Jordan Bogans

Jordan Bogans Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse was a sensational and melodic English singer from North London, England. Her music was a genre that consisted of soul, jazz, rhythm and blues. She was born and raised Jewish by both of her parents, Mitchel and Janis Winehouse. Her family was very musically inclined, as her uncle […]

Techno

Techno- The Belleville Three Techno music was developed in the heart of Detroit, Michigan in 1980. It is a genre of electronic dance music. It was a combination of African American music styling, with inspirations from Chicago, funk, electric jazz, and synthesizers. Synthesizers are computer based beats and instrumentalist sounds. Interestingly enough, techno was created […]

Musical Theatre

African American Musical Theatre Musical Theatre was created in order to tell stories through song, as well as dance and entertainment. Originally, blacks were not represented in musical theatre, and their roles were often played by white characters in blackface. The Origin of Cake Walk was the first all black cast musical in history in […]

Jazz

Jazz Improvisation! Jazz music was an era of class and sophistication. Improvisation is a musical concept that essentially means on the fly, many jazz performers would freestyle, or improvise, notes that were played or musical sequences. This genre consisted elements of blues in a more swing rhythm style, it was also very individualistic as well […]

Women of the Disco Era

Get Your Groove On! ..Dance! Disco became popularized in the 1970’s, this was an era of dancing and big hair! The disco era introduced a new social activity, dancing solo. Men and women were able to break out in dances and express themselves and show individuality. DJ’s were also evolving around this time, being that […]

Gospel

Gospel is to Christians as Blues is for sad times. Gospel music originates back to the early 17th century. It is a religious genre of music sung by believers of Christianity, and any of those who seek relief from hard times. This music is sacred in black culture, as it strengthens our connection to Christ. […]

Blues

Blues was a genre that originated in the 1920’s created by, like most musical stylings, African Americans, with roots from Southern slavery. This music is played in 12-bar style and has roots from gospel, spirituals, and folk. Blues is a term meaning a state of depression or frustration. It is often played as an expression […]

Negro Spirituals

The Atlantic slave trade involved the unwilling diaspora of African and Caribbean people who were forced to relocate and uprooted from their homelands by European colonialist who sought to create profit by enslaving those of color who they felt were beneath them. This involved these people of color to travel, mostly by boat, to the […]

Folk Music by Jordan Bogans

Folk music originated in the South, the land of soul, spirituals, and rich harmonies. Slaves created this style of music in order to communicate their struggle and ambitions of hope and liberation. Music, art, and dance were very important during this time period, as it gave African Americans a mode of expression and allowed them to maintain their culture despite being enslaved.

Call-and-Response was a very important musical styling used in folk music. It consisted of a lead calling out a line with a group answering. Pattin Juba was also an element within this genre, it was a dance used to tell stories through song..

Jubilee Quartets

A jubilee quartet is an a capella singing group that consists of four to six male or female voices. These quartets are traditionally African American because the history behind these musical groups began at Fisk University, a historically black college in Nashville, Tennessee. Students at this University shared a common goal to raise money for […]

Ragtime

Ragtime, the Syncopated Hit by Jordan Bogans Ragtime is a musical genre created by African Americans introduced in 1896. This colorful and creative genre of music consists of syncopated rhythm, which can be traced back to it’s African roots. Syncopated rhythm consists of unanticipated rests and accents that create an off-beat sound.  Popular instruments used […]

” Lift Every Voice” Reflection

“Lift Every Voice: Marian Anderson, Florence B. Price And The Sound Of Black Sisterhood” by Alisha Lola Jones, was an article on how Marian Anderson paved the way through her career and essentially created the  foundation for sisterhood between black women in music. Anderson provided black women with a safe place to show the world their […]