Exam #2 - Women in Blues, Territory Bands, and Pre- and Post-War Chicago Blues

Question 1

Who was Bessie Smith? (recorded 1923-1933)

Answer 1

“Queen of the blues”; best known of the classic blues singers; major influence on many, including Janis Joplin; recorded 100+ records for Columbia; died under tragic alleged racist circumstances in a Mississippi car accident; “Gimmie a Pigfoot” and “Kitchen Man”

Question 2

People of color, no matter how famous, were…

Answer 2

not immune from the prejudice that existed at the time.

Question 3

Who was Ma Rainey? (recorded 1923-1928)

Answer 3

“Mother of the blues”; laid the groundwork for classic blues with her Blue Flame Syncopators; Mentor for Bessie Smith; “See See Rider”

Question 4

What did the term “classic blues” generally refer to?

Answer 4

the first wave of blues recordings, all featuring women; musically derived from country blues and jazz, vaudevillian in presentation; performed on theatrical stages or traveling tent shows; elaborate sets and fancy costumes; Blues Divas

Question 5

Who was Mamie Smith? (recorded 1920-1931)

Answer 5

With the help of Perry Bradford, first recording by a black performer for black record buyers, 1920; beginning of the “race” record concept; “That Thing Called Love” established the blues genre and paved the way for African American musical expression

Question 6

Who was Memphis Minnie? (recorded throughout 1930s-50s)

Answer 6

Lizzie Douglas; one of few classic era blues women who accompanied herself on guitar; vocalist and songwriter whose recording career lasted over three decades; recorded around 200 songs; “Bumble Bee” and “Nothing in Rambling” and “Me and My Chauffeur Blues”

Question 7

Describe the “TOBY” Circuit.

Answer 7

Theater Owners Booking Agency, the T.O.B.A (Tough on Black Asses); loose organization of theaters nationwide that offered a chain of performance venues for black entertainers; grueling demands and schedule; eventually displaced by Chitlin Circuit (same thing, different time)

Question 8

What were territory bands?

Answer 8

dance combos associated with particular regions or cities; NY, NO, and KC especially known for their own brand of music

Question 9

Describe the Kansas City Jazz “Stomps” and Blues Shouters.

Answer 9

KC important to rock’n’roll for heavy-on-the-rhythm stomping style of jazz; pioneered by Benny Moten in the 30s, Count Basie picked it up in 40s and 50s; had big-voiced male lead singers like Jimmy Rushing and Big Joe Turner

Question 10

Who was Cab Calloway? (recorded in the 1930s-40s)

Answer 10

a pioneer of the “territory band” style in KC

Question 11

Who was Charlie Christian? (recorded in the 1930s-40s)

Answer 11

a pioneer of the “territory band” style in KC; was the first to use the guitar as the lead instrument

Question 12

Who was Benny Goodman?

Answer 12

“King of Swing”; incorporated black band members in band as a white artists

Question 13

Who was Count Basie? (recorded in 1940s-50s)

Answer 13

picked up Moten’s standard during his recordings; brought a blues influence into jazz, with an economic style

Question 14

Who was Benny Moten? (recorded in 1930s)

Answer 14

the pioneer of Kansas City’s heavy-on-the-rhythm stomping style of jazz

Question 15

Who was T-Bone Walker?

Answer 15

had a blues structure with a different kind of feel; inspired by Charlie Christian; bridged the worlds of jazz and blues; developed a style of lead electric guitar playing that defined how the instrument would be played in both blues and rock’n’roll; major influence to B.B. King

Question 16

Who was Louis Jordan? (recorded 1938-42)

Answer 16

small combo pioneer (from big bands to small combos); established foundation of early rock’n’roll ensembles; popularized role of saxophone as lead instrument; sense of humor in his music

Question 17

Who was Jimmy Rushing?

Answer 17

a big-voiced male lead singer from KC “territory bands”; influenced later R&B vocalists and Elvis Presley

Question 18

Describe Pre-War Chicago Blues (from 1930s to mid-1940s).

Answer 18

Chicago became a vast talent pool and central location, becomes the nation’s primary blues recording center; relative prosperity of working class blacks makes for substantial buying market

Question 19

Who were J. Mayo Williams and Lester Melrose?

Answer 19

key entrepreneurs on the Chicago scene; served as producers, link to major labels like Decca, Vocalion, RCA/Bluebird; Williams was black and associated with a small but important race label; Melrose was white and parlayed record store into a career as a producer; they were responsible for hundreds of important urban blues recordings during the pre-war era

Question 20

What was the influence of pre-war Chicago blues to rock’n’roll?

