J'apprends le français − 3 December, 2006
The largest group of listeners on Jamendo is the French. When I released my albums (evolution and handmade), I got a very positive response . . . and reviews in French.
Now, I have studied a ridiculous number of languages. That's what you get when you're a compulsive learner. As of December 3, 2006, I had reading ability in Spanish, French, German, Latin, Mvskoke (my tribal language), and some ability to read Japanese and Chinese characters. But at that time, I couldn't write or speak in any language other than English.
Therefore, I decided to learn French, and learn it thoroughly, on this date.
As I have learned more, I have seen this was a good idea. French is actually a really likable language. However, more important was the tie to music.
In the United States, jazz has unfortunately been reduced to museum music, strangled to death by the black tie events of Lincoln Center, frozen in time by the jazz purists who refuse to listen to anything recorded after Kind of Blue.
In France, jazz didn't die; it lives.
One of the best examples of that is the music I find on Jamendo and DMusic. In particular, there is my friend Henri Roger, an excellent jazz musician whose work I have come to seriously admire. On Jamendo, there are modern jazz artists who acknowledge tradition but manage to be cutting edge at the same time: Eau Forte, Maya de Luna, and Bruno Stimart, to name a few.
I have been studying French ever since this date, and hopefully, in time, I won't live off the LaRousse that's always next to my computer ;-)
Now, I have studied a ridiculous number of languages. That's what you get when you're a compulsive learner. As of December 3, 2006, I had reading ability in Spanish, French, German, Latin, Mvskoke (my tribal language), and some ability to read Japanese and Chinese characters. But at that time, I couldn't write or speak in any language other than English.
Therefore, I decided to learn French, and learn it thoroughly, on this date.
As I have learned more, I have seen this was a good idea. French is actually a really likable language. However, more important was the tie to music.
In the United States, jazz has unfortunately been reduced to museum music, strangled to death by the black tie events of Lincoln Center, frozen in time by the jazz purists who refuse to listen to anything recorded after Kind of Blue.
In France, jazz didn't die; it lives.
One of the best examples of that is the music I find on Jamendo and DMusic. In particular, there is my friend Henri Roger, an excellent jazz musician whose work I have come to seriously admire. On Jamendo, there are modern jazz artists who acknowledge tradition but manage to be cutting edge at the same time: Eau Forte, Maya de Luna, and Bruno Stimart, to name a few.
I have been studying French ever since this date, and hopefully, in time, I won't live off the LaRousse that's always next to my computer ;-)
Comments:
pepero (March 1, 2007. 05:36am)
c'est vrai, parce que les français plus que les américains, ils aiment le jazz .
bmccosar (March 1, 2007. 11:32pm)
Maintenant je suis étonné -- manifestement vous êtes une dame de beaucoup de talents ! Dandelife est-il un aimant pour les brillants ?