Origin ~ The blues was combined with elements from European and African traditions. From the European side, blues uses harmonizing. African traditions are shown thorough the “modifications in playing technique and resultant sound”. It Combines elements of jazz, R&B, and traditional gospel music, soul is a genre that became popular in the 1950s .Blues is similar to African griots, they ‘itinerant existence”.The harmonic structure of blues comes from folk ballad. The birth of blues is on the plantation country of the deep south. The dirty South. It started from George to Texas.
Characteristics~ Blues lyrics are “extremely frank and concerned with the individually person through relations to others. They express feelings, realistic and serious. They deal with human feelings and describe ups and downs of life. Normally not sung in the first person but sung directed toward another person or about someone else. may contain humor but is a tool of irony.
Social Implications/commodifications- Blues was almost automatically enter the music spectrum as popular and used in mass media. At the end of the twentieth century, almost every black community in the city had a least one vaudeville theater. There were opportunities for support of en entire class of professional Black singers. In 1912 five songs were copyrighted with the term “blues” in the title including W.C Handy’s “The Memphis Blues”. skipping to the 70s, large numbers of white Americans and those overseas began to take an interest in blues. With the growth of popularity gained sponsorship of concerts and tours and recordings.
Influences of Future Genres- Blues brought of the twelve bar three-line blues form , blue notes and blues scales, blues instrumentation and techniques. Country music has “absorbed” the blues form by the 1920s. Rock and Roll was heavily inspired by blues. Blues also influenced gospel.Through the increased use of blue notes and instrumentation. Rap artist also continued to sample blues riffs from earlier recording like the song “Otis Redding ” by Jay-z and Kanye West. A number of twentieth century composers in the classical field.
Personal thoughts- I personally love listing to the blues because of how you can hear the pain and passion with every song. It is songs of betrayal and hardship. In troubling situations its pleasing to hear songs that help you get by. It reminds the listener that what they are not the first to go through their individual situation. lastly it makes you think that your problems are not so bad after all.
Important Performers
Otis Redding- Known as the king of soul music .One of the most influential soul singers of the 1960s. His number one single “[Sittin’ On] The Dock of the Bay
Marvin Gaye- (1959-1984) Motown’s renaissance men,1971’s What’s Going On?), sexual politics (1973’s Let’s Get It On) and marriage (1978’s Here, My Dear).
James Brown-(1933-2006) Known as the”Godfather of Soul”, “Mr. Dynamite,” “Soul Brother No. 1,”and “the Minister of Super Heavy Funk” . singer, songwriter, bandleader and dancer who indelibly transformed 20th-century music. I Got You (I Feel Good),” “Cold Sweat,” “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” and “Hot Pants”
Aretha Franklin- ( 1957-2018) Queen of Soul. Singer, Songwriter, civil rights activist, piano,(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Chain Of Fools,” “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)
