What do American Idol, the upcoming presidential (electronic) elections, and railroad train horns have in common?

They’ve all been in the news lately. And the larger context in which they exist presents us with an intriguing expansion of the fuller meaning of “sound health” which has always been at the core of the mission statement of this column. Over the past twenty years that I have been writing this monthly offering, I have never simply limited my discussion to issues relating to relaxation, theories and facts concerning sound-assisted meditation and healing, as well as recordings that may be of particular interest to you.

Indeed, as a cross-cultural musicologist, I have explored the use of music in many cultures. My studies have provided me with a unique perspective on cultural phenomena like the music-fueled American Idol, as well as the stressful impact on our health by noise pollution (like the afore-mentioned train horns?). I think you’ll enjoy the following considerations, which I hope enhance your appreciation of the “hear and now.”

If you’re a long-time reader of my commentary, you may recall that I discussed the fascinating cultural implications American Idol when it first exploded on the scene. At that time, I marveled at the growth of the contestants, but questioned the “competitive” aspect, much as many writers have commented on the devouring aspect of musical competitions in the classical world. Perhaps you even have seen the movie The Competition starring Richard Dreyfuss, or Shine starring Geoffrey Rush? “Music as blood sport” was a memorable line that comes to mind.

Now, however, American Idol has hit a sour note. And it’s not just a matter of talent, charisma or packaging ... but voter fraud. Elton John and others have suggested racism plays a factor. It also seems that “age-ism” figures strongly in the mix.

What’s been totally ignored in Jennifer Judson’s stunning Gospel-inspired performance of a formerly very vanilla Barry Manilow song? It was the shockingly, highly unusual occurrence (on prime time television) of a transculturally-referenced, trance-based performance. But more on that in a moment.

American Idol doesn’t merely showcase musical talents. It seems to have catalyzed continuing creativity among the headline writers at USA Today as well. I was impressed by the prominent and perceptive coverage in articles with headlines such as “ ‘Idol’ misses a beat,” “Controversial viewer vote has ‘Idol’ tongues wagging.” They jumped right on the issues and wondered “if there was something more sinister afoot than the mere tone deafness of fans.”

Could this be a clear case of voter fraud? It certainly appeared so, when the youngest contestants got the highest number of votes, implying that many young female fans were voting many times ... and the three best singers were at the bottom of the list. The implications for the vulnerability of electronic voting, which have already been under question with respect to the Diebold machines, were a hot topic.

Art imitating life, or vice versa?

Trance Doesn’t Come About by Chance

In much of the world, there is a strong, repetitive, trance-inducing element. That component is conspicuously absent throughout most of the history of Western classical music. Only since the birth of modern jazz (think Coltrane plus modern rock, think Cream’s extended jams), and now rave/techno music has trance as a sonically-induced brain wave state been a part of our cultural landscape.

But in traditional African societies, anthropologists report that almost 90% of the religions incorporate trance-based behavior. That tradition has migrated and been reborn in the Black Gospel music tradition. If you saw Jennifer’s performance, you witnessed a classic transformation, complete with coded movements and vocal cues.

In the early l970s, Patti LaBelle was one of the first singers to go public and speak about her spiritual and sexual ecstasy during certain performances. More recently, a cover story on Beyonce in Rolling Stone was titled “A Woman Possessed.” Offstage, she’s a shy, quiet girl who talks about the family she wants to raise. But when she steps onstage, Beyonce is gripped by a sprit so powerful, it even has a name: Sasha!

That puts a whole different spin on performance, charisma, and talent, doesn’t it? That tradition, of tapping into a larger power source, was well known to ancient Greeks, who sought to be visited by their Muse. I think it’s fascinating that we’re getting a chance to witness this live and in living color.

Dreading the Din of Loud Train Horns

As housing developments continue to encroach on land previously not zoned for residential development near railroad tracks, the stressful effects of horn noise is getting a lot of attention. In my book, Sound Health (Harper & Row, l985), I predicted that this problem would only increase in the future at airports, and near the tracks.

The problem is, you don’t get used to the noise, only perhaps deadened and desensitized to it. It will affect your sleep, your relationships, and your health in general.

Opponents of the increased use of deafening sounds at railroad crossings agree that safety is an issue. But, as Les Bloomberg, head of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse in Montpelier, Vermont says, “To me, the preferred option would be to get gates and lights. There are a lot of deaf drivers, but I don’t believe that there are any blind ones.”

It will be interesting to see how over 2000 communities nationwide deal with the issue of maintaining, destroying, or re-establishing “quiet zones” near railroad /street intersections.

Do you live near a railroad crossing? If so, how do you feel about this?

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Steven Halpern is one of the world’s leading composers of music for healing, wellness, and inner peace. His recordings combine ancient principles of sound healing, the healing powers of Mother Earth, and state of the art recording technology. His latest releases are Crystal Bowl Healing and Ocean Suite. Contact Steven at AskDrSound@innerpeacemusic.com or visit his website at www.stevenhalpern.com.

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