Roots of Rock ‘N’ Roll

Warm-up When you think of the term rock ‘n’ roll, what comes to your mind? Where do you think rock ‘n’ roll began? (i.e. time or location)

European & African Musical Traditions in the New World Rock only made possible by the connections between Europeans and Africans North and South America and in the Caribbean Shared the same geographical space but lived in different social, cultural and musical spheres

Folk Music from the British Isles Music of the lower classes who emigrated from Britain to North America Tradition still present in the Appalachians and Newfoundland today

Barbara Allen Dates back to the 17th century Scottish Song Storytelling song  “real” story based on long forgotten incident Covered by Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones, 2013, 4:49

Old Joe Clark Up tempo jig 19th century Americanized version of British folk music 19th century Story told in everyday language Melody set to danceable beat Covered by The Dustbowl Revival, 2015, 3:36

Music of the Urban Middle and Upper Classes 18th and 19th century Europeans and Americans shared a common music Classical (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert) Popular dance music Patriotic Anthems (God Save the King) Hymns/Church Music Why? Adoption of the piano/keyboard as the favored instrument

Middle class version of folk songs Parlor Music Middle class version of folk songs Sentimental stories set to simple melodies with basic accompaniment

Woodsman, Spare That Tree Similar harmony to that of “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” Phil Harris, rereleased 2011, 2:34

African Influence We don’t know much about the music of slaves during the 19th century Why? Banned as it could be considered a form of communication How do we know what we know about slave music? Written documentation by white landowners Found their music to be “baffling” Where do we find African influence in music? Cuba, Brazil, and Latin America

Santería Adaptation of Yoruba religious practice by Cuban descendants of African slaves, mainly from Nigeria Used to help connect with orishas or personal gods/goddesses

Song for Odudua Prominent percussion Complex rhythm Call and response between leader and group YouTube

Minstrelsy, the First Synthesis First genre of American popular music Performed by Anglos in blackface Burnt cork applied to skin to change skin color Use of stereotypical speech and physical movement Synthesis Mixes folk song and folk dance: upbeat music playing while story is being told Blends European classical/urban music with black music and turns it into the Anglo-American folk style

De Boatmen’s Dance One of the first minstrel songs Daniel Decatur Emmet, 1985, 3:36

A New Century – New Sounds 20th century Infusion of African American music (ragtime, blues, and jazz) into prevailing music styles Cakewalk – social dance fad borrowed from minstrel show Coon Song – also borrowed from minstrel show

Ragtime and Its Impact Caught on around 1900 First time white Americans real embrace an authentically African American style Essentially black interpretations of European marches played on piano Animal Dances Watered down versions of black social dances popular among white youth Chicken Scratch Monkey Glide Bunny Hug

Maple Leaf Rag Scott Joplin/Alexander Peskanov, 1899, 3:10 Syncopations based on African rhythmic conception Dance music based on black beat and rhythm

Early Commercial Blues First appears at the turn of the century (1900s) Most notable blues singers are often African American women Success made record companies realize that there was a profitable market for “black music” Race Records – music by blacks and targeted towards black audiences Called this style until 1945 Titled Rhythm and Blues in 1949 First “real” music

Empty Bed Blues Bessie Smith, 1927, 6:34 Gritty vocal quality Speech like rhythm Blue notes “Real” music that conveys deep feeling

Jazz Developed in New Orleans at the turn of the century Remained regional until the early 19teens when it caught on across the country Cornet, clarinet, trombone, brass bass, drums, banjo, and piano

Dippermouth Blues King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, 1923, 2:27 Instrumental improvisation African-derived rhythm New Sounds

Modern Era in Popular Music New style: Fox – Trot Lyrics that spoke controversially using everyday speech A mutation of jazz The “white version” Tin Pan Alley Another name for this style of music West 28th Street in NY

The Varsity Drag/ Dancing Cheek to Cheek Al Jolson, 1927, 3:09 Riff Based melody Full rhythm section Two beat rhythm Irving Berlin/Beegie Adair, 2008, 3:47