Answer 20

the small combos of pre-war Chicago blues set pattern for standard early rock band configuration: lead vocalist backed by piano, guitar, bass, drums and sometimes harmonica; introduced harmonica and prominence of guitar as lead instrument

Question 21

What are some notable Decca Artists of the late 30s and early 40s?

Answer 21

Peetie “The Devil’s Son-in-Law” Wheatstraw; Jay McShann (KC); Sam Price; Cousin Joe (NO); Big Bill Broonzy; Kokomo Arnold (influenced both Robert Johnson and Elvis Presley)

Question 22

What are some notable Bluebird Blues artists from the late 30s to mid 40s?

Answer 22

Washboard Sam; Roosevelt “the Honey Dripper” Sykes; Doctor Clayton; Big Maceo; Tommy McClennan; Sonny Boy Williamson; Jazz Gillum; Tampa Red

Question 23

Who was Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup?

Answer 23

source of Presley’s first big hit “That’s Alright Mama”

Question 24

Who was Willy Dixon? (recorded 1940s)

Answer 24

bass player and vocalist in pre-war blues configuration; became most important writer, producer of post-war Chicago blues, including for Muddy Water and Howlin’ Wolf; played on the myth and story-telling of music

Question 25

Who was Carl Hogan?

Answer 25

a member of Louis Jordan’s Tympani Five who played electric guitar; went on to influence later rocker Chuck Berry

Question 26

Who was Howling Wolf (real name Chester Burnett)? (recorded 1951-70)

Answer 26

gravel-voiced Mississippi born harmonica player; influenced by Charley Patton; one of Chess’s most popular blues artists; major influence on the Rolling Stones; rough on the surface but gentle on the inside

Question 27

Who was Muddy Waters (real name McKinley Morganfield)? (recorded 1950s)

Answer 27

Mississippi born slide guitar/harmonica player; regarded as most significant Chicago blues artists and in some circles as one of the most important American roots music artists of 20th century; Rolling Stones take their name from his lyrics; THE Chess record

Question 28

Who were some other notable Chess record blues stars in the Post-War Chicago Blues scene?

Answer 28

Little Walter, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson 2, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Lowell Fulson, Willie Mabon; later on: Etta James, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley

Question 29

What were Blues Shouters?

Answer 29

big sound horn band approach to blues; so-called because lead vocalists tended to shout out their lyrics; many recorded for Cincinnati-based King record label; this style made a strong impression on a young Presley

Question 30

Who was Big Joe Turner? (recorded 1940s-50s)

Answer 30

scored one of the first classic rock hits in 54 with “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”; came from the KC school of jazz stomps; brought big beat to rock’n’roll

Question 31

Describe Post-War Chicago Blues.

Answer 31

South Chicago’s open air market, Maxwell Street, known as “Jewtown” within black community because of Jewish owned businesses there; Flea market weekends become training group for up and coming urban blues artists; Play clubs Saturday night, set up on Maxwell Street at dawn, play for crowds all Sunday; Basic instrumentation: Bass, Drums, electric rhythm and lead guitar, piano and harmonica

Question 32

Who were Phil and Leonard Chess?

Answer 32

immigrant Jewish brothers start independent small record label; make recordings of Maxwell street performers appearing at a nightclub they owned; eventually move full tilt into making records; in the beginning records sold out of trunks of cars, at clubs, Maxwell Street market, etc; The Chess and Checker labels become important to the emergence of “Independent Labels” and rock’n’roll

Question 33

Who was Wynonie Harris? (recorded late 40s-50s)

Answer 33

probably best known and influential of Blues Shouters; started out recording with Lionel Hampton; lived the life he sang about

Question 34

Who was Bull Moose Jackson? (recorded late 1940s-50s)

Answer 34

rocked out on numerous high spirited, often double entendre blues

Question 35

Who was Roy Brown? (recorded late 1940s-50s)

Answer 35

sees his original composition, “Good Rockin’ Tonight”, become an early hit for Elvis Presley

Question 36

Who were the two most notable star from the 1950s era of Chess records?

Answer 36

Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry

Question 37

Who was Bo Diddley (real name Elvis McDaniel)? (recorded mid 50s)

Answer 37

takes name from home-made instrument but plays on suggestive overtones; Mississippi born drummer turned guitar wizard; highly amplified guitar sound; most famous for “shave and a a hair cut–two bits” beat

Question 38

Who was Chuck Berry? (recorded mid-to-late 50s)

Answer 38

St. Louis born guitar wizard, singer, songwriter; best known for definitive rock’n’roll electric guitar licks and songs that spoke to the experiences of teenagers of all backgrounds; many songs covered by later rockers like Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Beachboys, the Rolling Stones, etc.