0. Blues and Ragtime

Question 1

Who was the earliest credited jazz musician?

Answer 1

Buddy Bolden

Question 2

When did Blues songs start appearing in sheet music form?

Answer 2

1912

Question 3

Who wrote the “St. Louis Blues” in 1914?

Answer 3

W.C. Handy, it would rank as the second most recorded song of the first half of the twentieth century.

Question 4

Who wrote the “Long Lonesome Blues”, “Matchbox Blues”, and “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”?

Answer 4

Blind Lemon Jefferson, for the label Paramount, from 1926 - 1929.

Question 5

Which 3 Mississippi blues artists did the label Paramount bring forward in their early days?

Answer 5

Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton and Eddie “Son” House.

Question 6

Which song scored Charley Patton a hit in June 1929?

Answer 6

Pony Blues

Question 7

Which artists were inspired by Eddie “Son” House?

Answer 7

Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters

Question 8

What is the name of the most traditional style of blues?

Answer 8

Country Blues, this minimalist style of performance would often rely on just a vocal line with guitar accompaniment.

Question 9

Which songs by Robert Johnson were frequently covered, therefor showing his success to appeal to a broader stream of music listeners?

Answer 9

“Come in My Kitchen”, “Sweet Home Chicago” and “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”

Question 10

Which blues artist was an inspiration to both rock icons Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton?

Answer 10

Robert Johnson

Question 11

Which style are the songs of the great women blues singers of the 1920’s and 1930’s often referred to?

Answer 11

The Classic Blues

Question 12

What are the differences between classic and country blues?

Answer 12

Country blues has an emphasis on a solo singer, usually male, accompanying himself on guitar. Country blues singers would take liberties with the bar lines. Spirit of Alienation, loneliness and desolation would be the idiom.

Classic blues had primarily a female vocalist, fronting before a band. The vocalist would strictly follow the twelve-bar form. Unrequited love, salacious love and abused love would be added to the blues ethos.

Question 13

Who recorded the hitsong: “Crazy Blues” in 1920?

Answer 13

Mamie Smith, the first black woman to be recorded.

Question 14

Who were the 3 main singers of the classic blues?

Answer 14

Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters.

Question 15

What was the first published ragtime piece?

Answer 15

Mississippi Rag by William Krell in 1897.

Question 16

Who wrote the Harlem Rag?

Answer 16

Tom Turpin, in 1897.

Question 17

Which cities served as home for many rag composers?

Answer 17

Sedalia, Carthage and St. Louis

Question 18

Which two students gathered Scott Joplin around him?

Answer 18

Scott Hayden and Arthur Marshall

Question 19

Who were local rag composers of St. Louis?

Answer 19

Louis Chauvin, Tom urpin, Artie Matthews. Later on Scott Joplin and his students moved there.

Question 20

Who was James Scott?

Answer 20

A local rag composer from Carthage.

Question 21

Which famous piece did Scott Joplin write in 1897?

Answer 21

Maple Leaf Rag

Question 22

What were the names of the Opera’s that Scott Joplin wrote?

Answer 22

A Guest of Honor (1903) and Treemonisha

Question 23

During the mid 1970’s, Joplin’s popularity had a revival. Which works gained newfound interest?

Answer 23

The Entertainer and Treemonisha.