Jazz rock combos and cultural fusion in Western music

Ohlone College

At Ohlone College there was a concert series titled Jazz / Rock Combos 2010-2011. At this concert series, there were four featured performances which exhibited how the current popular culture has utilized components from music from different regions in order to create a new sound which embodies the modern mentality of unification. In the present society, so much of the world is connected that is virtually impossible to separate one culture from all the others. Modern music is influenced by all the music that has come before and by the other cultures of the world. At the Jazz / Rock Combos, four specific performances showcased the influence of ethnic and tribal sounds on the current music scene. However, in order for music to become financially successful in this part of the world, these influences have to be modified and westernized to fit the culture.

The first performance of note was a cover of the song "Mr. Brightside," which was originally performed by a band called The Killers. In the Ohlone College concert version of the song, the drummer has far more importance to the arrangement than in the original version of the song. Even though he is in the background of the stage, it is the sound of the drum that it most audible in the piece. In much tribal music, the drum is the most important instrument, often being used to symbolize anger and the need for war. Additionally, rather than the more melodious Killers version, the singer here somewhat yells the lyrics, making the song seem more an expression of anger than a song at all, which seems false when looking at the singer and noticing that he smiles throughout most of the tune. These factors work to change a song about a suspicious man's imagination into something more of a battle cry against femininity and happiness in love.

Pink's song "I Don't Believe You" is a very sad tune about lost love. What is most easily apparent in the cover version at Ohlone College is that once again, it is the instruments in the background rather than the singer in front which garner the most attention. Besides the usual and expected guitar accompanying the singer, there is a violinist and cellist. The three players stood mid-stage together behind the singer serving to literally and figuratively back up the figure of desperate womanhood. String instruments like violin and cello are usually only used for classical works of music such as symphonies or operas. To have them here then is designed to add significance to the singer and to the song.