tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45173080227229730372012-02-15T23:36:05.311-08:00The source for horn band news and reviews.Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-40520502693314842011-04-15T10:53:00.000-07:002011-04-15T10:53:54.356-07:00

The new site is Live. I had to call for tech support, so I'm about 45 minutes behind my self appointed deadline, but I still made it by April 15. If you got here by typing in Omnidity.com, that means that your particular server hasn't gotten the update yet. The site should be live everywhere within 24 hours. I am going to keep Omniditty as my personal song writing site for now. There is still a

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-38812790490696549032011-04-03T01:00:00.000-07:002011-04-03T01:00:05.563-07:00

I have to admit that I know next to nothing bout Tejano music. But will gladly feature Tejano bands that feature horns. I'll find a competent reviewer to do the reviews.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-49562037699360593052011-04-02T15:44:00.000-07:002011-04-02T15:44:00.784-07:00

Miami Sound Machine - salsa roots.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-23233056546047565702011-04-01T01:00:00.000-07:002011-04-01T01:00:07.860-07:00

Special April Fool Edition We all have to have working definitions of the terms we use. For the purposes of omnidity, a horn band is band that uses horns as a key compopnent of their sound, the easy way to check the definition, is by asking yourself a couple questions: Did they record with horns featured prominently on most tracks? Did they tour with horns? Did they list horns as members of the

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-34470034887573416972011-03-31T02:00:00.000-07:002011-03-31T02:00:03.488-07:00

Nowadays, it is a synonym for smooth jazz when the band or the label doesn't want to include jazz in the name. But there used to be an actual market for bands that played pop tunes, not jazz standards, in a pop style with a pop backing band and little to no improvisation. While, I don't intend to review smooth jazz in this blog, I have to admit that it is hard to draw the line. Herb Alpert and

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-1492571565491017362011-03-30T14:57:00.000-07:002011-03-30T14:57:00.713-07:00

I've been trying to cover as many possible styles as I can, excluding jazz and classical. Lyle Lovett has to qualify for bringing his Large Band On Tour With him. While it's not exactly straight ahead country, it is not really R&B either. It's steeped in deep southern sounds and includes a little bit of everything. Lyle Lovett brings horns on tour and records with horns, so he qualifies as a horn

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-13477204785603986692011-03-29T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-29T01:00:06.651-07:00

Not really jazz, but reaching back to the common brass band tradition.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-40093391803553153252011-03-28T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-28T01:00:10.809-07:00

I came across this accidentally in my sister-in-law's music collection while she was storing it at Mom and Dad's house. She was raised in Venezuela and she had a South American pressing of Criss Cross Rhythms... I loved the Roger Dean Cover and came to the music sideways. The intonation of the horns sounds funny to the western ear and it confused me for the longest time. They were professional

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-42145264235350198622011-03-27T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-27T01:00:05.888-07:00

World Music. What does it mean? Not really a style category, it is more of a catch all for music that reflects a different world view and a different musical aesthetic than that embraced in Western pop culture. Since horn bands in most cases exist on the fringe of that popular culture, it should come as no big surprise to find so many world bands including horns as a part of their sound.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-4324142241793883542011-03-26T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-26T01:00:02.165-07:00

No discussion of horn bands can be complete without talking about Tower of Power. Possessing a distinctive 16th note heavy groove that just keeps bumping along, they brought along important stylistic developments that make them important beyond the signature tight horn riffs.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-87903460314394564452011-03-25T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-25T01:00:03.866-07:00

More Classic rhythm and Blues from Big Joe Turner. The eighth notes are clearly swinging here, no real tension between straight eights and swing eights.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-38396170394631787452011-03-24T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-24T01:00:17.542-07:00

Omnidity (pronounced like humidity) will also feature discussion on the origins of horns in Rock and Roll. The truth is they were there from the beginning. A better discussion would be, when did they start being left out? Before Alan Freed started calling it Rock and Roll, it was known as Rhythm and Blues and it was pioneered by men like Louis Jordan.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-74334779808708602772011-03-23T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-23T01:00:09.450-07:00

The Stax sound haunts my dreams. When I walk down the street this is the sound track. Do you get the idea? I think full disclosure of our personal preferences is essential for bloggers in this day and age. So here you have my disclosure statement. I love all music, but there is a special private place in my heart for all things Memphis. (I was born in Iowa, spent a short time in Missouri and

