BLACK MUSIC RESEARCH NEWSLETTER FISK UNNERSITY

Volume 4 Number 2 Fall, 1980

The Ethnomusicolog ist and Black Music

by Bruno Netti, its scope because there were other less emphasis to the exceptional, even The LJ,iiversity of Illinois, things not being done in large quan­ Urbana, Illinois if it is the creation of superb talent. tity by traditional (or as we sometimes What they need to do now is to stretch call them, "straight") musicologists. these capabilities to extend from the I have not encountered an academic But ethnomusicologists haven't kept small and reasonably homogeneous field or discipline whose members pace with the goals implied in their societies with which they have mostly spend as much time worrying definitions. They have not dealt com­ dealt to encompass larger, more com­ about defining themselves as ethno­ paratively with all of the musics of the plex population groups. musicology. Definitions abound and world, have not looked at the oral In all of this, they seem to me to they can be discussed historicaUy, component in Western art music, have exhibited a creed: that all musics something done by the late Alan P. have not dealt with the written tradi­ are equally the product of a culture Merriam in one of his last articles tions of the modern third world, and and reflective of its values and struc­ (Ethnomusicology 21:189-204, 1977). have given little attention to the con­ ture, notwithstanding the obvious The general public tends to think of cept of music as culture in modern fact that some are harder to learn and ethnomusicology as the study of society. There are exceptions, and technically more complex than others; non-Western and folk music, of perhaps ethnomusicologists are tool­ that all peoples, and therefore all "ethnic" music, and even (heaven ing up to do more. The issue is not, musics ,are equally worth y of study forbid) of "ethnom1,1sic." Actually, all though, whether it is to be general and respect. of the definitions cited by Merriam musicologists or ethnomusicologists So much for a description of take this view, but the most respected who will do a particular job, but rather ethnomusicologists. They have done of those state or imply that that the job be done. much for the understanding of the ethnomusicology includes the study Why haven't ethnomusicologists music of black Americans, but tliey of all music, including what we con­ done more in such areas as concert have rarely looked at the total picture; ventionally call art and popular music of black composers? It may I suggest that they could do precisely genres, or that it at any rate can con­ have to do with their training. What that if they followed their definitions tribute to their understanding. Thus are they typically equipped to do? and stretched their capacities. Here Merriam himself asserts that it is the Here are a few examples. They can are some more specific contributions st udy of music in (or as) culture; deal with musical sound as repro­ which could result: Hood, that it is an approach to the duced on recordings, but typically it is 1) They could try to define black study of all music; List and Gillis, that sound in which not too much goes on music in the way they have tried to it deals with music in oral tradition at a time-monophonic singing yes, define other music, such as that of (but then, all music has a substantial orchestral music perhaps not. They American Indian peoples. The musi­ oral component); Chenoweth, that it are trained to comp rehend and or­ cal culture of an Indian society often is the music (one assumes all music) of ganize information about the total consists of music with a long tradi­ a people or cultural group. We also musical culture of a people, but this is tion, with which it identifies most find that it is viewed as the compara­ always an incredibly complex matter, closely; other traditions shared with tive study of all musics (Kilinski), the and so they are most at home in neighboring peoples, defined as such study of all the world's musical sys­ societies in which there is at least not by the tribe; and "white" music tems (Blacking), and the music of too much quantity, few people, and a (which would perhaps be called cultures outside one's own clearly defined set of functions; some­ "white" and "black" except for the (Wachsmann). thing one may find in a small tribal vagaries of American demography), None of these rules out Western art society. They are equipped to deal which they consider theirs as well, music, popular music, or jazz. with the total musical product of a but in a different sense. I have heard Ethnomusicology began as the rather people, but only if the product is not arguments about the identity of black explicit study of what was not being too large. They can, without feeling music ranging from "anyth ing a black treated by historians of European guilty, deal with the mainstream mu­ American performs" to "only what is music, and then went on to broaden sical experience o~ a society, giving specifically not shared with whites and others." The picture is of course ethnomusicological study is the iden­ approaches of music historians more complex, and the experience tification of the unit of musical should continue to be followed, as with Indian music may make it easier thought, the "piece," in each of the well as the older approaches of to recognize the fact that a society has world's musics. We think of "the" ethnomusicologists in their concern or "owns" a number of musics which song, symphony, opera as the basic with folk and non-Western music, the it identifies with itself to varying de­ musical unit in Western culture, but ultimate problems of ethnomusicol­ grees. what this unit is differs by culture. ogy as implied in the more recent 2) Ethnomusicologists could try, as The criteria are sometimes strictly definitions should also be broached. they have in the case of non-Western musical, or