christopher blake wrote: > > i also find it oddly facscinating that americans take > such pride in the fact that our country is the > birthplace of 'the blues'. 'the blues' stemmed from > heartache and pain and loss. what's to be proud of?
Lots of great art of all kinds has stemmed from heartache, pain, and loss.And like Neil Diamond (that great bluesman) said, "You take the blues and make a song, you sing them out again"....And like BB King or somebody sang, "The blues had a baby and named it rock and roll" . Although what we think of as blues has roots in southern rural America, the pentatonic scale is so basic and universal, you can find it in ethnic music all over the world. I discovered this as a teen when I started playing a blues scale over a Ravi Shankar raga-it fit! America has given the world alot...I think our music, blues and jazz are something to be proud of, certainly more noble than guns, death, and gunboat diplomacy!!! Gumbo diplomacy is better. RR npimh-Everyday I Have The Blues