Grand Music: how do blockbuster albums and concept albums come into being?

Many of the albums that exist in the world are extremely short -lived, and they are collectors of songs that make people dance, smile, and cry, but sometimes people are connected with a strong bond with one special album.Sometimes.In other words, it is an album that is moved by the features and concepts of the musicians and bands who made it.One of the initial cases of music works that should be called such a sublime masterpiece, and probably one of the greatest albums in music history is John Coltrane's A Love Supreme.

In 1959, John Coltrane played in Kind of Blue by Miles Davis.This album, which is regarded as the reference point of improvisation (improvised performance), has "distilled modern jazz to a cool and elastic essence" in the words of Miles Davis.He knew how high the hurdle for true outstanding was.Five years later, John Coltrane created a masterpiece in his career, the most carefully planned recording in his career.

At that time, John Coltrane was raising children with his second wife and harp player and pianist Alice on the outskirts of Long Island.The couple share their interest in spirit philosophy, and Alice seems to be like Moses, saying, "Moses have descended from the mountains on a summer day when John Coltrane has descended on the stairs with a new complex draft.Ta "is looking back."This is the first time that we have been ready for everything in advance," said John Coltrane.This song, which later becomes the album "A Love Supreme", has a four -part configuration, respectively, "ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (Japanese title: Supreme Love Part 1: approval)" "Resolution (Japanese title: supreme love: supreme love: supreme love.

"A Love Supreme" was originally arranged for ensemble consisting of nine musicians. But when he decided to hold a recording session in New Jersey (completed on December 9, 1964), John Coltrane went to recording with his classic quartet. In other words, McCoy Tainer in charge of piano, Jimmy Garrison for bass, and Elvin Jones in charge of drums. John Coltrane himself is in charge of tenor saxophone. For the first time this time, John Coltrane has been credited as vocals (in charge of the last part of Part 1). "I think this is a powerful and spiritual work. It's a personal dedication to the supreme existence (God)," said Archi Shep, who played tenor saxophone on another take of "AcknowedGems".

In the peak of John Coltrane's career, he gained his popularity and was nominated for the two divisions of the Grammy Awards, as well as the first place in the end of the 1965 critic.This album, which was sent out to the world in the social situation in a quick -flutter, where Marcom X was assassinated at the beginning of the year, should be called a musical declaration that appeals to the soul, and immediately praise as a genius.I received it.Don Deemyaker, who gave five stars on a down beat magazine, explained in the review that the work was "promoting the introspection in the listener".He called "A Love Supreme" "art".

The influence of this album has spread to modern times.Jazz Sacher Courtney Pine says that A Love Supreme is the album he listened to in his life, and in the U2 song "Angel of Harrem", John Coltrane's masterpiece.There is an mention.

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary (Tuesday Film Series 5.9.2017)[layerslider id=”0“]

It is not only John Coltrane, who left a decisive footprint in the wider music world in the wider music world.The same applies to the works of great masters, such as Count Vacy, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Galespy, and Seronius Monk, who is good at translating emotion into the language of music.Seronius Monk and his star musician friends (Sony Rollins and Max Lawches) achieved the free -peakness that he achieved on the 1960 album "Brilliant Corners".。

From the perspective of the "concept" album, where artists show their own musical plans, jazz was ahead of pop and rock music, thanks to the simple time series.Sometimes it was a completely innovative method.For example, when Jimmy Smith created a blues + vibop blueprint for jazz organ in the 1956 epoch -making album, A New Star.There are also musicians who have challenged new territory, such as Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist Joan Jilbert, who fused melody and Latin in Getz/Gilberto.

In addition, some people pursued artistic tribute, for example, on the imagination album "Under Milk Wood" released by Stan Tracy in 1965, it was inspired by a poet Dylan Thomas in the 1950s radio drama. The songs were collected. In addition, Hores Silver's "Song for My Father" has a personal exploration, and the very important title song has been inspired by the musician traveling in Brazil. Alternatively, it will be affected by Miles Davis' Grammy Award -winning work, Sketches of Spain. These artistic boldness and the sense of music that appeal to intelligence have continued to the present era by musicians like Harvey Hancock. Harvy Hancock is now in his 70s, but he is still one of the great experiments in the jazz world.

