1. American Blues Tradition
Chapter 5
Day 2

2. SIMPLE BLUES FORM A A B (lyrics and music)
IVoice(2)IFill(2)IVoice(2)IFill(2)IVoice(2)IFill(2)I
I IV V
I – I –I –I –IV –IV –I –I – V –IV – I –I

3. Examples- Simple Blues Form
Kansas City
W.C.Handy St. Louis Blues

4. MISSISSIPPI DELTA BLUES
Mississippi Delta - Area of flatland that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee to Vicksburg, Mississippi
A number of blues styles developed in the South, but none were more pervasive than that of the Mississippi Delta

5. CHARLIE PATTON Charlie Patton – around 1881, near Jackson Mississippi
Learned guitar at the age of 14, performed music around the delta for 30 years
Made his first recording when he was around 40 years old
His vocal quality was rough, growling and intense
He often deliberately slurred his words, a practice that became an identifying trait of the Delta blues style
He also tended to let his voice blend into his guitar playing, sometimes not finishing the lyrics and letting the guitar finish it instead

6. Charlie Patton cont. Rattlesnake Blues http://youtu.be/ZRWn3zYas_I
Known as the “father of the Delta Blues”
Patton's guitar accompaniment was simple, but it created a danceable rhythm
Patton taught and inspired a number of blues singers, most notably Robert Johnson
Bottleneck guitar technique – using the neck of a glass bottle to slide up and down the neck of the guitar, allowing it to imitate sliding of the voice; characteristic of the Delta Blues

7. Robert Johnson 1911 Mississippi Took to the road to make
a living as a musician to avoid sharecropping
He was a small and handsome man; like many blues musicians he had a way with women
He spent the rest of his short life chasing after women and running away from their men
Hellhound on My Trail

8. Characteristics of Mississippi Delta blues musicians
slurred vocals
vocals blended into guitar parts
stronger sense of rhythm

9. Other Regional Blues Texas Blind Lemon Jefferson – 1893
Black Snake Moan
style was close to field holler
higher pitched singing
lacked steady rhythm

10. Other Regional Blues, cont.
Atlanta
Blind Willie McTell – 1898
I’ve Got to Cross That Jordan River
more pronunciation in vocals
lighter vocal tone
more delicate guitar playing

11. CLASSWORK/HOMEWORK
Write 4 simple blues lyrics.  (A, A, B punchline)  Can be same or different topics.