Album: The Music from Peter Gunn
Year Released: 1959 (Recorded in 1958)
Composer/Artist: Henry Mancini (1924-1994)
Record Label: RCA Victor
Genre: Television Show Soundtrack

To kick things off with this record collection, let us go back several decades to the late 1950s to one of the most important soundtracks in both popular music and entertainment culture. This soundtrack became the first record to win the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year” in 1959. The opening theme music from this album has been covered by rock bands and featured in the 1983 arcade game Spy Hunter. The record that I am discussing today is The Music from Peter Gunn from 1959: composed and conducted by Heny Mancini.
 
Allow me to give some context before exploring the music. This album serves as the soundtrack to the television Crime Noir Drama Peter Gunn (1958-1961), which aired on both NBC and ABC through its three seasons. Created by Blake Edwards, also known for directing the original Pink Panther movies (which Mancini also scored, among any other films throughout his career), the plot for Peter Gunn is quite straightforward. A police officer and a detective team up to solve crimes. The show is currently available in syndication on the Tubi website and app. I should also note that Peter Gunn is an audacious program (for its time) because of the onscreen violence and mature thematic material permissible in the 1950s.
 
Jazz music serves as the central component to The Music from Peter Gunn. According to the album liner notes written by the show’s creator, Blake Edwards wanted jazz music reflective of modern times (the 1950s) that also complemented the mysterious atmosphere of his drama.  Another interesting aspect of the show stems from how Edwards also wanted the music featured in the program to be performed live instead prerecorded in a studio and dubbed. This point becomes very clear in the first episode (“The Kill.”), The orchestrated jazz heard on both the soundtrack and the show do not present neutered versions of the genre. In The Music from Peter Gunn, Henry Mancini uses the jazz formal structure in tracks that often span from two to four minutes. He applies a melodic theme (often called a “head” in jazz terminology) and moments of  shared improvisation in the ensemble mainly consisting of piano, bass, guitar, brass, solo saxophone, and percussion. The iconic theme music that opens the soundtrack and show prove an exception, because it based more on 1950s rock and roll idioms.
 
Does The Music from Peter Gunn still hold up in the 2020s? My answer to that question is both “Yes” and “No.” On the on the one hand, the album could serve as an introduction of sorts to jazz music for large ensembles through tracks like “Sorta Blue,” “Dreamsville,” and “Fallout!” Some musicians might be slightly annoyed by instances that sound like the pattern infamously known as “The Lick.” The also album functions as a sound artifact of 1950s pop culture and could be an acquired taste for a few people. Some parts of the album, like the title to the last track (“Not from Dixie”) would probably raise some eyebrows given recent social debates. I should add that More Music from Peter Gunn (1959), which I also have, functions a companion album that includes more tracks heard on the show. As of 2010, the Library of Congress archived The Music from Peter Gunn for its historical and cultural significance as popular music. Listeners can access The Music from Peter Gunn, which was re-released in 2019 under the Digital Gramophone label, through digital music streaming services. 

Over the past years, I have discussed audio archiving and preservation. I do that because it is a topic that piques my interest, especially when researching the different types of tangible audio recording materials versus digital restoration. Starting this month, I will add new content to this blog that will showcase the audio recording collection that I have amassed in my studio. For those who don’t know, I collect vinyl and shellac records. I became fascinated with that form of audio technology for several reasons. The first was that I listened to records while growing up and still have some of the albums from my parents’ collection from the 1960s and 70s, in addition to other albums that I found or had been donated to me. The second reason stems from reading books like Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music by Mark Katz (2004), which devote time to talking about the impact of records and their overall “warm” analog sound quality.
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Much of what you will see in this record collection covers myriad genres: everything from classical, to rock and pop, to film soundtracks, foreign language/international, electronic, spoken word, and more. Of course, categorizing the collection in such a subjective way is not all that simple. I have found that some of the albums that I currently possess illustrate different musical subgenres. I have many albums of twentieth-century classical pieces that represent different compositional approaches throughout the era (neoclassical, serialism, jazz-inspired, postmodern, etc.). In other instances,  multiple genres collide to form an unexpected aural experience. This has been the case for some 1960s and 70s rock and jazz albums in the collection that combine instances of classical or funk music. To make these posts more interesting (and to spare the audience from boredom), I will refrain from talking at length about categorizing all the records that I have—something that has become a daunting process. I more interested in providing “my take” on these albums, their possible rarity, and whether they are currently accessible to the public through digital formats.   

