Looking at the recent Grammy Awards performances, I was amazed to see the full emergence of performances in which music from several genres was intermixed, using genres themselves as a musical element. To me the smooth interleaving of several generes brings music to a new level of integration. Justin Timberlake's performance, with Jay-Z, of "Suit & Tie" and two other new old-style soul tunes,epitomized this trend. With not only rhythm & blues alternating with rap, but a classical string seque, he skillfully wove together disparate strands into a new kind of whole. While mixing of genres has old roots, such as Elvis Presley's use of a "Thus Spake Zarathrustra"" intro, it emerged for me here as a new art form.

What did you think?