Print
Category: Creation
Hits: 2579

The musical world is a menagerie of types and styles that are really a gumbo of sounds and culture that has been recorded for posterity.  Many times you will hear a person say, 'I like rock' or 'I like House Music' and you may get an idea of what type of music they listen to and more specifically, what bands they dig.

Over the years the types and styles of music have changed and in the popular culture there is a constant evolution of sound.  People get caught up in the wave of the music of the moment, and it is here that styles emerge and new styles form.

Modern Pop Music as an industry, has some work to do, in order to maintain it's current order and structure in terms of business and marketing of new music.  Because people have one rare commodity, time, they tend to stick with what they know, finding an artist they love and listening again and again.  This created some very massive artists, that have very massive expenditures to bring you their art, often times silencing the little people along the way.

Since the industry got on it's feet and started to really get Madison Avenue behind it, there have been countless types of music, or dances, or changes for unique marketing purpose to reach the young and easily influenced.

Dubgrass has all of these essential qualities, but goes much deeper.

Dubgrass is Conscious Music, because it is intentional.  The intention of Dubgrass Music is to take the rhythm of the industrial forces, the machines, and their pulsing drive that punctures the subconscious in repetitive trance, and mix it with the lightly bubbley high pitched rants of the American Bluegrass instruments, including the Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle, Harmonica and any other live instrument you can find.  

The intent is to bring these disparate ideas together, to create a new culture, and influence change through creative development.  The music goes much deeper than the sounds because it has the many elements of relevance in culture and because the connection to source that sound imbues, both from repetitive trance, and whole tone vibration, can move mental mountains.

There are many artists that are displaying this sensibility in the modern media marketplace.  Among them is some very popular musical acts across many spectrums of music.

Nashville has taken on a new twist of style with many of the digital drum enhanced tracks that the artists are displaying among them Carrie Underwood and New Pop Diva Taylor Swift.  The trend of blending the Bluegrass Instruments and the industrial rhythms of EDM are only going to continue and prosper.  Although there are many people who will try to influence the way the music is portrayed or played, there is really very few that know the truth of what Dubgrass means, and how it should be used.

Music is magic.  Because vibration is the basis of all form, music connects us to the source through vibration and resonance.  Science has begun to understand the ancient mystics long held belief of the power of sound for healing, increased awareness, and connecting to a higher sense of self.  All of these are necessary for a new creation, and for life to continue existing and flourishing into the future.

The fact that a Dubgrass is a type of plant that helps to stop erosion on beaches all over the world, is analogous to the way that this music will captivate and collect audiences around the world.  It is world beat music mixed with american early jazz influences and styles, a Bluegrass 2.0, grittier, funkier, and closer to the source, with collective harmony being the goal.  It will edify the masses in a way that allows for mutual respect and understanding and collective trance vision of a harmonious future.  

Music transcends time, geographical boundaries and political boundaries.  If it didn't there would be no censorship of musical styles and there would be no roll and roll revolution like we saw in the last 50 years since music has been amplified and recorded.  Dubgrass music is transcendant in it's ability to blend with so many other world music styles flawlessly, and to lend itself to the world community as a bridge of understanding to fight cultural erosion and tyranny of the self. 

Dubgrass is music for the SOUL. 

Many artists are bridging the gap between the sounds of yesteryear and the big beat of today's world music scene including some of the members of Beats Antique and many lesser known collaborative artists.  A simple search for Dubgrass Music on the internet will turn up many leading edge thinkers in today's music scene.  Here are a few top choices:

World's Finest is a band from the west coast that is making a name for themselves nationally and internationally.  From their bio on ReverbNation:

Creating what could best be described as Neo-Americana, World's Finest has bridged the gap between ska, Americana, dub and bluegrass. Hailing from all over the country, the band is comprised of five members: Chris Couch (acoustic guitar, vocals), Dan Hurley (electric banjo, vocals), Sean McLean (sax, electric guitar, vocals), Evan Malfer (electric + upright bass), and Mike Apodaca (drums). Even with their very different musical and geographical backgrounds, they have undoubtedly found inspiration in each others' taste, talents, and sensibilities.  "

Congrats to them for taking this to the streets and making some headway with a unique sound.  It will be great to witness how they take this type of communication up to another level.

 Another up and coming Dubgrass artist is the band Folkbot.  their track Dirty Jeans is right on target although it is just a sample of the things to come, i'm sure.  Their other track Dragon Slayers is tight as well.

 

His slide guitar and pickin' style will leave you clapping along and tapping your toes in roundabout rhythm and revelry.  Another good song by this Stompgrass Guru is titled My Education - The M.C. Folkway, check it out on Soundcloud.

And yet another that is taking the world and Nashville by storm is Crowder and their Album American Prodigal which is tearing it up right now on the charts.  The electric banjo and harmonica are a natural pick for the deep bass beat he is pulling us through.  Good song and Album by musician Steven Crowder and his band, buy their merch at http://www.crowdermusic.com/

Of course, you can hear more Dubgrass from yours truly on my Soundcloud and Youtube Channels, or just visit my Art and Music page for more background info and entertainment from me, Electra Weaver, and get ready for that Dubgrass Revolution!, it has begun.

 

But for now, here's an early track that has some nice bass and strings arrangements to get you into the mood.  More to come on the origins of Dubgrass and what it'll mean for the future of creativity - stay tuned!