Social Music - The Album by Ginger and The Schnappes
Congratulate us! Ginger and The Schnappes has officially released our first album! It’s 10 songs - all originals! Yup, that’s right, we wrote the music, wrote the words, improvised the solos, created the whole experience. We are very proud of this collection of swing tunes, jump tunes, beautiful ballads, latiny rhythms and even a New Orleans style song. The tunes make you want to dance, tap your toes, listen, and share it with your friends. That’s the most important part - share it with your friends.
These tunes are engaging, take the song 309 for instance. It’s about all the quirky and fun places along PA Route 309 from Philadelphia to Tunkhannock. If you’re from around here you’ll know those stops and end up sharing your own stories of trips along that road.
The tunes Chrome Dome and Double Stop are big swing tunes, perfect for asking the person next to you to dance - yes, dance - an activity CoVID took from us for a while but public health and science has now restored!
The nostalgia in Drunk and Dreamy, the longing in A-Strollin’ On By, the sadness in Lament are emotions known to anyone who has been around long enough to have fallen in love at least once. Listen to these songs by yourself in a crowd through your headphones or coddled by a group of friends, you are not alone in knowing these emotions.
Pardon Me is cute and reflective (“How ‘bout for now I meditate but wait, first can I bum a cigarette?”), Prosecco, like the bubbly little drink itself, is light and fun (“Have a bellini made with Prosecco, not be a meanie share your Prosecco”), Magic Thread is full of passion (“Desperate times call for desperate measures, what this old world needs is more rhinestones and feathers”) and On Veut Faire La Fête is just a plain ol’ good time (dancin’ in the street, you can feel her heat!).
We’ve taken all these human emotions and desires and wrapped them in some cool jazz chords and riffs and neatly placed them all in one tight little LP and called it Social Music. Yes, the name of the album is Social Music. Here’s why:
MILES DAVIS: I don't like that word "jazz."
INTERVIEWER: You don't? What would you call it?
MILES DAVIS: I think social music. All the social melodies out in the air.
1982. Bryan Gumbult interview with Miles Davis
Melodies in the air, music for people to experience together and create a community around. Music to tickle the emotions and make the listeners want to talk to the people around them and share what that music just stirred inside them. Music that is accessible to anyone who is listening, actively or casually, and gives the soul a little nudge. That is social music in general, and our Social Music in particular.
Social Music - How It Feels
Social music is listening to the stereo, the cassette player, the radio, the concert or a streaming device with others and experiencing the music together. “Shh, listen, this is my favorite part,” and now your favorite part becomes your friend’s favorite part. Social music is shared. Was there ever a better expression of your love for someone then to hand them your personally curated mix-tape? “Here, share my universe with me.” Streaming services, allowing us to experience music in our own personal cocoons of earbuds and headphones, still give us the power to share our feelings about the music with the world, “I hereby give this tune 5 stars!” or “this music deserves to live - thumbs up!” These media all allow people to feel something and share the experience and that’s social music. But if you really want to experience social music in all its glory then come to a Ginger and The Schnappes show!
A thin ribbon of emotion wrapped in sound waves forms when the musicians begin to play. The musical ribbon emerges from between the guitar strings, through the fret holes of the bass, in and out the sax keys, between the piano’s hammers and strings, twirls along the drum sticks, brushes the singer’s throat then floats into the crowd. Like a soft breeze the ribbon of music enfolds the crowd, touches each person and transforms an audience into a community through a shared musical experience.
Ginger and The Schnappes is a jazz band - an accessible, entertaining, engaging jazz band,. We create a sense of belonging and community with our music and want to invite you to listen, experience and join us as together we all get nicely tangled up in the ribbon of our Social Music.