The functions of the brass section in the artistic concept of the reggae album “SKOVORODANCE”

Section 2. Kharkiv contexts

Abstract

Statement of the problem. The article is dedicated to the album “Skovorodance”, which was released in 2023 and was presented in various cities of Ukraine and on streaming platforms. The poems of the collection “Garden of Divine Songs” by H. Skovoroda in the adaptation of the Ukrainian poet S. Zhadan (plus S. Zhadan's poem “Skovoroda”) were put into the reggae style by the composer Yu. Hurzhy. The main idea is to understand the legacy of Hryhorii Skovoroda through the prism of popular music and an original combination of elements of reggae, funk, jazz, hip-hop and Ukrainian ethnicity, in which the brass section (trumpet, trombone) plays an important role. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of the functioning the brass section in the style system of pop music on the material of the reggae album “Skovorodance”. The works by . Cooper, C. King, N. Stolzoff, P. Manuel et al., which are devoted to the styles and trends of pop music, were taken into account in the study. The main research method is the interpretative one, which is determined by the performance specificity of the selected material and allows to understand the role of the brass section as a component of the score and the carrier of the conceptual sense of the album. For the first time, the role and functions of the brass section in the reggae album “Skovorodance” have been determined, which is a unique example of the rethinking traditional reggae sound in the modern space of pop culture, in particular of Ukraine. Research results. The following functions of the brass section in the formation of the artistic space of the reggae album Skovorodance have been identified. 1. The figurative one, associated with the presentation of ideas of the philosophy of freedom, self-cognition, happiness and development (songs “In Heaven”, “Happiness”). The brass section helps to embody the content into sound images through various performance techniques, such as staccato, legato, glissando, etc. (“Don't let it disappear”, “To every heart”, “Happiness”, and other). Especially illustratively, it is the using of the flugelhorn in the song “Bird”. 2. The emotional function, aimed at emphasizing the meaningful and poetic depth of the compositions (“Don't let it disappear”, “To every heart”, “Spirit”, “In Heaven”, “Happiness”). 3. The symbolic function. It is associated, in particular, with the improvisational nature of the brass parts, which reflects the spirit of freedom and creative search, individuality and inner freedom, important both for the reggae genre and for Skovoroda's philosophy. 4. The function of inter-specific “translation” and integration. Brass sound enriches the texture and sound, forms the genre identity of music. The use of traditional reggae techniques in combination with elements of jazz, funk, and authentic song tradition indicates an aware style model-making aimed at creating a modern multicultural product with clearly expressed national “cultural codes”. 5. The dramaturgical function. The brass section is involved in 11 compositions out of 12. As a result, the brass band became an active participant in the musical process, a real decoration and nourishing force of the project. Its sound affects the formation, dynamics, drive and enhances the transmission of the spiritual message of Skovoroda's lyrics through time, which is especially felt during the live presentations of the album. Conclusion. Thus, the brass section in the album “Skovorodance”, combining rhythmic, timbre, melodic and dramatic functions, is a full-fledged carrier of artistic content and emotional expression. The involvement of the brass section in the album's score also indicates the high level of musical thinking of its authors, which allows us to consider this composition an exceptional phenomenon of today's Ukrainian pop culture, capable of competing with outstanding examples of world pop classics.