A smile is a guitar in the hands of Franck Szypura

[caption id="attachment_21842" align="alignleft" width="300"] Franck Szypura[/caption]

Carol Forsloff---The smile draws you in.  The music keeps you.  It's Frank Szypura, a Frenchman of the singular skill of making everyone feel good the instant his face appears, along with the trusty guitar that makes blues the king of music wherever he plays.  An interview with this fine musician gives us some insight on how he came to be the delight he is to fellow musicians and fans alike.

Szypura is French and says he struggles a bit with English.  But his answers in this interview offer the flavor of the man, the tasty flavor that can only come from his own style, so it is left here as he writes in his own English.  That smile remains part of the flow of his language, in the way it spreads to everything he does, including the notes of the guitar.

1. When did you begin to perform music? At what age did you start singing or playing an instrument?

I start to play a guitar in 1997.

2. Did you learn music by having lessons or did you learn on your own?

I learn by myself

3. Who encouraged you the most in learning and performing music?

A friend of mine who took her guitar lessons, encouraged me and showed me one thing,
the pentatonic scale, from here everything is open for me.

4. Have you been primarily a soloist or member of a band?

I Never play in band or made a gig, Hard to find a band to play only improvisations.  LOL

5. Are you a fan of some of the television programs like “The Voice” or “America's (or your country)
Got Talent”or American Idol or any of the other programs that present contests

I like "The Voice" because, is good to judge by the voice that the look of the person!
Voice make the music, not the Look.

6. What motivated you initially to be involved in music?

Maybe the fact to create something artistic without wanting to copy.

7. What are your personal favorite music genres? Who are some of your favorite performers?

Big question.   I'll try to be brief, I love much style of music, Rock, Pop, Funk (old school), Soul, some Few Rap, Classical music, Hard rock, and many others.  But he who rises above all is unquestionably the Blues, it was like a revelation for me.

Before I was listening without really paying attention, as you listen to a song that comes on the radio while doing something else.  Then this friend who was taking guitar lessons and showed me the pentatonic scale, was a fan of Blues, he has made me listen Blues song, Classical Tittles and made ​​me love him as I love him and now even more.

The Blues grabbed me and never let go of me.  everything was said about the Blues for sure! For me, the Blues is more than music, it is a second language. The Blues and guitar are Married, make one! In the Blues The guitar is like a voice. For sure much Music use Guitar but it is often there to support, to the rhythm and let the place to the singer. Sure great rock solo part too!! But he's not like the Blues! A Blues Solo is really Different that a Rock Solo! In how to make and play. It's what I think.

When I take a guitar, and when I play a Blues Impro, often I don't know the backing where I play on.  Or in just  20 seconds, I discover it along the time that I play on it.

Like that the Feel is pure, you see, nothing previous before. I always play like that, and I like to play like that. With a free spirit, free mind.

It's important for improvisation.

I think about nothing, and I play, just play! and nothing else. And let the feel make what he want!
The Blues permits that! As I saw in a comment on my Song "Directly from your heart to your fingers, to our Ears!" and it's so true.

It's why I love the Blues, Don't Follow the standard musical code, or just a little, get on track, but occasionally do not take, without lose them views.
Is like that, that iIdon't like to make cover, just to say "hey you see, I know to play this song"   Because it's not yours.   Ok,  you play on it, but is not yours.

My favourite performer is Stevie Ray Vaughan. He's my maestro! My guitar god! If I play guitar it's because of Him.  The first time I listened to him it was like a slap, that got my attention.  So I said to myself, "Wow!! Ok we can do that with a guitar."

And it was more exciting when I saw Stevie Vaughan  in a video, for the first time. One of my big musical "slap" that I ever had.  It really got my attention.

After Stevie Vaughan my favorites are Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Freddie King, David Gilmour and many other blues guitarists . Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa in the young generations guitarists are among my favorites.

Mark Knopfler is another favorite.  I discover the guitar world with him when I listen to "Private Investigation of Dire Straits.  It was like a spark in my imagination.

8. Do you compose music?

No, because my musicals knowledges is really limited.
I composed some instrumental songs but nothing extraordinary.

9. Do you have other family members who play music?

Yes.  My Father Played a Diatonic Bandoneon, like in the Argentine Tangos.
Astor Piazzola is his god!

10. Are you active in a music group of any kind?

No.

11. How often do you play music, including for your own recreation?

As often as I can. Every day at this time.

12. What barriers have you found in the music business? What do you think might improve the music business?

Now the music industry is based on the profit over the artistic statement. Let's say the two go together, but the first incentive has become the greatest.  I don't know exactly what can we do to improve the music business, may be post at the right place the good persons!
I am more of an artist than a banker.

13. Are you active in any music organizations such as ASCAP or BMI?

No.

