Rhythm & Blues 02/09/2014

RHYTHM & BLUES 02/09/2014 [READING I] RHYTHM & BLUES I. Rhythm and Blues Old term “Rhythm & Blues” means music performed almost exclusively by black artists and produced mainly for African American audience o Rooted in southern folk traditions and shaped by experience of military personnel and black migrates in urban areas Development of Portable Tape Recorders o Enabled small record producers to afford to produce masterpieces o Paid radio DJs and went to night clubs to promote their records (DREAMGIRL Producers?) “Indie Producers: o Wanted to push R&B and gain financial success o Earned more than actual composers (unfair) o Covering/ Making a Cover Version: . Such as making pop versions of hillbilly songs or black versions of Tin Pan Alley songs… . Crucial to the increasing crossover success of black music during the 1950s II. R&B In Depth JUMP BLUES, first commercially successful category of R&B, flourished during and just after WWII. o Humorous lyrics and boogie-woogie based party music o Big bands were cut to smaller bands Louis Jordan, huge influence on Rock ’n’ Roll and Soul o “Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie”, Jordan’s biggest hit o Tympany Five, his band o Segregation still influenced his career though o Rocking rhythm, boogie-woogie music, country elements, 12-Bar o Linking country music and R&B o THE HOT END of R&B SPECTRUM BLUES CROONER, THE COLD END of R&B SPECTRUM o Smooth and laid-back style o 1944, Cecil Gant (Pvt. Gant, a black army musician?) made the first hit Charles Brown, the most successful blues crooner o Sophistication, dapper, handsome image o “Black Night”, his most successful recording . so deep, blue, and melancholy . Reflection of emotional state of blacks at that time CHICAGO ELECTRIC BLUES, urbanized style of blues o Rural blues tradition almost died out Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield), representing old Delta style o Using electric guitar, buzzing tone colors (Distortion), and long sustained notes (Feedback) o “Hoochie Coochie Man,” composed by Willie Dixon . 16-Bar blues . African mythological roots, supernatural power in song III. Vocal Harmony Groups Another important thread in the tapestry of postwar R&B VOCAL HARMONY GROUP: Church trained singers came out to sing R&B o For making a living, commercial success, etc. DOMINOES, R&B singing team, former gospel music team o Inevitable exploitation of black music under the commercialized background o “Sixty Minute Man”, the first R&B group record to cross over to the pop charts o “Have Mercy Baby”, the next big hit that pushed the vocal group R&B in a more harder-edged, more explicitly emotional sound . Clyde McPhatter’s performance helped a lot… . A predecessor of the later Soul music movement IV. R&B Women Ruth Brown, aka Miss Rhythm o “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” . Blending of blues and Tin Pan Alley . Memorable solo of tambourine . Despite her huge success, she was still paid incredibly little “Big Mama” Thornton, o “Hound Dog”, strong and tough female persona o.

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