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Spring 4-1-1986

Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1986

Samuel Floyd Columbia College Chicago

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Recommended Citation Floyd, Samuel, "Black Music Research Newsletter, Spring 1986" (1986). Center for Black Music Research: Black Music Research Newsletter. 22. https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cbmrnews/22

This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Publications at Digital Commons @ Columbia College Chicago. It has been accepted for inclusion in Center for Black Music Research: Black Music Research Newsletter by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Columbia College Chicago. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BLACK MUSIC RESEARCH NEWSLETTER COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO Vol. 8, No. 2 ISSN Number 0271-3799 Spring 1986

CBMR Database: The Union Catalog and Reference System by D. W Krummel, University of 11/inois

With the support of the Lloyd A. rllinois), Dena J. Epstein (University raphers; and the feas.ibility, as Fry Foundation, the Center for Black of Chicago), Diana Haskell (The New­ explored by computer data-base Music Research has undertaken a berry Library), D. W. Krummel (Uni­ specialists. The reports have now major project for providing biblio­ versity of Illinois), Steven Newsome been revised and incorporated into a graphical access to the literature of (Vivian Harsh Collection, Chicago project document. black music. The basic plan involves Public Library), Donald Roberts The Union Catalog is intended to two inter-related programs: a Union (Northwestern University), Jane cover the black-music books, sound Catalog of Black Music Holdings in Rosenberg (Council on Library Re­ recordings, scores, and sheet music Chicago-Area Libraries, and a Com­ sources), Kenyon Rosenberg (Na­ in six major Chicago-area collections: puterized Reference System describ­ tional Technical Information Service, the Columbia College ljbrary, Carter ing.current black music materials. U.S. Department of Commerce), and G. Woodson Regional Library of the A special planning conference was Mary Schellhorn (Columbia College Chicago Public Library, the Newberry held in Chicago on November 4th, Library). The extensive planning re­ Library, and the music libraries of the 1985, for purposes of evaluating the ports for the session, prepared by University of Chicago, Northwestern plans and suggesting directions for Samuel A. Floyd and Marsha J. Reis­ University, and Roosevelt University. the program. The invited attendants ser, were scrutinized from a wide var­ While specialists in library resources included Dominique-Rene de Lerma iety of angles and probed from the might argue whether these collections (Morgan State University), Donald perspectives of the needs, as iden­ together were the equal of those in Draganski (Roosevelt University), tified by black music scholars; the John M. Eddins (University of functions, as analyzed by bibliog- Continued on page 2

Milestones of Black-American Composition by Eileen Southern, Harvard University

If I had to select five milestones in the history of American music, and it gaged to play at the Lafayette Ball," the history of Afro-American compos­ is engaging music. as a contemporary stated. For the oc­ ition, and only five, the following The first composition on my ljst is casion Johnson wrote one of his most works would constitute my list. The Francis Johnson's uifayette March. By elaborate band compositions, replete composers do not necessarily typify 1824, the year of General Lafayette's with trumpet florishes, fanciful ob­ the most gifted black writers of the celebrated tour of the United States, ligatos and ornate embellishment. past one hundred and fifty years, nor Johnson had become so renowned in Although I have not heard a band do the works necessarily represent the Philadelphia "that nothing could be performance of this piece as Lafayette best they produced. But this music more natural than thatt the black mas­ has made definitive contributions to ter of melody should £have been] en- Continued on page 2 2

(as with most encyclopedias, type of material; by subject heading; CBMR Database, co11ti1111ed dictionaries, bibliographies, discog­ or by key term. The Name Authority raphies, indexes, and similar refer­ Fi le and thesaurus lists can also be New York (th,e Schomburg and Lin­ ence works). It may also prove possi­ printed in their own right. Additional coln Center coUections of the New ble to incorporate the contents of sev­ general access-whether involving York Public Library) or Washington eral of the particularly important printed lists, or as a nationally or loc­ (the Library of Congress and Howard periodicals within the System. ally distributed computerized data University), dearly they establish By way of a kind of preliminary pilot base, or through COM or CD-ROM Chicago as one of the top three centers project in this area, several extensive catalog, or through an information for historical materials on black­ detailed studies have been underta­ service based mainly at the Center for music, with six highly varied collec­ ken involving the name and subject Black Music Research itself-will also tions, each with distinctive particular indexes-or lacking these, the text it­ be provided, ideally available through strengths. self-in a number of the most re­ several of the above. Among the im portant aspects of spected books on black music. The in­ The strong consensus at the this part of the Proj ect will be the de­ dexes in the two major periodicals in November planning conference is that velopment of a na me authority file, the field, Tlte 8/nck Perspective !11 Music the project is clearly needed. The his­ based wherever possible on those of and 8/nck Music Research Jo11rnnl, have toric holdings of black music in our the Library of Congress, the Institute also been studied. Ideally the practice nation's libraries have never been of Jazz Studies of Rutgers University for selecting and evaluating indi­ adequately located, let alone de­ in Newark, and Dominique-Rene de vidual books and their own separate scribed and studied. Nor would any­ Lerma's "Namelist of Black Musi­ indexes ought to be conceived, both one dare to argue that current black cians." Birth and death da tes are to in ideal intellectual terms and with a music materials are being covered be included, along with cross refer­ view to the appropriate optimum ef­ adequately, for instance in Music ences, and updating is planned. Since fort expended in this activity. A I11tlex, or RILM Abstracts, or in America: Library of Congress subject headings thesaurus of key terms is being de­ History nnd Life, or even between are generally agreed to be less than veloped for use with musical scores. them. Above all, the Project can not ideal for the needs of the readership Above all, special formulations are help but address the even larger ques­ intended here, a special thesaurus is being constructed so that the System tion of the needs of those who work being developed, partially out of the may be usable by those musical with black music, whether as perfor­ topical name forms used in the Floyd groups whose vocabularies accommo­ mers or composers in any of our and Reisser Black Music in tlte U11ited date ambiguity in strange and won­ numerous art-music or vernacular States. derful ways-a hard task indeed, but traditions; or as scholars, whether of As for the Computerized Reference a very important one. Finally, all of the music or the culture primarily; or System, central to its conception will th ese considerations are being addres­ as administrators, addressing the mar­ beJhe program for selecting key terms sed in terms of search strategies-in­ ket for sounds, equipment, and ser­ from the materials added to the Black volving, for instance, Boolean alge­ vices; or simply as lay persons, be Music Research Collection at Colum­ bra, truncation, and natural language they students in school or readers at bia College. In addition to sound re­ practices-that are possible on a com­ home or in public libraries, curious cordings and periodica ls, the cover­ puterized system. about our country's black-music heri­ age will extend to include books that Several different possible kinds of tage, its practices, and its future. are centrally relevant to the study of output are being provided. Users may Based on the Chicago model as a start, black music (for instance, topical request lists of citations drawn from the Union Catalog could advantage­ studies, indjvidual and collective either the Union Catalog or Reference ously be extended nation-wide. The biographies, iconographies, pedagog­ System. Such lists can be tailored to challenge, in sum, is a vast one­ ical material, and general history), but the needs of the user through the limi­ partly because it is l,O complex, but not when their duplication of cover­ tation of the searcb by any of several even more important, because it is so age would prove highly redundant fields, including author, ti.tie, and significant.

share of publicity. Moreover, the expo­ where it was a great hit in London Milestones, co11ti1111ed sure had internat;vnal implications, and the provinces. Particularly attrac­ heard it, judging from the piano score for in 1837 Johnson would become the tive is the Overture, written by Wi ll and contemporary comment, the per­ first American (to my knowledge) to Marion Cook, composer-in-chief for formance was wildly successful. His­ perform abroad with his music group. the Williams/Walker musicals, with its torically, the occasion is significant as The second work on my list is the exuberant rhythms, piquant har­ the first time in American history that Bert Williams/George Walker musical monies, catchy melodies, and subtle a black composer attracted national at­ /11 DahometJ, which played a record mood changes. tention; the press covered Lafayette's number of nights on Broadway in Although not the first Broadway every move, a nd Johnson received his 1903, and then moved to England, musical to be written and produced 3

by blacks, In Dahomey was the most by an American ,composer, Tree­ formed hundreds of times in the influential of its time, not only upon monisha easily earns its position of his­ United States and abroad, and its first black musicals but as well upon the toric importance. That it is memorable three movements are possibly the development of American musical music is an added dividend. most frequently played (as indepen­ comedy. And undoubtedly it also left My fourth choice would be the Afro­ dent compositions) of all American its mark upon the English Music Hall American Symphony of William Grant symphonic movements. tradition, judging from the attention Still, first performed in 1931 and twice Finally, I would select Duke El­ it received in London's contemporary recorded since then. This work suc­ lington's first Concert of Sacred Music, press. (I have heard it reported that ceeds in capturing in symphonic form which was recorded in 1965. Like Still's the music is irresistable.) The work the essence of the black music of the work, this piece summarizes the black begs for a stage production. period, something that had never be­ traditional music of its time, although Third on my li st is Scott Joplin's folk fore been tried. Still was a pioneer, in a different style. The magic of its opera Tree111011ishn, completed in 1905 and his work a landmark in American symphonic jazz, jazz-gospel, jazz­ but not given a genuine premiere until music history. Of special interest is spirituals, and jazz-blues never fails 1972, the year it also was recorded. his use of the blues, so often consi­ to mesmerize listeners, and the tap­ This music is utterly charming dered a lowly expression (his words), dance finale is simply a stunner. throughout, making continuous refer­ as the dominant theme of the sym­ ences to ragtime and black folksong phony. The popularity of this work Reprinted, by permission; from Amerirnu idioms. As the first folk opera written has been enduring; it has been per- Music Week 27, no. 4 (1985).