14. Would you encourage a young person starting out to seek music as a career?

I don't know. I don't have the knowledge to do that. But if I could say something, I would tell him to open the right doors, and even if it is good, to be careful.  I would say not to hurry and rush head first into anything.

15. Where do you see the future of music?

I think music will always be present.  It will continue to evolve. Music has always been here, and I think it always will be.

I can't imagine a world without music.

And we can't imagine a world without Franck Szypura and his music.  And you can find him here, like many of his fans, and smile along with Franck.  (http://fandalism.com/skylismo)

 

Portland has the blues real good

[caption id="attachment_15578" align="alignleft" width="300"] Buddy Moss Green, the type of image of the blues given in the music history of the play[/caption]

It was a balmy evening in Portland, Oregon on Sunday and at the local downtown theater was a performance based on the blues  that made folks want to dance, sing and celebrate, as the crowd was doing tonight.

Portland, Oregon inherited a number of jazz musicians from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. As a result, it now has a solid fan base for jazz. Every summer Portland has a major jazz concert and is known to be one of the best venues for jazz on the West Coast.   That's because that fan base extends to almost everyone who appreciates good music in the authentic way it is performed in New Orleans. That city, of course, birthed many of the blues musicians, and is often the topic of songs that are identified with blues and jazz.

It Ain't Nothin But the Blues played to a packed audience at Portland Center stage Sunday night. This was its final performance in the town. The play looks at the history of the blues from its African roots and continues the thread of discovery through mountain music and those other music forms that are derived from the blues and gospel identified with African-Americans. But the musical.   But the play makes sure that folks recognize the blues as a form of musicthat belongs to everyone. Even so, its heart beats in the black culture of America

A fine cast that included Mississippi Charles Bevel, Eloise laws, Sally Mayes, Sugarray Rayford, Chic Street man, Jennifer Leigh Warren and Trevor Wheetman presented the kind of performance that brought the audience to a standing ovation several times.   Classic favorites included Danger Blues, Black Woman, Child of the Most High King, St. Louis woman, Sweet home Chicago, and Crawling King snake as well as rendition of Good night, Irene in a rocking blues form. Many other songs rounded out the program that gave the audience an opportunity to see some talented performers sing these traditional songs in ways that were thrilling to the audience and blues fans. A standout performance by Jennifer Leigh Warren of Strange Fruit showed serious skill of the vocals in this musical. The rest of the musicians were of the same category of wonderful

So if you're in a town where It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues is offered, waste no time to get a ticket for one of the best performances you will find anywhere, and the joy of listening to your favorite blues songs by some of the best musicians around.

Singing to improve memory and health

[caption id="attachment_14949" align="alignleft" width="150"] Alberta Hunter[/caption]

Carol Forsloff - Like to sing, but don't think you should because you don't have a "good voice?"  Or do you think you're too old to belt out that old blues song you used to love?  It turns out singing is as good for your memory as anything you can do as you grow older, so with those health benefits, it's time to sit down and make yourself heard song-style.

Music as a business is tough these days,  as economic troubles place the arts in difficult times.  But then the blues age came into and out of hard times in those roaring twenties that cut through the Depression and came out the other side to the blues artists of today.  Still if you're feeling the blues when times are tough, the best way to revive emotionally, building those mental chains, is to learn to play an instrument and start to sing.

And you're never too old.  Alberta Hunter, the famous blues singer of the 1920's and who wrote songs for Bessie Smith, the legendary songstress of some of the most famous blues songs, was still making music in a lusty voice well through her 80's, with her last song not long before she died, as she approached 90 years of age.  Her voice was clear, and her talk-singing, coupled with the clear notes that came from a still-strong voice showed that age had not dampened the lustrous blues anthems she continued to offer, including for White House functions during the administration of Jimmy Carter.

Experts tell us that singing not only improves memory but lowers stress as well.    The health benefits keep coming, as you continue to sing.

This author gave up singing more than 15 years ago, except very occasionally on long auto trips here and there.  It was that creeping age, that voice inside that said, "You're voice will crack, and then they'll know you're trying to be something you're not anymore."  The inner nudges were disregarded, those nudges that were reminders of a need for music bypassed for the humdrum workaday tasks.

Time passed, and at a local Portland party, a few notes came out unexpectedly,  then were hummed throughout the week for pleasure.  This suggestion to do more became nearly an obsession.  That obsession had come from the desolation without song.    Singing over and over everywhere brought more and more notes to include, some songs to embrace and others to change to suit voice and style.

It's your time too.  If you want to play with music, have a go.  If you want to sing, just for yourself, do it now and don't let that inner voice rob you of one of the best ways to keep moving and youthful.

Sing your song.  You'll remember it, and that song will help  keep your memory  for it, and for other things you love,  to cherish for years to come.