Slavery & African American Culture

Question 1

When was the start of the slave trade

Answer 1

1619

Question 2

When was the end of the north american slave trade

Answer 2

1863 (North) 1865 (South)

Question 3

What part of africa did slaves come from

Answer 3

Sub-Saharan West Africa

Question 4

What was the role of music in west african culture

Answer 4

Omni-present. Songs for every occasion

Question 5

What is the purpose of a Work Song

Answer 5

pass the time, set pace, coordinate work

Question 6

why do we not have recordings of actual slave work songs

Answer 6

recording devices didnt exist

Question 7

Where are Work Songs heard apart from slave plantations

Answer 7

Chain Gangs

Question 8

What attributes does a work song have

Answer 8

improvised, lead by one song leader following a call and response structure

Question 9

What lyrics were in a work song

Answer 9

Floating pool of verse: snippets of melodies which were recognized by the group

Question 10

What is the structure of a work song.

Answer 10

A line call and response 2-n times, and then one B line call and response

Question 11

Which listening example is a work song

Answer 11

“Old Alabama”

Question 12

What type of song is “Old Alabama”

Answer 12

Work song -> folk song

Question 13

what are the attributes of folk music

Answer 13

Performed by amateurs
Concerned with tradition over innovation
Lacks self conciousness

Question 14

What are three african retentions in american black culture

Answer 14

Percussive & Distorted Timbre, Use of Riffs, Use of Call and Response

Question 15

What is a percussive timbre?

Answer 15

percussive: quick articulation. Percussive timbre refers to clipped or harsh notes

Question 16

What is a distorted timbre

Answer 16

On the edge of breaking up. Lots of roughness

Question 17

What does distorted timbre imply

Answer 17

emotional investment

Question 18

What is a riff?

Answer 18

short, self contained musical gesture that repeats as the basis for a longer composition

Question 19

What is call and response

Answer 19

audience participates in the performance. Opposite of western culture norms

Question 20

What music styles formed out of post slavery culture

Answer 20

Ragtime, Jazz

Question 21

When were Country Blues Popular

Answer 21

Late 1800s (after slavery abolished)

Question 22

Why did it take time for black musical styles to emerge

Answer 22

psychological barriers

Question 23

Which music style was the first to emerge from post-slavery culture

Answer 23

blues

Question 24

What are the characteristics of country blues

Answer 24

male vocalist, wandering musician, acoustic guitar, plaintive vocal quality, 12 bar format

Question 25

What are the themes of the blues

Answer 25

travel, economics, love (hardships related to)

Question 26

What is the structure of the 12 Bar blues

Answer 26

A: 4 bars on the I
A: 4 bars, starting on the IV
B: 4 bars, V,IV,I

Question 27

What is one of the first blues recordings

Answer 27

Blind Willie McTell - Travelin Blues (1929)

Question 28

What year was Travelin Blues recorded

Answer 28

1929

Question 29

Who performs Travelin Blues

Answer 29

Blind Willie McTell

Question 30

What are the characteristics of travelin blues

Answer 30

amateurish, folk linked

Question 31

When was Robert Johnson born?

Answer 31

1911

Question 32

When did Robert Johnson die?

Answer 32

1938

Question 33

Why is Robert Johnson famous

Answer 33

Said to have made a deal with the devil to be able to play the guitar (dissapeared for 18 mo, came back a prodigy)

Question 34

Who performs Sweet Home Chicago

Answer 34

Robert Johnson

Question 35

When was Sweet Home Chicago recorded?

Answer 35

1936

Question 36

What differentiates Robert Johnson from Blind Willie McTell

Answer 36

self concious, use of dynamics, professionalism

Question 37

When did african music begin to enter professional music?

Answer 37

1930s