As the popularity of rock, folks and country music grew, the ambitions of the best practitioners in their genre became bigger.In the mid -1960s, Bob Dylan's Bringing IT All Back Home succeeded in artistic and commercial success, and the musicians began to compete with each other to create music that characterizes the times.The Symphony "Pet Sounds" created by Brian Wilson and Beach Boys, "Pop" rushed into a magnificent album.In the late 1960s, rock musicians, who seemed to be bold, innovative and artistic, were in a period of stagnation in the single market, so they began to work on LP records.

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds 50th – Mini Documentary

The junction was in 1967. Immediately after the shocking album of The Beatles' "SGT. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and Jefferson Air Pretail's "Surrealistic Pillow", the format of albums creates a different challenge sound. Various bands that have noticed that they will give time piggybacked one after another. The time when a record company wanted a production line that continues to create a three -minute single, was about to disappear. In 1968, album sales exceeded the single for the first time. This was the concept of improving the quality of the Hyfi Stereo Sound and the album, which is a whole art work. The time of the LP album was spent, from a few hours to a few weeks, in some cases, in some cases.

The Beatles – A Day In The Life

This is also the time when journalism has been carefully paid to rock music.In February 1966, a student named Paul Williams launched a magazine called Crawdaddy!, Specialized in Rockn Roll Music Review.The publisher stated that the magazine was "the first magazine in history to take Rocken Roll seriously."Rolling Stone was launched the following year.

Another important turning point in the rise of the album is the instructions that the US Federal Communications Committee gave in the mid -1960s.The committee decides that co -owned AM stations and FM stations must broadcast different programs.FM stations, which would probably be more mature listeners than the AM stations, suddenly opened a door to the rock album.Several radio stations, including Wor-FM in New York, have been able to extract long album songs.Radio stations throughout the United States immediately did the same thing.Within the next ten years, the number of listeners of FM stations throughout the United States overtook AM stations.It was this time that AOR (album -oriented radio), which created a playlist based on the rock album, gained popularity.

This was also convenient for the appearance of concept albums by serious progressive rock musicians. Progressive rock fans were mainly male, and many of them were enthusiastic enthusiasts of new type of music created by pioneers and skilled craftsmen. Progressive rock musicians believed that they were pioneers during the time Rock Music had been evolving and improving. While Emerson Lake & Palmer's drummer Karl Palmer said he was making 'higher quality music', while Jesus' John Anderson was the transition of the times, the progress of the rock was the progress of rock. He thought he had stepped into a higher art format '. Perhaps this was the ultimate appearance that "pop" turned into "rock".

The lyrics of many albums in the 70's are more ambitious than pop songs in the 1950s and 60s.Examples, metaphors, and fables are coming out one after another, and Emerson Lake & Palmer is a song, and has boldly taken up the fable of "weaponed Armadillo (" Almadiro Tank ")".The rock band, probably inspired by "SGT. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", seemed to be comparable to the explosive increase in the avant -garde's work in the Vivap era.In the album production, there was a belief that the sound should be from a different element, with a more unified theme.

In the June 2017 issue of New Yorker, Kerefa Sane summarized the reason why the new genre is maintaining permanent popularity."The pioneers of the progressive rock have been convinced of the outrageous ideas. Weird musical instruments, fantastic lyrics, complex song composition, esoteric concept albums, flashy solo, more flashy live. The audience is the audience.Genesis, a new electronic keyboard called Melotron, a vocalist, John Keats, and all of the philosophical fables based on the ends of humanity, dressed as bats like an alien commander.I was able to enjoy it with one song ("Watcher of the Skies").

Genesis was one of the bands that opened this path.Regarding the tremendous long song "Supper's Ready" with a total length of less than 23 minutes, Peter Gabriel said, "It's a personal journey that will walk in the Revelation scene of the Bible at the end .... This is the case.Let's do it. "

Genesis Watcher of the Skies Live Shepperton Studios 16mm HD – 30/31 October 1973

Another way for rock bands to create a magnificent atmosphere was the use of orchestras.This is the technique that jazz musicians used to do.Jazz Symphony, composed by Duke Ellington in 1943 for the first concert in Carnegie Hall, was one of the most ambitious works for him.The orchestra sound was also very effective in the revolutionary album Charlie Parker with Strings, which was announced by Vav in 1955.

