Slavery & African American Culture Flashcards
When was the start of the slave trade
1619
When was the end of the north american slave trade
1863 (North) 1865 (South)
What part of africa did slaves come from
Sub-Saharan West Africa
What was the role of music in west african culture
Omni-present. Songs for every occasion
What is the purpose of a Work Song
pass the time, set pace, coordinate work
why do we not have recordings of actual slave work songs
recording devices didnt exist
Where are Work Songs heard apart from slave plantations
Chain Gangs
What attributes does a work song have
improvised, lead by one song leader following a call and response structure
What lyrics were in a work song
Floating pool of verse: snippets of melodies which were recognized by the group
What is the structure of a work song.
A line call and response 2-n times, and then one B line call and response
Which listening example is a work song
“Old Alabama”
What type of song is “Old Alabama”
Work song -> folk song
what are the attributes of folk music
Performed by amateurs
Concerned with tradition over innovation
Lacks self conciousness
What are three african retentions in american black culture
Percussive & Distorted Timbre, Use of Riffs, Use of Call and Response
What is a percussive timbre?
percussive: quick articulation. Percussive timbre refers to clipped or harsh notes
What is a distorted timbre
On the edge of breaking up. Lots of roughness
What does distorted timbre imply
emotional investment
What is a riff?
short, self contained musical gesture that repeats as the basis for a longer composition
What is call and response
audience participates in the performance. Opposite of western culture norms
What music styles formed out of post slavery culture
Ragtime, Jazz
When were Country Blues Popular
Late 1800s (after slavery abolished)
Why did it take time for black musical styles to emerge
psychological barriers
Which music style was the first to emerge from post-slavery culture
blues
What are the characteristics of country blues
male vocalist, wandering musician, acoustic guitar, plaintive vocal quality, 12 bar format
What are the themes of the blues
travel, economics, love (hardships related to)
What is the structure of the 12 Bar blues
A: 4 bars on the I
A: 4 bars, starting on the IV
B: 4 bars, V,IV,I
What is one of the first blues recordings
Blind Willie McTell - Travelin Blues (1929)
What year was Travelin Blues recorded
1929
Who performs Travelin Blues
Blind Willie McTell
What are the characteristics of travelin blues
amateurish, folk linked
When was Robert Johnson born?
1911
When did Robert Johnson die?
1938
Why is Robert Johnson famous
Said to have made a deal with the devil to be able to play the guitar (dissapeared for 18 mo, came back a prodigy)
Who performs Sweet Home Chicago
Robert Johnson
When was Sweet Home Chicago recorded?
1936
What differentiates Robert Johnson from Blind Willie McTell
self concious, use of dynamics, professionalism
When did african music begin to enter professional music?
1930s