A Preliminary Bibliographical Guide to Periodical Literature for Black Music Research by Josephine Wright, The College of Wooster

Periodical Literature of the 1) The Musical Messenger, black tics, economics, literature and literary nineteenth and early twentieth cen­ America's first music journal, criticism, sports, theatrica l news, and turies offers the researcher a wealth founded ca. 1886 by Amelia Tilghman Euro-American music, to African and of primary information about black in Montgomery, Alabama; 2) The Afro-American affairs. Morever, these music in the United States that has Negro Music Journal, founded in 1902 journals are of Anglo-American as been under-utilized because of the ab­ in our nation's capital by J. Hillary well as Afro-American provenance, sence of a comprehensive guide to Taylor; 3) Living Blues, published in and this seems to have some bearing periodical literature in the field before Chicago since 1970 by Jim and Amy upon the type of information re­ the 1950s. Poole's Index to nineteenth O'Neil; 4) The Black Perspective i11 ported, as we shall see in this survey century periodical literature virtually Music, established in New York in 1971 of some of the kinds of resources that ignores the topic of black music as by Eileen and Joseph Southern; and are available for researd1 of black does the Reader's Guide. Though the 5) Black Music Research Journal, music in periodicals published before Music Index and R/LM have attempted founded at Fisk University in 1980 by the 1950s. to address this omission in recent Samuel Floyd and transferred to Col­ Though generalizations are often years, their indices access the con­ umbia College in 1983. Each of these misleading, a preponderance of evi­ tents of only a few select periodicals publications has contributed pioneer­ dence reveals that Anglo-American published since the middle of our cen­ ing research to the field and covers a periodicals supply the greatest con­ tury and are far from complete. broad spectrum of topics. Of these centration of primary information Bibliographic control of periodical five publications only Living Blues, The about Afro-American folk music and literature in black music will undoubt­ Black Perspective i11 Music, and Black folklore practices in the nineteenth edly come in the next few decades as Music Research Journal are on-going en­ and early twentieth centuries. Rank­ more detailed research of the field con­ terprises. Collectively, however, they ing high upon the list of general in­ tinues. The problem of gathering this account for only a small portion of the terest magazines that regularly feature data will be more complex than inde­ periodical literature on black music essays on this topic are Atlaiztic xing identifiable music journals be­ that has been published by the Ameri­ Magazine (1857-1920), Century Mag­ cause of the manner in which informa­ can press since the early 1800s. azine (a continuation of Scrib11er's tion about black music has tradition­ The greatest concentration of this Monthly, 1870-1900), Harper's Weekly ally been disseminated by the Ameri­ literature lies scattered in journals (1857-1916), Harper's New Monthly can press since the early 1800s. published before the 1950s that Magazine (1850-1921), the Independent For example, only five periodicals specialized in a broad variety of news (1873-1920), Lippincott's Magazine to date have been identified as jour­ coverage-ranging anywhere from nals devoted specifically to black general interest stories, religion, anti­ American music research. They are: slavery and civil rights activities, poli- Continued on page 4 4

ventories and chronicling activities of tic Mirror (1879-1922) provided similar Preliminary Guide, co11th111ed prominent black singers, instrumen­ information. The Folio (1870-1888), .i (1868-1898), and the Nntio11 (1865- talists, and composers, even propos­ Boston journal, contributed several in­ 1920). A few Anglo-American music ing from time to time to publish mus­ teresting articles on Sam Lucas, a journals, surprisingly, also contribute ical compositions by Afro-American popular late nineteenth-century en­ information on this subj ect-al­ authors. Though Tilghman never fully tertainer. The Llldies Home Journal, one though on a more or less sporadic realized all these goals, the type of of the m.ijor .irbiters of late basis. Prominent among them are the news reporting she envisioned for nineteenth-century taste, published Musicnl Times (1860-1868), Musician black concert musicians was con­ .irticles on composers Bob Cole and (1896-1919), Dwight's formznl of Music tinued after her death by contributing James Ros.imond Johnson around the (1852-1881 ), and the M11sicnl Record nnd editors of the Colored Americn11 turn of the century and even included Rroiew (1878-1903), all of Boston, the Mngazine (1900-1909); the Negro Music selected examples of their syncopated Musicnl Gazette (1866-1874) and Musical Journal; Alexander's Mngazine (1905- songs and ballads. This suggests that World (1851-1860) published in New 1908); the Crisis (1910- ), the official these composers' songs received the York. Abolitionist publications, such organ of the NAACP; Half-Ceiitury approbation of the editori.il staff of as the Liberator (1849-1851 ), the Nn­ Magazi11e (1916-1928); and the sociaJjst­ the Journal for use as parlor music en­ tio11al A11ti-Slnvcry Stnndnrd (1850- oriented Messenger (1917-1928); .ill of tertainment in the genteel society of 1870), and Do11glnss' Mo11thly (1859- which ran feature stories about prom­ the preceding century. 1863; the only black-owned anti-slav­ inent black musicians under various Noteworthy Afro-Ametican jour­ ery serial on this list) likewise offer an by-lines. nals of this era that also provide exten­ abundant source of primary data; and Some white-owned journals, sive coverage of bl.ick entertainers in several of the religious newspaper­ likewise, documented the activities of popular music include Alexander's journals of the last century rivet their nationally-known Afro-American con­ Magazine, the Crisis, and the Colored audience's attention upon folk religi­ cert musicians-particularly Dwight's Americnn Magazine, whim cont.iin ous music practices of Afro-Ameri­ Jou ma/ of Music, whim spotlighted the prim.iry information about such indi­ cans in the years immediately preced­ careers of Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, viduals as George Walker, Ernest ing and following the Civil War-par­ black America's first concert singer, Hog.in, Bert Williams, Aida Overton ticularly, the Amcricn11 Missio11ary Cuban-born violinist Jose White, and Walker, James R. Johnson, and musi­ Mngazi11e (1857-1928), the So11thcm the Fisk University Jubilee Singers. cians .issoci.ited with Black Patti's Christinn Advocate (1843-1867), the Dexter Smith's Musical, Liternry, Drn111n­ Troubadours, a successful v.iudeville Watcl1111a11 -£x11111i11er (1819-1894), and tic, n11d Ari Magazine (1872-1875) de­ company of some fifty musicians who Zion's Hernld (1839-1867), to name only voted considerable space to reports of made several global tours .iround the a few. the concert engagements of the Hyers world before disbanding in 1915. In Detailed discussions of black con­ Sisters and their troups in Boston dur­ addition, special .ittention should be cert life in the United States, on the ing the 1870s; .ind Elude Magazine given to the 5011//rem Workman (1872- other hand, will most likely be found (1883-1957) occ.isiona lly cited bl.ick 1939), the official publication of in black music journals whid1 have performers. (An index, by the way, of Hampton Institute, whim mronicled traditionally focused upon this aspect black music discussed in Dwight's four­ the activities of former students of of the black music experience since nnl was published by Thomas Riis in that school who succeeded in the en­ the mid-nineteenth century. This was the Bicentennial Issue of The Black tertainment industry. An example is undoubtedly a part of the cultural ele­ Perspective in Music.) the impresario Orpheus Myron vation movement that was in vogue One may expect to find copious McAdoo and his wife, Mattie Allen, in Afro-American intellectual circles documentation of blacks in popular who were proprietors of two success­ during much of that century and the music during the last century in ful concert compames during the early part o!f the twentieth century. periodirnls of both Afro-American 1890s, the McAdoo Virginia Jubilee The earliest black journal to publish and Anglo-American provenance, Singers, and McAdoo's Origin.ii Col­ material on this subject was Thomas especially in the areas of minstrelsy, ored Amerirnn Minstrel and V.iude­ Hamilton's Anglo-African Magazine, vaudeville, ragtime, syncopated ville Company. which printed during 1859 a copy of dance band music, and so-called This discussion is intended as a pre­ A. J. R. Connor's ballad "My Cher­ Broadway musicals of the 1890s and liminary guide to the types of re­ ished Hope" and a biographical early 1900s. Chief among the Anglo­ sources that are avail.ible for research sketch of con,ductor Claude Brindis de American journals that contain infor­ of black music in periodical literature Salas, pere. The form.it for publishing mation about popular entertainment published before the 1950s. Detailed news articles about black concert music during this period was the New indexing of these jo·urn.ils, accom­ music seems to have been estab­ York Clipper (1853-1924), a forerunner p.inied by classified annot.itions of lished, on the other hand, ca. 1886 by of Billboard and Variety Mngazi11e, their contents will provide researchers Amelia Tilghman, editor of The Musi­ which devoted weekly columns to a with an important reference tool to cnl Messenger, who set forth the policy duonicle of black .is well as white locate heretofore untapped primary of reporting not only new musical minstrel stars and vaudeville perfor­ materials for reconstructing bl.ick ideas and theories, but compiling in- mers at home and .ibroad. The Dramn- music history. 5

