The Blues
John Mayer Trio - Everyday I have to blues VS Robert Johnson - Crossroad
????????? Which is more "Bluesy" ?????????????
|
VS. |
|
Robert Johnson |
John Mayor |
Music
|
Music
Can we see any parallels ? |
If these are the Characteristics of one of the first recorded Blues' and one of the first documented Blues Artists , Should we uphold other / current blues artists to these same characteristics - IF they are going to 'qualify to be a 'blues'?
Think of any genre (RnB, Rock, Country, house...) - What is the list of things that make it "that" particular genre?
Think of any genre (RnB, Rock, Country, house...) - What is the list of things that make it "that" particular genre?
Intro to the Blues
1. Where did the blues come from
2. Who developed it
3. What were it's predecessors
4. Musical Characteristics
2. Who developed it
3. What were it's predecessors
4. Musical Characteristics
Early Blues
Mississippi Delta
Late 1800's-1930
1500-1860
Transatlantic Slave Trade 1861 Civil War 1865 After 4 Years Confederate/South Surrenders 13th Amendment makes slavery Illegal ***** With small exception: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States, except in punishment of a crime" ****** 1890 Jim Crow Laws legally mandate segregation - With slavery as a punishment for crime and segregated prisons, the slave culture continues - And the oppression and emotions felt by those affected were the inspiration for The Blues |
Mississippi Delta
****This is similar to secular music in the early middle ages, where we only know about sacred music because the church we there only people keeping historical documents****** |
The Blues: A Folk Music
What is Folk Music?
|
Folk Music Today..........
Think about how you learned these songs...
****** These songs are not about SOUNDING GOOD ****** These songs are not meant to be ART ****** These song are not meant to be JUDGED They are meant to be... FUN or Educational **** Folk Art : Quilting, Arts/Crafts **** Folk Lore: Folktales / Urban Legends |
Early Blues Predecessors
*** These were examples of folk song***
(just like our modern 'twinkle twinkle' etc..)
Work Songs, Prison Songs
|
Spirituals
|
Field Hollers, Chants, Shouts
- Formless (i.e. no verse/chorus)
- Always sung while doing work, thus were vocal and A Capella (no instruments)
- Could be sung either solo, or in a group
- May times there is an aspect of call and response
|
|
Characteristics of Blues Predecessors
|
We can see that these earlier folk song predecessors share more characteristics with the early blues examples (Robert Johnson) [ and have less in common with the more modern examples ] |
Delta Blues
(Down Home Blues / Country Blues)
- This is the style of blues that is closest to it's folk song predecessors, both chronologically AND stylistically (how they sound)
Named for its prominence in the "Delta" region
|
|
The Blues: Class #2
Opening Videos
Folk Music
- Can see how Nationality is incorporated
- Why would it involve a costume/specific dress code?
Characteristics of Folk Music
|
|
Folk Art
Folk Art Examples:
|
Classical/Fine Art Examples
|
Which is better? Which Column contains more beauty?
Although these are totally different, we can see the value in both. This is where we have specify what our definition of BEAUTY really is
Although these are totally different, we can see the value in both. This is where we have specify what our definition of BEAUTY really is
Characteristics of Folk Art
|
|
How many of the above characteristics of Folk Art with carry over to Folk Music?
Folk Music in the Delta
|
|
Blues Class #3
John and Alan Lomax
Up through the early 1900's, music of Black Americans in the South was largely unrecorded and undocumented. As it is a folk music there are very limited records. From the late 1930's to early 1940's, Alan and John Lomax Worked for the Library of Congress. It is at this time they travel to the Deep South in hopes of recording the most authentic versions these songs possible - going straight to the source. Check out the document below created by the Lomax's from one of his trips. Here is the link for the Corresponding Album for the catalog below.
Here's a video from one of Lomax's later trips to the south.
The musician pictured is Leadbelly, a prolific figure in Early Blues History. Here is a link to more recordings done by Lomax, all Prison Blues and Songs |
|
|
SNL Blues Shack Sketch
Where does the Humor in this Sketch come from?
Why is it a matter of Authenticity?..... What does it mean to be authentic?
How could an Artist be authentic?
How do we as an audience KNOW?
Trivial/Imagined Hardship VS. Genuine Hardship
Blues and it's Folk Roots (i.e. Predecessors Work Songs/Chants/Hollers) are rooted in true, Genuine Oppression. The people singing because of the situation they had been thrust into, and the Music was a necessity of that situation.
AUTHENTIC BLUES MUST REFLECT THOSE EMOTIONS
AUTHENTIC BLUES MUST REFLECT THOSE EMOTIONS
|
VS. |
|
Compare These Two Videos:
-Do you believe John Mayer had the blues Everyday? How about compared to the prison Workers? -Consider the line: " Nobody Loves me, Nobody seems to care" Is this an emotion that John Mayer truly feels? Compared to the workers? What if the workers sung his line? Would it mean the same thing? more impactful? WHY?? =Background, Life experience of the Performer |
-What if John Mayer had to tell one of these guys that everyday he had to blues? What would the workers reaction be?
-Compared to these workers, is John Mayer qualified to say "everyday I have to blues?" Fred Mcdowell
Authentic? What if John Mayer song this song? would it be as believable? WHY?? Would we BELIEVE that John Mayer ACTUALLY drank water out of a hollow log? Does that change the meaning of the song? |
Blues = The Artist has ACTUALLY LIVED THROUGH the experiences they are singing about
In Class Assignment
Research 2 Different styles of the blues Other than Delta Blues - Reference the Wiki List of Blues Styles/Genres
For each Style, Provide:
1. A description of that genre:
-Wiki info
-Who started it, Where did it start, why did they do it
-Brief Comparison with Blues Predecessors
2. An important Artist within that genre (spearheading/groundbreaking/signifying of the genre) and the following information:
-Why are they important?
-Background information that influenced their music
3. A recording by that artist and the following information:
-Brief Background of the song
-Give your song a score from 1-10 rating it's authenticity
-Why did you give this rating for authenticity? What exactly made it seem authentic or not ?
For each Style, Provide:
1. A description of that genre:
-Wiki info
-Who started it, Where did it start, why did they do it
-Brief Comparison with Blues Predecessors
2. An important Artist within that genre (spearheading/groundbreaking/signifying of the genre) and the following information:
-Why are they important?
-Background information that influenced their music
3. A recording by that artist and the following information:
-Brief Background of the song
-Give your song a score from 1-10 rating it's authenticity
-Why did you give this rating for authenticity? What exactly made it seem authentic or not ?
The Great Migration - The Blues Evolves
Starting in the early 1900's, Many African Americans leave the south in search of better lives in cities in the north.
Along with the people, goes the people's music: The Blues. It spreads from Its birthplace in the Delta, moving West to
Louisiana and Texas, and North to Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas, and finally all the way North to Chicago and Detroit.
As it spreads, each different community it becomes a part of puts it's own spin/interpretation on it. As a result, we have
and evolving form of music with different styles of blues popping up. Click here to check out the blues route.
Along with the people, goes the people's music: The Blues. It spreads from Its birthplace in the Delta, moving West to
Louisiana and Texas, and North to Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas, and finally all the way North to Chicago and Detroit.
As it spreads, each different community it becomes a part of puts it's own spin/interpretation on it. As a result, we have
and evolving form of music with different styles of blues popping up. Click here to check out the blues route.
Vaudeville Blues
Kansas City Blues
|
New Orleans
Chicago
The Jelly Roll Kings
|