sometimes they have to do These would, in various ways, show societies, to describe the total musical with the association of music with us the complete picture of the musical culture. The music of black Americans individuals, supernatural figures, culture of a people. They should work is stratified in the general Western clans, or societies. Songs almost iden­ from the inside; the categories de­ manner; there is something like folk, tical, dreamed by two members of a rived from traditional Western musi­ popular, and art music. I say "some­ Plains Indian tribe, are to them differ­ cal studies should not be used. They thing like" because this tripartite ent songs; of cours-e the Indians have may tum out to be outmoded for all structure has often been applied to no trouble hearing the identity, but musics anyway. Ethnomusicological non-Western societies with only this is not the main criterion. A folk approaches should not be expected to moderate success. In India, it works song in England may exist in many show that this or that music is particu­ fairly well; in the Middle East, there variants, borrow from other songs, larly worthy of study or good-all are strata, but they are differently re­ become thoroughly diffused. At what musics are-but they could provide a lated. The Indian singer of classical point does it become another song? rational, broad perspective based on music avoids folk and popular genres, Tne implications for jazz and some our knowledge of the fact that the but his Arabic counterpart may par­ concert music are obvious. world has many musics, each to be ticipate in all. Some African cultures, These are a few examples of the understood on its own terms, as a unit as John Blacking has shown, have a way an ethnomusicological approach defined by the people whom it serves, complex network of musical strata could be used to understand the mus­ but also in relation to other musics; closely related to the strata of political ical culture of Black Americans. The and that each music, difficult or easy, power. American Indian tribal reper­ great gap is in the understanding of each repertory, large or small, is a tories are not totally homogeneous. art or concert music as a part of a highly complex and unique product Each culture has its own taxonomy of whole culture. W!hile the traditional of human culture. musical genres, and we should find out what this taxonomy is in black Black concert and recital music: A glimpse of American culture. ls it like that of Afro-Caribbean music in the early 17th century urban Western society? I doubt it, but I hope to be enlightened. by D0mi11ique-Re11e de Lenna, and African music before the Carib­ 3) This leads us of course to the Morgan State University bean was settled by these newcomers. relationship of the art or concert music Baltimore, Maryland At the least, we can identify these of black composers and its relation­ sisters as two significant musicians ship to other black music. Somehow, I In our concern for seeking a defini­ active in the West Indies well within a think the old art-folk dichotomy and tion of the latitudes of Black music, century after Columbus set foot on the way it has been studied in Euro­ too often we neglect the very signifi­ their native Hispaniola. pean music history will not apply. cant accomplishments of the Afro­ It was enough of a surprise when (Black composers possess a more ex­ American "concert" composer, not to the music of Saint-Georges (1739- tensive knowledge of folk music than mention those not native to this coun­ 1799) came to be fairly well known their white counterparts. Their use of try. This may result from a preoccupa­ during the past decade, but now we this tradition is not simply a matter of tion (if it might be called that, for the move back two more centuries, to quoting tunes, but something far moment) with economic and social contemporaries of Palestrina. more sophisticated.) Ethnomu­ concerns of our immediate environ­ The hometown of these free-born sicologists might employ concepts ment, rather than a disinterest in sur­ women was Santiago de los Cabal­ developed in anthropology in their veying the totality of universal black leros, in what is now the Dominican study of this music. In Iran I found music manifestations, or it might be Republic. We may guess that Teodora that if I could identify central values of that we do not have enough readily must have been born by 1540, and the culture, 1 could relate certain ones available information on black music maybe earlier, and that Micaela was to the traditional classical music, outside of the United States. her junior. others to folk music (known, to be A rich source for investigation is fn time, they found themselves in sure, to the urbanites) and others Cuba, from which area came the first Santiago de Cuba, about 500 kilome­ again to popular music of the mass black musicians presently known to ters west of their birthplace. Here media. Each kind of music was not us whose music might yet be avail­ they formed an instrumental ensem­ only the main expression of a segment able: Teodora and Micaela Gines. ble to satisfy the needs of the city's of the population, but meant some­ If the theories which Ernst Borne­ festivals and churches. The Gines thing to all. What are the symbolic man has expressed in "Jazz and the ladies were celebrated performers on roles of the various kinds of music in Creole tradition"1 are correct, we can the bandola (or bandurria), a plectra! urban black American society? add these to other speculations about instrument known in Spain as early as 4) One of the exciting areas of the probable acculturation of Spanish the Fourteenth Century. Joining them

