Assignment 23-James Goding

            With the amount of influence music has on my life, I can’t narrow it down to 10 songs. The most powerful part of music is that it can capture emotions that words can’t. The music I listen to after I just got an A on a test isn’t the same as what I’d listen to after a rough day.
            That being said, I can traditionally separate my music into “feel good” and “not feel good,” which is split about 75% to 25% in my musical tastes. Because of that, I have made two playlists bearing those names. If you were to ask me why the songs are in this order I couldn’t tell you. If it feels right, it works for me.
            Note how Not Feel Good has a lot more “real” jazz on it. Maybe that just shows you how empty our modern music is.

           

Feel Good:     https://open.spotify.com/user/james.gooding/playlist/1HztOnw30w9isvhSBwoLFd
Cissy Strut-The Meters
I Wish-Stevie Wonder
Cold Sweat-James Brown
Thing of Gold-Snarky Puppy
God Make Me Funky-The Headhunters
Peaches En Regalia-Frank Zappa
1612-Vulfpeck
Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication-Parliament
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)-Stevie Wonder
Soul Intro/The Chicken-Jaco Pastorius

Not Feel Good:      https://open.spotify.com/user/james.gooding/playlist/47t3VWMYovtp3R7DhFzWvV
California Dreamin’-Eddie Hazel
The Planets: Venus, the Bringer of Peace-Gustav Holst
A Remark You Made-Weather Report
Maggot Brain-Funkadelic
Something-The Beatles
Everytime We Say Goodbye-John Coltrane
Stars Fell On Alabama-Ella Fitzgerald
Redbone-Childish Gambino
‘Round Midnight-Miles Davis
In a Sentimental Mood-Duke Ellington


Cissy Strut: One of the most influential beats in funk drumming history.

I Wish: Stevie was a master of the feel good genre.

Cold Sweat: James was the godfather of soul. Clyde Stubblefield (notoriously titled “The Funky Drummer”) played on this recording…he died about a month ago. He was so influential to drums.
Thing of Gold: I saw Snarky Puppy a year ago. They did not play this song. I was disappointed.

God Make Me Funky: Headhunters was the first band Herbie Hancock was in out of Miles Davis’ band. On Spotify, most headhunters stuff is actually under his name, and it’s also extremely experimental. I like that stuff way better, but this tune is quite a bit easier on the ears.

Peaches En Regalia: The album this came off of, Hot Rats, was the album that acted as a bridge between rock and jazz for me. I can point to this tune specifically and say it is responsible for my taste in music now.

1612: One of my favorite current bands, they’ve basically revived the Motown sound into their own unique thing.
Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication: The album this comes off of is my favorite album of all time. It completely changed how I approach drums.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours): I am in no way ashamed that I put Stevie on this playlist twice. It took everything I had not to make this whole playlist Stevie Wonder

Soul Intro/The Chicken: Jaco Pastorius was a musical genius, and probably the best bassist ever to live. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, including conditions where he would feel mania and depression at the same time. He died in his thirties while homeless because a bouncer beat him to death for trying to get into a Santana concert. During his lifespan, Jaco wrote the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. Unfortunately, STINGY WARNER BROTHERS has his rights and won’t put most of his music on Spotify. If it were otherwise, he would appear on Not Feel Good…..about seven times.



California Dreamin’: I listened to this song endlessly when I first discovered it.

Venus, the Bringer of Peace: My favorite movement of the planets symphony.

A Remark You Made: Jaco Pastorius played in Weather Report. Pay close attention to how he beautifully acts as both the bass voice and the lead voice, in a way dueling with the keyboard player.

Maggot Brain: Takes a patient ear to listen to, but an emotional masterpiece nonetheless. Eddie Hazel is the featured guitarist.
Something: My favorite Beatles song, also written by my favorite Beatle.

Everytime We Say Goodbye: Coltrane was undoubtedly the best saxophonist, instrumentalist, and improviser who ever lived. His ballads are where I most clearly see his vision.

Stars Fell On Alabama: My favorite female vocalist. Master of the Not Feel Good genre.

Redbone: I actually LOVED Gambino’s new album. I think it was the best album of 2016. Throughout the album, he sampled a lot of tracks from my favorite 70s funk bands like Parliament and Funkadelic (including sampling the drums from Parliament’s “Do That Stuff” on the tune “Boogieman”). On this song, Gambino sampled Bootsy Collins’ “I’d Rather Be With You.” The two songs are EXTRMELY similar, but I think Redbone has a lot more guts to it.

‘Round Midnight: I was going to make this track Miles’ live version of “My Funny Valentine,” but it’s 15 minutes long and I figured for the sake of this playlist I’d choose something shorter.

In a Sentimental Mood: Duke Ellington was SO IMPORTANT.

Assignment 26: Help! I need somebody. Help!

I wanna be better in all things.  It's easy for teachers to get stuck and comfortable in patterns and activities that are completely legitimate but perhaps have become stale and even ineffective.  Throughout the semester I've asked that you work hard to prepare for the AP Language and Composition test.  I taught to the test.  I'm sorta fine with that.  As I've said, I believe that the skills the test assesses are important and some of the most important skills you will develop in your lifetime - the ability to think, process, synthesize, and argue.

To that end I've tried to develop every assignment to focus on one element of the test and hone those skills required for success.  Now that you've taken the test - multiple tests (ACT, PSAT, AP) what suggestions do you have?

I'm not asking for what you "liked" or what was "fun" but rather what was effective.  I know not everything connected with everyone and with 100+ students I will get a plethora of responses.  Though I am asking for honesty I'm not asking for a tongue-lashing nor do I expect "all sunshines and rainbows." I know I'm flawed but I also know that I am effective.  I want to minimize my flaws and increase my effectiveness.  I need your help to do that.




Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, May 14th at 11:59 pm

May 14th is the last day to make up blogs 23-26

Henry Macfarlan Assignment 23

Music is all about the vibes, and music with good vibes can make a good day great or a bad  day better.  Music is a way to create a tangible thing that represents a feeling.  This playlist is all about good feelings and positive vibes.
yellow man - Nobody move nobody get hurt: this song is perfect for this playlist because it is relaxing and positive, with a calm melody.  
Peter Tosh- Johny B Good:  This songs is good for this playlist as it continues the good vibes reggae theme with an old fashioned ballot twist.  This song tells a story which is perfect to hold the audiences attention on the second song.
Peter Tosh- Bush Doctor-  This song recounts the legalization of marijuana in Jamaica where Rastafarians are prominent, it is a good song for this playlist as it is a reggae song with a positive message and a calm and relaxing melody.
Musical Youth- Pass the Douchie: this song keeps the reggae going with a more upbeat beat that picks up the pace and picks up the audience.
Musical Youth-Heart Breaker: This song provides a happy medium between the upbeat songs and the mellow melodies.   This is a good song to finish the playlist as it leaves the audience in a happy middle stage between calm and active.

Assignment 25 - STRESS!!

This is a Makeup Blog Post.  If you have a score that is less than a 30/30, this will replace that grade


As high school students, you are becoming more and more involved and in control of your school life as well as your "real" life. You face the many challenges of being a high school student in the Liberal Arts Academy as well as the growing responsibility of independence. Many of you are about to experience the dreadful two weeks of multiple high stakes tests as well as your Final for US History. To get through these two weeks and other weeks like these, how do you manage all that stress? What are your stress relieving activities? Are they effective? 

Inspired by Keanu Gomez
Minimum of 150 words.  Due on April 23rd @ 11:59 pm



May 14th is the last day to make up blogs 23-26