Obzeet

The music culture I have decided on is the one contained in the restaurant called Obzeet. The restaurant is located on Preston road, near the intersection with Frankford. I have visited this restaurant several times and enjoy the relaxed aura that it brings every time. The music culture here is very unique from anything I have ever seen: most of the artists that play here have created their own style, which is usually some mix of rock and country. Various other artists I have seen will do covers for different bands, and also take requests (usually from a list of music which they know). The musicians will come with a variety of instruments, but the majority of the time it will be one or two people with an acoustic or electric guitar. All of the music I have heard while going to this restaurant so far has been from the Western type of music, and all have been in the English language. The culture is definitely exclusive and mostly brings a certain type of person coming back: hippies. In a certain African language (I am not exactly sure which specific dialect it is yet) Obzeet means groovy; this is the exact feel that I get when I come to this restaurant. I can’t wait to delve further into this music culture and enjoy the rich variety that it offers!

Music Culture That has Influenced Me

Although I normally listen to music for more of a casual relaxation, certain music has definitely influenced the way I live and even how I view the world. Recently I became a practicing Christian, and joined a group on campus at UTD to be able to worship with a community. The songs I learned there have influenced my view of God and brought forth emotions that no sermon could. The first song that comes to mind when I think about this is Chris Tomlin’s version of “Amazing Grace”. This is a very popular song that is probably played around the world, but Chris Tomlin has put more of a religious spin to it in the following version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqJsBRFdrA0

As I progressed in my faith, various other songs of the similar genre began to influence me. Although the Western Christian Worship songs are not very complicated in structure, they have a powerful impact on people and bring an awesome message across. Even through tougher times when things are not going well, lyrics like the ones in “Like I’ve Never Felt Before” by Aaron Shust help you get through:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYiDETiqLCA

With phrases like “I’m at the starting line, a marathon that I’m gonna have to run in such a way as if to win the prize” (speaking about life's race), a slow soothing tempo, and an up-beat key, this song will put you in a good mood at any time of the day and help you to continue pushing in your faith. These two songs are just a taste of what Western Christian Music has done for my faith and my life.