2 was a violinist from Camaguey, Pas­ naissance Spain. According to a con­ FOOTNOTES cual de Ochoa, aJong with two players temporary account, they "scraped the ']azzforsc/Ju11g, vi (1969). of the pifano (probably a soprano rec­ gourd and played castanets" as well, 2Music in Latin America; an introduction, p26. order) and one.player of the sevillano, playing dances and diversions for the an instrument not presently iden­ holidays and providing music for the BIBLIOGRAPHY tified. church. By 1598, Micaela and Ochoa had left An idea of how infrequent music­ Behague, Gerard. Music in Lnli11 America; for Havana. Teodora remained in making was comes with the aware­ a11 i11trod11ctio11. Englewood Cliffs: Santiago, claiming she was too old for ness that in 1612, when the bishopric Prentice-Hall, 1979. such a trip. She then reportedly wrote was moved from Santiago, Havana's Borneman, Ernst. "Jazz and the Creole tradition" in Jazzforschung , vi (1969) a tune which has since enjoyed con­ cathedral had an organ but no or­ p99-112. siderable popularity: ",Donde esta la ganist, and the "choir" consisted of Carpentier, Alejo. "Music in Cuba, 1523- Ma Teodora?", also known as "El son only two singers on a regular basis, to 1900" in Musical quarterly, v33n3 Ouly de la Ma Teodora".lt is fascinating to be enlarged on special occasions by 1947) p365-380. think that the hemiola of the son black choristers. Coopersmith, Jacob Maurice. Mrlsica y existed in so spirited a fashion as we Somewhere in the Caribbean must m1isicos de la Rep1iblica Domi11icana. 2d find in this me'lody. In the Harvard rest more information on this early ed. Santo Domingo: Secretaria de Es­ dictionary of music, Juan Orrego-Salas history. Perhaps authenticated works tado de Educaci6n, Bellas Artes y Cul­ does not suggest a date for the incep­ by one of the Gines musicians can be tos, Archjvo Nacional de M usica, 1974. tion of the son, but he does state that it found. Meanwhile it is cetainJy in­ Garrig6, Roque E. Historia docmnentada de started as an Afro-Cuban dance in la co11spirnci611 de los soles y rayos de teresting to observe that two ladies Bolivar. La Habana: lmprenta El Siglo Cuba's Oriente province, which was were influential in the youth of the XX, A. Muniz, 1929. to be Ma Teodora's residence for the Caribbean's musical life and that, vir­ Rodriguez Demorizi, Emilio. Musica y remainder of her life. tually from the beginning, the Afro­ baile en Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo: Without our attempting to attest to Hispanic tradition is articulated. Libreria Hispaniola Editora, 1971. the accuracy of this example, or to its authorship, we note that Gerard Be­ RURAL BLACK STRING BAN D MUSIC hague does identify the existence in the Seventeenth Century of Afro­ by Charles Wolfe, even know existed: a genre that De­ Mexican music which ·employs "a Middle Tennessee State University, Ford Bailey, the famous harmonica vivid rhythm in 6/8 meter with con­ Murfreesboro, Tennessee player on the early Grand Ole Opry, stant hemiola shifts to 3/4, F or C defined for me as "black hillbiJly major as the almost exclusive keys, The first time l think [ ever seen Arnold music." "Sure," he said, ''black hill­ and the responsorial practice of so­ Schultz .. . this square dance was at billy music. Everybody around me loist versus chorus. " 2 Such is not Rosine, Kentucky, and Arnold and two grew up playin' that. Fiddles and ban­ exactly the same case here, but the more colored fellows come up there and jos and guitars; they weren't playin' parallels are striking, and the call cer­ played for the dance. They had a guitar, no blues then. It was black hillbilly banjo, and fiddle. Arnold played the 2 tainly receives a, response. Under any guitar but he could play the fiddle­ music." circumstances, if this is European numbers like "Sally Goodin." People For years the emphasis of those music, it is miscegenated. loved Arnold so well all through Kentucky studying black American folk music Already by 1580, a Cuban observer there; if he was playing a guitar they'd go has been directed to religious rejoiced at the variety of color found gang up around him till he would get tired music-the first really respectable among musical performers, making and then maybe he'd go catch a train.... l music to study-, to jazz-the first this a particular issue. One is only left admired him that much that l never forgot commercially successful brand of to imagine why this was so distinc­ a lot of the things that he would say. music-, or to blues. Yet do these tive, if not where it began to take There's things in my music, you know, three forms really account for all of the place. that comes from Arnold Schultz-runs that l use in a lot of my music. 1 rich variety of black music found in But Havana lacked musicians of folk tradition-or just the most visible any color as late as 1582, only seven Quotes such as this one from blue­ ones? What about the rural fife-and­ years before this city replaced San­ grass star Bill Monroe are by no means drum tradHion, which has lingered tiago as the island's capital. A decade · atypical. For ten years I have been unnoticed in Tennessee until this and a half later, the town council pro­ interviewing at length older country present generation? What about the vided an allowa nee of 100 ducats for a musicians and folk musicians from tradition of black non-blues secular musical ensemble. Had Micaela and the 1920's and 1930's about that misty song? And what about the tradition of Ochoa already arrived? At any rate, borderland wherein traditional the rural string band music? To these early figures were joined by American folk music was somehow explore these aspects of bllack music Jacome Viceira, a musician from Lis­ transformed into commercial country requires a great deal more digging bon who doubled on a variety of wind music; many, many of them mentiori and musical archaeology, but might instruments, and Ochoa's violin was bands such as Arnold Schultz's string yield in the end results as fruitful as joined by that of Pedro Almanza, band, point to them as influences, as those coming from jazz, blues, and from Malaga, who was probably of models, as colleagues. They point to a religious music studies. Moorish ancestry. Micaela had genre of American music that most The scanty references to rural black meanwhile switched from the ban­ scholars have ignored, and that most music in the 19th century reflect a dola to the vihuela, the guitar of Re- members of the general public do not flourishing string band tradition. As

3 early as 1774, Tire Diary of Nicholas played "Grey Eagle" wi th white ban­ fected these combinations? (Do Creswell describes a southern planta­ joist Marion Underwood for Taylor's fidd le-banjo combinations stem more tion party where "a great number of Kentucky Boys in 1927, and black common in thl' mountain•:, "ith young people met together with a harmonica stylist El Watson recorded guitar combination!> dominan, in the fiddle and banjo played by two Ne­ with the white Johnson Brothen, that deep South?) How reallv rcprec;enta­ groes." In the pre-war South, black same yt:!ar for Victor; Andrew Baxter, tive of the music\\ 1:re tht "rt.>cording bands consisted of banjoes and lutes; an Afro-Cherokee fiddler born in session!;? How were thL·V rela tl!d to banioe,, fiddles, and triangles; twin northwec;t Georgia in 1870, played various black formal com~ ,sen,, like fiddles and a fife, and many other reg.,larly with white Georgia fiddlers, Gussit? Davis, Scutt Joplin or,·ven W. combinations. 3 In the WPA ex-slave and played lead on the Georgia Ycl­ C. Handy? How were the bands that narratives there arc hundreds of ref­ low Hammers' popular 1928 recording recorded related to other quasi-blues erence~ to the fiddle and banjo; in of "G Rag." Other recordings reflect a forms such as the jug or wa~hboard fact, while references to fiddle playing complex school of rural black ragtime; band, the vaudeville or medicine number 205, and banjo playing total Dallas musician Coley Jones formed show tradition, or even the tradition some 106, references to the guitar the Dallas String Band, featuring of the black non-blue!> songster which total only 15; strong evidence of the mandolin, guitar, and cello, and re­ included such singers as Henry guitar's late arrival in black folk corded several fascinating sides for Thomas, Luke Jordan, and Jim music. (Strikingly, the majority of ref­ Columbia, while Nap Hayes and Jackson? Until the scattered bits of erences to the guitar occur in south­ Matthew Prater (The Blue Boys) rec­ evidence about this music are col­ central Mississippi.)4 The favorite orded folk variants of Scott Jopli n's lected, collated, put in proper context, string band combination to appear in rags using mandolin and guitar. Black and studied, we can only guess at the the WPA narratives is the simple "hoedown" music was recorded by answers. fi ddle-banjo duo-the same in­ James Cole (probably from Indiana), strumentation to dominate early and by the spectacular square dance white rural music. Without much band headed by fiddler John Lusk. NOTES doubt, the fiddle was the favorite in­ This la tter band, recorded by the Li­ •Jim Rooney, Rossm,11· Bill Mo,rro, and strument of both white and black brary of Congress in 1946, played for \1uddy Watt,s (New York: Dial Pr..,ss, 1971). rural musicians in the 19th century. years in rural Tennessee just a few Arnold Schultz, incidentaUy, went on to influ­ Much of this tradition was still miles from th e birthplace of bluegrass ence Kennedy Jones, who taught white musi­ highly visible in the 1920's when star Lester Flatt, and featured the cian Mose Rager, who taught Merl~ Tr,wis and Chet Atkins. commercial recording companies "pre-bluegrass" banjo styles of the 'Interview with DeFord Sailev, Nashville, began to document southern music. late Murphy Gribble. As recently as June 19, 1975. · Unfortunately, the record companies 1976 Kip Lomeli recorded a driving 30ena Epstein, 5111/ul Tun,s a,rd Spintuals segregated this music into separate black fiddle-banjo team in the Blue (Urbano: University of llhnois Press, 1977). •Robert B. Win,ms, ''Slack ln,trumental series, one designed for whites, the Ridge Mountains, proving that the Music Traditions In the fa-Sla.ve Narratives," 5 other for blacks. White rural music tradition is not entirely extinct. unpublished paper delivered at the 1979 An­ included fiddle bands, banjo tunes, Study of black string band music is nual Meeting of the American Folklore Society, sentimental songs, and a few reli­ still in its infancy, but even prelimi­ Los Angeles, CA, October 26, 1979 gious pieces; black music series were nary investigations have posed some •For some recent examples of bl,,ck string band music. see LP onthology SRl-001, pro, dominated by country blues, gospel, potent questions. Is (was) there a duced and sold by the Slue Ridge Institute, preachers like Rev. Gates, and a few black string band repertoire distinc­ Ferrum College, Ferrum, YA. Also see Blind vaudeville numbers. A black band tive from the white one? Is there an Jam,s Campbtll and hi< Nashvillt Strtt't Band playing something other than blues identifiable black fiddle style? Have (Arhoohe !015), re<:ordcd as recently ,,s 1962. didn't fit into either stereotype; con­ there been characte ristic and distinc­ The author is currently compiling a coUection of sequentl y, few of them were re• tive black instrumemtal combina­ earlier black string band performances for re­ corded. Thus today we are left with tions? Have geographical features af- lease on Rounder Records. only a pathetic handful of recordings representing this tradition in its flow­ National Conference on Black Music Research ering: there a re perhaps as many as SO commercial pre-war recordings that really reflect it, as opposed to some Description and Summary topics and ideas covered , was to em­ 20,000 pre-war records of blues and by Lucius R. Wyn/I, phasize the totality of black musical gospel music. In the 1930's, when the Prairie View A&M U11iversity Prairie View, Texas involvement--concert music, gospel, Library of Congress got into the field, jazz, rhythm-and-blues, etc. researchers were more open-minded, The 1980 National Conference on The Conference opened in Jubilee but their equipment was woefully in­ Black Music Research, sponsored by Hall with introductory remarks by adequate for recording a full string Fisk University's Institute for Re­ Samuel Aoyd and a welcome address band. search in Black American Music, was by President Walter J. Leonard ofFisk Still, this miniscule sample contains an outstanding achievement in musi­ University. President Leonard gave a some tantalizing bits. A handful of cal scholarship. It brought together very moving account of the musical records from the late 1920's show people of varied backgrounds and di­ heritage of Fisk as seen through the white and black musicians playing to­ verse interests in black music re­ Jubilee Singers and Roland Hayes. He gether, several years before jazz's first search. The thrust of the Conference, also commented on the legacy of W. " integrated" session. Jim Booker as evidenced in the wide range of E. 8. Dubois and the history of the

4 portrait of the Jubilee Singers given to present in this country, it is difficult to based on years of experience in the Fisk University by Queen Victoria. answer the question." However, music business. Later the •ame day, Several free papers were read on Moore stated that he believes that Charles Stevens read his paper, "Art­ Thursday afternoon. "The Black Art "Black music is music created by black ists and Audiences: The Dilemma of Song: An Interdisciplinary En­ composers." Josephine Wright spoke the Jazz Musician." counter" was given by Rawn Spear­ on "Exploring the limits." She prefers The panel session on "Black Music man and Carlesta Henderson. a "historiological approach that takes and Music Teaching" began with a Spearman discussed and performed into consideration the present-day ac­ paper read by James Standifer who art songs which utilize the poetry of tivities with the past." She asked, served as moderator. Standifer, em­ Langston Hughes. The songs per­ ''Have not George Walker, Hale phasized the cross-cultural approach formed were The Negro Speaks of Riv­ Smith and William Grant Still kept in music teaching, stressing that ers by Margaret Bonds, The Weary faith with the legacy of classical music "there has been cultural borrowing in Blues by Dorothy Rudd Moore, Joy by composition that was established in America." During his presentation he Howard Swanson and A Black Pierrot the English-speaking black commu­ sang two verisons of a Korean song. by William Grant Still. Carlesta Hen­ nity over two hundred years ago?" With a videotape of an interview of derson discussed teaching ap­ Alan Schaffer felt that "No adequate the well-known singer Carman proaches used in presenting these definition of black music can be McRae, the conclusion was reached songs in a humanities course. Spear­ found." Jeff Todd Ti ton asked, "Are that "people do not need to live man was ably assisted at the piano by we prisoners of the European analy­ through the expeience to perform the Matthew Kennedy and Tom Hoisch, tical sys tern?" music resulting from the experience." cello. Papers given on Friday included, Barbara Reeder Lundquist stated that James Furman compared lined "Black Gospel Music Analysis Mod­ confusion exists over terms and labels hymns of the black church with Gre­ els" by Barbara Baker, "Men from such as "good" and "serious" as gorian Chant in his paper, "Afro­ Jenkins: Brass Bands to Jazz" by applied to European art. She further American Chant." Christine Oliver George Starks, "Graham vs. Strader: commented on a concept of "bi­ discussed "Black Elements in the A Ten-Year Court Battle over Three musicality" and emphasized that orchestral music of Olly Wilson." She Slave Musicians" by Roberta Hall some students in our public schools gave meaningful insights into three of Slade, "13lack Women in Music Edu­ prefer to see the "whole picture" Wilson's compositions-Voices, cation" by Doris McGinty and Irene rather than "parts of the picture." Akwan and Spirit Song. The first day Jackson-Brown, and "The Pinnacle Bette Cox presented slides from her of the Conference concluded with a and Death of Bebop Jazz: An Explora­ many ethnic music activities in the memorable concert of music by black tion into the Sheets of Sound Tech­ Los Angeles public schools. Marian composers which featured Donnie nique of John Coltrane" by WiUiam T. Tally Brown outlined the overriding Ray Albert, bass; Roosevelt Newson, McDaniel. issues in black music teaching. She piano; Wilma Shakesnider, soprano; The Friday night banquet offered a felt that one important issue is to "de­ and Carol Stone, piano. The concert special treat, a mini-concert which fine black music." Warrick Carter ended with a performance of Hale featured pianists Anne Gamble Ken­ gave summary viewpoints on the im­ Smith's commissioned composition, nedy and Matthew Kennedy; Tyrone plications for music education as well Meditations in Passage. Jolivet, tenor; Carol Stone, piano; and as his thoughts and observations con­ On Friday morning Eileen South­ Valija Bumbulis, piano. This mini­ cerning the entire conference. ern led a panel session on "Research­ concert featured the music of John W. The Conference concluded with a ing Black Music." Several important Work, III and Ralph Simpson. business meeting chaired by Florence conclusions concerning future re­ The panel session on "Funding Re­ Crim Robinson. search needs resulted from this ses­ search, Education, and Performance sion. Papers read were "The Present Programs," led by Samuel Floyd, of­ State and Future Needs of Black Con­ fered valuable information on secur­ The Conference Concert: cert and Recital Music" by Lucius ing grants and fellowships for re­ A Review Wyatt, "Researching Jazz" by James search purposes. Appearing on this panel session were Walter Anderson L. Collier, "Researching Rhythm and by Cannan Mcore, Blues," by Arnold Shaw and "Re­ of the National Endowment for the New York, New York search in Gospel Music" by Melonee Arts, James Blessing and George Farr Burnim. of the National Endowment for the The place of the black classical On Friday afternoon Dominique­ Humanities, and Hue! Perkins who composer is not a particularly com­ Rene de Lerma led a panel discussion formerly worked with the National fortable one. In these United Sttes on "The Philosophy and Definition of Endowment for the Humanities. where post-Renaissance European Black Music Research." The central On Saturday a panel session on values teach innovation, and post­ question posed in this session was, "The Black Mus ician and the Music African black culture teaches individ­ "What is black music?" In his paper, Business" was led by Russell Sanjek, ualism within the confines of De Lerma stated that "A work is good Vice-President of Broadcast Music, community-created aesthetics, the to the extent that it promotes com­ Inc. Speaking on this panel were Hale classical composer is a veritable walk­ munication." Carman Moore ex­ Smith, composer, and James Tyrrell, ing melting pot. He or she is also faced plained that "because of the melting Pr~~ident of T-Electric Records. Each with an automatic quandary. pot aspect of American culture and panelist in this session offered a It is not that he uses "white" musi­ the attendent sociological problems wealth of information on the subject cal materials . .. nothing wrong with

5 that, since all of Afro-American music could afford to be put more at the considering the difficulties of pitch by now does to some extent. The main service of the songs' texts in these and rhythm posed by the part. problem is that the black classical recital circumstances. It was a plea­ Perhaps the biggest and most pleas­ composer's version of black individu­ sure, nonetheless to hear him sing the ant surprise about the piece was the alism tends to carry him or her so far late Howard Swanson's brilliant set­ poetic text, written by the composer outside the core of black functional art ting of the Langston Hughes poem himself and treating the famous slave (this also holds true for much of jazz "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." Ms. mutiny on the slave shipAmistad. The since 1941). Writing for church choir Shakesnider's portion of the program music was for the most part spare would be the closest link-up. Writing included settings of "Witness" and with moments of almost Romantic music for small unenthusiastic audi­ "Give Me Jesus" by Hall Johnson, break-outs. Of course the notes were ences is a much more serious matter Margaret Bonds' treatment of "Dry whole notes in A minor, but one did for the black composer than it is for his Bones," and Dominique-Rene de seem to discern a flirtation with jazz in white counterpart. Yet without the Lerma's edition of "Que vas-tu faire, chromatic chord clusters which classical cutting edge, W. C. Handy, o Claimangis, lis dans mon ame?" would sink away in a melancholy Duke Ellington, Motown, Miles from the 18th Century opera Ernestine way. The music's main accomplish­ Davis, John Coltrane, Oliver Nelson, by Afro-French composer Chevalier ment also contained its main flaw. and even Barry White would not have de Saint-Georges. Throughout the piece a tension and been able to make the contributions Wilma Shakesnider's voice is a brooding quality was admirably and that they did to black and world cul­ lovely instrument, indeed, with a resourcefully maintained, but I felt at ture. Lost within the question of what ringing and easy-sounding top regis­ about the third section o.f this 5-part to do about audiences and yet cut ter its most impressive feature. Bar­ piece that something new might have through the uncharted waters to ring a tendency to not let word enun­ been introduced to take the entire ex­ make the personal statements de­ ciations lead her rhythmically, she perience up a notch and add a little manded by the music, the composer performed admirably. Although aesthetic threat. The work, nonethe­ who does not possess considerable space does not permit all that should less, and the whole of the evening for self-confidence will simply perish. be said about it, Olly Wilson's "Piece that matters, was something com­ Some composers have made a kind of for Piano and Electronic Sound," per­ poser, performers, and the Fisk Insti­ concession to always write music that formed by Mr. Newson, was a strong tute should regard with pride. is accessible to most listeners (or so offering-an episodic work of great these ears seem to tell me). Other power and some fury. Mr. Wilson's composers have set off into regions typical patience at working up a small where the basic materials are such bit of material into a. serious statement uncompromising items as 12-tone before going on, kept the piece from and other numbers-related schemes the sin of helter-skelter and distin­ Q UESTIONS AND ANSWERS with resounding dissonances backed guished it from the many freak-outs up by treacherous, jagged rhythms that often pass for electronic music. Robert B. Green, General Manager of and surprise after surprise. For me, the most affecting section was the Chatham Village Symphony Or­ The major work on the Black Music one featuring what sounded like elec­ chestra would like to know the pub­ Research National Conference's spe­ tronic cicadas in duet with tense work lishers or the locations of the manu­ cial first concert was a work commis­ on prepared piano. If the Wilson piece scripts of the following compositions: sioned from one of Afro-America's went on a section or so too long for its J. Harold Brown, String Quartet; least compromising composers­ own momentum, it still provided a Charles L. Cooke, Sketches of the Deep Hale Smith. Also presented was an truly fresh experience. Mr. Newson's South; Harry Lawrence Freeman, The even further-out work by the account of George Walker's short, Slave (Symphonic Poem), The Zulu California-based Olly Wilson. twisting, chromatic-cum-polytonal King (Ballet); Florence Price, Negro The concert itself consisted totally "Sonata No. 1 for Piano" was also a Folk Songs in Counterpoint for String of works by black composers. welcome moment in the evening's Quartet, Concert Overture on Negro Through imaginative programming, proceedings. Spirituals, Symphony in E Minor; Clar­ it made the most of the fact that only As to the problem of new black ence Cameron White, A Night in Sans two vocalists-bass-baritone Donnie classical music, Hale Smith's almost Souci (Ballet), Prelude, Dawn, and Ray Albert and noted soprano Wilma operatic "Meditations in Passage" put Jubilee Hallelujah for Strings, Sym­ Shakesnider-and two Tennessee much of it to rest. An appreciative phony in D Minor. Please mail re­ pianists-Carol Stone and Roosevelt audience heard a tense, at-times mov­ sponses to Mr. Green at 323 E. 90th Newsone-performed the entire ing work which brought out the best Place, Chicago, Illinois 60619. program. The evening was domi­ vocal performances of the night from nated by short, accessible songs (mer­ both Ms. Shakesniderand Mr. Albert, Marva Griffin Carter is writing a biog­ cifully so, given the hot weather). Mr. with Mr. Newson carrying on ably at raphy of WW Marion Cook for her Albert's mini-recital, with Ms. Stone the keyboard. The effectiveness of the dissertation in musicology at the Uni­ accompanying, was effective, al­ singing owed much to the skill with versity of Illinois. She would ap­ though to these ears he did not rise to which Mr. Smith set the voices, both preciate any information or assistance his biggest expression until his last in tandem solos and finally, in the that newsletter readers might be able number-Florence B. Price's "Song to closing section, in an unusual duo to provide. Letters should be sent to: the Dark Virgin." This young basso's concept which featured the two sing­ 601 East White Street, A23 rich and powerful operatic voice ing in octaves . . . a very dicey feat Champaign, IL 61820

6 SE.COND NATIONAL CONFE.RENCE. ANNOUNCE.ME.NTS on AND INFORMATION BLACK MUSIC RE.SE.ARCH The Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers Location: Nashville, Tennessee University, is now administering Dates: September 3, 4, & 5, 1981 NEA's Jazz Oral History Project. In­ Sponsors: Fisk University and BMR Associates terviews in progress for 1980 include Russell "Big Chief" Moore, Big Joe Session Topics Turner, Reb Spikes, Snub Mosely, The Fisk University Institute for Research in Black American music and BMR Claude Hopkins, and Wiad Bill Davi­ Associates invite the submission of abstracts for papers in the following son. Among completed interviews areas: are those of Count Basie, Barney Bigard, Lawrence Brown, Benny Car­ 1. Black Music Analysis: Considerations and Procedures ter, Alberta Hunter, Jay McShann, 2. African Retentions in Latin America and the Caribbean and Charlie Mingus. 3. Black Music Performance Practices The Institute is interested in secur­ 4. Philosophical Foundations of Scholarship and Teaching ing more interviewees who have 5. Research Techniques, Tools and Procedures: Bibliography, made substantial contributions to Jazz Methodology, and Dissemination and involving more persons qualified 6. Scholarly Publishing and Black Music Research as interviewers. Interested persons 7. The Recording and Marketing of Black Music should contact: Ron Welburn, Coor­ 8. Black Composers in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Europe and dinator, Jazz Oral History Project, In­ Latin America stitute of Jazz Studies, Bradley Hall, 9. Historical Documentation through Oral History Rutgers, The State University of New 10. Black Musical Theater Jersey, Newark, NJ 07012, (201) 648- 595/5800. Note: Abstracts should be typed double-spaced on 81/, x 11 un-lined white paper. Abstracts should reflect the author's familiarity with and expertise on the topic of his/her choosing. • • •

Papers should be no more than 20 minutes in length (10-12 pp., double John Chilton, author of Who's Who of spaced). Submit three copies of your final draft by June 1, 1981. Please be Jazz, has recently pubished a study of aware that the following equipment will be available: One cassette recorder, the Jen.kins' Orphanage Band of One slide projector. Charleston, South Carolina. Entitled Each paper will be evaluated by two readers whose comments and A Jazz Nursery, this monograph suggestions will be forwarded to the author. The acceptance of a paper for documents for the first time the ac­ the Conference does not imply guarantee of publication, although we do tivities of this criticaliy important anticipate that all papers will be of publishable quality and will be considered training center. Copies may be ob­ for publication. tained for $5.00 (Post Free) from: The Bloomsbury Book Shop, 31-35 Great Deadlines Ormand Street, London, England WC1N3HZ. September 15, 1980 First Call for papers November 1, 1980 Deadline for receiving abstracts • • • February 1, 1981 Second Call for papers March 15, 1981 Deadline for receiving abstracts A new book entitled Music Education: July 1, 1981 Deadline for receiving finished papers. The Urban Setting is nearing comple­ tion. Containing writings by James Please address all correspondence to: Dr. Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Director Standifer, Charles Hicks, Tilford Institute for Research in Black Brooks, Warrick Carter, Reginald American Music Buckner, Leona Wilkins, and others, Box 3 the book will consist of three sections. Fisk University Part I will contain articles on the de­ Nashville, TN 37203 mography, sociology, and multicul-