Black Spirituals: Their Emergence Into Public Knowledge by Dena /. Epstein, University of Chicago

Before the Civil War people outside ing. But there were many additional a willful disregard for the norms of the black community were only dimly problems that were recognized by civi lized music. Sympathetic appreci­ aware that a body of song called these early collectors. They realized ation for exotic folk musics was rare, spirituals existed. To most whites in that Afro-American music included and the editors of Slave Songs were far the United States and Eu rope, the many elements not present in Euro­ in advance of the musical community music of the blacks was the music of pean music for which no provision in general. Their volume was not well the minstrel theater, songs like "Old had been made in the notational sys­ received at the time, although today Black Joe" or "My Old Kentucky tem. For example, Lucy McKim Garri­ it is recognized as a monument in Home." European travelers who vis­ son wrote in 1862: "It is difficult to American folk music and the best re­ ited the South expected to find the express the entire character of these cord we have of nineteenth century slaves singing such songs, and some­ negro ballads by mere musical notes black music. It had little impact in its times that's what they heard, for and signs. The odd turns made in the day and was not fully appreciated minstrel songs were universally popu­ throat; and the curi ous rhythmic effect until the mid-twentieth c~ntury. lar and some of them entered the oral produced by single voices chiming in The concern for "authenticity" so tradition (Bremer 1924, 141-142; White at different irregular intervals, seem common today was most uncommon 1928). That an Afro-American folk almost as impossible to place on score, before 1900. Some collectors with the music existed was reported by some as the singing of birds or the tones of best of intentions tried to "improve" travelers, but its existence was not an /Eolian harp (Garrison 1862, 254- the music as they wrote it down, to widely known. 255). Thomas Fenner, of Hampton In­ make it what they assumed the With the outbreak of the war, the stitute, wrote of pi tch difticulties: singers would have sung if they had dosed society that had existed in the "Tones are frequently employed known how. Some felt a moral obliga­ South was shattered. For the first time which we have no m1Usical characters tion to make the music "sound good." people sympathetic to the plight of to represent. . . . These tones a re var­ Or they tried to eliminate crudeness the slaves from the North were able iable in pitch, ranging through an en­ and poor grammar. This attitude to­ to go South. Newspaper correspon­ tire interval on different occasions ward folk music and poetry was part dents, missionaries, teachers, and (Fenner 1874, (172])." William Francis of a long tradition in European culture army officers came into contact with Allen, editor of the first published col­ including Bishop Percy's Reliq11es of the black population of the South, and lection of these songs, Slave Songs of A11cie11t English Poetry and Grimm's reports of the slaves' singing and the United Sin/es (1867), was quite fairy tales. The differences between an dancing were very newsworthy. An explicit about the shortcomings of the oral and a written tradition were gen­ area that received much attention was transcriptions. He wrote in his pre­ erally ignored. the Sea Islands off the coast of South face: "The best we can do ... with The greatest popular impact of Carolina and Georgia where the paper and types . . . will convey black spirituals began in 1872 with the blacks had lived in relative isolation. but a faint shadow of the original. various groups of spirituals singers, These islands were captured by the . .. The intonations and delicate of which the first were the Fisk Jubilee Union Navy early in the War and be­ variations of even one singer cannot Singers, who literally introduced came the site of a grand experiment be reproduced on paper. And I de­ these songs to Northern and Euro­ to demonstrate that the blacks could spair of conveying any notion of the pean audiences. In addition to their work and learn as free men. The effect of a number singing to­ music, the Jubilee Singers were attrac­ teachers and missionaries from the gether. ... They seem not in­ tive as living symbols of how slaves Northeast worked there for extended frequently to strike sounds that can­ could be transformed th·rough free­ periods, and some of them made seri­ not b\ precisely represented by the dom. It should not be overlooked that ous efforts to record and collect the gamut, and abound in slid es from one they played a dual role as children of songs of the blacks, most of which note to another, and turns and ca­ slaves who were also harbingers of were religious (Rose 1964; Epstein dences not in articulated notes. what education could do for black 1977, 252-273). ... There are also apparent ir­ youth. A public that had seen very In 1862 collecting songs did not in­ regularities in the time, which it is no few former slaves had no difficulty in volve a tape recorder; it meant listen­ less difficult to express accurately" accepting them as both fresh from the ing and then trying to reduce the song (Allen 1867, iv-vi). cotton fields and as models of Christ­ to musical notation-the only means These people were writing at a time ian piety, benevolence, and culture. then available for preserving the when the study of folk music was in The published versions of their music. Anyone who has tried to do its infancy, when many musicians songs were widely distributed and ac­ this knows how difficult it can be. were still convinced that there was cepted as authentic songs of the Writing down a song one has heard one correct way to sing any song and a single time is a challenge, no matter that departures from that one way how skilled one may be in ear train- must be due either to ignorance or to Conti1111ed on page 6 6

