Assignment No. 9 (LAST ONE!)

This is the last blog assignment.  This week we're going to look at some of this history's top guitar players.  Below is a list of the Top 30 guitar players in the world.  

You're job:

• Choose one guitar player (if posting on the blog, please choose someone who has not already been chosen. No doubling up!)
• Google the guitar player you have chose
• Give me 5 interesting and detailed facts about the guitarist

Top 30 Guitar Players:

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band
3. B.B. King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Chuck Berry
7 Stevie Ray Vaughan

8 Ry Cooder                                                                                        
9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin                          
10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones
11 Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana
13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead
14 Jeff Beck
15 Carlos Santana
16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones
17 Jack White of the White Stripes
18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
19 Richard Thompson
20 James Burton
21 George Harrison
22 Mike Bloomfield
23 Warren Haynes
24 The Edge of U2
25 Freddy King
26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave
27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits
28 Stephen Stills
29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges
30 Buddy Guy

You can answer by posting in the comments section of this post, by e-mailing me at aguilmette@wsd1.org or by writing it down and giving me your responses in class.

Assignment No. 8

The Junos are here in a little over two weeks!  Much like we did with the Grammy's we're going to make predictions about Canada's biggest awards ceremony for music, the Juno Awards.  We're going to continue with the Fan Choice Awards.  There are ten nominees, we've already looked at five.  Here are the remaining five.
The remaining nominees are:

Celine Dion
Justin Bieber
Leonard Cohen
Marianas Trench
Metric

Pick the artist that you want to win and give me three reasons why they should win.  Be detailed in your responses and please respond in full sentences. 

You can answer by posting in the comments section of this post, by e-mailing me at aguilmette@wsd1.org or by writing it down and giving me your responses in class.

If you would like to vote for your favourite artist go to http://www.junofanchoice.ca/

Assignment No. 7

The Junos are coming!  Much like we did with the Grammy's we're going to make prediction about Canada's biggest awards ceremony for music, the Juno Awards.  We're going to start off with the Fan Choice Awards.  There are ten nominees, we're going to look at five this week.  The nominees are:

Carly Rae Jepsen
Drake
Hedley
Michael Buble
Nickelback

Pick the artist that you want to win and give me three reasons why they should win. Be detailed in your responses and please respond in full sentences.

You can answer by posting in the comments section of this post, by e-mailing me at aguilmette@wsd1.org or by writing it down and giving me your responses in class.

Assignment No. 6

The Grammy Awards are less that two weeks away.  Before the winners are announced let's try one more prediction.  This is the award for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

Lately - Anita Baker

Love On Top - Beyonce

Wrong Side of a Love Song - Melonie Fiona

Real Good Hands - Gregory Porter

I Only You Knew - SWV

For more categories go to www.grammy.com

Only one of these songs will be named the "R&B Song of the Year" and win the Grammy. Who do you think it will be? Pick the song that you want to win and give me three musical reasons why it should win. Be detailed in your responses and please respond in full sentences. If there are any songs on this list that you have not heard, click on it to watch the music video on YouTube.

You can answer by posting in the comments section of this post, by e-mailing me at aguilmette@wsd1.org or by writing it down and giving me your responses in class.

Assignment No. 5

In keeping with the Grammy Awards theme, this week's listening assignment will focus on the Grammy award for Best R&B Song.  The nominees are:

Adorn - Miguel

Beautiful Surprise - Tamia

Heart Attack - Trey Songz

Pray For Me - Anthony Hamilton

Refill - Elle Varner

Only one of these songs will be named the "R&B Song of the Year" and win the Grammy. Who do you think it will be? Pick the song that you want to win and give me three musical reasons why it should win. Be detailed in your responses and please respond in full sentences. If there are any songs on this list that you have not heard, click on it to watch the music video on YouTube.

You can answer by posting in the comments section of this post, by e-mailing me at aguilmette@wsd1.org or by writing it down and giving me your responses in class.

Assignment No. 4

Recently the list of the 2013 Grammy nominees was released.  If you have never heard of the Grammys (or the Grammy Awards), it is a trophy presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the awards of more popular categories are presented in a widely viewed televised ceremony. It is the music equivalent to the Emmy Awards for television and the Academy Awards for movies.

This year's nominee list for Song of the Year:
Song of the Year
» Ed Sheeran - "The A Team"
» Miguel - "Adorn"
» Carly Rae Jepsen - "Call Me Maybe"
» Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"
» Fun. - "We Are Young"

Only one of these songs will be named the "Song of the Year" and win the Grammy.  Who do you think it will be?  Pick the song that you want to win and give me three musical reasons why it should win.  Be detailed in your responses and please respond in full sentences.  If there are any songs on this list that you have not heard, click on it to watch the music video on YouTube.

You can answer by posting in the comments section of this post, by e-mailing me at aguilmette@wsd1.org or by writing it down and giving me your responses in class.

Assignment No. 3

Welcome to Term 2.   For our first Term 2 blog we are discussing old songs re-done by newer artists. In all genres of music bands and artists often will cover the song of another artist.   Examples of this are Brittany Spears's cover of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' "I Love Rock n Roll," Madonna's cover of Don McLean's American Pie or Maroon 5's cover of the old jazz standard "The Way You Look Tonight."   Performing another artist's song in a new way is common place in music.

In this week's blog we will examing two songs, the original version and it's modern rebirth. The song that we will be looking at is "I Want You Back" originally performed by the Jackson 5 (featuring a very young Michael Jackson) but recently re-done by Colbie Caillat
. Jackson 5

Jackson 5 - I Want You Back .mp3

Found at bee mp3 search engine

Colbie Caillat
Click to listen

Please listen to the tracks and answer the following questions for each song:
1. Name the artist and the song name.
2. List the instruments you hear.
3. Is it a solo, duet, small group or large group?
4. What does this song remind you of? (Sights, sounds, smells, etc.)
5. What is this song about? Please listen to the lyrics and give a brief summary detailing the song's content.
6a) Do you like this song?
6b) Please give a musical reason why or why not?
7. Please compare and contrast these two songs. What aspects are similar? What aspects are different?