All About Music

Everybody loves Neil Diamond music! He has given us great tunes and performances for many moons and continues to rock. Neil Diamond is one of the industry’s undisputed top live draws, a singer who’s set attendance records since the early days. Neil is like good whiskey, the older he gets, the greater he gets. Mr. Diamond is the best songwriter and singer of our time!

The story of his life and all the Neil Diamond music is inspiring because of its many triumphs and its longevity. Neil began in NYC’s famous Brill Building as a songwriter for others in the early 1960′s before launching his own career in the middle of the decade. Diamond assumed various roles-ranging from rocker to dramatic pop belter as time went on. His record contract was up for renewal, and he re-signed to Columbia Records in 1981 dedicating himself to ten more records at a price of 30 million dollars. He proceeded to make hits into the 90′s, right up to the present day.

One can argue that the later Neil Diamond music was more pop sounding, but there’s no question that the songs of the early years, (60′s and early 70′s) was rock related. In the late 1980′s, Neil Diamond and Springsteen were running neck and neck in the top five of Billboard’s Hot 100! A genuinely, important folk-rock singer in the early days, who lost his way for a few decades, then found his way back home.

Neil Diamonds music has been re-done by a wide range of music legends. They include, Coldplay, Chris Cornell, The Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band, UB40, Urge Overkill and Deep Purple just to name a few. Neil has an amazing talent for putting images in your brain mixed with music. Sometimes after a number of years you may forget a lyric or two, but the music lives on. Since the early days of his career, he has been the uncrowned king of pop music for decades.

Diamond is truly one of rock’s legends and continues to lead the way for new acts and even older acts looking to reinvent themselves. Neil is one of those blessed songwriters to have enjoyed success with an awesome catalog of great songs. Neil Diamond music will continue to live on, despite a time in music that is seeing changes in the popular taste.

By Adam Niebs

Many people think that jazz is the music of the elite and well-established people. But, if you look into the roots of jazz, you will see the opposite. Jazz is an art of expression in the form of music. Jazz music is the fundamental music in human life.

Jazz tradition evolved from the lifestyle of black community in America who has been oppressed. Initially, the tradition began from the influence of tribal drums and gospel music, blues and field hollers (the shouts of cultivators). Its birth process has demonstrated that jazz was closely related to the life defense and expression of human life.

The interesting thing from jazz music was that the origin of the word “jazz” was derived from a vulgar term used for sexual acts. Most of rhythms in jazz were ever associated with the brothels and the women with an unfortunate reputation.

Then, in the journey of jazz, it eventually became an art form of jazz music, both in the specific composition and improvisation, which reflected the spontaneous melodies. Jazz musicians usually expressed their feelings that were uneasily explained because this music should be felt within the heart.

Jazz legend began in New Orleans and grew into the Mississippi River, Memphis, St. Louis, and finally Chicago. Of course, jazz was influenced by music in New Orleans, African tribal drums and the structure of European-style music. Jazz background could not be separated from the facts in which jazz was influenced by a variety of music such as spiritual music, cakewalks, ragtime and blues.

One of jazz legends who was believed was the legend around 1891. An owner of hair shaving shop in New Orleans, named Buddy Bolden blew his cornet and the time became the beginning of jazz music as a new breakthrough in the music world. Half a century later, American jazz music gave many contributions to the world of music. Jazz was also studied at university, and eventually became a serious music and was calculated by the world of music.

Jazz as a popular art began to spread to almost all of American society in the 1920s (known as the Jazz Age). Jazz was more widespread in the swing era in the late 1930s and it peaked in the late 1950s as a modern jazz. In the early 20s and 30s, “jazz” has become a common word.

The influence and development of blues music could not be left when discussing jazz music in the early years of its development. Expressions that shined when playing the blues were in line with the style of jazz. The ability to play the blues music became the standard for all jazz musicians, especially to be used in improvisation.

Blues music itself, which was originated from the southern region, had a very broad history. Blues players usually used guitar, piano, and harmonica, or played together in a group who played his own musical instruments.

By Stewart B Johnston