I have spent the past few days investigating several smartphone applications related to Music Theory. As a composer, I find this process necessary. Music Composition often requires having the capability to explain the theoretical and analytical processes behind writing a new piece of music: not just saying things like, “I wrote the music because it sounded good.” What I found in terms of Music Theory applications for smartphones has presented mixed results and demonstrates good (if, at times, imbalanced) approaches to the materials presented and the target audience. This post will present a short compilation of applications designed to teach concepts in Music Theory. It is not intended as a series of thorough product reviews. My goal here is to briefly address what these apps concentrate on and highlight possible problems. I will focus on apps that are currently available on Google Play via Android phones—apps that I have access to because I use Android. To avoid any future complaints and backlash from Apple users: Yes, I am aware of Music Theory apps on iOS.

Many of the apps that I located and tested tend to discuss Music Theory in basic terms for audiences who mostly have no experience in music, or for musicians who want to strengthen their skills in Music Theory. In this case, this refers to the tonal Music Theory of the “Common Practice Period” (before the rules changed and expanded in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries) through scales, key signatures, intervals, chords, and Ear Training. These concepts can be found in apps like Music Theory Helper, Perfect Ear, and Sonid among others. Perfect Ear and Sonid demonstrate intriguing approaches to Basic Music Theory through gamification: presenting courses and lessons to audiences in a way that feels more like a game instead of academic work. The formatting for Sonid also draw heavy inspiration from the Duolingo language learning app, complete with a mascot (a whale).

These are all fine attempts, but what about the more complex parts of Music Theory? Where are the apps that teach people about Neo-Riemannian Theory, Twelve-Tone Serialism, and other concepts? This is where Google Play could use some more work. While I was unable to find anything related to the chord transformations in Neo-Riemannian Theory, I did manage to find a few resources for post tonal music analyses. There is the DodecMatrix app, which I talked about in previous posts-- and had negatively reviewed the 2018 update. That app underwent another update in early 2021. Despite its flaws, that app allows people to create twelve-tone grids for serial music composition and offers the possibility to switch between the musical alphabet and pitch-class numbers, as well as play back each row in the grid. The Pitch Class Set Calculator and Set Class Calculator apps enable the creation of musical pitch-class sets. They indicate how to properly organize the sets, determine symmetry, and offer lists of lists of all combination of pitch-class sets by chord type, interval vectors, and Forte Number categorization. As many can probably tell from this complex description, those two apps assume that people know how to use the calculators and do not offer visual guides that physically show people what these sets look and sound like.

That last part is, perhaps, the biggest obstacle that I have encountered when looking for Music Theory apps that focus on contemporary analytical techniques. How can app developers present the information to the public in a way that is easy for people (especially, those outside of music) to understand? Granted, I am far from finished with discussing this topic. While the apps that I have seen represent a good start, there is still more that needs to be done. There are more concepts in Music Theory that need exploration in app form: concepts that are necessary to learn in a university or compositional setting. I will, however, discuss that in a later post.

Some may recall back in May when I briefly wrote about El Mes de la Radio (Radio Month) in Puerto Rico. I also noted some dates that could cause some confusion if not clarified, like World Radio Day on February 13 and National Radio Day (today’s date) in the United States. Instead of regurgitating what others say about National Radio Day (that it is a time to remember the creator of the radio Guglielmo Marconi—even though researchers like Allison Marsh find that part of history debatable), I want to take things in a different direction. Over the past few years, radio has gained importance due to the necessity for its historical preservation. The Library of Congress founded the Radio Preservation Task Force (RPTF) in 2014 as an extension of the National Recording Preservation Plan. This task force follows an approach akin to ethnographic field recording preservation through finding, collecting, archiving, and researching radio recordings (specifically rare or endangered ones) for academic purposes.
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Cultural preservation in radio equally deserves attention: both in terms of broadcasting and applying forms of technology through podcasts and Internet accessibility. I discuss this point in my upcoming musicological work on the Gullah/Geechee people in the coastal regions from North Florida to North Carolina. I not only look at how this community of descendants from West Africa have used radio stations (like Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio and WKWQ 100.7 FM) and podcast interviews (like this episode of The Stoop) to educate audiences about their history, language, music, and social customs. They also preserve their heritage by accurately representing themselves to prevent mainstream radio corporations (like the ubiquitous iHeartRadio) from interfering with and exploiting their identities. 

Music has served as a vital tool for drawing attention to social and historical moments. This is especially true when considering the music featured in sporting events like Baseball, Football, and the World Cup Soccer tournament (otherwise known as “the other Football”). When it comes to the Olympics, which most of the world is currently watching, there have been countless pieces and popular songs written for both the summer and winter variants of the occasion. To clarify, “the Olympics” refers to the modern version since 1896 based on the ancient Greek competitions. Rosie Pentreath notes that the first modern Olympics, which took place in Athens, Greece featured the premiere of the "Olympic Hymn" by Spyridon Samaras (composer) and Kostis Palamas (lyricist). Pieces written for the Olympics are often commissioned by members of the Olympic Committee or for televised broadcasts and are intended to convey the strength, determination, and global unity of the competition.