The modern representative person in jazz and classical fusion is Chick Korea, and he has made it in 1996 in The Mozart Sessions.The album was made with Bobby McFarlin and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.Chick Korea, a former sideman of Miles Davis, always wanted to make a lofty and ambitious album.And in 2013, he realized it again in "Trilogy" announced by Concord.This three -disc live album is described as a "musical autobiography that makes you dazzling."

Rock musicians followed the trace of Charlie Parker's road. The world of rock and classical music is now common, but it was a groundbreaking method in the 1960s. Moody Blues has opened the path in the 1967 Days of Future Passed. The London Festival Orchestra, conducted by Peter Night, participates in this masterpiece album. At the center is the surprisingly wonderful "Nights In White Satin". Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra (Deep Purple and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) was another decisive moment. In this work, John Road has become a leading person, and a collaboration between the rock band and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has been realized.

Deep Purple, London Symphony Orchestra – Smoke On The Water (Live)

Richard Harvers said in UDISCOVER's "25 Classic Orchestra Rock Songs":"There is Jesus among the other progressive practitioners who used the orchestra effectively. They are Richie Herred's cover song" NO Opportunity Neckessary, NO Experience Needed ", the movie" West (Big West "(Big Western partOriginal title: THE BIG COUNTRY).After Rick Wakeman joined, Jesus no longer needed an orchestra.This is because his keyboard set did the same job.However, Rick used the London Symphony Orchestra in his solo album, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

On the other hand, sometimes only one song creates a big shock wave.Procol Harm's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and Doors' Light My Fire are good examples.At the end of 1970, "LED Zeppelin IV", which was recorded for more than three months in London, contains some magnificent songs, but the majestic "Stairway To" written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.Heaven (Japanese title: Stairs to Heaven) "There are few songs that are as famous.

In addition, philosophical themes may stimulate creative impulses.Until now, many musicians have used the story of Orpheus and Eurudike for their music.Ancient Greek mythology is the source of not only individual songs, but also countless books, drama, poetry, opera, ballet, and a wide variety of albums.The Russian composer Alexander Zouvin's rock opera and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hacket's instrumental album, Metamorpheus.Probably the most interesting is the wonderful and strange album "Hadesdown" by Country Musician Ane Mitchell, projecting this myth in New Orleans after the Great Depression.

There is also a masterpiece album of "pure art" born from literature. One of the successful examples, first, was inspired by Billy Idol's "Cyberpunk" (William Gibsun's 1984 novel "Neuromancer"). In addition, Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom JOAD" (Original Title (Original Title: The Grapes of Wrath)). And one of the many works inspired by Edgar Alan Poe's "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" The story of mysterious and fantasy -the world of Edgar Alan Po). Then, the rush of the rush (the credit includes the praise of "Ain Land's talent", but the basic part of the album is parallel with her second -handed novel "Anthem (original title: Anthem)". Conversely, the whole "2112" is a graphic novel lyric video). And Camel's "THE SNOW GOOSE" (Paul Garico's short story of the same name). Furthermore, Pink Floyd's "Animals" (I got a hint from George Owell's "Animal Farm"). David Bowie's Diamond Dogs (Japanese title: Diamond's Dog) is also inspired by George Owell.

Rush – Tears (Lyric Video)

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Another symbolic album in the 1970s is Caravan's "IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINK", which belonged to the so -called Kanta Berry scene in Kent.This work, which uses the artwork influenced by Tolkin in the jacket, is regarded as the best masterpiece of this band.

It is not only literature to drive people to make magnificent music.Historical cases can also be the source of the album concept.It is almost an unknown but gemstar work, for example, like Eric Brace & Karl Strhab's folk opera "Hangtown Dancehall".There are various works by one of the band.They published in 2003, Dance of Death, include a series of songs on the subject of death in historical background, including powerful Passchendaele.