official histories of the Jubilee Singers ing and p reparation. The same critics Black Spirituals, conti1111ed do not discuss when they sang spiritu­ who admired the precision of their als nor how Mr. White became fami l­ performan~es described the songs as slaves.' Because of their enormous in· iar with the songs. The tradition at crude, weud, grotesque, quaint-a fl uence, it is worthwhile to consider Fisk was that the s tudents sang the contradictory response that persists in the backgrounds of these singers and songs of their people after rehearsals, the literature! the method by which their songs were a recreation that was not encouraged After their success had been as­ arranged. The students who came to­ by some on the facu lty. During these sured, plans were made to notate their gether by chance at Fisk were not typ­ impromptu singing sessions, it seems songs and offer them for sale to their ical of plantation slaves. Some had likely that they taught each other a audiences. Just how the arrange· been the child~en of favored house ser­ common repertory and evolved ver­ ments were made is still unknown. vants, spared the more serious rigors sions that pleased their trained ears. The arranger, Theodore Seward, was of slavery. Ell.a Sheppard, for exam­ George White enjoyed these sessions working in New York at the time, and ple, had lived in Cincinnati since and may have made suggestions his selection may have been due to childhood and had studied piano at about effective performance details. chance .. He was a respected, highly the Cincinnati Conservatory. Most of As Fisk University's financial situa­ conventional church musician and the students came from Tennessee, tion_ steadily deteriorated, George editor from upstate New York. There but others came from South Carolina, White made a desperate decision to is no evidence that he had visited the Georgia, Virginia, and Mississippi take his students north on a fund-rais­ South or had ever heard what folk 1873, 49-72). (Pike We do not know if i~~ concert tour, even though the of­ musicians would call an authentic per­ they had all known the same songs fioals of the American Missionary As­ formance. His historic role is that he from childhood or if they all sang in sociation could not decide to approve was the first person to dairn that his the same style. There is no evidence the move (Pike 1873).' Their first pro­ transcriptions fully represented the of which songs each contributed to gram in Cincinnati included primilrily music, that they were, as he phrased the common repertory nor of how anthems and hymns, but the spiritual it, "entirely correct" (Seward 1872, 3). their styles blended into that unity sung as an encore drew an enthusias­ He seems to have believed that every that so impressed their audiences. tic response from the audience (Pike aspect of the music was capable of The books so widely sold at their 1873; "Negro Minst,elsy" 1871, 8). The being reproduced in notation-a strik­ concerts have nothing to say about group continued to tour Ohio with ing contrast to the transcribers how their careful and effective ar­ disappointing results until they ap· who Listened to fo lk musicians. His rangements were made. But the ar­ peared at a conference of ministers at attitude may be gathered from a chives at Fisk University and those of Obedin, where their singing of speech he made in 1872: the American Missionary Association spmtuals created a positive impres­ do provide some information about When Mr. White first re­ s10n (Pike 1873, 91-92). Even so, their quested me to record these the early history of the group and its tour east was disappointing until they leader, George L. White. White was a melodies, I supposed it would reached New York City, where the serve no better purpose than to schoolmaster from upstate New York support of influential clergymen and turned soldier in the Union army. His gratify the curiosity of those at­ strong public response made them the tending these concerts, who de­ musical background was limited to star attraction of the day. Their perfor­ what was taught at the local district sired to see and analyze those mances may have had the appearance melodies ... but I find they school and by his musical father. of improvisation, but they were care­ When the war ended, he found him­ ... have the right number of fully rehearsed. Ella Sheppard's diary measures, fulfilling the law of self in Nashville on the staff of General in the Fisk archives reports almost Clinton Fisk, who amrnged to make structures .... It ha~ seemed to ?aily rehearsals on tour in Germany me that, coming as tbey do from a surplus army hospital available for an 1877, SIX years after leaving the bl.ick school that became Fisk Uni­ minds having no knowledge of Nashville.' Contemporary reviews the rules of art, and without cul­ versity. White became active in setting stress the marvelous precision of their up the school and remained as trea­ ture, they must have sprung ensemble: different voices chiming from something above us, of surer. His natural talent for effective one after another, sudden changes in choir training led him to volunteer to true inspiration ("The Jubilee dynamics, careful alternation of Singers" 1872, 90). teach music (Pike 1873, 43-48). Initially parts-effects that reflect careful train- h is student choir sang conventional "The right number of measures"! hymns, anthems, and occasionally a 2. Cf. also letters held in the American Mis­ "The law of structures"! These are not more ambitious work like i,sther, the sionary Association Archives: Geo. L. White criteria that would be applied today Bea11tiful Queen by William B. Brad­ to Erastus M . Cravalh, March JI, 1871, April to any folk music. But Seward's tran­ bury Oubilee Singers scrapbook). The 7, 1871, April 26, 1871, July 27, 1S71, August 4, 1871, August 21. 1671; and replies from scriptions have been priJ1ted and re­ Cr,wath, May 1, 1871. August 17, 1871, and printed as true representations of the t, Many editions were issued beginning August 22, 1871. music of slavery. with /11l1i/ee S011ss (American Missionary As­ sociation !S72) a:nd continuing with n,e Jubilee 3. See entries for November 16, 1877, In the preface to the fi rst collection S111gcrs a11d T/,eir Caw1111ig11 for Twmty Tl1ousa11d November 24, November 26. November 27, Dollar, (Pi;.:e 1873). and Novcrnber 29. 4. Cf. Jubilee Singers scrapbooks. 7

of Jubilee Songs, Seward made other What of the Fisk Jubilee Singers (Wallaschek 1893). He looked at the comments revealing that he was themselves? It seems quite possible notes and concluded that they looked aware of the difference between folk that they regarded their carefully re­ like European music. Since the notes versions and these; hearsed pe rformances as mere im­ could not reproduce many of the provements, not as basic changes. characteristics of the music, in fact It has been frequently said, They were certainly unaware of any they did look fj ke European music. especially by persons who have motive of commercialization, a charge What is more, many of the concert been at the South, and heard the that has been made. The songs were arrangements sou nded like it. A clear singing of the camp-meetings: not purely African or European to distinction between concert arrang­ "This music is too good. It is too begin with. A process of acculturation ments and authentic folk versions refined. There is too nice a had been going on since both whites would not be made for many years. balancing of parts, and too much and blacks arrived in the New World; The limitations of musical notation delicate shading to be a genuine why must the process stop? What is were not widely recognized in the representation of slave-music." quite likely is that a more authentic nineteenth century. The objection is easily answered, performance would have had diffi­ Not until the introduction of the in this wise. The manner and culty finding an aud.ience in 1871. The phonograph and field recording was style of singing at the South de­ irregular rhythms, rhapsodic singing, it possible to preserve the music itself pends entirely upon the degree rasping voices, and bodily movement for future study. And before the de­ of culture in the congregation. would have seemed at that time an velopment of tape recording, many There is a very great difference irreligious blending of the minstrel scholars still relied exclusively on the between the lowest and the high­ show and a church service, too offen­ printed notes. The phonograph was est, in this respect. It cannot be sive to be tolerated. Those Southern bulky, awkward to transport, and not thought strange that the musical listeners who observed "praise meet­ widely accepted in academic circles. feeling which 1s so prolific in ings" were usually horrified by what Many traditional musicologists today original melodies should soon they heard. A typical response was still regard notation as the only reli­ find its way to th e enjoyment of written by the Rev. Robert Mallard in able key to music. They are aware of harmony in the singing of vari­ 1859 about a black service he wit­ performance practice, bL1t usually it ous parts. The Jubilee Singers, nessed in Chattanooga: doesn't seem to trouble them much. no doubt, represent the highest It is necessary to distinguish bet­ average of culture among the col­ Such confusion of sights and ween folk performances and concert ored people, but the singing of sounds.... The whole congre­ arrangements to identify musical ele­ these songs is all their own, and gation kept up one loud ments that differentiate each from the the quickness with which they monotonous strain, interrupted other. The more challenging task of have received impressions and by various sounds; groans and reconstructing the sound and perfor­ adopted improvements from the screams and clapping of mance style of antebellum black cultivated music they have hands .... I was astonished spirituals remains to be done. I am heard, only affords an additional that such proceedings were told the Afro-American culture group illustration of the high countenanced in even a Cumber­ at the Smithsonian Institution is now capabilities of the race (Seward land church .. . . Considering working on this project. 1872, 3). the mere excitement manifested in these disorderly ways, I could References Whatever limitations we may per­ but ask: What religion is there in ceive in Seward's understanding, he this? (Myers 1972, 482-483). Allen, William Francis. 1867, Sltwc was warmly respected by the au­ songsoftheUnited States. New York: thorities at Fisk and by the singers What Mallard called groans and A. Simpson. themselves, according to Ella Shep­ screams might be more sympatheti­ Bremer, Fredrika. 1924. America of the pard's diary. When White had to take cally described. Twentieth century fifties: Letters of Frederika Bremer, a leave because of his health, Seward gospel seems closer to his description selected and edited by Aloph B. was hired by Fisk as leader and taught than the polished performances of the Benson. New York: American-Scan­ in Nashville when the Singers were Jubilee Singers. dinavian Foundation. not on tour (Fisk University 1877, 6). The significance of these notated Epstein, DenaJ. 1977. Sinfu/tunesand Most of the other faculty members at versions is that most comments on the spirituals: Black folk music to the Civil that time regarded themselves almost spirituals until the advent of field re­ War. Urbana: University of Illinois as missionaries to the heathen. Se­ cortlings in the 1930s were based upon Press. ward shared the views of many of his them, not upon live performances. Fenner, Thomas P. 1874. Preface to contemporaries that the rules of music The theory that blac.k spirituals were Hampton and its students. By two of were fixed and immutable as rep­ based on earlier white spirituals was its teachers . . . wit/1 fifty cabin and resented in the music of nineteenth­ promulgated by a Viennese living in plantation songs. Mary Francis century Germany. That there might London who had never been in Africa Armstrong and Helen W. Ludlow. be other musics different but equalJy or in America and who had never valid probably never occured to him. heard the music he was criticizing Continued 011 page 8 8