I would be remiss if I also did not include the "Olympics Theme Song" (Bugler's Dream") by Leo Arnaut (1904-1991) and “Olympic Fanfare” by film score coposer John Williams (b. 1932). According to Griffin Harrison, these pieces have been used for televised broadcasts of the Olympics since the 1960s and 80s: the first theme initially used by ABC and the second used by NBC. It was not until the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia that NBC decided to combine the two themes 
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Notice that I said that popular songs have also been written for the Olympics. This illustrates the inclusivity of multiple musical genres beyond Classical. Over the decades, many performing artists have tried their hand at writing songs that attempt to capture the exhilaration of the sporting events: some songs done well, others poorly executed. The Olympics theme song “Reach” by Gloria Estefan stands out to me: in part, because it was written to commemorate the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. That specific event holds a place in my childhood memory, because I remember physically witnessing part of the “Running of the Torch” throughout the state of Georgia while I was  living in the city of Columbus at the time. “Reach” is also a memorable theme song because the material focuses on more than just sports. It is about perseverance and aiming for success and goals in life.    

As the Independence Day celebrations in the United States this year draw closer, allow me to direct attention to music programming for the occasion in the realm of classical music. More specifically, I have noticed a current need to reassess the repertoire by including pieces that logically match the atmosphere of the event. Among the usual pieces performed, like The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa and Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland, one piece particularly stands out from the list: the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky. Judith Kogan, Rob Cutietta, and Ralph Graves among others have perceived this orchestral piece as an odd programmatic choice because the thematic material has nothing to do with the United States or the Fourth of July. The orchestral work itself depicts the when Russian troops defeated Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Army.
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If the 1812 Overture does not relate to the Fourth of July or the United States, then why is it frequently played out of context? According to the aforementioned authors, that piece has become part of American tradition through its use of cannons (thanks in part to the Boston Pops Orchestra) and through advertising (because the music is Public Domain). What, then about expanding the classical repertoire for Independence Day? Many over the years have pushed for greater representation of living and deceased American composers from across different racial communities and backgrounds. While some may point to the 2015 musical Hamilton for its casting and discussing the American Revolution, Independence, and the aftermath, that work has gotten its share of negative criticism over the years over its selective approach to American colonial history. Instead, I refer to the efforts to expanding the American classical music repertoire by including different music and composers. Ralph Graves, whom I referred to earlier, presents a playlist of pieces reflective of Independence Day from composers like Joan Tower, William Grant Still, and Adolphus Hailstork.            

Those who have visited this website recently might have noticed something different about the “Contact” section. No, there is nothing wrong with the page. I just needed to apply several necessary alterations to it. Besides including my contact e-mail (for business and networking purposes) and adjusting the pricing ranges, visitors to my site will now see a clickable link to a “Contact Form” that I created through Google Forms.  Today’s post will provide some explanation as to what this form is, why I chose to create a “Contact Form” for this website, and the contents of that form.

The new “Contact Form” on this website provides potential clients with a questionnaire that attempts to help me figure out what kind of music that they need. I say “new” because Weebly has its own “Contact Form” function in the website builder. If that is the case, then why did I stop using that feature? The answer to that question is simple. I got really fed up with getting spammed. I had to remove and replace that feature on my website because I kept getting nonsensical e-mail messages from random users abusing the site.

I have tried to make the questions on the “Contact Form” as direct as possible. Ignoring the obvious segments of the form (“E-mail” and “What is your name?”), I concentrate more on the following:

• The profession of the client
• What they are looking for
• Whether their proposed commission or project is “Safe for Work” (SFW)
• Whether their proposed commission or project offers compensation
• The possible deadline

While many of the choices that I offer in the questionnaire concentrate on “the Arts,” I also draw attention to clients in Business, Education, nonprofit groups, and people who like music who wish to show support. With that said, I also demonstrate more leniency when it comes to free work by including exceptions for nonprofit groups and people who need music solely for educational use. I should add the caveat that it is the responsibility of the client to initially check and make sure that they do not violate any ethical rules by revealing any classified information about their project or commission: specifically, if such information relates to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with a production company. Those who want to know more about that should check out my older post on composing music for podcasts for more tips. 

