MEMORY LANE

1.What is something you learned about another culture this term that surprised or intrigued you?

I was intrigued by Native American music. They have so much passion towards their heritage and the music. I love how the music brings the community together and how they preserve the music. Even though it is repetitive, it's awesome how simple beats and chants can bring healing and joy in their culture.

2.What is something that you realized about your own culture through our discussions.

Well honestly, I wish my culture was more passionate just like the other cultures. We are passionate to an extent, but I wish competition wasn't even a factor. Learning about other cultures inspired me to not take music for granted and to learn and live music as much as I can while I have air in my body!

3. What is something that this course has inspired you to learn more about.

This course inspired me to be more open minded to other heritages and their music. When you think about it, we can combine all of these musical elements from each culture to make a beautiful piece. I didn't know that there were so many countries!

All in all, I enjoyed this class! Blessings~

: ( the last Cool Stuff Post : (

Here is a video of professional Chinese dancers doing the "Ta Ge." I love how they flow with the music with grace and passion. I also love the color of the lights, because green is one of my many favorite colors : )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=954mWpfKQiM


I've always Loved this song! I remember hearing it on the t.v show "Jon and Kate plus 8" (sigh...memories) and they played this song on the episode when Jon and Kate renewed their vows in Hawaii. I love this version!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ltAGuuru7Q

This video is so amazing. What do you get when you combine Indian music and Western music? A beautiful sound of course. That's what I love about music. Music is for all people of all nationalities. Let's share music people!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGCIbn5ZT0g

Music and.....Gender....Hmmmm...

Wow, music and gender. I have experienced some positive and negative feedback from males when it came to playing the piano and B3 Hammond organ. I know many male church musicians who are jealous of female musicians. They tend to feel intimidated. Why? Because no guy wants a lady to be over him. I don't know how it is in other churches and religions, but in the African American church, there is competition when it comes to music. It's sad but it is true. If you are a pretty female who can sing, play an instrument (especially drums) and you are very well rounded, then you "got it going on." Not all males are like this, but some are. I've met guys who were attracted to me, just because I played the organ well (which makes you wonder what they're motives were for going to church). Here is an example of a young lady who goes by the name of "Trina Trine." She is very anointed, gifted, and beautiful. She can make the organ Talk! What she is playing is called "shouting music" which is music for people who are shouting and dancing to God! Enjoy! Shout if you want to!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or0nkSR96oM

Now many guys would either be jealous or in awe of her. So far I've had only one guy to be jealous of me. Especially since I am the minister of music at my church But i refuse to worry about it because I am only here on this earth to please my Father. He does have the final say so in my life.

As far as being a student here at Converse, the only difference that I can think of is having Dr. Keith Jones as director of Chorale. During my senior year in high school I was the accompanist for the choral department (which was an awesome experience)! And the director was a female. She was a wonderful director also. For some reason, she wasn't as passionate of the music the singers did like Dr. Jones is. It is obvious that he enjoys what he do. I can't wait for spring semester so I can sing in chorale again!

Cool Stuff : D

I am going to start off with some Latin Jazz. I love jazz music and I really love latin jazz. My favorite part in jazz music is when the musicans do solos. This drummer is Dave Weckl and he is doing a drum solo. This guy is so awesome! Look at how fast he is drumming, while keeping the tempo. I think I want to take drum lessons!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1cNJy8d7qo


This video makes me smile really big! This is the African's Children Choir out of Uganda. Christian contemporary artist Micheal Smith let this choir close out a concert he did. Please listen to their voices. Their voices are so pure and the harmonies are pleasing to listen to. And for them to sing and dance at the same time is unbelievable! I would have passed out due to the lack of air! Also, they have their own drummers and they did a fantastic job. My favorite part is the end of the video when Micheal and the congregation strectched out their hands to pray and ask God to bless them. Very powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I54sMSohW7g


I'm going to end this blog with a tribute to the very beautiful, Selena. She was very well known and loved in the Latin American music. Everytime I watch the movie Selena I cry because she was so young when she died. Her voice is like no other and it is very obvious that she loved music. This song and video is cute and fun to listen to. R.I.P Selena! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzubbyN8Yqk

Music and Relationship (religion)

Wow, I can write a book about how music plays a significant part in religion. Well I call it a relationship. I am a believer of God and His only son Jesus Christ. I do not consider that to be a religion, but a relationship with my Father. As I stated in my previous blogs, gospel music is my favorite. Gospel/Contemporary Christian music uplifts my spirit and soul, along with reading the Holy Bible. In Philippians 4:8 states "Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." When I listen to Christian music, it's not complicated for me to think upon such things that are pleasing to my Father.

Growing up in a Baptist church, gospel music plays a huge role in the church. When I was a young child, my home church had an adult, senior, and children's choir. If I can remember correctly, the deacons would get up at the beginning of service and have devotion. They would sing a song, pray, sing, pray, read a scripture, pray, sing. (Yes, I am serious.) Tradition was a must back then. After Pastor C.C. Stewart retired, a younger preacher named Rev. Victor L. Walker became pastor. When he became pastor, things changed. The older musicians left and were replaced with my mentor, Mrs. Sullivan. Before she came, the choirs and congregation would sing mostly old Hymns and traditional gospel songs. But when she became minister of music, she taught more contemporary songs. We did many songs by Israel and New Breed and Kirk Franklin. We did more songs that had clapping and dancing involved. That's when the appreciation of Christian music increased inside of me.

As the years went by I became more involved in playing the piano for churches and I started to notice the aesthetics of gospel music. The B3 Hammond Organ is very popular in the African American church. When a very gifted musician plays the organ, along with the bass, drums, and a keyboard, that person can set the mood for praise and worship service. It's something about hearing the organ sing an Ab with a lot of vibrato when the choir is singing or the preacher is preaching.