Rick Wakeman is convinced that Woody Gasley's 1940 album "Dust Bowl Ballads" is the father of all concept albums and has influenced many backwards in popular music. One of the people. Country music also has an album that includes magnificent and social claims. In 1964, Johnny Cash recorded "Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian". The modest songs, which have a small number of sounds, are constructed mainly on stories about non -human barbarism for indigenous residents. At that time, the Federal Congress had just passed the Civil Rights Law, which aims to improve the life of African Americans, and Johnny Cache believes that his own song could pay attention to the same human rights issues. I was.

Johnny Cache, a “black man”, also produced an album entitled “America: A 200-Year Salute in Story and Song”.Here, the theme of violence in his home country's history has been pierced for all 21 songs, from the legend of the Big Foot to the Abraham Lincoln Getsberg speech, and the slaughter of Alamo, Johnny.Cash is handled.

However, country albums can have artistic ambitions without serious social themes. Emiloo Harris called the 1985 album "The Ballad of Sally Rose" and called "Country Opera". The theme of this work is a single singer with a wild and alcoholic musician as her lover and her adviser (vaguely modeled on Gram Parson). The songs, which are also involved in the participation of Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, are connected so that they are flowing, making them feel almost continuous. Coincidentally, both Johnny Cash and Emiloo Harris are the concept albums ("The Legend of James") in the concept album ("The Legend of James") in the concept of a magnificent story featuring Jesse James in the western part.・ Bands Rivon Helm are both participating.

In addition, Country's masterpieces include Willie Nelson's Red Headed Strange and Kenny Rogers & The First Edition in 1968, Ballad of Calico.In the latter song set in Calico, a town of California, each member of the band is in charge of vocals, and plays different characters such as "Village Evil Building" and "Post Delivery Dog Dormousy".There is.Strictly speaking, it is not a country music, but it will also refer to Eagles' Hotel California, which deals with the pleasure of the American culture, which appears repeatedly the theme that appears repeatedly.

Political interest has played a major role in producing important and uniform albums and songs. It contains spectacular music by a variety of musicians, from Green Day to Nina Simon and Kanye West. John Baes has released the Spanish album "Gracias A La Vida" for Chilean people suffering from President August Pinocheto's dictatorship. Gil Scott -Heron initially debuted as her writer. His 1970's 1970 poems, SMALL TALK AT 125th and Lenox, later became a song in which a former novelist himself sang and read on a percussion. Chicago -born activist in the 1970s announced many important albums, including "Pieces of a Man" and "Winter in America". In his own words, he became able to draw "black experience in the United States in all directions."

Another way to stimulate imagination was the use of another self.The most famous is Sgt. Pepper's Sergeant, but David Bowie's "The Rise And Fall of Zigy Stardust and the SpiderS from Mars" is also wonderful and impressive.Pink Floyd's "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Japanese title: whistle at dawn)" is an album that is always on the list of historical masterpieces, but the two -disc album "The Wall" is going on it.rice field.The work, which depicts the story of the socially alienated hero Pink, is regarded as one of the greatest concept albums ever.

The same category will be The Hoo's "TOMMY".This is an album created when Pete Townsend was inclined to the teachings of Indian leader Mhero Baber, who had been outnight for more than 40 years.Pete Townsend was considered a mental allegoric work, with the "rock opera" as the main character, "a boy with hearing, speech, and visual impairment."The release of this work (May 1969) is regarded as an important cultural case.

The Who – Pinball Wizard (Live)

Occasionally, musicians pretend not to take their own "art" too seriously. Jeslo Tal's "THICK AS A BRICK (Japanese title: Gerald's dirty world)" is included only one song, which is divided into two parts and half on the front and back of the analog LP. This was a work written as an ironic anti -concept album. Surely, however, this parody work has eventually counted as one of the concept album masterpieces. The same strange is the Small Faces's "Ogdes' Nut Gone Flake". On the album B side, a strange story of "Happiness Stan" is being developed, with Stanley Anwin, a comedian actor, tells an incomprehensible story in a spike Milligan style.

Some albums, which are positioned as the masterpiece, create a psychological and emotions.For example, the Kinks' "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" stirs, and it seems to be a painful nostalgia.In the past, the kinks had a lot of short and sharp satire songs, but eventually we started to create a unified ambitious masterpiece, centered on one theme.Next to The Village Green, he produced "Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) (Japanese title: Arthur or the decline and destruction of the British Empire)".This album, which shows social claims and sharp views on the subject of dissatisfied workers, received a wide range of praise.