Singers, of Fisk University, Nashville, Merrill. Black Spirituals, continued TN, under the auspices of the Seward, Theodore F. 1872. Preface to New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. American Missionary Association. Jubilee songs: As sung by the Jubilee Fisk University. 1877. Cntalogue of 1872. New York: Biglow & Main. Singers, . .. New York: Biglow & Fisk U11iversity ... 1877. New York: Myers, Robert Manson, ed. 1972. The Main. G.P. Putnam's Sons. childre11 of pride: A true story of Sheppard, Ella. n.d. Diary, MS. Garrison, Lucy McKim. 1862. Songs Georgia and the Civil War. New Fisk University Library, Special of the Port Royal "Contrabands." Haven: Ya le University Press. Collections Department. Dwight's Journal of Music 21 "Negro Minstrelsy in Church­ Wallaschek, Richard. 1893. Primitive (November 8):254. Novel Religious Exercises." 1871. music: An i11quiry i11to the origin and Jubilee Singers. Scrapbook. Fisk Cincinnati Comnu:rcial, October9:8. development of music songs, instr11- University Library, Special Collec­ Pike, G.D. 1873. The Jubilee Singers and me11ts, dances and pantomimes of tions Department. their campaign for twenty thousa11d savage races. London: Longmans, "The Jubilee Singers in Steinway dollars. Boston: Lee and Shepard. Green and Co. Hall. Speech of Mr. Seward." 1872. Rose, WilJie Lee. 1964. Rehearsal for White, Newman Ivey. 1928. American American Missionary 16 (April):90. reconstrnction: The Port Royal Negro folk-songs. Cambridge: Jubilee songs: As sung by the Jubilee experiment. Indianapolis: Bobbs- Harvard University Press.

Introducing . . . Members of the National Advisory Board of the Center for Black Music Research by Bruce Tucker, N1:c.1.1 Brunswick, New Jersey

"As I look back," says Willie Orioles for the World Championship, The experience, he says, opened his Stargell, "1 get chills just thinking that but about his part in the premiere on eyes to the dedication of people in the I had the audacity to go out there and January 15, 1983, at The John F. Ken­ music world and led him to agree to do that." nedy Center for the Performing Arts join the Center's advisory board. of Joseph Schwantner's New Morning "When you're watching someone for the World. Schwantner's musical tri­ take so much pride in what they do bute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and make so many sacrifices, you ask perfonned by the Eastman Philhar­ what you can do to help," he says. monia and conducted by David He's been helping a variety of Ephron, included excerpts from ten worthy enterprises for a long time. years of the late civil rights leader's He has done volunteer work for speeches, recited by Stargell. Pi ttsburgh's Job Corps and Neighbor­ Participation in that project was the hood Yo uth Corps. As president of first in a chain of events that brought the Willie Stargell Foundation, he's him to join the National Advisory been active in the fight against sickle Board of the Center for Black Music cell anemia, raising money for re­ Research. He was scouted for the role search and education. He has also of Dr. King by Robert Freeman, Direc­ served on the Na rionaJ Advisory tor of the Eastman School of Music Board for Sickle Cell Anemia. and another member of the Center's As a player from 1962 through 1982 advisory board. with the Pirates, he compiled a "He said he saw me do some inter­ lifetime .282 average and became the views after the World Series, and he all-time Pirate leader in home runs thought I had the voice and the pre­ with 475 and RBI's with 1,540. In 1979 sence to do it," says Stargell. he was named the National League's Quick to give the credit to the co-Most Valuable Player, the World Willie Stargell originators of the project, he adds, Series Most Valuable Player, and the The former Pittsburgh Pirate "The Eastman School of Music really Sporting News's Man of the Year. supersta r is not talking about the made all this happen by having a com­ But transcending the statistical ac­ dramatic late-inning home run he hit poser of the stature of Joseph complishments are the qualities of in the seventh game of the 1979 World Schwantner, a conductor like David leadership and style he brings to ev- Series to le11d his team back from a Ephron, and people like Bob Freeman three-games-to-one deficit to beat the and his staff, who prepared me for it." Continued on page 10 9

Dena L. Epstein didn't intend to be­ to which she could turn whenever she materia l that would demonstrate the come one of the pioneers in the study had time. existence of the music and de­ of black folk music. In the early fifties, "At first," says the Assistant Music monstrate how it developed." wh@n she had temporarily left her Librarian of the University of She investigated African music in Chicago's Joseph Regenstein Library, British and French America; she de­ "l was going to try tto find out about monstrated beyond question the Afri­ the editors of Slnve 5011gs of the U11ited can origins of the banjo; and her work States for a short article. I became so ewntually yielded the indispensable fascinated by the whole subject of pre­ Si11f1tl Tt111c, a111/ Spiriluafs: Black Folk Civil War black folk music that I Music to tire Cic,il War (University of couldn't stop." Illinois Press, 1977). She has served She immersed herself in a broad on the editorial board of Black Music range of material published before th e Researc/1 Jormrnl, and she has now Civil War, including slave narratives, joined the National Advisory Board of novels, poetry, and innumerable the Center for Black Music Research. works on non-musical subjects. Using "The Center is taking on a big job her expertise as a Ubrarian, she pro­ in many areas," she says, "and I want duced an invaluable survey of sources to do everything I can to support it. about slave music. From the first, she I think in some small way I can ~e says, she could not believe there was helpful because I have practical experi­ no historical record of black folk ence in library cataloging and in deal­ music. ing with music libraries." "There was a very limited amount After earning a B.A. in music from of primary source material on black th e University of Chicago and a 8.5. folk music before the Civil War, and and an M.A. in library science at the University of !llinois, she worked Dena L. Epstein the opinion had been very widely pubHshed that there had been no from 1939 to 1943 as a cataloger of art career as a )jbrairian to raise a family, music," she says. "What I was trying she was seeking an interesting project to do was uncover primary source Continued on page 10

John F. Sawyer, Dean of the Blair temporary Brass Quintet. Though children. With an enrollment of 240 School of Music at Vanderbilt Univer­ Blair is devoted almost entirely to clas­ and a lengthy waiting list, the school, sity, joined the National Advisory sical music, Sawyer is instituting next says Sawyer, has already succeeded Board of the Center for Black Music year the school's first course in the far beyond his expectations. Research because, he says, its work is history of jazz. "one of the most significant contribu­ As a performer, he has worked with tions we can make to American music the Nashville Symphony, the Hous­ right now." ton Symphony Orchestra, the Ameri­ "We have to document the history can BalletTheaterOrchestra, theMan­ and the music before it's lost forever," tovani Orchestra, and the Robert he says. "History gets distl rted if you Shaw Chorale and Orchestra. In the wait too long." mid-fifties, he played engagements As the organizer and first director with Stan Kenton, Richard Maltby, of Blair, Sawyer has already made his Hal McIntyre. own considerable contribution to Currently, he leads a 20-member music. The school began in 1964 as big band. Called the Establishment, part of the pre-college division of the the all volunteer group plays the School of Music of George Peabody music of Basie, Ellington, the Dor­ College for Teachers. Since then, seys, and Harry James. All proceeds Sawyer has guided the school to its from its two dozen or so engagements present status as a degree granting per year go to scholarships for stu­ school of Vanderbilt. dents who could not otherwise afford Along the way, he established the to attend Blair. Blair String Quartet, which has re­ Two years ago, Sawyer also co­ corded on the Red Mark label. He as­ founded with jazz bassist W. 0. Smith sumed co-sponsorship of the Nash­ the W. 0. Smith Community Music John F. Sawyer ville Youth Symphony; he guided the School. The school's volunteer faculty merger with Vanderbilt; and he offers music lessons, at fifty cents helped establish the Nashville Con- each, to underprivileged Nashville Continued on page 10 10

World Series home run, put it: "Willie sporting regard-and there is a special Stargell, co11finued won it all-the game and the Series, pleasure in all that, a thump of the and a fistful of Series slugging re­ heart, because of his way of doing erything he does. As the New Yorkers cords, and, best of all, something like things, because of the kind of man he Roger Angell, writing of that dramatic a permanent place in our national is."

Chicago. Last February she was cited for the National Endowment for the Epstein, co11ti1111ed by the Music Library Association for Arts. She has also served as president and music for the University of Illinois "Distinguished Service in Music Li­ of the Music Library Association and Library. She was senior music librar­ brarianship." as a member of its board of directors. ian for the Newark Public Library from Her extensive publications include Currently, she is editing her late 1943 to 1945. From 1946 to 1948 she articles for Harvard's Notable American mother's autobiography, the only was a music cataloger and reviser in Wo111e11, 1607-1950 and for the New known manuscript about Hull House the music section of the copyright Grove Dictionary of Music and Musi­ produced by a resident of the settle­ cataloging division of the Library of cians. She has been a panel member ment's neighborhood. She then plans Congress. Since 1964 she has served of the National Endowment for the to return to an investigation of the as curator of recordings and assistant Humanities, and she currently re­ highly influential transcriptions of the music librarian at the University of views project proposals for NEH and work of the Fisk Jubile-e Singers.

He is an evaluator for the National trumpet works by Bach, Brahms, and Sawyer, conti1111ed Association of Schools of Music. He Concone. But, he says, his first love has taught at George Peabody Col­ was jazz. Sawyer also serves as vice-president lege, Northeast Louisiana State Col­ "That's what attracted me to music of the Nashville Music Association lege, and the University of Houston. when I was in the sixth grade," he and on the advisory panel of the Met­ He has co-edited trumpet works by says. "I've had a love affair with it ever ropolitan Nashville Arts Commission. J. M. Molter and transcribed for the since."

Correction

The biography of National Advisory tion. The article stated that Dr. Ryder Arts Association, charter member of Board-member Georgia Ryder, which was a founding member of the Vir­ the Norfolk Comm.ission of the Arts, appeared in Vol. 8, No. 1 of Black Music ginia Arts Commission. She informs and panelist for the Virginia Commis­ Research Newsletter, contained a state­ us that she is, rather, a "founding sion on the Arts." ment for which we now offer a correc- member of the Southeastern Virginia

Composers Comer Maurice H. McCall by L11ci11s R. Wyatt, Prairie View A&M University

Maurice Henderson McCall (b. sequently, he received the degree of mont General and Technical College. 1943), a successful composer and seri­ Doctor of Musical Arts in composition He also served as Director of Minority ous advocate of the Afro-American from the College-Conservatory of Affairs at the University's radio sta­ musical heritage, has lived and Music of the University of Cincinnati. tion, WGUC-FM. In 1981 he was ap­ worked ma.inly in Virginia and Ohio. His principal teachers in composition pointed Un.iversity Registrar at Vir­ He is a native of Norfolk, Virginia. His at Cincinnati were Paul Cooper and ginia State University in Petersburg, two baccalaureate degrees in music Scott Huston. a post he currently holds. and in composition, as well as the His professional work includes ap­ His prizes in composition include a Master of Fine Arts degree in compos­ pointments to the faculties of first place award from the Alpha ition, were completed at the Carnegie­ Hampton Institute and the University Omega Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sin­ Mellon University in Pittsburgh. His of Cincinnati. At Cincinnati he was fonia (1972) and the Ganze! Award chief composition teachers at Car­ Lecturer, Executive Assistant to the from the Cincinnati Literary and Mus­ negie-Mellon were Nikolai Lopat­ Dean of the College-Conservatory, ical Society (1973). nikoff and Carlos Surinach. Sub- and Registrar of the University's Cler- In discussing his approach to com- 11

position, McCall states: "I would de­ cause of Afro-American music in the TlicyTolrl Me, voice and organ, based scribe myself as a sil1gi11g contmp11ntist. classroom and in va rious workshops. on text by Julia Fields, 1970. I believe that the value of the musical When he taught college level music Two So11gs: 011e Wo1111111 and WJ,om, thought is best shown in its singable theory and Afro-American music his­ voice and piano, 1971. (and memorable) impact and that its tory, he used musica 1examples drawn Were Yo11 There, soprano, mi xed development is a matter of contrapun­ from such recording artists as Midiael chorus, oboe and organ, 1972. tal expression whid1 spreads equity Jackson and Stevie Wonder. He con­ Based on texts from tlie spirituals and importance to all parts of the com­ ducted workshops in Afro-American Were You Ti,cre' and Did You Hear position. music for the Roman Catholic church How They Crncified My Lorri' "I see the need for the continuance in Rensselaer, Indiana for two sum­ 111 Parting, a song cycle of five songs of sensitive reco111position of the music mers. He also served as chairman of for voice and piano, 1972. Two and thought expressed in the Afro­ a symposium devoted to the teaching songs, CJ,anson Tris/£' a11d Swl'L'f Sor­ American traditional spirituals. The of Afro-American history at Louis­ roH> are published in: Anthology of instructional value for the talented is ville, Kentucky. Art Songs by Black A111aica11 ComJIOS· beyond estimate. The moral value for McCall's musical compositions as, edited by Willi s C. Patterson. the listener is the same as would be overwhelmingly emphasize the im­ New York: Edward 8. Marks Music achieved from any body of mature folk portance of melody, a trait no doubt Corporation, 1977. music. The loss of this source would resulting from his involvement with Instrumental Music be a crime that would take dearly from vocal music. Another essential charac­ the future creative spark that must teristic of his musical style is counter­ Lcdom for woodwind quintet, 1970. fuel undone creativity in this great na­ point. Pieces sud, as Chanson Triste Thought fo r percussion, 1971. tion." and Sweet Sorrow contain sections of Three percussionists performing McCall further underscores the im­ imitative counterpoint. Another on twenty-nine instruments. portance of Afro-American music in piece, Ledom for woodwind quintet, Study No. 1: The l11tcrrul'terl the following manner: "We are living explores various polyphonic devices. Acco111pa11ist, piano, 1972. in a time which has been and con­ The harmonic structures found in Olde Musick, a suite for various tinues to be greatly [influenced] by compositions written around 1972 medieval instruments, 1973. Afro-American music and practices. contain various dissonant intervals Discography As noted by Dvorak at the beginning such as the tritone. However, the com­ of this century, Afro-American music poser states that he currently favors Chanso11 Triste, 1972; a nd Sweet is the basis for any thinking on Ameri­ the use of the minor third, an interval Sorrow, 1972. Produced by the can music. This music was wholly de­ traditionally associated with Afro­ University of Michigan School of veloped on these shores by the efforts America n music. Music. SM 0015, 1981. Stereo. of the Afro-American, who through Inquiries concerning tli_e music of his cultural view of the world, took The Music Of Mau rice H. McCall may be addressed the elements of music as he found Maurice H. McCall to: them in this new situation [slavery] -Vocal Music and created a music whi ch toudies all Dr. Maurice H. McCall humanity." I Will Arise, a recomposed spiritual P.O. Box 7026 Thus, Dr. McCall has promoted the for voice and strings, 1969. Ettrick, Virginia 23803

The 1985 National Conference on Black Music Research by Calvert Bean, Nashvi/le, Te11nessee

The National Conference on Black cessful meeting. Samuel A. Floyd's directions for researchers in the field. Music Research was well planned for opening remarks included reference Five areas were to have been treated­ Friday, September 27, 1985, but its pre­ to the conference's history and thanks musico-iconography, biography, criti­ paration had not allowed for the pos­ to The John F. Kennedy Center for the cism, oral history, and lexicography­ sibility of a storm like "Gloria" coincid­ Performing Arts, the National Endow­ with five leading scholars presenting ing with the event that day in ment for the Humanities, and Colum­ papers on topics in their fields of ex­ Washington, D.C. bia College for providing support for pertise and five different scholars re­ Welcoming remarks on behalf of the the meeting. sponding to the papers presented. host institution, The John F. Kennedy The purpose of the conference was The papers were scheduled to be Center for the Performing Arts, were threefold: to explore critical and presented as follows: addressed by Ardiie L. Buffkins to the emerging issues in black music assembled par ticipants. He com­ scholarship, to communicate informa­ mended the planners of this meeting tion about these issues to scholars ac­ and gave his good wishes for a sue- ross the country. and to discuss future Continued on page 12 12

