The History of American Music

Intro Questions:What is culture? What is

cultural history?What do we mean by “popular” culture?How has music both impacted and been shaped by history?What is the difference between “commercial” and “artistic” success? Which is more important?

African-American HistoryForced transportation and enslavement across Atlantic (1600s-1800s)

Conversion to Christianity

Abolition of Slavery (1865)

Reconstruction & Lynching

Segregation

Migration from country to city and South to North

The Great MigrationAfrican-Americans move North

From the “Old” World...American music created out of mix of traditions from Europe and AfricaLegacy of ballads and classical music from EuropeChanting, drumming, rhythms, and oral history from Africa

Influence of “Griot” from West Africa“Folk” music as representation of ordinary people and their histories and cultures

Into the “New” WorldEnslaved Africans and European Immigrants bring their cultures to America (Melting Pot)

Influence of West Indies culture, New Orleans and “Creole” (mixed race)

Work songs, song leaders, “call and response” “If the trees are to be cut, you must sing. Without song the bush knife is dull.” (Nigerian proverb)Early kind of protest music

Religious influence, spirituals (Baptist)

Hint! Test Question #1

What historical factors lead to the creation of American music? How did both Europeans and Africans influence this?

The Blues

Blues

Simple form: 3 chords, usually in12 bar sequencesAAB Rhyme PatternSolo performance, Personal/Emotional/SpiritualBUT ALSO: Communal, Oral History and StoriesImprovisationPercussive Rhythm

Blues ThemesWork/Labor

Religion

The Devil

Travel and the Crossroads

Sin and Vice (Drinking, Gambling, Fighting, Sex)

Love and Death

Freedom

Early Blues Music

Individual performance (Solo)Acoustic guitar

HarmonicaVocal changes: shouts, moans, falsettoUse of slides

Early Blues Greats

Robert JohnsonSon HouseBlind Lemon JeffersonCharley PattonLightnin’ Hopkins“Ma” Rainey

Expansion of the Blues

Early recordings bring the Blues out of the SouthBlues records become popularImpact of the electric guitarBlues music influences Jazz, Gospel, and Rock ‘n’ Roll The “roux” or base for all forms of American popular music

Blues Icons

Bessie SmithMuddy WatersHowlin’ WolfB.B. KingJohn Lee HookerStevie Ray Vaughn

Hint! Test Question #2

What themes did blues musicians focus on? How did the lyrics of blues songs reflect the life of black Americans? Explain how the blues captured the experience of African-Americans in the period after emancipation.

Jazz

JazzBorn in New OrleansCreated from Ragtime and BluesLarger groups than blues, usually bands or orchestrasVariety of instruments: Trumpet, Piano, Trombone, Saxophone, Rhythm section (guitar, drums, bass), VocalistClose connection to dancing and live performancesImprovisation and soloingSyncopation (Playing off the beat)

Jazz (continued)Major Jazz cities:

Chicago

New York City

Kansas City

White and black musicians not allowed to perform together

But in late night jam sessions whites and blacks shared music

Jazz slang words: “Cat,” “chick,” “cool,” “dig,” “funky,” “hip”

The “Jazz” AgeImportant Events of Early 1900-1929:

World War I

Prohibition

The Roaring Twenties

The Great Migration

Harlem Renaissance

“Flappers”

Big Band and “Swing”1930s-1940s

Major Events of 1930s

Great DepressionThe Dust BowlWorld War IIContinued problems with segregation and civil rights

Bebop (1940s-1950s)Experimental ChaoticSmaller Groups (3-5)Extensive solosProblems with Drug UseCreated big division in jazz

Jazz Icons

Louis ArmstrongDuke EllingtonBillie HolidayElla FitzgeraldCharlie ParkerThelonious MonkMiles Davis

Hint! Test Question #3

What major events influenced jazz music during the twentieth century? How did jazz change from the late nineteenth century to the 1950s?

Rock ‘n’ Roll1950s and 1960s

Origins of Rock ‘n’ Roll

White musicians incorporating elements of the BluesBut also influenced by Country, Folk, and JazzInvention of Electric Guitar (1936) and AmplificationTelevision (Huge impact from 1950s onward)Cold War and American Prosperity“Baby Boomer” Generation, Teenage Rebellion

Early Rock ‘n’ Roll

Chuck BerryElvisBo DiddleyJerry Lee LewisLittle Richard

British InvasionThe Beatles, The Who, The Yardbirds, The Rolling

Stones

Bob DylanBrought new sound to “popular” musicCombined folk, blues, rock, country, and other genresLyrical geniusUnconventional voice“Like a Rolling Stone”

Psychedelic RockSan FranciscoClosely connected to Hippies, Communes, and Drug CultureMajor bands:

Grateful DeadJefferson AirplaneThe Doors

Woodstock (1969)

Hint! Test Question #4

What technological advances were significant for the popularity and success of Rock ‘n’ Roll? How did Rock develop from earlier forms of music?

Protest Music

Why do we protest? What does this term mean?What issues cause people to protest? Has this changed?How have songs become important to protest movements?Do music and politics mix? How?

Introductory Questions

Folk tradition-Woody GuthrieWork SongsBlues and JazzMusic in the 1960sPunk and ReggaeHip hop and Rap

Examples of Protest Songs

Protest Song against LynchingBillie Holiday- “Strange Fruit”

Bob DylanGreatly influenced by Woody GuthrieSongs about civil rights and anti-warDubbed “Poet of his Generation”Turned against folk and “protest” music when he went “electric”

Hip HopCreated in black inner-city neighborhoods

Themes: Racism, Poverty, Police Brutality, Inequality

Examples:

Public Enemy

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

Run-DMC

Jurassic Five

Hint! Test Question #5

What is “protest” music? How has music been an important form of political expression? What issues or problems have artists raised in their songs?

Music Today1970s-2010s

Major Genres of the Last 50 Years

Punk

Heavy Metal

Funk

Hip Hop

Disco

Pop (Popular)

Rap

Grunge

Electronic Dance Music (EDM)

Indie (Independent)

Impact of New Technologies

New Recording FormatsMTVDigital StorageThe InternetNapster

The Future of Music?