African American Music: From Spirituals to Jazz and the Blues

Summary

This script explores the origins and evolution of African-American music, from the sorrowful spirituals born out of slavery to the rhythmic blues and the rebellious jazz that emerged post-Civil War. It discusses how these musical genres served as a form of expression and resistance against oppression, and how they influenced modern music. The script also touches on the controversial minstrel shows and the significant contributions of New Orleans to jazz.

Takeaways

• 🎵 African-American spirituals originated from the suffering of slaves and served as a means of communication and expression.
• 📣 Work songs and spirituals developed as a way to endure the harsh conditions of slavery and to communicate covertly.
• 🤔 Slaves used coded language in their songs to discuss forbidden topics due to restrictions imposed by their masters.
• 😔 The sorrowful tunes of slave songs reflected the hardships and struggles of their lives, as noted by ex-slave Frederick Douglas.
• 🌐 Spirituals incorporated Christian themes of repentance and deliverance, using biblical metaphors like The Exodus to represent slavery.
• 🌌 Songs like 'Follow The Drinking Gourd' used the Big Dipper as a metaphor to guide slaves towards the Underground Railroad.
• 🚫 Slaves were banned from using drums, leading them to create syncopated rhythms through stomping and clapping.
• 🎶 The call and response style in slave songs created a unique blend of melodies and rhythms, reflecting the imperfections of human expression.
• 🎭 After the Civil War, blackface minstrel shows became a commercial form of entertainment that caricatured African-Americans.
• 🎷 The birth of jazz in the early 20th century represented a cultural movement that influenced attire, language, and attitude, and was initially labeled as 'the devil's music'.
• 🎺 Jelly Roll Morton was a significant figure in the development of early jazz, contributing complex compositions and performance styles.

Q & A

What is the origin of African-American spirituals?

African-American spirituals originated from the suffering of individuals who were stripped of their home and identity, forced to travel to an unknown land, and become slaves. They developed as a way to pass the time and communicate with each other while enduring excruciating and demeaning slave labor.

How did work songs and spirituals serve the slaves?

Work songs and spirituals served as a means to pass the time and communicate with one another, especially since slaves were prohibited from talking about their masters or overseers. They often incorporated code words to mention subjects that were off limits.

What themes did African-American spirituals incorporate from Christianity?

African-American spirituals incorporated common Christian themes of repentance and deliverance, often using biblical themes like The Exodus as a metaphor for slavery.

How did the Mississippi or Ohio River become significant in slave spirituals?

The Mississippi or Ohio River was used as a metaphor for the Jordan River in spirituals, symbolizing a path to freedom and deliverance.

What is the significance of the song 'Follow The Drinking Gourd'?

'Follow The Drinking Gourd' is significant because it used the metaphor of the Big Dipper to give slaves directions to the Underground Railroad, aiding their escape to freedom.

Why were drums and other percussion instruments banned on plantations?

Drums and other percussion instruments were banned on plantations because it was assumed that slaves would use them to communicate ideas of escaping or uprising with each other.

What is the call and response style of singing in slave songs?

The call and response style of singing involves a lead singer calling out a short verse, and the rest of the workers, known as basers, responding with a refrain, usually with a recurring theme. This created a unique blend of melodies and high and low pitches bound together by strong rhythmic elements.

How did slave songs reflect the struggle and hope of African-Americans?

Slave songs shared a common theme of fighting, disguised as good versus evil or God fighting the devil. They invigorated African-Americans' desire to fight their bondage and free their souls, often portraying hope for freedom or death as a form of emancipation.

What was the impact of minstrel shows on African-American culture?

Minstrel shows, which began as performances by white men in blackface, became a central part of entertainment in saloons, taverns, and music halls. They promoted racism and undermined the African-American race, perpetuating prejudice and stereotyping even after the Civil War.

How did the blues emerge as a genre of music?

The blues emerged as a genre of music during the mid-19th century as an outlet and therapeutic release for black men to express their harsh realities and struggles for survival and freedom.

What role did New Orleans play in the development of jazz?

New Orleans was a major port where Congo Square became a hot spot for slaves and free blacks to perform African music, leading many to believe that jazz traces its genealogy back to this location. The city's racially mixed and diverse inhabitants contributed to a unique and expressive Jazz culture.

Who is Jelly Roll Morton and what is his contribution to jazz?

