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.
When you listen to this musical style, you will get a sense of being taken to another place; one that is more tranquil and perhaps even other-worldly, like outer space. The key theme behind the genre is to relax and feel comfortable. This is easy to understand when you consider where you might hear these tunes. It is a good choice of genre for a relaxed social setting.
While most of the genre is instrumental in nature, especially when it comes to the more modern examples, there are indeed a number of singers who attribute their success to their beginnings as lounge singers. In the swinging thirties and forties, known at the swing jazz era, this style was prevalent. However, during this time, the singers were more highly regarded than the sound itself.
Some of the best known singers from this period include the Rat Pack. Other popular vocalists during this period are Jackie Gleason, Louis Prima, Sam Butera and Sonny King. Many of the performers of this time were using music and songs from Burt Bacharach, who is a six-time Grammy Award winner and a three-time Academy Award winner. A lot of the artistes he collaborated with could be found performing in the casinos of Las Vegas.
In the 1990s, this genre enjoyed a complete revival with musical groups like Combustible Edison, The Cocktails, Love Jones and The High Llamas. In the mid-90s, a series of albums known as the Ultra-Lounge series was released by Capitol Records. The genre was in complete contrast to the grunge style that was also popular during this time.
In the new millennium, musicians and singers have revamped the entire genre by combining strong elements of contrasting musical styles. An example of this would be Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine, who covered both metal and hip hop tunes but in the manner of a lounge singer. Nouvelle Vague, a band from Paris, did something similar where 80s post-punk tunes were redone.
Ultra-lounges are like nightclubs, however the layout is more like that of a cocktail bar than one where you would find a dance floor separate to the drinking area. It is a more relaxed social setting, where there is not so much musical noise; it is much more subdued than in the average nightclub. Furthermore, in these places, you can socialize more intimately through use of their semi-private rooms.
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.
When you listen to this musical style, you will get a sense of being taken to another place; one that is more tranquil and perhaps even other-worldly, like outer space. The key theme behind the genre is to relax and feel comfortable. This is easy to understand when you consider where you might hear these tunes. It is a good choice of genre for a relaxed social setting.
While most of the genre is instrumental in nature, especially when it comes to the more modern examples, there are indeed a number of singers who attribute their success to their beginnings as lounge singers. In the swinging thirties and forties, known at the swing jazz era, this style was prevalent. However, during this time, the singers were more highly regarded than the sound itself.
Some of the best known singers from this period include the Rat Pack. Other popular vocalists during this period are Jackie Gleason, Louis Prima, Sam Butera and Sonny King. Many of the performers of this time were using music and songs from Burt Bacharach, who is a six-time Grammy Award winner and a three-time Academy Award winner. A lot of the artistes he collaborated with could be found performing in the casinos of Las Vegas.
In the 1990s, this genre enjoyed a complete revival with musical groups like Combustible Edison, The Cocktails, Love Jones and The High Llamas. In the mid-90s, a series of albums known as the Ultra-Lounge series was released by Capitol Records. The genre was in complete contrast to the grunge style that was also popular during this time.
In the new millennium, musicians and singers have revamped the entire genre by combining strong elements of contrasting musical styles. An example of this would be Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine, who covered both metal and hip hop tunes but in the manner of a lounge singer. Nouvelle Vague, a band from Paris, did something similar where 80s post-punk tunes were redone.
Ultra-lounges are like nightclubs, however the layout is more like that of a cocktail bar than one where you would find a dance floor separate to the drinking area. It is a more relaxed social setting, where there is not so much musical noise; it is much more subdued than in the average nightclub. Furthermore, in these places, you can socialize more intimately through use of their semi-private rooms.
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