Amber Reid: Global music: Let the Music Flow

Leading edge of global music: Shattering the 'World Music' Label. David Sommerstein, Kellas 105, Thursday 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Let the Music Flow by Amber Reid

Have you ever wondered why some of those American citizens, who have an issue with other cultures coming into this free country, will talk about how interested they are in that culture’s language, food, or music, but then turn the people of that culture away simply because they were not born here? For example: are those said Americans complaining at the club when the new DJ, who happens to be from Latin America, plays their favorite Latin beat? There are many possibilities as to why some people think this way, but one of the most important, in my opinion, is exposure. If those said Americans believe that, then maybe they have not had more of an experience with that culture or people from that culture. Then why tell them they cannot stay here? Although there are many different genres of music and “to find a single definition that will satisfy all is impossible,” so why not have the experience first-hand with a person with that background they are curious or interested about (Burnett 29)?

The students of SUNY Potsdam and the locals of the town are in luck, for on April 11th, David Sommerstein, a bilingual North Country Public Radio journalist and music provider will be sharing his variety global music at eleven in the morning at SUNY Potsdam. This event could allow the students, faculty, and guests who attend it see that it will bring unity, not only to a little town in the North Country, but spread that unity to the rest of the world.

Sommerstein has been presenting to SUNY Potsdam students since 2002, and is well-known locally known as well as internationally, considering he quite recently spent a year in Argentina. His voice is heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and other NPR programs. Every Friday from 3-5pm, he is regularly heard on NCPR for “The Beat Authority,” where he plays a variety of music to help his listeners unwind from work in order to get ready for the weekend. Sommerstein even has his own Facebook page called Beat Authority where people from all ages and nationalities post on his wall about the music they would like to hear or just to tell him what they have heard already and loved (Mitchell).

Check out Sommerstein’s Beat Authority Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Beat-Authority/112300745490661?fref=ts

It is clear that music can bring people from all ages, races, ethnicities, and beliefs from around the globe together. At the event, Sommerstein will be focusing on the Ñu Cumbia music genre from Argentina and the continuation of hip hop music around the world. He will also be discussing that musicians from totally different continents are working on music together without ever having to meet due to modern technology, how music from different eras are being “mashed” into new hit songs, and how fans are able to listen “live to radio stations and concerts anywhere in the world” (Mitchell). Even though the music industry is operated differently in other countries, with the new technology now, those musicians are still coming together to collaborate in making the music sound better to make the listeners feel better (Bernstein). If those musicians can do that without even meeting each other, imagine what we could do once we come together as listeners! Even Congress has attempted to bring the people from different cultures who reside in the United States together with American citizens.

President Obama has proposed an act to Congress that children, and young adolescents under the age of fifteen, who were brought to this country by their parents, can become American citizens and live out the “American Dream”; this act is known as the Dream Act. Many people are unaware of this act because it has not been passed, but this bi partisan legislation can help those kids who have known nothing but America as their home to actually become “law abiding residents” (dreamact.info). If you are interested to learn more about eligibility and requirements, below is a link to the Dream Act information website: http://dreamact.info/faq/1#1n1991
And here’s information on how the Obama administration is implementing the idea: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/15/remarks-president-immigration

This topic matters to me because I adore Spanish-speaking cultures, along with many others; but Hispanic cultures are my favorite and has been since I was very young. It has always been fascinating and beautiful to me to hear someone speak in a different language or dance a certain way or even eat a certain food. Does this matter to you? How so?

I hope people can see by the enthusiasm and participation that will come from this workshop, with the help from David Sommerstein, that being diverse is not always just an immigration issue. It can be a surprisingly fun experience to be involved in something different from your own everyday life style. I honestly feel that this workshop will allow many of the viewers to realize that in more ways than one.

Work Cited
Bernstein, Sekine, Weissmen. The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2007.
Burnett, Robert. The Global Jukebox: The International Music Industry. New York: Routledge, 1996.
The Beat Authority. David Sommerstein. Facebook.
Mitchell, J. E-mail. Potsdam College. 2013.