Re: Chris Bowden sampling Sun Ra (Was: Fujees sampling ABBA)
Elson Trinidad (elson@westworld.com)
Mon, 10 Feb 1997 11:47:23 -0800
At 10.15 AM 2/10/97 CST, John Schauer wrote:
>Zachary.Cutler@oberlin.edu, 2/8/97 4:10 PM, wrote:
>>I don't think you guys are really being fair.
>#####
>
>I have to agree. In a way I find this exchange confusing. Some of my
favorite
>music that fits under the name "acid jazz" is filled with either direct
samples
>or replayed basslines, etc.
>
>For example, I heard Weldon Irvine's song "Deja Vu" recently and was
amazed that
>Spiritual Vibe's version is a straight cover, down to the soft "I wonder
why"
>being repeated in the background. Chris Bowden either samples or replays an
>early Sun Ra track on his LP. Kruder and Dorfmeister re-use a sample that
LL
>Cool J used (unless they sampled his record!)
I guess what it goes down to is not what you sample, but how you use that
sample. Both Us3's "Cantaloop" and
The Quiet Boys' "Let It Go" use Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" riff, but the
difference is that Us3 loops 8 bars of the figure with the same bassline as
the original while the Quiet Boys sample one bar of the figure and add a
totally different bassline on top of that.
Similarly, to use an extreme example, while the legendary Vanilla Ice
sampled 2 bars of Queen's "Under Pressure",
one can use different parts of that tune (i.e. the piano 5ths notes at the
end of the figure only), use an original bassline and still come up with
something cool.
Thus, perhaps the problem with pop R&B/hip-hop tunes sampling things is
that they sample _large, obviously recognizeable sections_ of it outright,
relying on the original's chord progression, groove or bassline, rather
than using it as *inspiration* for a new tune. And as for things that are
"more obscure," it's probably easier to get away with that since not as
many ears know its an outright sample (case in point, the Fugees sampling
Enya).
As for sampling wack artists and making them sound cool, has anyone sampled
a Yanni tune and made something dope out of it? Just wondering. :)
Elson
-30-
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Elson Trinidad
Los Angeles, CA, USA
elson@westworld.com * http://www.westworld.com/~elson
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