Perhaps the most important aspect of this early American-influenced jazz, was la pompe — the way Reinhardt strummed the guitar, giving the 2nd and 4th beats a strong feeling, regardless of tempo. The harmonic and melodic components of this music is further described in the above link …
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Fast forward to the 1970’s.
Two & four have been hip for decades. In fact, one & three is downright corny.
But along came Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes with The Love I Lost in 1973. About thirty seconds into the tune, you can hear this, in the bass:
This became known as four-on-the-floor, and would usher in the (ugh) Disco Era.
Now, it wasn’t Harold’s fault or poor Donna Summer‘s, either (she actually had a fabulous voice) — but for a decade we had to listen to this music that got boring real quick, because there was nothing interesting going on above that pernicious beat.
I’m not big on much of the music being produced these days, as my three 30-something daughters will readily attest. But my oldest, roaming around the many concert stages at Coachella a few years ago (I imagine Charles Ives on a bad acid trip), heard a snatch of music from a band called Caravan Palace. She thought I might enjoy them.
The musical trick that make my ears tingle (your’s might not, chacun à son, you know?) is the combination of that heavy four-on-the-floor (much more bone-shattering than poor old Harold) with an ultra-intelligent upper region, filled with cool licks played by conservatory-trained musicians and very hip lyrics.
Sample from Miracle:
(Help one another)
Connect back with the people
(Give it to your lover)
And all the people you miss
(Let’s go already)
(Act like a brother)
Don’t think you’re invisible
Their videos are also astonishing:
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Author: Lewis Saul