As many are probably aware, June 19th (or “Juneteenth”) is now regarded as a federal holiday in the United States. This event, which commemorates the abolition of slavery in Texas and the official end of slavery in the U.S. on June I9, 1865, has been widely celebrated among African Americans for several decades. I had first become acquainted with the concept of Juneteenth a few years ago while conducting research for an upcoming musicological investigation on the Gullah Geechee community. Thinking within the contexts of music, especially considering that this holiday forms part of Black Music Appreciation Month, what are some of the best ways to reflect on Juneteenth: specifically, for those who may be unfamiliar with it or those outside the community?

Perhaps, the most important aspect of this celebration is educating oneself about Juneteenth; specifically, fully understanding the significance of emancipation and the struggles that African Americans and marginalized groups have endured in the past and present regarding discrimination and Civil Rights. For instance, I attended the Junteenth celebration at the Savannah African Art Museum. Part of teaching the public about this occasion involved the sacred process of Libations to honor and praise African ancestors. The celebration also featured moments of communal participation by performing with shakers and drums in unison (including some readymade versions of percussive instruments via found objects).

Regarding more about music, many have taken this moment to compile playlists from different Black artists and genres that reflect upon the impact of Juneteenth. Pianist Lara Downes has provided a fitting list of tracks that span from pop to classical and jazz. In terms of musicology or ethnomusicological research through preservation, I refer to a point that I address in my research about the Gullah Geechee: one that I cannot stress enough. Demonstrating cultural respect and tact, especially in the era of social media, matters: not using Juneteenth as an opportunity to distort its meaning. Those wishing to know more about the African American past from those who personally experienced enslavement can consult resources at places like the Library of Congress. I find the archival audio recordings related to the topic a slightly better alternative to the textual transcripts provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Writers' Project from the 1930s and 40s. That is because audiences get to hear the voices of the informants and not the researcher trying to "speak for" the people. And, as always, researchers must remember to respect the privacy of the informants who have been recorded and the privacy of their possible descendants.  

I would like to take a moment to commemorate National Radio Month (El Mes Nacional de la Radio) in Puerto Rico. This is not to be confused with similar commemorative events concerning radio, like World Radio Day on February 13th (sponsored by UNESCO) and National Radio Day on August 20th.  From its introduction on the island nearly a century ago, this form of audio technology has provided audiences in Puerto Rico with access to a plethora of genres: from live broadcasts of música jíbara (Puerto Rican folk music), to radio dramas and comedies, to news and international broadcasts. I have talked extensively about the hisotrical, social, and economic impacts of radio on the island from the 1920s to 40s in The Jíbaro and the Gaucho United in Music and Song[1], both in terms of the technology and the foundation of radio stations like WKAQ in 1922. That radio station is currently still in operation (albeit under ownership by Univision Radio) as a Spanish language talk radio station. National Radio Month also functions as a time to both honor and appreciate radio broadcasters. That aspect presents a personal connection for me. because my grandfather was a Political Science professor who had a radio program in the 1960s on WEUC (Emisora Universidad Católica). That station has since changed to the FM band under WPUC (Pontifico Universidad Católica) 88.9.

   


[1] Readers can find this excerpt from my book in the following blog post from September 15, 2020.

In an earlier blog post, I wrote about Native American classical music by stressing the significance of cultural representation. Allow me to expand upon that thought by adding that the diversity of musical genres and influences is equally imperative when considering specific Native American tribes. For instance, take the Cherokee based in North Carolina and Oklahoma. Through my recent travels to the southeastern region of the community, I initially observed instances of musical instruments and procedures used for ceremonial purposes. These ranged from drums and rattles to myriad facemasks and ceremonies used to represent aspects of social life: be it celebrating corn harvesting, or foreshadowing events. Concerning that last part, some facemasks and ceremonies, like the Booger Dance, functioned from a religious standpoint to determine a person's health. It also foretold the coming of foreign colonial invaders from Europe. Thinking within the context of how these colonizers brought diseases as they conquered the New World, and within the contemporary context of the COVID-19 pandemic, such a name makes logical sense.

The music of the Cherokee today extends well beyond ceremonies, many of which are restricted to the public out of privacy concerns. One must also take into consideration the influences and adaptations of cultures outside the community through the incorporation of the fiddle, bluegrass, and (in certain instances) Christian hymnody. That latter aspect goes beyond the scope of this brief post, and the historical imposition of European Christianity on Native American communities proves to be a controversial topic: one that I will not address here. What matters for this post is that the Cherokee incorporate the use of phonetics from the Cherokee Syllabary (the linguistic system developed by Sequoyah in 1821) and shape notes via cultural memory  In this respect, recent editions  of Cherokee hymnbooks from the 2010s function as forms of linguistic and cultural preservation.