I was surfing the web recently and came across Charlie Seelig’s ContraDanceLinks.com list of essays on topics related to contra. One in particular jumped out at me, an article by Pamela Goddard from 2002 entitled “Finding the Groove.” In this article, she talked to two bands, Big Table and the Groovemongers, about how they chose their music (which has several influences, among them French-Canadian, southern American, Irish, Latin, and Mideastern, and how they matched it to their cohesive band identities.
In particular, these quotes from the bands’ members caught my eye:
The last quote in particular resonated with me in the context of the Contra Syncretist project, as I’ve heard several techno contra DJs speak in similar terms:
This convinces me further that the argument over bands versus DJs (and some techno contra event planners saying they’ll only hire the former, never the latter) comes down more to an aesthetic argument than anything else. As Penelope Weinberger pointed out in reference to dJ improper in the interview I posted a few weeks ago, “it looks like he’s just up there pushing a button, but he does as much work as musicians do before the dance...you know, obviously musicians get together and they practice, and [the DJ] will put so much work into it before the three hours of the dance...it’s a huge amount of work. And I think some people understand that, but a lot of people don’t. I mean I think a lot of dancers don’t understand how much work it is to be a musician, either. He’s not an iPod.”
There can be interaction between the DJ, the caller, and the dancers like there can be between the band, the caller, and the dancers. While the connection might be catering to a different aesthetic, I’m not entirely sure that the character of the connection itself is as different as some would like us to believe. (And while there is nothing wrong with it being an aesthetic difference, I really wish people would admit that, when it applies.)
Perhaps this becomes a case of the more things change, the more they stay the same, in some ways? I’m interested to hear what you all think....
In particular, these quotes from the bands’ members caught my eye:
- “We had to throw out preconceived notions.... We literally took everything apart. It made the group think about musical influences and what we do.”
- Another band member continued, “From the start we definitely wanted percussion,...and so added a non-contra groove.”
- “Playing for dances is my absolute favorite thing. Any kind of dance.... There’s instantaneous feedback watching people’s bodies move.”
The last quote in particular resonated with me in the context of the Contra Syncretist project, as I’ve heard several techno contra DJs speak in similar terms:
- Eileen Thorsos: “I look for Celtic fusion music that I like (hopefully LOVE), that I want to dance to, and that is upbeat with a rich and interesting sound.... I particularly like hot bagpipes,...strong bass, and intriguing driving rhythm.... I prefer sets that have dynamic transitions within them, because I think those moments fuel the dance....So far my focus has been exclusively on Celtic fusion music. That’s really the genre that I know and love, and I think my enthusiasm for the music -- and my seemingly accurate sense of music that other contra dancers get excited about -- has helped in the success of electrotrad contra. Also I hope for my music to be accessible to all sorts of contra dancers, and I think keeping melodies and instrumentation that are familiar helps with that.”
- DJ Solar Sound: one of the great parts of spinning a techno contra is “the connection I have with the audience and my ability to spread what I love while fusing two of my passions. It’s just so fulfilling to nail a transition from my favorite track of last year into a new song that I finished only a few days prior, and to see the dancers just loving it.”
- DJ Nu B: “The most important thing is the selection [of music] having the right emotional quality for the dance floor at that particular time. Music should be dynamic, especially when DJing, so I always pick my selections live while performing...the most important thing is the track being fresh -- can it make people move whether they like it or not? Those are the tracks I live for.”
This convinces me further that the argument over bands versus DJs (and some techno contra event planners saying they’ll only hire the former, never the latter) comes down more to an aesthetic argument than anything else. As Penelope Weinberger pointed out in reference to dJ improper in the interview I posted a few weeks ago, “it looks like he’s just up there pushing a button, but he does as much work as musicians do before the dance...you know, obviously musicians get together and they practice, and [the DJ] will put so much work into it before the three hours of the dance...it’s a huge amount of work. And I think some people understand that, but a lot of people don’t. I mean I think a lot of dancers don’t understand how much work it is to be a musician, either. He’s not an iPod.”
There can be interaction between the DJ, the caller, and the dancers like there can be between the band, the caller, and the dancers. While the connection might be catering to a different aesthetic, I’m not entirely sure that the character of the connection itself is as different as some would like us to believe. (And while there is nothing wrong with it being an aesthetic difference, I really wish people would admit that, when it applies.)
Perhaps this becomes a case of the more things change, the more they stay the same, in some ways? I’m interested to hear what you all think....
