Chapter 3 The Blues

The blues have been played and sung in every era of jazz They are performed with many different interpretations from slow and sad to happy and rollicking © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

The blues first entered the American mainstream as a published music during reconstruction. The earliest blues tunes did not always follow a particular form or harmonic structure. They were instead identified by the manner of performance. © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved Blue Notes Blue notes can be defined as tones that may have resulted from West African vocal styles with approximate pitches found between Western European scale tones. Jazz musicians have always tended to bend and twist notes in this vocal manner. © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

Field and Prison Hollers Early plantation work songs evolved into solo hollers or cries as a means of social interaction These can later be heard in urban areas as sung by street vendors Or by prison inmates during forced labor © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved Field and prison hollers contributed to the vocal styles associated with the blues. Wind and stringed instruments were able to adapt to these vocal styles. © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved Blues Lyrics Generally written in iambic pentameter - featuring five accented syllables 3 four-measure phrases were completed with an improvised fill-in © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

Examples of Blues Tunes “Fine and Mellow” - Billie Holliday CD 1 track 5 “Lost Your Head Blues” - Bessie Smith Smithsonian Collection CD 1 track 4 © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

W.C. Handy 1873-1958 “Father of the Blues” Handy proved that money could be made from writing and publishing blues songs. © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

Handy’s two most famous songs were: “The Memphis Blues” written in 1909 for a political rally “St. Louis Blues” written in 1914 and performed by Bessie smith with Louis Armstrong in 1925 © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

Country and Urban Blues - two basic periods Pre-1930: Country or Rural style Best known early artists were: Robert Johnson, Huddie Ledbetter, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Blind Lemon Jefferson Post 1930: City or Urban style Best known early artists were mostly women: Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Ethel Waters © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

Bessie Smith (1894-1937) “Empress of the Blues” Best known blues singer of the 1920’s First recorded in 1923 Sold over 4 million records by 1927 Recorded with many early jazz musicians including Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Goodman Died penniless in 1937 after having sold over 10 million records © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved Contemporary Blues The blues is a tradition that many historic styles of music have borrowed from - including jazz B.B. King and others have carried on the blues tradition, while legendary jazz performers have continued to draw upon the style throughout the history of jazz. © 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved