1. Chapter 3
The Blues

2. 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
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3. 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.
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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.
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5. 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
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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.
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Blues Lyrics
Generally written in iambic pentameter - featuring five accented syllables
3 four-measure phrases were completed with an improvised fill-in
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8. 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
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9. W.C. Handy 1873-1958 “Father of the Blues”
Handy proved that money could be made from writing and publishing blues songs.
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10. 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
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11. 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
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12. 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
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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.
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