survival: thanks for that look at the masai. i know a bit about african native music, but never came across them.
btw, there's another tony bird out there--if you google my name, you'll get his. he's from south africa and, besides his own singing & songwriting, promotes quite a bit of native music. i heard him on NPR many years ago and nearly flipped--another folksinging tony bird into ethnic music. the world is way too small.
hankster, et al.: that GREAT american, pete seeger, has spent much of his career trying to keep america singing, trying to get america singing again, trying to get people interested in harmonizing. i think we stopped singing at one point and i wish we'd start again. singing is different than listening.
Interesting point about church musicians... I suppose I'm one of those. I've been an instrumentalist since I was small, but my wife started attending a church more than 10 years ago principally to sing. Eventually, I was recruited, and I've been having a blast. We do primarily Anglican choral music, but wow, does it have some great harmonies! Some samples of us a cappella:
(That last one is unpublished. We did one of the composers published works, and liked it. We got this one because our choirmaster e-mailed the composer to see if he had anything else that was similar. Lange e-mailed back and said "give this a try".)
I'm as much a fan of CSN&Y and The Beach Boys as anyone, but there's just something transcendent in doing it yourself. And it's not hard - it just takes a bit of work, the willingness to make a few bad sounds while your learning, and the opportunity. I think today's musical environment, with it's emphasis on passive listening, misses a lot of the essence of music.
My focus is a lot more on playing music than listening to music these days. most of what i listen to is stuff that i am working on or wish i was good enough to play. Every fri evening there are about a dozen of us who play unplugged in a bakery/caffe and though sometimes it can be a train wreck we have our moments. there are a few pretty decent voices in the group. One husband wife team that is stunning.
Tuesdays I play a plugged in open mike @ a pizza and beer joint that has some pretty good stuff happening. I usualy get to do a 6 to 8 song set and often jam with other muscians. prety fun stuff
he'd forgotten how important music had once been in his life, a powerful magnet that had drawn him into an improbable circle of friends, inside the small world of the college and outside as well: a circle that included a dentist, a farm manager, a retired mechanic who'd lost his sight to glaucoma--all bound together by the premise that music was too important to be left to professionals.
--robert hellenga, the fall of a sparrow
homemade music, easy to hear
couple of chords, sweet and clear,
couple of friends, a couple of beers
i love to fill my ears with homemade music.
homemade music, just for fun
bring it with you, honey, when you come
we've got room for everyone
that's the one for me, that homemade music.
the mandolin is ching-ching-chingin' chimes
the mouthharp player's playin' so sublime
the big old bass is boom-boom-boomin' out the bottom line
the guitar picker's pickin' that old martin mighty fine ...
Home made music is the key word there. Turn off the stereo, yank out the ear buds and pick up a guitar,madolin, fiddle or whatever wooden or brass instrument of your choice and make some music..........
I think it was Mighty Hiker who mentioned classical groups, etc.,
and I can attest to some powerful genius in lowly places.
My ex is a professional singer and performed with
the Western Colorado Chorale, directed by Dr. Mont Atkinson.
They travel but often perform at the University of Mesa State,
in Grand Junction. I went to every concert. They are on another
level from just about anything you can name... not famous, but
unbelievably, profoundly beautiful....
As far as pop goes, I have many likes but will name the smooth
harmonies of Smoky Robinson and friends....
Silly Sisters: June Tabor and Maddy Prior. wikipedia(give them money) has links. I'll throw in the name of their bass player Danny Thompson 'cause on "Grey Funnel Line" he's way involved, too.
The Chi-Lites
Ladysmith Black Mambasso(mentioned?)
Then the rest that other people have mentioned: John&Paul, Persuasions, CSNY, BeachBoys, all those little Austrian boys singing Bach (but at least they still have their cojones), Kate & Anna McGarrigle and "Emmylou Harris with anyone" for sure. You all hear Emmylou's tribute to Kate? I cry thinking of it. There must be someone I'll kick myself for forgetting. Maybe the Crickets, but mostly I like Holly on his own. Aretha is probably my all time favorite vocalist from ANY genera, but I don't know I would list her for her harmonizing. Likewise for George H. or New Orleanian music: a favorite but not for vocal harmony.
Traveling Wilburys?
Sad Day here in Seattle, where the murder of four took place at a popular U-District music venue, Cafe Racer, followed other murders leading to six dead total. I've only been there once but Cafe Racer is only a short bike ride away from my house and work. (edited)
Stereo-ized 1965 Phillips mono Missa Luba: Les Troubadours du Roi Baudouin perform an arrangement by Father Guido Haazen. The entire album has never been reissued, and no currently available recording matches the original's spirit.
Let us know!