Channeling Gershwin

The Jazz Bus: Channeling Gershwin
Uniqueness is a tough thing to accomplish. To be easily identified as something of your own because of certain tendencies or style is in my estimation a phenomenal feat. Music is one of those things where “uniqueness” is very difficult to establish.
A saxophone is a complex instrument with many keys to press in order make music. Reed size and style, amount of air, lip placement all add to the sounds produced. The guitar which can be strummed by virtually anyone is only truly melodic with properly placed fingers and different pressures added. After learning the basics in music an apprentice can sit at the foot of a master to learn tone, phraseology, inflection, and riffing. Soon one takes off on their own musical journey hopefully developing a style of their own, a uniqueness a trait easily recognizable as their own.
George and Ira Gershwin are two brothers who developed a musical style one could proudly call their own. George Gershwin was an iconic musician who wrote with his brother Ira many recognizable tunes. Some might not be able to identify a song as Gershwin’s but will tap their foot because they are familiar with the melody or the words. Brian Wilson is another iconic figure in music. As the leader of The Beach Boys to some he might go unknown but his “sound” does not go unrecognized. Both the Gershwin and The Beach Boys “sound” are brand names in music; easily recognized as undeniable unique. So what would happen if George Gershwin was channeled by a mature 2010 Brian Wilson? Well, it’s here. Brian Wilson REIMAGINES GERSHWIN is the Number 1 recording on Amazon.com. Only took a week to climb the charts, but took two musical lifetimes to develop.
The Beach Boys, made up of brothers Brian, Carl, Dennis, Cousin Mike Love, and best friend Al Jardine formed in California 1961. Brian was the leader through their most innovative and creative period only to personally crash and burn from mental illness and drugs and then to disappear from the stage. In their heyday the band was easily recognized by their close vocal harmonies, and complex musical arrangements. The group has had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits (the most of any U.S. rock band) and fifty-six Hot 100 hits, including four number-one singles]The Beach Boys are the No.-1-selling American band of all time. George Gershwin, with brother Ira, wrote many of tunes that runs deep in the American consciousness, "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Fascinating Rhythm", are instantly recognizable as Gershwin’s.
Over the last few years there has been a phenomenon known as MASH-UPS, where a dj takes one song or riff and superimposes another over it, played to a club beat .an example is SINGLE MAYBERRY which is the extremely popular Beyonce tune Single Ladies mashed over the whistling to the Theme from the Andy Griffith Show. Well the new Brian Wilson collection is something similar. He took all the recognizable musical innovations, vocal harmonies and clarity of his Beach Boy days and use all to his advantage in recording Gershwin’s material. It’s The Genius from the Beach Boys doing Gershwin. If you haven’t purchased any music in sometime today is the day. Give it a shot. It works, amazingly.
In 2007, the Library of Congress named its Prize for Popular Song after the Gershwin Brothers George. The prize is awarded annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwin’s. To date the recipients are Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Sir Paul McCartney. Any suggestions or nominations for next year?
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