treatment by a writer. cism to the longevity of a work of 1985 Conference, continued Among the responses from the au­ music are the frequency and quality dience to the biography presentation of performance, the performers' con­ Black Music Biography: A Research and response were the following com­ viction of the importance of works Agenda ments: There is a serious problem in they perform, and the relevance per­ Richard Long, presenter locating personal papers of potential ceived by audiences to their experi­ Geneva Southall, respondent subjects. The difficulty of the "re­ ence of performed works. lationship" factor is compounded by Ron Welburn's paper, delivered by Black American Music in Pictures elusive information about archive lo­ Paul Burgette of the Eastman School Frederick Crane, presenter cation and legal responsibilities. of Music because Welburn was Edmund Barry Gaither, respondent Orin Moe, in his paper on criticism, grounded by Gloria, went into detail A Question of Value: Black American decried the lack of attention to and about the "pleasures and pitfalls" of Music and Criticism interest in black composers shown by doing oral history and of developing Orin Moe, presenter textbook histories and so-called stan­ a useful methodology, giving a Olly Wilson, respondent dard reference works, and said that ro1.mded picture of the work carried he did not believe that such neglect on by the Institute of Ja zz Studies at Theory and Method in Black Music can be attributed onEy to the lack of Rutgers University. Examples were Oral History interest in more or less conservative given of what Welburn considers Ron Welburn, presenter composers. He chose William Grant good and bad taped oral history inter­ Harriet Milnes, respondent Still as an example of a composer who views, and he stressed the importance A Preliminary Investigation into the deserves more scholarly attention and of good technical faciJjties for conduct­ Preparation of a. Black Music Dic­ selected Still's Afro-Americnn Sympho11y ing oral interviews. Respondent Har­ tionary as worthy of detailed study. Following riet Milnes described the oral history Jon Goldman, presenter a sophisticated analysis of the work, projects conducted at Yale University Samuel A. Floyd, respondent he summarized his f.eelings about it and referred to areas of concern for as a subtle, individual merging of oral historians. She concluded that There are interweavings among the black musical characteristics with the achieving a methodology for oral his­ general subjects-especially between symphonic tradition in Western tory is an elusive goal, considering the biography and oral history, and criti­ music. OUy Wilson, in response, re­ variables involved in oral history pro­ cism and lexicography-and they marked that just as important as criti- jects. could be observed in the course of the presentations and responses. For example, Richard Long spoke of the ill belated honor of the twe11tieth n1111iversnry of the Associatio11 for the Advancement need for a purpose and for the deter­ of Creative Musicians, Inc. (A.A.C.M.) we reproduce the following with their mination of the intended audience for per111issio11. a biography and called them "two sides of a coin." Jon Goldman, noting the possible kinds of dictionaries of black music that might be underta­ ken, stated that an actual project de­ penrled on the decision about the kind .>f audience it was intended to reach. Long's "point of view" towards the subject of a biographical study raised questions of concern to oral his­ torians. What does the interviewer get from an interviewee? Does an edited oral interview better represent the in­ terviewer or the interviewee, as they perceive the subject? Geneva South­ all, in responding to Long's paper, mentioned, among other things, that the paean-of-praise approach to biog­ raphy seems especially prevalent in accounts of popular performers. Long added that ideally the "authorized" biography should be what the subject warrants, and that a familial or other close relationship does not necessarily invalidate the possibility of competent 13

The final paper of the afternoon, in such an undertaking. land (16), Massachusetts (3), Michigan Jon Goldman's discourse on lexicog­ Unfortunately, Frederick Crane's (2), Minnesota (2), Mississippi (2), New raphy, stressed! the need for the pro­ paper on "Black Music Iconography" Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New duction of a black music dictionary, had to be canceled! because of the York (3), North Carolina (1), Ohio (4), From his experience as a lexkog­ storm; but it will be published with Tennessee (2), Texas (1), Virginia (9), rapher, Goldman stated that the the other conference papers in the and the District of Columbia (17). scope, the methodology, and the in­ 1986 issue of Black Music Research Jour­ Reports from the conference par­ tended audience would determine the nal, scheduled for release in April. ticipants all indicate that the meeting final form and cost of such a work. In spite of the passing hurricane the was very successful, and my impres­ While he had found some useful conference's registered audience to­ sions and final report most definitely materials in his investigations of exist­ taled eighty, with thirty-three previ­ (and independently) agree. ing dictionaries, he was convinced ous and forty-seven on-site registra­ This conference provided the op­ that a black music dictionary is a first tions. There were thirty-six pre-regis­ portunity to launch the exploration of priority in black music research. Re­ tered no-shows. Participants came new and critical areas of black music spondent Samuel A. Floyd strongly from nineteen states and the District scholarship. It also made clear the supported such a proposal, stressing of Columbia as follows: California (4), need to follow up these initial explora­ the importance of lexicographers and Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Georgia tions. To this end, follow-up investiga­ black music scholars joining together (3), fllinois (6), Louisiana (1), Mary- tions are being planned.

Black History and Memorabilia Collected by Ray Avery by Deborra Richardson, Howard University

Although some black music mate­ thirty-five and fifty cents each. hobby, jazz music, became my rials are available in the library set­ Even so, my record collection business. I opened my first rare tings of repositories such as Columbia grew slowly. record store in 1948, and my col­ College Chicago, The Schomburg During my college years I lecting of black music and Center for Research in Black American spent my weekends visiting the memorabilia began in earnest. Culture, or the Moorland-Spingarn many jazz clubs and ballrooms. Out of every collection I bought Research Center (Howard University), There were many opportunities for resale, I "creamed" the items many of the resources of black history to hear the great jazz artists live, I wanted for my own collection. are being collected by individuals who many of them on tour from the My second hobby, photography, have an interest in the genre. Follow­ New York area. began in 1953. ing is an account of one such effort During my junior year at I have been taking photos of and a description of the collection that UCLA, I was selected to choose jazz musicians for thirty-two has resulted. the band for our Junior Prom. I years and collecting jazz since hired the Duke Ellington Or­ 1938. I began listening to jazz and chestra with vocalist Ivie Ander­ swing bands back in 1936 while son. This was about the most ex­ Ray Avery's personal collection of I was in high school at Big Bear citing evening of my life. My Black History and Memorabilia con­ Lake, California. I was close date did not understand why l sists of several types of media, includ­ enough to Los Angeles to receive didn't want to dance. I just ing recordings, taped interviews, station KFI. Each morning disc wanted to listen and watch at magazines, catalogs, books, photo­ jockey Al Posca played jazz and very close range. graphs, posters, lithographs, sheet swing music from 6:00 a.111. to Before I could finish college, I music, and autographed letters. 8:00 a.111. My favorite bands joined the Army Air Force as an The recordings, which number were Count Basie, Duke El­ aviation cadet. After finishing some 750, come in several genres. lington, Benny Goodman, and my flight training, I flew to my There are plantation songs and Artie Shaw. My favorite singers war-time base in central India. minstrel songs, mostly of the dialect were Billie Holiday, Bessie The next year and a half I was comedy variety that appear in the ten­ Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy flying "the Hump" from India to and twelve-inch 78 rpm configuration. Rushing, and Ivie Anderson of Kunming, China. I continued to There are long-playing records (33 1/3 the Duke Ellington Band. look for jazz records in the small rpm, twelve-inch discs) of black his­ My record collecting didn't towns in India, and once in a tory and freedom including such im­ begin w1til I enrolled at UCLA while I would find some. I would portant black personalities as Martin in 1938. I was working my way send home records whenever I Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Adam through college, so I didn't have had too many to carry around much money for records. Luck­ with me. ily at the time, records were only When the war ended, my Continued on page 14 14

jazz musicians. The sheet music consists of "coon" Ray Avery Collection, conti1111ed Among the visuals are approxi­ songs, plantation songs, ragtime, and mately ten thousand photographs by blues. The majority of the "coon" and Clayton Powell, Langston Hughes, Ray Avery himself. These black and plantation pieces are beautifully illus­ A11gela Davis, and William Grant Still. white photos (and negatives) span the trated and of such quality that they There are also 45 rpm discs which per­ years 1953-1985. Included are shots can be used for d isplay purposes. In tain to black history and freedom as taken at major jazz festivals in the the jazz/blues category can be noted well as topical songs relating to black United States and Europe, at night ten different editions of the "Saint people and culture. The recordings club performances, at recording ses­ Louis Blues," all with different covers. document the period 1947 to 1985. sions, and at the homes of musicians. Autographs can be found in all Another recorded format included Photos from this collection have been areas of the collection. Among them in Avery's collection is the tape record­ used on over one hundred long-play­ are autographed copies of sheet music ing. Among these are interviews with ing album covers and in hundreds of by W.C. Handy and autographed black athletes from 1965-1975 and the magazine articles. Color slides of the photographs of Duke Elliington. recorded music or voice of nearly all same subject matter have been made Mr. Avery's entire personal collec­ prominent black musicians in the by Avery. tion is for sale as a unit. In addition, 1900s. Photographs collected by Avery in­ his business, Rare Records, carries Printed materials include books on clude special collections on Joe Louis, some 350,000 recordings of jazz musi­ the history of jazz as well as biog­ Duke Ell ington, black cavalry in the cians, pop singers, folk singers, and raphies, profiles, discographies, and Mexican Border Wars, and New Or­ actors which are also available for sale. record catalogs related to the genre. leans, in black and white as well as For further information on Mr. Avery Other volumes pertain either to black color. Also included here are posters or any part of hiscoUection(s) contact: history or are written by black au­ of jazz and pop artists. A rarity from thors. The magazines consist of jazz this section is a Bessie Smith post@r Rare Records circulars from the United States, publicizing the move Sai11t Louis Blues do Ray Avery Europe, and Japan, as well as those (1928). Susan Dysinger's limited edi­ 417 East Broadway which have cover photos of famous tion sepia Lithographs are the final Glendale, CA 91205 black figures. Also included in this component of the visual media inven­ category are hundreds of letters from tory. 212/245-0379

