music 107
baby boomers
-BMI's war with ASCAP was the 1st strike to Tin Pan Alley's control over popular music -independent companies (record) rise; second attack -WWII helping end swing era; 3rd attack -boomers are associated with privilege and were the wealthiest and healthiest generation - found R&R; was an expression of their generation identity - first time in American History the tern "teenager" was used
When R&R Becomes a Media Event
-Black's being shunned by whites (segregation/discrimination), helped the independents. -Most "black people had to find entertainment in their homes, and the record was it. -Most favored the electrified R&B sound." -the major record labels didn't feel R&B was marketable to mainstream America, but the black immigrants were buying R&B from the independents in large numbers.
The Blues
-Blues is form and genre -The form standard is 12 bars, (can be 8 or 16) -The blues was black music created in the south -The blues was born from spirituals, works songs, field hollers, shouts and chants -The form is ubiquitous in jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll -AAB lyric form with instrumental fill -The blues is the first true expression of black life and not the white mans version of it -The blues lyrics are full of sexual metaphors
Big Bill Broonzy
-Broonzy copyrighted more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including both adaptations of traditional folk songs and original blues songs -His first instrument was the Violin (fiddle) -He made his first recording in 1927 -Between 1912 and 1917, he worked as a preacher -He replaced Robert Johnson at John Hammond's Dec. 23rd, 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall (which was dedicated to Bessie Smith).
DJs/Alan Freed
-DJs became advocates for R&B -The most popular DJ at the beginnings of R&R was Alan Freed -Freed became internationally known for promoting R&B (black music) on the radio to young white teenagers that were looking for an alternative to the "Doggy in the Window" -He was the first white DJ to program black music for a white teenage audience -Freed's show was called "The Moondog Rock 'n' Roll House Party"
Dan Emmett/the banjo
-Early minstrelsy star, gets credit for a troupes; a group of performers. -he was in a famous group called "The Virginia Minstrels" -famously wrote Dixie or Old Dan Tucker -The banjo is the only instrument indigenous to the United States
Bessie Smith
-Empress of the Blues -down hearted Blues- 1923- breakthrough hit
Mamie Smith
-First female African American artist to make vocal blues recordings in 1920 -"Crazy Blues," was a million-‐seller that revealed a fresh market for what Ralph Sylvester Peer labeled "race" records, performances by black artists specifically targeted at black buyers - it caused record companies to realize the benefit of selling to blacks, which created a sharp increase in the popularity of race records.
John Hammond
-Hammond was an American record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s -He discovered numerous musicians ranging in style and time fame to everyone from Benny Goodman, Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, etc -In his teens he began listening to black musicians in HarlemIn 1927 he heard Bessie Smith sing, which influenced the rest of his life
Blind Lemon Jefferson
-He has been labeled "Father of the Texas Blues" -The first rural blues man, folk blues man to be discovered and recorded was Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1926 or 27. -blind, discovered on a street corner playing for money by a record executive Jefferson in 1917 met T-‐Bone Walker. -Jefferson taught Walker the basics of blues guitar, in exchange for Walker's occasional services as a guide. -We have learned that Sylvester Weaver was the first to record with a bottleneck or knife blade to create the slide guitar sound. I have also read where B L Jefferson was the first to do that.
Charley Patton
-He is considered the "Father of the Delta Blues" (as is Son House) -Patton was one of the first stars of the Delta blues genre -Patton was the first authentic Delta blues musician to be recorded -Patton's music might have been a result of being hired rather than sharecropping -He used the body of his guitar to produce rhythm
James Reese Europe
-James Reese Europe studied violin and piano as a child in Washington, then moved to New York (l9O4) where he later became a director for musical comedies -Between 1900 and 1920 there were a handful of black Broadway Shows -They played into white peoples curiosity of black culture, a direct descendent of MinstrelsyEurope's band was the first black group to make recordings (from 1913)
Robert Johnson
-Johnson is probably the most famous of the rural blues musicians -He was probably the greatest and most influential of all the rural blues singers -His songs dealt with death, dying and the devil. -The most famous story about Johnson is how he sold his soul to the devil. -He can play rhythmic and melodic lines at the same time
W. C. Handy
-Known as the "Father of the Blues" -first to popularize blues- influenced music among non-black Americans -not the first to publish music in the blues form but is often credited as such -took blues from a regional music style to one of the dominant forces in American Music -exposed to Blues while waiting for a train in Tutwiler -two most famous songs: Memphis blues and saint Louis blues
Leadbelly
-Leadbelly was an Americanfolk and blues musician, had strong vocals, and played the 12-string guitar -Leadbelly was in and out of prison. -John and Alan Lomax discovered him in prison and helped to secure his release -
Minstrelsy
-Minstrelsy is the first distinctively American form of popular culture, the first form of musical and theatrical entertainment to be regarded by European audiences -was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface -mainly white performers with black face who carried out parodies of African American music, dance, dress and dialect.
