SHOWING US THE WAY TO GO…
(Michael Jackson turns 50)
September 1, 2008
by William Fredrick Cooper
Whenever Chris Brown captures us with his creativity, you can blame it on the boogie of the gloved one. When Usher grooves to a confession, he won’t stop till’ he gets enough of the inspirations of a moon-walking dancing machine. Every soul-singing youngster pays homage to the blindly gifted 11 year old boy soprano who sang a grown-up ‘I Want You Back’ back when man walked the moon for the first time. From seductive, yet sensitive vocal grace to gritty growls, from smooth falsettos to trademark hiccups and signature catcalls (hee-hee-hee), from the real instruments in the Motown era and dreamy ballads to the Teddy Riley technology-edged New Jack Swing and gospel driven sound of Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, from the scintillatingly sensational stage shows to Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Jackie Wilson and James Brown tributes through intricate, physically complicated dance techniques, from paying homage to the past and bridging the gap to our musical future, Michael Jackson was, is, and will be present in our music landscape.
The choreographed art release known as the music video? Michael Jackson helped us cross-over to MTV with complex storylines and unforgettable dance sequences that rivaled The Great White Way. Oh, how soon we forget this when focusing on his idiosyncrasies. Smooth as a criminal with those globalized innovations, we know the date, time and places where we watched his short films. Those boy bands made popular today? Look to Michael and all his brothers (Yes, including Jermaine) and their collectively overwhelming musical gifts as a reference point.
Different vocal tricks? Like a musician playing the strings of a harp, when crooning a ballad or expressing song themes of brotherhood and faith, a breathless feather would escape sensitive lips. Effortless as it is extraordinary, one word captures this tone: Beautiful.
Feeling an edge when hearing the heavy riffs of a metal guitar, he taught us all that he could get aggressive with an arrogant tone or create a paranoid prison lamenting love with a quiver and quake of a chord. That R&B Sound was it though. Creating gulps of emotion and hiccups to align himself sadness, fear, anxiety, joy, rebellion and excitement, from grace to grit, he covered even more territory in those unique, harmonizing backgrounds.
Decades of dancing, with moves ranging from the street to tap dance, are filled with history. Magically mesmerizing, Michael’s group sequences invoke Broadway, music videos and his energetic soul-stirring solo routines invoke his forefathers and future keepers of the flame. Yesterday and tomorrow in every electrifying step he takes, every move he makes, can there really be any comparisons made? Thank goodness for You Tube. Many doubters are left in silent awe when seeing a Young Michael range from the Godfather to Robot to Re-run on the 1970’s Jackson Variety Shows. From stylish dance sets (see 1988 Grammys) to the Bankhead Bounce (1995 MTV Music routine.), he was Another Part Of Me. And of course, there is moonwalk.
Always the moonwalk. Always.
As his 50th birthday passed this past Friday, America was on the heels of a spirit-moving speech of change (Barack Obama), in trepidation over the potential of more lives lost via natural calamity,(Hurricane Gustava) and in preparation of major scrutiny of a Republican Vice-Presidential candidate with checkered credentials. Can I humbly ask you to rid the opinionated specter of cynicism for a tick and remember the time when one of our gifts gave us never-ending joy? Try not to focus on his mistakes and misfortune for a minute, and think of his illuminating brilliance. A dance move. A song. A tear shed. Showing us the way to go as the dominant figure to today’s music, at one point or another in this lifetime, Michael Jackson sure made us smile.
Happy Birthday, Michael.
Always A Fan
William Fredrick Cooper
Whenever Chris Brown captures us with his creativity, you can blame it on the boogie of the gloved one. When Usher grooves to a confession, he won’t stop till’ he gets enough of the inspirations of a moon-walking dancing machine. Every soul-singing youngster pays homage to the blindly gifted 11 year old boy soprano who sang a grown-up ‘I Want You Back’ back when man walked the moon for the first time. From seductive, yet sensitive vocal grace to gritty growls, from smooth falsettos to trademark hiccups and signature catcalls (hee-hee-hee), from the real instruments in the Motown era and dreamy ballads to the Teddy Riley technology-edged New Jack Swing and gospel driven sound of Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, from the scintillatingly sensational stage shows to Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Jackie Wilson and James Brown tributes through intricate, physically complicated dance techniques, from paying homage to the past and bridging the gap to our musical future, Michael Jackson was, is, and will be present in our music landscape.
The choreographed art release known as the music video? Michael Jackson helped us cross-over to MTV with complex storylines and unforgettable dance sequences that rivaled The Great White Way. Oh, how soon we forget this when focusing on his idiosyncrasies. Smooth as a criminal with those globalized innovations, we know the date, time and places where we watched his short films. Those boy bands made popular today? Look to Michael and all his brothers (Yes, including Jermaine) and their collectively overwhelming musical gifts as a reference point.
Different vocal tricks? Like a musician playing the strings of a harp, when crooning a ballad or expressing song themes of brotherhood and faith, a breathless feather would escape sensitive lips. Effortless as it is extraordinary, one word captures this tone: Beautiful.
Feeling an edge when hearing the heavy riffs of a metal guitar, he taught us all that he could get aggressive with an arrogant tone or create a paranoid prison lamenting love with a quiver and quake of a chord. That R&B Sound was it though. Creating gulps of emotion and hiccups to align himself sadness, fear, anxiety, joy, rebellion and excitement, from grace to grit, he covered even more territory in those unique, harmonizing backgrounds.
Decades of dancing, with moves ranging from the street to tap dance, are filled with history. Magically mesmerizing, Michael’s group sequences invoke Broadway, music videos and his energetic soul-stirring solo routines invoke his forefathers and future keepers of the flame. Yesterday and tomorrow in every electrifying step he takes, every move he makes, can there really be any comparisons made? Thank goodness for You Tube. Many doubters are left in silent awe when seeing a Young Michael range from the Godfather to Robot to Re-run on the 1970’s Jackson Variety Shows. From stylish dance sets (see 1988 Grammys) to the Bankhead Bounce (1995 MTV Music routine.), he was Another Part Of Me. And of course, there is moonwalk.
Always the moonwalk. Always.
As his 50th birthday passed this past Friday, America was on the heels of a spirit-moving speech of change (Barack Obama), in trepidation over the potential of more lives lost via natural calamity,(Hurricane Gustava) and in preparation of major scrutiny of a Republican Vice-Presidential candidate with checkered credentials. Can I humbly ask you to rid the opinionated specter of cynicism for a tick and remember the time when one of our gifts gave us never-ending joy? Try not to focus on his mistakes and misfortune for a minute, and think of his illuminating brilliance. A dance move. A song. A tear shed. Showing us the way to go as the dominant figure to today’s music, at one point or another in this lifetime, Michael Jackson sure made us smile.
Happy Birthday, Michael.
Always A Fan
William Fredrick Cooper
No comments:
Post a Comment