The Rise of Soul MUSC-21600: The Art of Rock Music Prof. Freeze 16 September 2016 Preliminaries
• Paper 1 • Convert to Word or PDF document • NOT .pages • Exam 1 • Essay prompt • Give an account of how rock and roll through the early 1960s drew on southern musical roots. Make reference to specific regions, style traits, performers, and songs. Strong answers will treat a chronological and stylistic variety of songs. Budget 20 minutes to write your answer. • Essay tip • Make detailed notes or outline. • Practice writing your essay by hand from memory. Soul’s Rise
• Rock‘s Tweeny Years • Increased diversity of styles and perspectives • Increased fragmentation of audience • Some “re-segregationn”: rock vs. soul • Sweet soul • Light pop style with clear elements of black music • Deeply expressive singing rooted in gospel • Sweet voices, lyrical tunes, laid back grooves • Often with pop instruments (strings, timpani, brass) • The Drifters • Two different groups: 1950s original; 1958 reboot • Jerry Wexler; Leiber and Stoller; Ben E. King • “There Goes My Baby” (1959) • Timbres and texture? What‘s most important, musically? What‘s missing? • How are the strings used? Timpany? Reverb? Ray Charles and Sam Cooke
• Ray Charles • “The Genius” fluent in R&B, country, pop • “What’d I Say” (1958) • Improvised in concert, then recorded • Gospel influences • “Getting happy“ feeling • Vocal/instrumental call and response • Hammond Organ • R&B • Lyrics about relationship • Electric bass • Horn section, percussion • Verse/refrain form • Sam Cooke • Influence on rock: song standards and vocal style More Sam Cooke
• “You Send Me” (Sam Cooke, 1957) • Vocals: sweet gospel sound, not raspy • Use of melismas (many notes per syllable) and soulful interpolations • Simple guitar, very soft back beat • Romantic love theme, angelic back-up singers • Tin Pan Alley AABA • “Shake” (Sam Cooke, 1964) • New, more aggressive approach, quicker tempo • Harder backbeat, rhythmic energy • Sizzling accompaniment (R&B instrumentation) • Tin Pan Alley AABA • “A Change Is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke, 1964) • Socially conscious lyrics • Heartfelt, ornamented vocal style • Cinematic arrangement • Studio polish