Ma Rainey
-The "Mother of the Blues"; -one of the first known professional blues singers, and arguably the person who set the template for vaudeville blues performers.
Boogie Woogie
-The blues becomes danceable - The rural or country tradition of the blues that is rhythmic and is the most direct influence on early American R&R is a instrumental version of the blues called Boogie Woogie -The bass line is ubiquitous and defines the BW style ("8‐to‐the‐bar" bass line)
The Work Song
-The work song helped ease the burden of labor, more efficient, time passed faster -The work song is the predecessor of the blues -Two waves of the "Great Migration" caused the blues to become part of our national culture and heritage
Recording Techniques
-Thomas Edison invented the phonograph 1877 -The problem with Edison's invention was you could not duplicate the recordings -Each pressing was a unique recording -About a decade later (1888) Emile Berliner developed the Disc recording -He said with my invention you could do 3 things: -1)You can use this as a master so you can make an infinite number of copies -2)People will buy them (as well as a phonograph player) to play in their homes -3)The performer and the record companies can make royalties off each copy
Ragtime/Scott Joplin
-Was first developed in the Midwest. -First popularized at World Fairs and possibly at Kaminski Park. -Sedalia, Missouri is considered the birthplace of Ragtime probably because so many ragtime performers and players came from there. -The name "ragtime" comes from ragged time or syncopation and evolved into Jazz
ASCAP
-a performance rights organization founded in 1914 to protect the interest of establishers and composers -they collected and distributed performance royalties -they charge a fee for people that composed music in their catalog -ASCAP charged NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) which represented ~600 radio stations BUT they (NAB) challenged ASCAP and created BMI (broadcast Music Incorporated) on October 13,1939 to combat the rising costs of ASCAP's licensing fees
Daddy Rice
-a white actor who demonstrated the potential popularity (and profitability) of minstrelsy -His song "Jim Crow" (1829), became the first international American hit song -The cakewalk was a dance he used to accompany his stage show
The AFM Musicians' Strike/Radio/TV/Movies/WWII
-founded in 1896 -musicians strike against record companies - rise of independent record label started taking off
Steven foster
-he was the first to make a living off composing -he died of alcoholism @ age 37 -"Oh Susanna" was sold fro $100 but made millions of which he saw nothing of -his body was found with nothing but his next catch phrase for his next song
Cole porter
-public and personal life were different -he was gay so to conceal it, he got married in which his wife was aware of his sexuality; marriage was successful until he died -one of the few to write both music and lyrics -composed "I get a kick out of you" which was sung by frank Sinatra - had an accident where a horse fell on his legs; he lived his life in agony and pain -1928 was the year he wrote "lets do it" which established him for the first time on broadway
Irving Berlin
-was the most successful songwriter in American history until Lennon and McCartney supplanted him -he wrote "white Christmas," "easter parade"and "America the beauty" which is ironic because he's jewish -he had a movable because he could only play in the key C -he was musically illiterate
George Gershwin
-worked as Berlins scribe; died young of a brain tumor -had an affinity( porgy and bess which is considered Americas first opera)
three important Tin Pan Alley composers
Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole porter
It Was Just A Deam
Name the Artist: Big Bill Broonzy Who produced this concert, where was it and when? John Hammond, Carnegie Hall, 12/23/38 Who was this artist replacing: Robert Johnson
Black Snake Moan
Name the artist: Blind Lemon Jefferson This artist has been labeled: "Father of the Texas Blues"
I Get A Kick Out Of You (Frank Sinatra)
Name the composer: Cole Porter This song is an example of: The Great American Songbook: True Name the vocalist: Frank Sinatra
Cross Road Blues Robert Johnson
Name the composer: Robert Johnson Name the artist: Robert Johnson The subject of this song is: the Devil
The Entertainer
Name the composer: Scott Joplin This music was popular during: the turn of the 20th century The style of this music is called: Ragtime
De Camptown Races
Name the composer: Steven Foster This song rose to popularity during: Minstrelsy The composer of this song is unknown: False
See See Rider Bea Booze
Name the vocalist: Bea Booze Who originally recorded this song? Ma Rainey
St Louis Blues Bessie Smith
Name the vocalist: Bessie Smith Composer: WC Handy Trumpet: Louis Armstrong
Julia Ann Johnson
This recording is an example of: A Work Song Artist: Leadbelly Who recorded this song: Alan Lomax
Crazy Blues Mamie Smith
What is the significance of this recording? Name the artist: Mamie Smith Ralph Sylvester Peer labeled this music: Race Music
the cake walk
Whites imitating blacks imitating whites created the Cake Walk dance Whites imitating blacks is what led to R&R
BMI
broadcast Music Incorporated created by the National Association of Broadcasters to combat the rising costs of ASCAP's licensing fees
Tin Pan Alley
location that housed music publishers -the center of American popular music -90% of music was produced @ Tin Pan Alley - great American songbook