IMPORTANT* IMPORTANT* IMPORTANT* Black Music Research Newsletter is available only through paid subscription at a rate of $2.00 per year; it will be issued twice yearly- in April and October. Members of BMR Associates will continue to receive the newsletter as part of their membership benefits. To subscribe to Black Music Research Newsletter, please send your name and address with a check to the address below. Sorry, we cannot bill. Information on BMR Associates is also available for the asking. Please address your correspondence to: Fisk University Institute for Research in Black American Music, Box 3, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203

7 tural aspects of urban populations. educators, musicologists, and secon­ This bibliography will contain an Part II will provide an overview of the dary school students. estimated 50,000 entries. Following crisis in urban music education, con­ are sample subject areas with an esti­ sidering such problems as discipline, • • • mate of entries in each category: violence, vandalism, drugs, poverty, Reference and research materials (2,832) finance, curricula, and competency The National Urban Festival Or­ Libraries, museums, collections (68) testing. Part Ill will present an array of chestra, a newly organized chamber Bibliographies of music (87) practical solutions for these problems. orchestra, is directed by Leon Bibliographies of the literature (208) This will be a definitive handbook Thompson. This fully-integrated Discographies (1129) aimed at all music educators. The group of 40 players will soon begin Graduate papers (690) book's publisher and release date will performing a full season of concerts, Periodicals (690) with a special emphasis on perform­ History (12,500) be announced. General (210) ing for non-traditional and under­ Minstrelsy (545) • • • served audiences. Each season's Spirituals (946) series of concerts will achieve a bal­ Ragtime (221) Public TV will present a new series ance between music from the stand­ Musical theater (225) this fall entitled From Jumpstreet: A ard repertory and works from tal­ Concert music (175) Story of Black Music. The programs ented black and other minority com­ Acculturation (300) will explore the black musical heritage poses. Ethnomusicology as a discipline (200) through film footage and still pictures Africa (2,800) of well-known black performers of • • • Caribbean (800) Southern Americas (650) the past, such as Billie Holiday, Louis Northern Americas (900) Armstrong, Big Mama Thornton, as Blues (700) well as discussions and performances The result of twelve years of re­ Gospel (200) by contemporary talent such as Bo search, Dominique-Rene de Lenna's R&B, pop (800) Diddley, Dizzy Gillespie, Carmen THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BLACK Jazz (3,000) McRae, Stevie Wonder, and Pearl MUSIC is contracted for publication Instruments (700) Bailey. Primarily intended for black by Greenwood Press as part of their Performance practice and notation (200) secondary school students, the series new monographic series, The Theory and analysis (350) also has a general audience appeal Greenwood Encyclopedia of Black Pedagogy (550) due to its extensive entertainment Music. The first vo,lume (Reference Related arts (1,000) Dance (650) value; it is geared to prime time view­ materials) is projected for publication Philology (250) ing. From Jumpstreet has been hon­ in March, 1981. Related discipline (800) ored with an endorsement from the Elements of each entry consist of Aesthetics (150) National Education Association. The author, title, imprint, collation, series Sociology (400) series was developed with the help of note, LC card number, and ISBN Liturgy (300) an advisory c:omm.ittee composed of identification. Biographies (28,000)

Ig natius Sancho ( 1729- 1780), an E.arly African BMR NEWSLETTER is devoted to the en­ Com poser in England: The Co llected Editions couragement and promotion of scholar­ ship and cultural activity in black Ameri­ of His M usic in Facsimile. can music, and is intended to serve as a Edited witlz an Introduction don, 1779). The volume is enriched by medium for the sharing of ideas and in­ formation regarding current and future and.Critical Commentary the editor's extensive introduction research and musical activities in univer­ by Josephine R. 8. Wright which sketches Sancho's life and times, discusses the 18th-century sities and research centers. Ignatius Sancho (1729-1780), one of musical milieu, examines the old edi­ BMR NEWSLETIER is published by the a little-known group of black musi­ tions of his music, researches his pub­ Fisk University Institute for Research in cians and composers who lived in lishers, provides a critical commen­ Black American Music. Information sub­ Georgian Englland, was among the tary on the music, and includes sug­ mitted for inclusion should be mailed to first to publish his musical composi­ gestions regarding performance prac­ the eclitor at the Institute for Research in tions. This volume includes facsimiles tices of the period and examples for Black American Music, Box 3, Fisk Uni­ of all his extant printed vocal and in­ modern realization of instrumental versity, Nashville, Tennessee 37203. strumental music: A Collection of New parts. The volume also contains glos­ saries of terms and personalia that are Volume 4, Number 2 was edited by Songs, Composed by an African . .. (c. Samuel A. Floyd and Orin Moe. 1979); Minuets, Cotillons [sic] & Coun­ cited in the study and facsimiles, and try Dances, ... Composed by an Afri­ appends a selected primary bibliog­ can (c. 1767); Minuets, &c., &c., ... raphy of 18th-century black musi­ Composed by an African (c. 1770); and cians. c. 130 pages • 7 " x 10 " • Twelve Country Dances for the Year Approx. $20 ISBN 0-8240-9459-X LC 1779 . . . by ... Ignatius Sancho (Lon- 80-8525

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