In the case of musicians with successful major works, minor masterpieces may be overlooked.Watertown, released by Frank Sinatra in 1970, is a good example.This great singer singing over 11 songs is a sentimental story of a man abandoned by his wife, which is underestimated but really wonderful.

Some musicians seem to be able to make almost no complex and challenging music.Beck, Patty Smith, Fair Port Convention's 1969 masterpiece "Liege and Leaf" Richard Thompson, Jackson Brown, Greachen Peters, Elton John, Tim Hardin,And the David Ackles of American Gothic and Lucinda Williams, who breaked in the 1989 CAR WHEELS ON A Gravel Road, apply to this category.The same can be said to be psychedelic visions in Great Full Dead and Jefferson Air Plain.

Beck Song Reader – Heaven’s Ladder ft. Beck (Lyric Video)

Of course, if you are worried, this list can continue infinitely.But if you didn't touch Van Morrison's ASTRAL WEEKS, it would be extremely negligible.The album, which is a drummer of Charlie Parker, is a masterpiece of jazz rock that transcends the times.Before the announcement of "Astral Weeks", Van Morrison was mainly known for singles such as "Brown Eyed Girl", but this album is consciously made as one independent work, and the album is all over.Was a label called "IN THE BEGINNING" (= first) and "Afterward" (then).The work is still a feat that has been set up by music and imagination.

Another musician who has consistently aimed at the height of artistic ambition is Tom Wates.Tom Wates has been pursuing the life of a lower -class society in the United States, through a series of magnificent albums, in a series of spectacular albums, spending self -destructed nights, such as alcohol and drugs.In 1987, Franks Wild Years was the protagonist with a fallen man named Frank O'Brien, with a subtitle "UN Operachi Romantico in Two Acts".

Some bands will affect the following music flow.Tangerine Dream produces many albums that can be called impressive electronic crazy plays.Leader Edgar Flose has been inspired by Hungarian avant -garde composer Ligeti Gelge Charundle, and when she creates an album like "Atem", she says, "In the scope of others and their own abilities.On the other hand, he said he was trying to leave a small indicator to show his respect with courage.Tangerine Dream was affected by the fact that those who aimed for the index were involved in many new Age bands.

Interesting in the production of magnificent music has been burning red in the 21st century.Max Richter's innovative concept album "SLEEP", based on sleep neuroscience, is a long -length work of 8 hours, 24 minutes and 21 seconds.In May 2017, when the film was performed at a Barbican performance in London, it was held as an "Outdoor Concert" with a bed for the audience.

Max Richter – Dream 3 (in the midst of my life)

Contemporary bands that create a fulfilling content music include Scotland Mogwai.There will also be an electronic music by Aefex Twin (one of the alias of Richard David James).Texas's rock band, Explosions in the Sky, called his impressive albums the "mini -symphony with mental purification."

He is the founder of the Progress Psycho Delic band nominated for the Grammy Award for adding ambitious concept albums to the list of musicians who are currently producing. There is Steven Wilson. Stephen Wilson himself talked about the long -awaited album "To the Bone" to be released in 2017, "To the bone, in many ways, loves when I was young. I was inspired by a very ambitious progressive pop work that I couldn't do. For example, Peter Gabriel's "So", Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love", and talk talk "THE". Color of Spring, and Tears Four Fears' Seeds of Love. "

Stephen Wilson says:"In lyrics, the 11 songs of this work seem to be a concept that the truth is likely to be freely bent, and the paranoia chaos of the present era, refugees, terrorists, and religious fundamentalism.There are a wide variety of people's views on the daily life of the people, and the simple reality of the songs that I have made in my career so far.I'm there. "

Steven Wilson – Pariah ft. Ninet TayebSteven Wilson – Song Of I ft. Sophie Hunger

What is a stimulus to create a great album is a joyful escape, political anger, poetic lyrical, or a personal mental exploration journey.Not important.The important thing is to talk to the listener's soul, as John Coltrane said.That way, you will be more likely to contribute to one page of the history of "magnificent music".

Written by Martin Chilton

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