Blues

A Romanticized Subject

Began to be Recognized End of 19thC.

Developed from Work Songs and (some say) Spirituals

Combined with Ragtime circa 1895 to Create Jazz

Blues Archeology

Blues Spread once it met the Music Business

1. 1902 Ma Rainey “Mother of the Blues” added Blues to her Minstrel Act

Blues Archeology

2. 1903 W. C. Handy “Father of the Blues”

First heard the blues (p. 18)

Blues Archeology

3. 1909 W. C. Handy writes“Memphis Blues”

(for mayoral race)

4. 1912 “Memphis Blues” is Published, others also publish Blues

5. 1916 First Recorded Blues

Blues Archeology

6. 1917 First Instrumental Blues Recorded, Original Dixieland Jass Band “Livery Stable Blues”

7. 1920 First African-American Recording of the Blues. Mamie Smith “Crazy Blues”

8. 1923(24) First Country Blues Recorded

Blues Styles in the 1920s

“Classic” City Blues and Country Blues

City Blues Recorded First

Country Blues developed First

“Classic” City Blues Form

12 Bars of Music

3 Basic Chords

Repetition of the First Vocal Line

“St. Louis Blues” Bessie Smith

The “Classic” Blues Formvocal line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..] instrumental answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

(chord 1)

|| — — — — || — — — — || — — — — || — — — — ||

repeat vocal line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ] instrumental answer . . . . . .. . . … . . .. … ]

(chord 2) (chord 1)

|| — — — — || — — — — || — — — — || — — — — ||

vocal line #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . ] instrumental answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ]

(chord 3) (chord 1)

|| — — — — || — — — — || — — — — || — — — — ||

“Back Water Blues” “Black Snake Moan”

City Blues

Is a Female Dominated Style

It was Professional Entertainment

Mamie Smith was a Theater Performer before she recorded “Crazy Blues” in 1920

Accompaniment by Piano and/or Jazz Band

Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds

City Blues Singers

Ma Rainey “Mother of the Blues”

Bessie Smith “Empress of the Blues”

Country Blues

A Male Dominated Style

Self-Accompanied on Guitar

Used “Approximately” 12 Bars of Music

Performed at Smaller Gatherings, often by Itinerant Street Performers

“Match Box Blues” Blind Lemmon Jefferson

“Revenue Man Blues” Charlie Patton

Country Blues Singers

Blind Lemon Jefferson1st country blues whose records sold well Robert Johnson, Satanic Myth1930s, the end of the country blues trend. Major influence on British rockersLeadbellyDiscovered by Lomax, influenced the Greenwich Village Folk scene

Country Blues Styles

Mississippi Delta

Piedmont

Texas

Mississippi Delta Blues

Thought to be the oldest form

Bottle Neck Guitar Style

Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson (but)

Texas Blues

Use of single line melodies

Blind Lemon Jefferson

Leadbelly

Piedmont Blues

Atlanta & Southeast

• Closer to Ragtime Guitar

• Barbecue Bob (1927-8)

• Blind Boy Fuller (1930s)

Early 1930s

Country and City Blues Begin to Combine

LeRoy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell

• Male

• Piano Blues & Single Line Guitar

• Polished

• “Midnight Hour Blues”

1930s Blues

Kansas City Blues Shouter, jazz based

Joe Turner, Kansas City late 1930s. 1950s was considered a Rhythm & Blues singer

Blues Shouter style was adopted by rock singers

Blues 1940s Jump Bands

Jump Bands were scaled down swing bands

Extensive riffs

Louis Jordan, major hits in the 1940.

• 9 of the top 15 were Jordan’s (1946)

• Became model for Bill Haley (used the same record producer)

• “Choo Choo Ch-Boogie

Blues Late 1940s

• Chicago Blues

• Electrified Mississippi Delta Blues

• Used Bottle Neck Style Guitar

• Chess Records (Chess Brothers)

• Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield)

Blues: Muddy Waters

Born on Plantation

Recorded Country Blues 1941 for LOC

Moved to Chicago 1946

“Hard Day Blues”

Other Chicago (Detroit) Blues

Howlin’ Wolf• From the Delta• Memphis Radio Show

John Lee Hooker, Detroit• From the Delta• Step Father played w/Charlie Patton• “Boogie Chillun”

1940s Smooth Urban Blues

Jazzy & Relaxed

Usually Piano Based

Nat King Cole, piano/singer

Ray Charles began in this style

Electric Guitar Urban Blues

1940-1950

T-Bone Walker (Texas)

• 1st recorded electric guitar blues

B. B. King (Memphis)

• Copied T-Bone’s style

“B. B. Boogie”