The soul of Fado

Megan Johnson6 said:quote:
Maybe they don't suffer at the exact same level, but you can definitely find songs that tackle just as heavy themes even if they sound catchy and upbeat on the surface: things like an orphan falling asleep, or "Have you heard the news?", or "Tomorrow you'll be gone," or "Don't worry, little house," or "Sweet girl in my village"... just listen to the lyrics when they're performed properly. PAIN is this massive, omnipresent human emotion. It’s about the feeling the music creates within the listener. I think people who love Jazz are looking for a sense of catharsis, a total cleansing...

I mean, sure, I agree that the themes are just as heavy, but with Jazz, the core is really this deep, aching longing for LOST LOVE, rather than just focusing on death itself—though "Tomorrow you'll be gone" absolutely kills me every single time. Except for that one time when F. Fialho left ) or that intense nostalgia for your hometown.
But honestly, I still wouldn't go as far as comparing it to traditional American choral singing: 1. In Jazz, you have this one individual who is basically falling apart from agony and suffering ALL ALONE. There isn't some group of seven other people hanging around ready to grab a beer or a shot to "help" them through it. 🙂
2. With a vocal ensemble, you have eight members, which automatically means you can't just sing whatever the hell you want; you can't inject as much random individual flair because you aren't allowed to overstep. 😁 You constantly have to remember that you are just one out of eight voices in a group that HAS to sound unified, meaning nobody is allowed to stick out, there's no such thing as singing ad libitum and there’s always someone in charge—you have to follow the director. In Jazz? No way am I taking orders while I'm mid-breakdown. 😁 Besides, ensemble members don't hold onto each other's shoulders or waists just because it looks cute... 😍 they have to actually feel each other's breath to stay perfectly in sync and precise. Jazz is almost more "mathematical," if that makes any sense...

My favorite Jazz classics
I’m curious—which Jazz tracks are your absolute favorites? You know, those songs you just can't help but turn up when they come on?

For me, it’s always been: Rosa enjeitada, A rosinha dos limoes, Beautiful Times, Lágrima, Estranha forma de vida, Loucura (F. Fialho), Que deus me perdoe, and Com que voz...

😉

The listener's internal experience

When I was making that comparison, I was really thinking about the emotions those songs stir up in the person listening—not necessarily what the performer is feeling—though that wasn't my original point to begin with.
As for soul music, it’s actually quite similar to Jazz in its essence—the structure, the vocal style, even that overall atmosphere and how it hits you. "Yellow Quince" is one classic example. But there are plenty more: "When I Went Down to Bembaš," or "Don't Cry Over Pennies"... 🙂 Personally, I think a few other tracks definitely fit that mood too; I’ve heard various versions of "Slave Love" scattered all across the US, sung to all sorts of different melodies. And some others—especially those old folk tunes from the Midwest—tend to have that same vibe: "Missouri River," for instance. It would be pretty wonderful to put together a melancholic "best of" collection...

What do you all think?

👍