ethnomusicologist Charlie Keil

(one of our heroes)

Charles Keil professed American Studies at SUNY/Buffalo until censorship pressures and a shrinking context made early retirement seem attractive. Leaving Buffalo for Lakeville, Ct. in 2000, he plays in subfields of the "joyous science": applied sociomusicology, groovology and echology. Publications in process include Born to Groove (w. Patricia Campbell) {borntogroove.org}; Polka Theory: Perspectives on the Will to Party; and, The Rhythm Section - probably a series of short books, and/or additions to this website, on the ethnography of "participatory discrepancies" in jazz, blues, and related musics.

Keil's earlier publications:

• Urban Blues 1966/1991
• Tiv Song: The Sociology of Art in a Classless Society 1979
• Polka Happiness 1992; My Music 1993
• Music Grooves 1994/2005
• Bright Balkan Morning: Romani Lives and the Power of Music in Greek Macedonia 2002

have been given a sympatico narration ("Up from Darien") and review ("In the Crucible of the Party") by Robert Christgau.

With Angeliki Keil and Kilissa Cissoko, Keil helped found MUSE Incorporated in Buffalo circa 1990. (See Appendices A, B, C, D at Born to Groove for more info).

Ongoing projects include poetry, jamming for dancers (Biocentrics, Berkshire Stompers), songwriting, the 12/8 Path, sounding sangas, conservingconsensus.us, and giving drum lessons.

Take to the streets and start spontaneous "path bands

A few years back was promoting the idea that all of us take to the streets and start spontaneous "path bands".....that were "mobile, inclusive, and wear funny hats".......and his new field of "applied groovology" ("groove" referring to the musical notion of playing in a "groove").
He has since retired from academia, but is still music ally active.....check out: Music Groove Bios

Born To Groove
A book by Charles Keil and Patricia Campbell
www.borntogroove.org

A suggested workflow for Applied Groovologists who use this site

1. Learn about groovology.
Read the chapters, blogs, discussions, wiki, glossary, etc.

2. Apply what you've learned and what you know.
Go out and lead or teach kids in dancing, drumming and singing.

3. Come back and share what you've learned in the process.
Blog, discuss, build the wiki or the glossary.

Repeat.

*You will need to sign up for a free user account if you want to contribute to the interactive features of the site. There is no need to sign up to simply read what is offered here.

And other upcoming publications such as, "Perspectives on the Will to Party."

Past

MUSE, Inc. Musicians United for Superior Education (MUSE)

We integrate the arts, teach dancing skills first, and have the best and most holistic way into drumming, musicking, dramatizing, etc.

This reminds me of ethnomusicologist Charlie Keil (one of my heroes) who a few years back was promoting the idea that all of us take to the streets and start spontaneous "path bands".....that were "mobile, inclusive, and wear funny hats".......and his new field of "applied groovology" ("groove" referr ing to the musical notion of playing in a "groove").



He has since retired from academia, but is still music ally active.....check out: www.borntogroove.org And other upcoming publications such as, "Perspectives on the Will to Party."

From: "Charles Keil"
Nov. 8th, 1999
We are in the process of updating our web site at MUSE, Inc. to include an application process so that anyone anywhere can apply to us for help in starting up a MUSE program in a school, community center, church, wherever an institution and an artist can form a partnership to get a tradition started for empowering young children. We have a very modest budget to help start-ups in the spring, but we can enlarge that budget year by year if we have evidence that people really want to do this in diverse localities and are forming the artist-institution partnerships to make it happen. Please pass the word along to anyone you know who might be interested in nurturing the process, making an application, building a tradition.

The article, "Incorporating the Muses" in RADICAL TEACHER No. 52: 37-43; "Dance Daily. Dance Early. Dance Now" summarizes MUSE work to date and goes into some detail about tradition-building and mentoring. "Incorporating the Muses" is a broader overview. Kilissa Cissoko's detailed plans for getting started have been available at the site for quite a while and FIRST OF THE MONTH; articles by Chris Small, Charles Keil, Allen Farmello that all make the case for moving ad grooving in time as a fundamntal childhood experience. supply theory and context for the practices we want to develop. So please visit www.musekids.com over the next few days and give dance a chance.

Best wishes and let's get more children moving and grooving at earlier ages.

A "MUSE program" is simply "children learning a dancing - drumming - singing - arts - integrating - performance tradition thoroughly and passing it on to younger children."

We want to see "MUSE programs" of all sizes, shapes and descriptions popping up everywhere and so we are looking for people we can support with money, encouragement, consultations, who are already doing this work. We hope to receive dozens of applications, more each season, from people who want their children to become highly skilled in dance-music-performance at very early ages.

Charlie Keil
Email

22 Wells Hill Rd,
Lakeville, CT 06039
Phone: 860 - 435 - 8120
Phone MUSE at 716-834-MUSE

Background

Charles Keil professor of American Studies at SUNY/Buffalo until censorship pressures and a shrinking context made early retirement seem attractive. Leaving Buffalo for Lakeville, Ct. in 2000, he plays in subfields of the "joyous science": applied sociomusicology, groovology and echology. Publications in process include Born to Groove with Patricia Campbell; Polka Theory: Perspectives on the Will to Party; and, The Rhythm Section - probably a series of short books, and/or additions to this website, on the ethnography of "participatory discrepancies" in jazz, blues, and related musics.

With Angeliki Keil and Kilissa Cissoko, Keil helped found MUSE Incorporated in Buffalo circa 1990. (See Appendices A, B, C, D at Born to Groove for more info).

Ongoing projects include poetry, jamming for dancers (Biocentrics, Berkshire Stompers), songwriting, the 12/8 Path, sounding sangas, conservingconsensus.us, and giving drum lessons.