... pitch. For example, the correlation, between the lullaby sung by Zulu women, and the performance of blues singer, Bessie Smith, is striking in its similarity. Also, the African scale, which contains notes flatted on the 3rd, 7th, and sometimes 5th degrees, is directly translated into blues music, which also incorporates slides into its instrumental form. The inception of this particular singing style and ... scale in blues became the catalyst for the genres that followed it. Developed in the rural South, ... and further to Chicago. Once in place, it took only a decade to become renowne...

• Word Count: 1710
• Approx Pages: 7

... rhythms of human life and is man's contemporary re-examination of his traditional values. The early influences of tribal drums and the development of gospel, blues and field hollers seems to point out that jazz has to do with human survival and the expression of human life. The origin of the word ... such as Ragtime, Swing, Scat and BeBop. A New Orleans barber by the name of Buddy Bolden picked up his cornet and blew the first stammering notes of jazz in the year of eighteen ninety-one. A half-century later, jazz, Americas great contribution to music crossed the threshold of the univers...

• Word Count: 1576
• Approx Pages: 6

... for New Orleans traditional music during the Jazz Age. From this style four major types of jazz sprouted: Boogie-woogie, Chicago Jazz, Urban Blues, and Society Dance Bands. As mentioned before, the thriving night life guaranteed these musicians work, but the popularity of phonograph recordings also provided ... New York. During the 1920s, New York boasted numerous schools of jazz such as the Harlem big bands, the Harlem Piano School, urban blues, and society dance bands. It was also in New York that "spasm" bands began to catch on (Charters). The most creative period ... the center of ...

• Word Count: 1708
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... the song is often just a starting point or frame of reference for the musicians to improvise around. The song might have been a popular ditty or blues that they didn't compose, but by the time they were finished with it they had composed a new piece that often bore little resemblance to the original ... early 1900s as some dance band leaders in the southern U.S. began playing music that combined ragtime and blues. Early exponents of this dance music were Jelly Roll Martin and Scott Joplin, who were both blues players. The terms "Jazz" and "Jazz Band" first surfaced in the year 1900. Some ...

• Word Count: 1887
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... in 1956, Billie decided to share her lifestory with thee worrld. Her autobiography Lady Sings the Blues, with the help of Willian Dufty was written. Accompanying the autobiography, Billie released the album "Lady Sings The Blues". The album included four nonus records tracks, ""Lady Sings The Blues" (title track), "Too Marvelous For Words", "Willow Weep For Me", and "U Thought About You", as well ... . Holiday has been and continues to be an influence on many other performers who have followed in her footsteps. Her autobiography was made into the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues with singe...

• Word Count: 2313
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... origin date back to the 1890's, created in the heart of New Orleans by mainly those of Afro-American descent. Early exponents of this dance music were Jelly Roll Martin (a blues player) and Scott Joplin (ragtime). The terms "Jazz" and "Jazz Band" first surfaced in the year 1900. Some say this occurred in New Orleans, although similar music was played at ... were to be played. Throughout the history of Jazz, however, notation was more like a rough sketch. This was because the syncopated rhythms of ragtime and the melodic riffs of the blues were not easily notated. Also, early Jazz musici...

• Word Count: 2090
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography

... called the Hot Fives and Sevens, which gave him a lasting name. These recordings were some of the most famous made by Armstrong, including "Mandy Make up Your Mind" and "Money Blues" (Bergreen 96). . "The Five dozen records generally titled the Louis Armstrong Hot Fives constitute one of the most significant bodies of American recorded music." (Collier P. 169) These records were immediately ... ...

• Word Count: 1911
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

James Baldwin and Alice Walker, both wrote about and lived through problems concerning African Americans in the 1900's. These problems affected them on global and local levels. Baldwin wrote in "Notes of a Native Son- about his struggles with the hatred that surrounded and almost eventually consumed him. Baldwin uses a personal account of his life and well-known history he lived through ... , Baldwin's evidence seems more real, because it is coming directly from him, not this "he said- "she said- writing that Walker likes to use. Baldwin's evidence is very personal. Since "Notes of a Native ...

• Word Count: 1418
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School