INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Popular Music In American History

LEARNING TARGETS  To investigate the traditional music brought to America by French, Scandinavian, Arab, and Asian settlers and immigrants.  To study examples of the syncretism or blending of French, Scandinavian, Arab, and Asian culture and traditions with American musical elements.  To learn about some of the traditional instruments and formsassociated with these musics and cultures..

VOCABULARY Cajun MusicFrottoir GamelanShamisen zydecoTaiko sansei

DIVERSE TRADITIONS  French  Scandinavian  Arab  Asian.

LISTENING ANALYSIS  “Le Two-Step à Midland”  “Zydeco sont pas sale”  “Banjo, Old Time”  “Zaffat al-Hilu” (excerpt)  “Tampopo” (“Dandelion”)

DIVERSE TRADITIONS IN AMERICA American music is richer and far more diverse due to: racial demographics commercialism.

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN LOUISIANA  French influence came from two directions.  France  Nova Scotia  Characterization that was common from France.  Aristocratic  Became the wealthy planter class  Culturally urban and sophisticated  French opera in New Orleans in the 1790s

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN LOUISIANA The French settled in Louisiana during the early 18 th century. directly from France some from the West Indies

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN LOUISIANA  Many families were wealthy.  Cultural inclinations were urban and elite.  The French Opera was established in New Orleans in 1790s.

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN LOUISIANA  Acadians  Mostly farmers and fishermen from Nova Scotia  Expelled from Acadia when they would not pledge their allegiance to the British crown  Regarded as inferior by the upper-class French  Ultimately called “Cajuns”

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN LOUISIANA  The Cajuns suffered a “second expulsion” after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the coming of Americans.  The land in which they occupied was ideal for raising sugar.

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN LOUISIANA  This resulted in further movement south and west.  Bayous and Swamps of coastal regions.

CAJUNS  This group currently represents the largest area of French-derived culture and language: those coming directly from France.

CAJUN MUSIC Cajun music was recorded in 1920s. Record companies realized the potential for marketing this style of music. The “two-step” is a dance in duple meter.

CAJUN MUSIC Cajun music was recorded in 1920s. Record companies realized the potential for marketing this style of music. The “two-step” is a dance in duple meter.

“MIDLAND TWO-STEP”  Ochere bebe, gardez donc maris quoi tu m’as fait  T’as fait la misere, o chagrin  Ouis chagrin que moi j’ai en  O he’ tit Coeur, y a pas personne qui vent les voir  Mas moi j’ai seul a la maison  English Translation:  O darling, look what you’ve done to me  You’ve caused me misery, oh pain  Oh, the pain that I’ve felt  Oh little heart, nobody knows  I’m all alone at my house.

INSTRUMENTS USED IN CAJUN ENSEMBLES  Accordion  Fiddle  Guitar  Background percussion  Drum, triangle, or spoons

CAJUN ENSEMBLES  A Cajun ensemble will include:  Fiddle  Accordion  Guitar  Background percussion instruments [triangle, spoons, drum]

ZYDECO  Extension of French influence is the Zydeco.  Cajun music by African Americans.  Features the accordion.

ZYDECO INSTRUMENTS  Accordion

ZYDECO INSTRUMENTS  Frottoir

CLIFTON CHENIER Clifton Chenier ( ) was referred to as the “King of Zydeco. He was a versitle musician who performed during the 1960s and 1970s. His signature performance selection is the “Zydeco sont pas sale,’ from The train is an important motif in blues style music reflecting the traveling careers of early bluesman.

WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE FAIS DO-DO?  French: “go beddy-bye”  Early Cajun dance lasting late into the night  Children are brought down to bed.

CAJUN MUSIC OF THE 1930S AND 1940S OFTEN TOOK THE CHARACTER OF HILLBILLY MUSIC SUNG IN PATOIS.  Regional dialect of French.  Form of French spoken by rural Franco- Americans

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC OF LOUISIANA  Like the French influence in Louisiana, the people of African descent were of a complex ranking the America.  Who were high and who were low in the social order?  High: free persons of color  Low: black slaves from Africa and the West Indies  What were some problems with the term “Creole”?  Ambiguous term: multiple meanings.  No longer used to apply to African Americans and their music in Louisiana

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC OF LOUISIANA  What was the Place Congo?  The scene of weekly black festivities and ceremonies  Whites were traditionally excluded.  On the present-day site of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Park.

ZYDECO  Difference between older and newer styles of zydeco.  Older: closer to Cajun music  Led by accordionist  Newer: closer to rhythm-and-blues  Represented by accordionists

END PART I