BM Exchange

With the next issue of Black Music print, and sometimes are hard to copyright protected. BM Exchange Research Newsletter, a new column will come by, BM Exchange will provide will encourage the sharing of such debut- "BM Exchange." Exchange one means for remedying this state of materials on the basis of one-for-one will be edited by James Standifer and affairs. exchanges or direct sale of copies. will include a forum through which Scholars and teachers around the Please send all listings of materials readers can excl1ange or otherwise country have personal copies of you have available for sharing and list­ secure research and teaching mate­ sound recordings, printed music, and ings of materials you desire to obtain rial:, that are out of print. Since black other materials that have been long to Dr. James Standifer at: 3157 Lake­ music materials guickly go out of out of print and are no longer wood Drive, Ann Arbor, Ml 48103.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM ... the Center for Black Music Research by Josephine Wright, The College of Wooster

Author Anthony Heilbut has an­ Popular Music Research Center at the been announced for an oral history nounced the release of an updated University of Nevada (Las Vegas). The collection to be housed at the center. trade paperback edition of his book, center aims to develop a facility to at­ The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad tract scholars of popular culture and Columbia College's Center for Times (New York: Limelight Editions, will include in its holdings books, Black Music Research seeks to ex­ 1985. 416 pp. $9 .95). magazines, vertical .files, and sound pand its holdings and services by de­ recordings, as well as memorabilia of veloping a file of visual materials for Arnold Shaw has been appointed popular performers who perform on research and display purposes. The director of the newly established the Las Vegas Strip. Plans have also Center requests donations of historic 15 photographs, paintings, posters, post Lewis Porter (Tufts University) re­ Foster's leadership, the Florida A&M cards, and other iconographical items cently published his book on Lester University Band rose to national that relate to black musical events and Young, which is available for distribu­ prominence, appearing on national performance practices. tion in the United States through G.K. television as well as in films and com­ Hallffwayne Publishers and by Mac­ mercials, and revolutionized march­ A conference on Afro-American millan Press in London in both ing band tedmiques, maneuvers, and Music and the Historically Black Col­ hardcover and paperback. Porter also concert format with its band pagean­ lege was held at Spelman College, At­ advises that he is currently compiling try and repertory of kaleidoscopic for­ lanta, Georgia, November 14-16, 1985. notes for a.second printing of the book mations. Participants examined the relation­ and welcomes news about private ship between the traditional black col­ Jacquelyn Wilson, of Montage tapes, photos, news articles, and lege and folk- or community-based Media Productions, announces that anecdotes on Lester Young. Porter culture. Special recognition was paid she is currently producing a series for further announces work on a catalog National Public Radio entitled "Blacks to Willis Laurence James (1900-1966), of unissued tapes of jazz perfor­ a pioneering black music educator, in Classical Music." The program mances (commercial as well as club explores areas of black classical cul­ folklorist, and composer-arranger. recordings) from 1930 through the pre­ Scholarly papers were presented on ture that have rarely been made sent and requests that readers who topics pertaining to "Afro-American available to the radio listener or con­ own such tapes contact him: Lewis Culture in the Academic Setting," cert public. Music used on the series Porter, Tufts University, Department will include works pre-recorded for "The Choral Tradition in the H.istori­ of Music, Medford, Massachusetts cally Black College," and "Research in the program and commissioned 02115. Afro-American Folk Music and Folk works. She invites artists as well as Culture." The National Women's Music Festi­ black musical ensembles to submit re­ val has issued a call for proposals from cordings for audition and considera­ Eileen em will direct South an NEH performers for performances of works tion. Contact: Montage Media Produc­ Summer Seminar for College Teachers by women composers at its national tions, c/o Jacquelyn Wilson, 241 12th at Harvard University on the topic gathering at Indiana University Place, N.E., Suite 4, Washington, DC "Afro-American Music in the (Bloomington) from June 6-8, 1986. 20002. Phone: (202) 544-5273. Nineteenth Century" from June 23 to Contact: National Women's Music Fes­ August 15, 1986. tival, Box 52V, Bloomington, Indiana The National Endowment for the John Alvin Cottrell is researching 47402. Humanities has instituted a program for Younger Scholars under the the recorded musical career of jazz New music competition deadlines saxophonist Wayne Shorter (b. 1933). Humanities Projects for Youth. have been announced as follows. The He is particularly interested in receiv­ "Awards for Younger Scholars provide deadline for the Omaha Symphony ing information about recordings that the nation's students with oppor­ Guild's 9th Annual Competition for tunities to conduct noncredit indepen­ feature Shorter-particularly the Art New Music for Chamber Orchestra is Blakey Recordings ca. 1958, the Miles dent research and writing projects May 15, 1986. Contact: Nancy Gal­ Davis Recordings from 1964-1971, and during the summer months. Under lagher, 2509 South 102nd Street, the Weather Report Recordings from the close supervision of advisers who Omaha, Nebraska 68124. The deadline 1971 to the present. Contact: John A. are humanities scholars, individuals for the Percussive Arts Society's 13th pursue their own humanities projects Cottrell, 31610th Avenue, S.W., Suite Annual New Music Competition is 3, Birmingham, Alabama 35211. during a concentrated period of time June 1, 1986. Contact: the Percussive not normally available during the John Edward Hasse's new book, Arts Society, Box 697, Urbana, Illinois school year. This program enables Ragtime, has recently been released by 61801. grantees to enhance their intellectual Schirmer Books (New York, 1985. Orion Records (Malibu, California) development by producing research $V.95). has just announced the release of a papers on a specific humanities topic. Lee Cloud (Northern Tll inois Uni­ new album entitled The Music of George ln both subject matter and methodol­ versity) and Willis Patterson (Univer­ Walker (ORS 83461). ogy, projects must be firmly grounded in one of the disciplines of the sity of Michigan, Ann Arbor) pre­ Pacifica Radio (KPFK 90.7 FM) in sented papers on a panel devoted to humanities." For guidelines and infor­ Los Angeles, California, has inaugu­ Afro-American music at the twenty­ mation about deadlines, contact Leon rated a new series called "Music in eighth Annual Meeting ofThe College Bramson, Senior Program Officer, Black-The Classic Image," produced Music Society, held in Vancouver, Humanities Projects for Youth: by Barbara Sherrill and John Patton. British Columbia, Canada, November Younger Scholars, Division of General The program airs weekly on Tuesday 7-10, 1985. Cloud's paper examined Programs, National Endowment for mornings at 6 a.111. the hidden meanings of lyrics in black the Humanities, Room 420, 1100 playgame songs. Patterson discussed William P. Foster (Florida A&M Uni­ Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., the black American art song. Samuel versity) has donated his papers to the Floyd (Columbia College) chaired the Black History Collection of the Univer­ session. sity of Kansas (Lawrence). Under Dr. Continued on page 16 16

v1s1on of extracurricular research ex· Music, College of William and Mary, News and Notes, continued periences and employment oppor­ Williamsburg, VA 23185. The confer­ tunities for students who have the in­ ence topic is "American Music and Washington, DC 20506. Phone: (202) terests and skills fo r the projects un· Society." Proposals that deal with 786-0271. dertal

Editor: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr. Managi11g Associate Editor: Marsha J. Reisser Associate Editors: Calvert Bean and Orin Moe Production Manager: Gerry Gall Designer: Mary Johnson Typesetter: Anita S trejc

BMR Newsletter is devoted to the encourage­ BMR Newsletter is published by the Columbia Inquiries regarding subscription, as well as sub­ ment and promotion of scholarship and cultural College Center for Black Music Research. Infor­ scription payments, should be sent to: activity in black American music and is in· mation submitted for inclusion shou.ld be tended to serve as a medium for the sharing of mailed to: Samuel A. Floyd, Jr., Editor, Center Publications, Center for Black Music Research ideas and information regarding current and for Black Music Research, Columbia College, Columbia College Chicago futme research and activities in universities and 600 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 600 South Michigan Avenue research centers. 60605-1996. Chicago, Illinois 60605-1996.