1. History of Blues & Jazz Many many years ago in the 18 th -19 centuries, thousands of black Africans were taken as slaves from Africa to America. They travelled by ship and it was likely that people died and were thrown out into the unknown seas. They were also sold in auctions and their families were split up. Their children was taken away from their parents and husbands from their wife. That was how the African slaves lived.

2.  The middle passage was the second leg of the triangular slave trade route between 1450 and 1860. Although slave trade was banned by the British in 1807, in America by 1808, France and Netherlands in 1815, Portugal on 1817, and Spain in 1820 illegal trade continued for some years.   It is estimated that 13% of the captured slaves did not survive the journey before the 18th century. Diseases, starvation, and the length of passage were the main contributors to the death toll. Many believe that overcrowding caused this outrageously high death rate, but amoebic dysentery and scurvy were the main problems   More Africans died when they were captured, enslaved and transported to the ships instead of on sea. In fact, only 15% were estimated to have died during journey.  The men were normally chained together in pairs to save space — right leg to the next man's left leg — while the women and children may have had somewhat more room. The captives were fed very small portions of corn, yams, rice, and palm oil. The Middle Passage

3.  For the Africans, Music was the only thing they can do to keep them in the tune and rhythm. African Music is really exiting and majestic for their rhythms. They were usually played on drums because drums was the most popular African instrument used, Such as: Djembe, Kutirinding, Tran bat, Fulla Djembe, Tama, Dun ba and more! The slaves made drums in different sizes, sometimes small or big and they are played by fingertips, palm of hands or sticks. Other Percussion Instruments  The Djembe Shakers are made from containers with pebbles and tambourines.  The Anklets have bells so they can jingle while dancing with tambourines.( Which created Offbeat rhythms)  The African slaves used Bones to cattle.  Large Beef Bones were used as drum sticks.  Jawbones were scrapers when they scraped with keys or metal objects by teeth.  The Fiddle was a string instrument played by a curved bow. Blue’s Music

4. Blues’ Singers Full Name: McKinley Morganfield Born: April 4, 1913 Issaquah County, Mississippi, United States Died: April 30, 1983 (aged 70) Westmont, Illinois, United States Genres: Blues, Chicago blues, country blues, Delta blues, electric blues Muddy Waters was an American Blues’ Musician. He is considered “The Father of modern Chicago Blues” and was a major inspiration for the British blues explosion in 1960s. Full Name: Bessie Smith Born: April 15, 1894, Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States Died: September 26, 1937, Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States Bessie Smith was an American blues singer. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Full Name: Riley B. King Born: September 16, 1925 (age 89), Berclair, Mississippi, United States Riley B. King, known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist.