An Interview with Julian Cihi of the Bear Necessities

Chantel: Okay, um, first with the a cappella community, how often do you interact with other groups?

 

Julian:  Other groups?

 

Chantel: Mhmm like your group as a whole.

 

Julian: Um not very often.

 

Chantel: okay

 

Julian: wait group hanging out with another group or individually?

 

Chantel: Either/or

 

Julian: Either or… um…not often, but I do know that for example the bears and the derbies um are having a joint grilling and chilling (or something like that) concert soon, in about a week or so um you know it happens but not very often. I mean, sometimes we have joint arch sings, I mean, but are you, is this like outside of you know concerts and a cappella?

 

Chantel: Yea sure

 

Julian: then uh, No it doesn’t happen very often.

 

Chantel: okay um, why not, do you think?

 

Julian: Why not? I don’t know that’s a good question. I feel like we used to but then again, maybe it’s just because I’m like a senior now, but like a cappella is not as um sort of new, like novel um and exciting as it was when I was a freshmen. So maybe its like um I don’t like if I were to hang out with a cappella people it would just be like because I am friends with them you know not because they’re in another cappella group kind of deal. Um, I don’t know, I feel like a cappella kind of goes down on your priority list as you get older and so for everyone, for most people, and so its I mean naturally as you get older its like you hang out, I mean a cappella just becomes not as im..portant. (chuckles) Again, this is my opinion so yeah.

 

Chantel: okay so um do you think that Brown a cappella is special in anyway and if so why?

 

Julian: well,  it does have the most a cappella groups per capita as we all know, I think its great, I think its real special, I mean I did say its not that important anymore but you know I just went on tour with the Bears ad it was the best spring break ever. And so um I really think that the brown groups are very very good and very strong, all male, all female, coed, pirate, whistling, all those funky groups I mean I cant really think of any other place that does pirate a cappella-

 

Chantel:  Yea, I don’t think there is—

 

Julian: I think, I don’t know why a cappella is so huge here, I think its great its really great and I think its great how people come up with crazier ideas about themes for groups, I think its pretty cool

 

Chantel: Cool. Um, is there any competition between groups?

 

Julian: Um, competition? Well I remember back when I was a freshmen, it was like whose the best all male group? Um and you know different groups have different reputations but I always, musically, I always thought the Bears were the best so I wanted to be in that group and you know reputation wise the Jabberwocks were the coolest group and the derbies have fun, and no cares about the all female groups, no I’m just kidding. I'm sure some people may feel competition, but I don’t feel like that exists. I feel like it exists less now, because we get along with so many people like we, I think most of the a cappella groups get along really well now.

 

 

Schloss; B-Boy Culture

Schloss's article on B-Boy culture is one is told from Joseph Schloss, who has been involved in participant observation of the culture by learning how to b-boy as well as being involved with the hip hop culture in general since 1987. Schloss's article also focuses on the aspects of b-boy culture, such as: the deejay and its role in b-boying; the b-boy musical elements of popular b-boy songs and elements common in those songs; the b-boy canon, classic b-boy songs that Schloss views as a canon on material; and the dancing itself. The article as a whole shows another aspect of hip-hop culture that is not nearly as scholarly extensive as the purely musical and lyrical aspects of hip hop.

One question I have is, is the level of difficultly of b-boying the reason that it hasn't fully integrated into pop culture or is it pop culture's resistance to anything other than basic dance what keeps it somewhat underground?

Metamorphoses: From an Ethnographer’s Perspective

Chantel Whittle

03/16/09

MUSC0062: Musical Youth Cultures

Word Count: Essay: 1153

                               Assignment: 1261

 

Metamorphoses: From an Ethnographer’s Perspective

 

Production Workshop’s second slot show, Metamorphoses, directed by Mark Brown II was performed March 6-9^th in the [pw] downspace located in Brown University’s T. F. Green Hall. Brown’s interpretation of Mary Zimmerman’s play of the myths of Ovid had elements of both modern and classic origins but what really stands out is the choice of song. The interpretation truly becomes Brown’s own when the soundtrack is taken in consideration with the text. The music inspires the movement, which moves the piece far away from Zimmerman’s original production.

Zimmerman’s original piece was presented in a very mythic fashion; however, Brown’s interpretation was a combination of both the modern world and the classic world that the tales originated. He continued to do the piece justice, but also added a new, captivating element of theatre. The idea of a soundtrack with pieces that don’t fit the play on the surface is later proven to be essential to the performance.