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-21231354854843397342011-03-22T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-22T01:00:16.025-07:00

This probably my favorite James Brown recording. Originally a Doo Wop song by The five Royals, the James Brown version is way cool because of the rhythmic tension set up between the straight eight notes and the swing eight notes. You'll hear this on a lot of early Rock n Roll songs (most of the Chuck Berry stuff that I can think of). The horn lick of course is a great hook, as well. When you hear

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-7925164081637382142011-03-21T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-21T01:00:06.175-07:00

Another horn band with hit potential and longevity was Earth, Wind and Fire. Following a brief flirtation with BST flavored, jazz-rock oriented music, EWF found their sound as the standard bearers for the funk.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-19783354659722912252011-03-20T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-20T01:00:00.965-07:00

Returning to jazz-rock constructions, Chicago was arguably the most successful rock oriented horn band. Originally Chicago Transit Authority, they were eager to stick it to the man and be a part of the "revolution."

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-55775778066626024792011-03-19T01:00:00.001-07:002011-03-19T01:00:07.103-07:00

Remember The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down?" You can't really call The Band a horn band, because the horns weren't really central to their sound. Still their take on using horns in rock music came from a different place.Part old timey string band, part old timey brass band, they showed that there are other influences in horn bands besides Jazz and Ska as well. Enter Rock Plaza

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-37547244800476428702011-03-18T01:00:00.000-07:002011-03-18T01:00:10.576-07:00

Horn Bands don't have to be jazz influenced. Witness The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-81020957036788875512011-03-17T10:04:00.000-07:002011-03-17T16:31:00.050-07:00

Omnidity is pronounced like Humidity. Omnidity is a noun. Omnidity.com has one T. Omnidity.com kicks off April 15. Until then, enjoy some horn band music on the oniditty (2 Ts) blog.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-38864045794172020722009-10-29T15:35:00.000-07:002009-10-29T15:36:22.733-07:00

Sorry. I forgot to renew the registration. We are back online now.Mark

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-47771427523816025602009-01-26T06:56:00.000-08:002009-01-26T07:09:30.129-08:00

My last post here described my search for more space. I've been in my new office since October. During that time, I've been teaching lessons and moving in, getting set up. I've started demoing original songs. So I've put my house cleaning on hold.My album will be a love letter to rhythm and blues. I'm going to call it Endangered Species, because I'm not sure how many people will see old school R&

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-5671619176036375882008-06-09T08:23:00.000-07:002008-06-09T08:29:09.128-07:00

This project isn't working as I orginally conceived. I am actively looking for an office. I have one in mind, but there are a few details to work out. As soon as I have something to post here, I will. Just thought I'd let you know.I will write some more thoughts about music, but only after I have a fair sample of my music online. Thoughts about teaching music are usually on my other blog.

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-29360910714057309352008-05-31T06:55:00.000-07:002008-05-31T07:04:18.044-07:00

I have so much more house Cleaning to do. I came very close to renting an office space this week, but the landlord didn't want me to do anything musical there. So obviously that wouldn't work. Better to know this stuff up front than get in there and find out I couldn't use it for what I really needed.If any of you know where I can find office space cheap in Champaign, please email me. But I have

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-27789909184935715842008-05-27T20:47:00.001-07:002008-05-27T20:54:52.379-07:00

The deal is: it is hard to write a blog everyday. That is why the most successful blogs are written by teams. They, in fact become little newspapers themselves. Every blog should link to something.I listened to middle school jazz band auditions today. There was a lot of good stuff. Some of these kids really worked hard. Others...not so much. Since this is my music blog, I need to tell kids out

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4517308022722973037.post-40400863560928429572008-05-21T07:41:00.000-07:002008-05-21T07:55:35.827-07:00

My original plan for this blog was to talk about music and songwriting. But so far it has mosly been house cleaning. I've been finding old demos and rehearsal tracks and posting them here in the hopes that a few might be interested enough to purchase them. Which is cool. I still have more stuff along those lines.I have the rehearsal tapes from a duo project that Jim Sanders and did back in the

Groove Dukehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820398447900346044noreply@blogger.com0