During the decades of the 1950s and 1960s in the United States, a type of music emerged that became very popular for easy listening. Also known as chillout, lounge music in contemporary terms is often known as the type of sounds heard in a hotel bar, piano lounge or casino. The first appearance of this genre was back in the 1920s, when it was termed light music.
This particular genre boasts a number of musical inspirations. Electronica, swing, space age pop and downtempo are just a few of the origins of this style. Simultaneously, the genre borrows from cultural styles, such as polynesian, bossa nova and exotica. However, jazz is the predominant origin of this type of music. You will hear key instruments when listening; these include ethnic percussion, drums, the piano, the guitar and also vibraphones.
The feeling this genre of music evokes is one of tranquility and being transported to a peaceful place. Examples of this could be outer space or the jungle. The key theme through listening to this style is most certainly relaxation, especially when one considers where this type of music is heard. It is perfect for an easygoing social setting.
While a great deal of this genre is purely instrumental, particularly in modern times, there are quite a few artistes who can date the start of their careers back to being lounge singers. The swing jazz era of the 30s and 40s is also considered to be of this genre. With this era, however, there is more importance placed on the singer as opposed to the instrumentals.
The Rat Pack, comprised of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, were key figure at this time. Other known singers from the era include Sonny King, Jackie Gleason, Sam Butera and Louis Prima. Burt Bacharach was a musician, producer and songwriter who provided much of the music that these artistes would perform to. He is both a multiple Grammy and Academy Award winner. Most of the singers of this time were found in the casinos of Las Vegas.
There was another revival of the genre at the end of the twentieth century. Groups like Love Jones, The High Llamas, Combustible Edison and The Cocktails ruled the final decade. In the mid-nineties, the company Capitol Records was responsible for issuing an Ultra-Lounge album series. The entire musical style was in stark contrast to the other most popular style of the nineties, known as grunge.
At the turn of the century, the genre was again spun to create new sounds by using a combination of musical styles. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine did a number of covers of hip hop and metal tracks in the style of lounge singers. Similarly, Nouvelle Vague, a French group from Paris, used eighties post-punk tracks as the basis of their creativity.
There are club style settings where these instrumentals and songs can be heard. The locations are done in the style of a classy bar serving cocktails as opposed to the larger setting of an actual club with a separate dance floor where the music overpowers the environment. The idea behind such ultra-lounges is one of socializing on a more intimate level than in a club, with semi-private rooms and booths available for reservation and much more subdued tunes playing in the background.
This particular genre boasts a number of musical inspirations. Electronica, swing, space age pop and downtempo are just a few of the origins of this style. Simultaneously, the genre borrows from cultural styles, such as polynesian, bossa nova and exotica. However, jazz is the predominant origin of this type of music. You will hear key instruments when listening; these include ethnic percussion, drums, the piano, the guitar and also vibraphones.
The feeling this genre of music evokes is one of tranquility and being transported to a peaceful place. Examples of this could be outer space or the jungle. The key theme through listening to this style is most certainly relaxation, especially when one considers where this type of music is heard. It is perfect for an easygoing social setting.
While a great deal of this genre is purely instrumental, particularly in modern times, there are quite a few artistes who can date the start of their careers back to being lounge singers. The swing jazz era of the 30s and 40s is also considered to be of this genre. With this era, however, there is more importance placed on the singer as opposed to the instrumentals.
The Rat Pack, comprised of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, were key figure at this time. Other known singers from the era include Sonny King, Jackie Gleason, Sam Butera and Louis Prima. Burt Bacharach was a musician, producer and songwriter who provided much of the music that these artistes would perform to. He is both a multiple Grammy and Academy Award winner. Most of the singers of this time were found in the casinos of Las Vegas.
There was another revival of the genre at the end of the twentieth century. Groups like Love Jones, The High Llamas, Combustible Edison and The Cocktails ruled the final decade. In the mid-nineties, the company Capitol Records was responsible for issuing an Ultra-Lounge album series. The entire musical style was in stark contrast to the other most popular style of the nineties, known as grunge.
At the turn of the century, the genre was again spun to create new sounds by using a combination of musical styles. Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine did a number of covers of hip hop and metal tracks in the style of lounge singers. Similarly, Nouvelle Vague, a French group from Paris, used eighties post-punk tracks as the basis of their creativity.
There are club style settings where these instrumentals and songs can be heard. The locations are done in the style of a classy bar serving cocktails as opposed to the larger setting of an actual club with a separate dance floor where the music overpowers the environment. The idea behind such ultra-lounges is one of socializing on a more intimate level than in a club, with semi-private rooms and booths available for reservation and much more subdued tunes playing in the background.
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