As I sat in the audience at 11:59 on Saturday March 7^th, I realized that I had no idea what I was in for. The lights dimmed and a projection of space shown in the corner of the ceiling. The music that comes over the loudspeaker is Jethro’s “Reasons for Waiting.” At first I was a bit startled at the fact that this play was going to have a soundtrack at all, but after a few minutes it became clear that this music was essential to the show. Brown made it so that the music and the actions were connected, and at times, comical – such as during the vignette of King Midas, the song “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems” by Puff Daddy and Notorious B.I.G. At other times the music is moving and can inspire tears in conjunction with the story being told – such as during the second to last vignette, the story of Eros and Psyche, is accompanied by the song “Kissing You” by Des’ree. I find my heartstring being tugged on with the presence of the song as well as the beautiful modern dance accompanying the music. But then there are the instances where one can just wonder why was included at all within the context of the show. At one point in the show, cast member Lauren Neal, takes on the character of an old woman and tap dances to “Diva” by Beyoncé in between vignettes. There is both confusion and amusement brewing within me as Neal taps away. I find it very funny and full of talent when Neal taps to a song with the least likely appeal for tap dancing. The truth of the matter is, no one really, except for Brown, knows why he did that. Maybe he felt that Beyoncé needed a reprise; maybe he wanted a tap dance number. Either way, he went out of his way to ensure that the “Diva” song by Beyoncé would not be forgotten. The end of the show left me with a catharsis because of the fact that the last song was a gospel song, “Now Let the Weeping Cease” from the Gospel at Colonus Soundtrack, and is spiritually moving within itself. I also discovered that the diversity of the soundtrack to the show had been greatly influenced by the diversity of the director and is very unique to this particular point in the show.

One reason the music is unique to this interpretation of the show is because the music is very unique to the director. He states in his Director’s Notes that much of his influence for directing Metamorphoses comes from his background, stating, “While directing this show I realized increasingly that my position in relation to the black community, the Puerto Rican community, the queer community, the Southern Baptist Church, and others inform my way of directing this show.” With this vast span of backgrounds and influences, it is understandable how the soundtrack to the show and general directions of the show could be so contrasting. His life experiences have made this show much more different than the show that was directed by Zimmerman. She doesn’t have those influences to pull from and also she doesn’t have his taste in music. His taste in music clearly is influenced by Brown’s background, but it is also influenced by the activities he takes part in. as a participant in the Southern Baptist church faith, he is influenced by gospel music. As a black, queer male, he is influenced by Beyoncé. As a singer, he is influenced many standards that are popular among singers and in popular music.

His influences and background make the song choice seem almost predictable if not logical, but then the question remains, why Metamorphoses? This anthology of Greek myths hardly sounds relatable to Brown and his background or relatable to much of the music within the soundtrack of his production. However the goal and purpose of Brown’s production was to bring people back to what theatre was in the past. He states in his director’s notes, “Will it give the audience the chance to take a step back from a world of isolation and, dare I say it – ‘Postmodernism,’ to enjoy the theatre? Yes. Will it remind us of the magic of theatre and myth? Yes. And quite frankly, that is enough for me.” The music was essential but was not the main point or part of the production. It was simply complimentary. It was used as away to both pull the audience in as well as make it relatable to modern times. The music allowed the beauty and context of many of the vignettes to be realized by the audience. In addition, the music also granted Brown more creative and personal direction with the show. Without “Kissing You” by Des’ree playing softly in the background while the myth of Eros and Psyche (the story of Love) was performed onstage, the moment would have been sweet, but not nearly as beautiful and heart wrenching as it was with the music. Des’ree’s tone and the familiarity and relation of this song to the 1996 movie Romeo + Juliet – an updated version of the ultimate love story starring Leonardo DiCaprio – fills my mind with the idea of true love. Without “Mo ‘Money, Mo’ Problems blasting from the speakers as the tale of King Midas was being told, the audience would have received the tale in an entirely different fashion. The presence of hip-hop in a Greek tragedy is jarring as it is, but it adds an unfounded likeability that makes me grieve with his as he turns accidently his daughter into gold.

Production Workshop’s second slot show, Metamorphoses directed by Mark Brown II, shows how influential music is to something that may be entirely unrelated. I would not normally think that Biggie Smalls and Puff Daddy or Beyoncé would work well with Greek myths, but it goes to show how music so unexpected can fit so well when put into context.