Jelly Roll Morton is identified as a major influence on the development of early American Jazz. He was responsible for writing the first complex and self-conscious jazz compositions, deploying breaks, stop-time devices, improvisation, feeling, and the swing rhythm.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 African-American Spirituals and Early Music

This paragraph discusses the origins of African-American spirituals, which emerged from the suffering of slaves stripped of their homes and identities, forced into labor in an unknown land. These spirituals developed as a means to pass the time and communicate under harsh conditions, often using coded language due to restrictions on speech. The music was characterized by sorrowful tunes reflecting the hardships of slavery. Over time, these spirituals became a significant influence on early American music, incorporating Christian themes of repentance and deliverance. The paragraph also touches on the use of music as a form of resistance and a metaphor for escape, such as 'Follow The Drinking Gourd,' which provided directions to the Underground Railroad. The music was organized and complex, with syncopation and call-and-response styles, and it played a crucial role in fostering a sense of hope and unity among slaves.

05:03

🎭 The Impact of Minstrel Shows on African-American Culture

This paragraph explores the history and impact of minstrel shows on African-American culture. It begins with the first performance of 'Ethiopian Delight' in 1843, which marked the beginning of commercialized blackface minstrel shows. These shows were initially performed by white men in blackface, caricaturing African-Americans and perpetuating stereotypes. After the Civil War, African-Americans began to participate in these shows, which became a central part of entertainment in saloons and music halls. The paragraph discusses how minstrel shows were a form of racial ventriloquism, with white writers and performers appropriating black culture. It also touches on the way minstrel tropes were used and revised in Black modernist literature. The shows are criticized for promoting racism and undermining African-American culture, despite some seeing them as a representation of African-American low culture.

10:04

🎶 The Evolution of Blues and Jazz

This paragraph delves into the evolution of blues and jazz music as expressions of the African-American struggle for survival and freedom. The blues emerged as a therapeutic outlet during the transition from slavery to freedom, reflecting the harsh realities of life. Jazz music originated as a cultural movement that challenged Victorian norms and was associated with deviancy and drug use. The paragraph highlights the contributions of Jelly Roll Morton, who is credited with writing the first complex jazz compositions, and other New Orleans musicians like Louis Armstrong and King Oliver. It discusses how jazz music became a global phenomenon, branching out from New Orleans to major cities like New York and Chicago. The paragraph also explores the connection between African music and the early rise of jazz, as well as the unique cultural influences that shaped the jazz scene in New Orleans.

15:05

🌟 The Influence of African-American Artists on Modern Music

This paragraph emphasizes the role of African-American artists in shaping the foundation of modern music. It discusses how the music that originated in New Orleans, once considered forbidden and demonic, spread and became a part of mainstream American culture. The paragraph highlights the personalized and intimate performances of early 20th-century African-American artists, who brought a carefree and lazy style that captivated the public. These artists are credited with influencing the sounds of American popular music in the years to come, establishing a legacy that continues to resonate in contemporary music.

Keywords

💡African-American spirituals

African-American spirituals are a genre of music that originated from African slaves in America. These songs were often used as a means of communication and to express the sorrows and hopes of the enslaved people. In the video script, spirituals are mentioned as having developed out of the 'agony of individuals stripped of their home and identity,' and they played a significant role in the cultural and spiritual life of African-Americans, serving as a metaphor for their struggle and hope for freedom.

💡Slave labor

Slave labor refers to the forced labor of slaves, which was a brutal and dehumanizing aspect of the slave system in America. The script describes how slaves would sing songs to pass the time and communicate with each other while enduring 'excruciating and demeaning' work. This concept is central to understanding the development of African-American music and the resilience of the people who created it.

💡Work songs

Work songs are musical compositions that were developed by slaves to help them cope with the harsh conditions of their labor. As mentioned in the script, these songs focused on the 'rough conditions faced on a daily basis' and were a way for slaves to communicate covertly about their oppression. They often contained code words and were a form of resistance within the confines of their enslavement.

💡Syncopation

Syncopation is a rhythmic technique that involves stressing beats that are not normally stressed, creating a distinctive rhythmic pattern. The script explains that syncopation 'originated in Africa' and was a key element in the music created by slaves, which was labeled as 'monophobia.' Syncopation contributed to the unique sound of African-American music and became a hallmark of genres like jazz and blues.

💡Call and response

Call and response is a musical technique where a lead singer or musician 'calls out' a phrase and the rest of the group 'responds' with a refrain. This style is highlighted in the script as a crucial aspect of slave songs, creating 'a unique blend of melodies and high and low pitches.' It reflects the collective and interactive nature of African-American musical traditions.

💡Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was a secret network established to help slaves escape to freedom. The script mentions a song called 'Follow The Drinking Gourd,' which used the metaphor of the Big Dipper to guide slaves towards freedom. This keyword is significant as it illustrates the role of music not only as art but also as a tool for liberation.

