.  |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2009 : 1:35:45 PM
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A certain man, caught in an endeavor of dubious nature, had been tarred &, feathered and was being ridden out of town on a rail. Asked how he felt about it, he replied," Well, if it wasn't for the honor, I would just as soon have walked." I'm frankly surprised Hawaiian music isn't lumped into the World Music category. Or has that been done away with? I quit paying attention to award shows a long, long time ago. Play the music, I'll decide what I like. Unfortunatly, most of what I like is hard to find locally except on internet radio. Most of what I listen to seems to be under the Roots banner, but a few aren't even represented there. The Old Time Appalachian music is percieved as bluegrass, by many many people. Those of us who like it know the difference. Letter-writing could get a new category estabished. But what if it turned out to be "Island Music"? Hawaiian would then be lumped in with several flavors of Caribbean music. And Cape Breton Island music, Music of the Hebrides, etc. I'm not sure that's an improvement. Hold the truth in your hearts, explain it to who will listen, but don't pull your hair out when some can't/won't grasp what you say. Again, those of us who like it know the difference
Unko Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
Edited by - rendesvous1840 on 09/24/2009 1:36:18 PM |
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Grammy woes--pehea hoʻi e pono ai?
