Jubilee Quartet
Jubilee Quartets were ensembles typically comprised of 4-5 African American men who utilized their voices as instruments while harmonizing with one another. Jubilee Quartets emerged in the late 19th and 20th centuries and was derived from the Jubilee Tradition which was popularized by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the 1870s. The Jubilee Tradition features three sectors know as the: Jubilee Era, Traditional Era, and Gospel Era.
The Jubilee Period (1880-1929) was seen as the earliest stage of Jubilee Quartet. At this time, Jubilee Quartet’s were typically formed to support and raise funds for Black organizations and groups, such as the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet, through performing spirituals that express themes of faith, resilience, and liberation while engaging in harmonious vocal arrangements. The Transitional Period (1930-1945) was the point at which Jubilee Quartet had evolved to incorporate call-and-response, rhythm, and blues while still maintaining its original themes or spirituality, religion, and faith. Quartets started to perform folk spiritual songs as well as secular folk songs. The Gospel Period (1946-1969), which was the final period, begun to include instruments such as the electric guitar, drum, electric bass, and acoustic guitar. Groups begun to expand their members, while including solos as well. Overall, Jubilee Quartets were highly influential and served as a crucial link between the 19th-century spirituals and the development of 20th-century genres such as gospel music, R&B, and soul. Influential groups such as the Fisk Jubilee Singers, The Golden Gate Quartet, and the Dixie Hummingbirds played an essential role in this development.
