Rock Roots 4:Rock Roots 4:

Gospel, Tin Pan Alley, Gospel, Tin Pan Alley, and the “Latin tinge”and the “Latin tinge”

GospelGospel

• Combination of blues + spirituals + Combination of blues + spirituals + European hymnsEuropean hymns

• Emerges as separate Emerges as separate genregenre (category of (category of music) c. 1930music) c. 1930

• First songs in genre by Thomas A. Dorsey, First songs in genre by Thomas A. Dorsey, aka Georgia Tom (“It’s Tight Like That)aka Georgia Tom (“It’s Tight Like That)

Gospel QuartetsGospel Quartets• Gospel songs often performed by small Gospel songs often performed by small

ensemblesensembles

• Quartets developed unique soundQuartets developed unique sound– a capellaa capella (unaccompanied) singing (unaccompanied) singing– one person sings melodyone person sings melody– others accompany byothers accompany by

• imitating instrumentsimitating instruments

• vocalizing with ooohs, shoo-bops, or other soundsvocalizing with ooohs, shoo-bops, or other sounds

Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet - Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet - Golden Gate Gospel TrainGolden Gate Gospel Train

• backing vocalists imitate train - “backing vocalists imitate train - “vocal vocal percussion”percussion”

• swinging, eight-beat feelswinging, eight-beat feel

• riff-based accompanimentriff-based accompaniment

• highly syncopatedhighly syncopated

• call and response between lead and backing call and response between lead and backing vocalsvocals

Soul Stirrers, Jesus I’ll Never Soul Stirrers, Jesus I’ll Never ForgetForget

• More pop music influenceMore pop music influence• Rhythmic freedom of vocal lineRhythmic freedom of vocal line

– Flourishes = Flourishes = melismas melismas = more than one = more than one note per syllable of textnote per syllable of text

– Signature of gospel styleSignature of gospel style• Instrumental accompaniment - voice and Instrumental accompaniment - voice and

pianopiano

• Clear blues influenceClear blues influence

Mahalia JacksonMahalia Jackson• Vocal style clearly influenced by bluesVocal style clearly influenced by blues• Blue notes, pentatonic (five-note) scale, and Blue notes, pentatonic (five-note) scale, and

Western harmoniesWestern harmonies• Accompanying instrumentsAccompanying instruments

– electric keyboardelectric keyboard– Hammond organ - typical “gospel sound”Hammond organ - typical “gospel sound”

• Ex. Move On Up A Little HigherEx. Move On Up A Little Higher

Folk MusicFolk Music

• Old-time, mountain music doesn’t catch on Old-time, mountain music doesn’t catch on commercially in same way commercially in same way

• Re-emerges as folk musicRe-emerges as folk music

• Begins early 1930sBegins early 1930s

Rise of folk music due to:Rise of folk music due to:• Public works project in DepressionPublic works project in Depression

• John Lomax and son Alan record African-John Lomax and son Alan record African-Amercian folk songs in southAmercian folk songs in south

• Union building activities, labor rallies in Union building activities, labor rallies in NYC provide audienceNYC provide audience

Woody GuthrieWoody Guthrie

• Combined country music, old-time music, Combined country music, old-time music, pop songs, cowboy songs into new musical pop songs, cowboy songs into new musical stylestyle

• Topical lyrics in pop music frameworkTopical lyrics in pop music framework

• Plain singing stylePlain singing style

Tin Pan AlleyTin Pan Alley

• New York center of music publishing New York center of music publishing business (near 28th St.) beginning c. 1880sbusiness (near 28th St.) beginning c. 1880s

• Professional songwriters employed in Professional songwriters employed in “factories” to turn out songs“factories” to turn out songs

Tin Pan AlleyTin Pan Alley

• Initially songs in the mold of Stephen Initially songs in the mold of Stephen Foster hits (Old Folks at Home, Camptown Foster hits (Old Folks at Home, Camptown Races)Races)

• Incorporated whatever styles rose to Incorporated whatever styles rose to popularity - vaudeville, Broadway reviews, popularity - vaudeville, Broadway reviews, jazz, ragtime, blues, etc.jazz, ragtime, blues, etc.

Popular Song to 1950Popular Song to 1950• gently flowing, “conversational” melodiesgently flowing, “conversational” melodies

• melody + accompanimentmelody + accompaniment

• lightly syncopated, jazz/blues inflected lightly syncopated, jazz/blues inflected singing or playingsinging or playing

• conversational lyricsconversational lyrics

• influence of dance rhythmsinfluence of dance rhythms

The “Latin Tinge”The “Latin Tinge”

• Jazz, later rock, contain hints of Latin Jazz, later rock, contain hints of Latin American musicAmerican music

• Themselves fusions of European music, Themselves fusions of European music, African music, native musics of Central and African music, native musics of Central and South American countriesSouth American countries

• Main types: rumba and mamboMain types: rumba and mambo

Rumba Rumba

• Dance popularized in 1930sDance popularized in 1930s

• Introduced by Cuban bandleader Don Introduced by Cuban bandleader Don AzpiazúAzpiazú

• Injected into American musical mixInjected into American musical mix– Afro-Cuban percussion: conga drums, bongos, Afro-Cuban percussion: conga drums, bongos,

maracas, clavesmaracas, claves– Clave rhythmClave rhythm

Clave rhythmClave rhythm

• Pattern of accents that are contrary to beatPattern of accents that are contrary to beat

• Analogous to backbeat in African-American Analogous to backbeat in African-American influenced musicinfluenced music

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

C C C C CC C C C C

• Ex. El ManiseroEx. El Manisero