I am currently the minister of music at Beulah Christian Fellowship and I must say that I love it. Listening to new gospel and contemporary music to teach the choir and learning new chords and scales for the organ is a great experience. And while I am doing all of these things, I pray that it pleases my Father. One thing that aggravates me is when musicians play for money and fame in the church. I believe that music should glorify the Father at all times.

COOL STUFF!!!!!!

FYI: I love Youtube. Youtube is my best friend. So the following videos are from, you guessed it, Youtube. Enjoy!

Every time I think about Africa and it's culture I think about my favorite movie, "Coming to America." This movie is so hilarious and amazing to watch! Of course, Eddie Murphy is the main character(s) and he is a prince (whose name is Akeem) from Africa who travels to America in search of his "queen to be." His father picked a queen to be for him to marry, but Akeem wants to find his own significant other. In this video, African dancers dance with zeal and excitement before the father's pick process in. Of course, you will hear African drumming in the background with its complex rhythms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHIPZEPowo4


I thought this video was pretty cool because it is very different. Who would have ever thought that you could do a Native American dance with hula hoops? I can't even hula hoop in general, so dancing really fast with these items is interesting! You can hear the consistent drumming and the chants being sung. And you have this energetic person doing a remix to the Rain Dance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bE-CpHSKm4

Last but not least, I have to end this blog with my favorite movie Coming to America. Why did I post this? Because it is hilarious! Notice how music is a necessity in the African culture. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzKVwBPaofo

La Musica y la Familia!!

Wow! I could write a whole book about my family and music! Music plays a huge part in my family.

My papa (grandpa) loves to sing around the house random songs. Usually songs I have never heard of in my life! We like to make up our own songs and irritate mama! We made up this song called "One Thing" and every time mama and papa play fuss, papa will say "Let me tell you one thing." And I would stomp and clap and papa will sing in repetition "One thing, one thing one thing, one thing." Of course, mama would look at us as if we don't even belong to her. He has a nice tenor/bass voice and he has a pretty good falsetto voice also! But little stuff like that makes me smile and it brings joy to my heart. We are random people and I love it!
Also, my papa is a self acclaimed James Brown dancer. We have a record player and my grandparents kept their discs from back in the 1960's through the 1980's. I will never forget the time I was first introduced to James Brown's hit song "Hot Pants" and I am telling you, our pants were hot by the time we got done dancing! Me and my grandparents would dance in the living room. Papa doing his little "two step" and spinning around at a moderate rate (considering the fact that he is not that quick anymore)! Not only James Brown but gospel as well. They had music by the all female gospel group the Caravans. "Sweeping through the city" is one of my favorite gospel songs. I would have never heard of it had my grandparents not introduced these oldies to me.

Now I told you how random my family is. Whenever Mama has a song in her heart, she will sing it loud and proud! Almost every morning she would wake up and start singing a contemporary gospel song that my choir performed that past Sunday. Although I think it is cute, it is also funny because she remix almost every gospel song I know. Instead of singing "For He is worthy" she would sing "For He is worly." I know. Don't even ask me why!

At the Pyles' residence music can be heard almost all day. If I am not playing Bach's Prelude and Fugue in A minor on the piano, Mama is blasting her gospel Cd's on my stereo (which took her a long time to figure out how to work it). And if you don't hear that, more than likely you will hear me and my papa singing "One Thing" in probably Eb Major and hearing Mama scream "Shut Up!" in Ab minor.

Wow, I love my family dearly!

Well hello everyone! I really don't know where to begin, but I do know that I am first, a lover of God and second, a lover of music. But I must admit that I am kind of picky when it comes down to music. I tend to be open and closed minded to various musical genres. Whenever I am driving, the only music that I really "jam" to is gospel music. That is my favorite genre of all times and forever will be. I love music that uplifts me when I am feeling down and even when I'm feeling estatic! When I was five years old, I started my piano journey by rote. The first song that I tinkered with on the piano was "Order My Steps." The adult choir at my home church would always sing this song and as soon as me and my family return home from church, I would jump on the piano and pick the melody out (and singing at the same time, which was torture to my brother and cousin)!

As I got older, I was exposed to the Hip Hop culture. Daquan (brother) and cousin (Mike) wanted to be rappers (Cypher Quan and Shinobi 1 were their rap names). I was exposed to Tupac, P. Diddy, Mos Def, and many more. Considering the fact that I was very young, my grandparents did not care for me to listen to rap or to watch any music videos. But of course like curious George, I would sneak and watch B.E.T and M.T.V. Copying my brother, Daquan, I would record music videos and learn the dance moves and lyrics! I had posters of almost any rapper you can think of! In middle school I had thought about being a rapper and my name was going to be MC Angie (yes, I was serious)!

Not only did I enjoy rap music but I enjoyed R&B music also. Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, and TLC were the top three on my list of favorites! Comparing the R&B music from the 90's and today's music, in my opinion 90's music win.

I got accepted into the Fine Arts Center in Greenville, SC my junior year in high school. I was debating on which class I wanted to take. It was either theory or jazz. Of course, jazz class won that battle. And of course, I was clueless when it came to jazz. Having an awesome teacher, learning jazzy chords, and listening to wonderful jazz music was a great environment to be in. Being exposed to a genre that I knew of but didn't really care much for it, was a huge learning experience for me. To this day, I like jazz music and my favorite artist will always be the one and only, Keith Jerret.

Now that I am 20 years old and soon to be 21 in one hour and 33 minutes, my favorite genre is gospel and inspirational music. From Mercy Me to Israel and New Breed and from Fred Hammond to Tye Tribbet, I love it all.