💡Blackface minstrel shows

Blackface minstrel shows were a form of entertainment where white performers would blacken their faces to caricature African-Americans. The script discusses how these shows were part of the 'commercialized blackface minstrel show' and were a central part of American entertainment in the 19th century. This keyword is important for understanding the racial politics and the derogatory portrayal of African-Americans in early American music and entertainment.

💡Ragtime

Ragtime is a style of music that originated in the late 19th century and is characterized by its syncopated rhythms. The script identifies ragtime as a precursor to jazz, with a focus on 'syncopated time and not so much melody or fine harmony.' Ragtime's influence is seen in the evolution of African-American music, leading to the development of jazz and other modern music genres.

💡Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton was a pioneering jazz musician, composer, and bandleader. The script refers to him as the 'self-proclaimed inventor of jazz' and credits him with writing complex compositions that featured elements like improvisation and swing rhythm. Morton's flamboyant persona and contributions to jazz make him a significant figure in the history of American music and a symbol of the cultural movement that jazz represented.

💡Congo Square

Congo Square was a gathering place in New Orleans where slaves and free blacks would congregate for music and dance. The script notes that African music was performed there in the early 19th century, and many historians believe it to be a significant influence on the development of jazz. Congo Square represents the cultural exchange and the roots of African-American music in America.

💡Blues

The Blues is a music genre that originated from African-American work songs and African musical traditions. The script describes the blues as an outlet and therapeutic release for black men during the transition from slavery to freedom. It became a means for them to express their 'cruel and harsh realities of life.' The blues laid the foundation for many other music genres and is a testament to the resilience and creativity of African-American musicians.

Highlights

African-American spirituals developed out of the agony of slavery.

Slaves used songs as a way to pass the time and communicate with each other.

Work songs and spirituals developed as forms of expression under harsh slave labor conditions.

Slaves incorporated code words into songs to discuss forbidden subjects.

Slave spirituals often had a sorrowful tune reflecting the hardships of slavery.

Frederick Douglas noted that slave songs represented sorrows rather than joys.

Slave spirituals became a significant influence on early American music.

Spirituals ignited a strong religious faction among slaves, using biblical themes as metaphors for slavery.

Songs like 'Follow The Drinking Gourd' provided directions to the Underground Railroad.

Slave and work songs were organized and intelligent compositions, contrary to myths.

Syncopation, originating from Africa, was a key element in slave music.

Slaves used stomping and clapping to create rhythms due to bans on drums and percussion.

Call and response singing created a unique blend of melodies and rhythms in slave songs.

Slave songs portrayed striking imagery and shared a common theme of fighting for freedom.

African-Americans used music as an outlet and a path in their struggle for freedom.

Minstrel shows were a form of entertainment that involved racial impersonation and stereotypes.

Blackface minstrel shows were initially performed by white men in blackface, later including black performers.

Minstrel shows promoted racism and undermined African-American culture.

The Blues emerged as an outlet for black men to express their harsh realities post-slavery.

Jazz music originated as a cultural movement, challenging Western norms and influencing future music forms.

Jelly Roll Morton was a significant influence on the development of early American Jazz.

New Orleans was a major port and cultural hub for the early development of jazz.

Jazz music was initially associated with criminality and deviancy due to its origins in New Orleans.

African-American artists shaped the foundation of modern music with the evolution of blues, ragtime, and jazz.

Transcripts

Went Down To The River

Jordan where John baptized three when I

walk the devil in hell say John baptized

me I say

[Music]

Ro my soul

[Applause]

oh

[Applause]

[Music]

African-American spirituals developed

out of the agony of individuals stripped

of their home and identity forced to

travel to an unknown land and become

slaves slave labor was excruciating and

demeaning spending countless hours of

backbreaking Labor Under the Sun slaves

began singing songs to pass the time

through several Generations work songs

and spirituals developed as ways to pass

the time and communic with one

another work songs focused on the rough

conditions faced on a daily basis slaves

were prohibited from talking about their

Master overseer so they often

Incorporated code words to mention

subjects that were off limits slaves

were often expected to sing by their

overseer if they were being

silent constantly being oppressed and

physically abused these songs took on a

sorrowful tune and told stories of

hardship and

struggle ex-slave Frederick Douglas once

wrote the songs of slaves represented

their sorrows rather than their Joys

like tears they were a relief to aching

Hearts slave spirituals are often the

most well recognized forms of early

African-American music as slaves on

plantations or in the city

African-Americans were allowed to attend

Christian Church they often stayed after

service to participate in song slaves

took the common Christian themes of

repentance and deliverance and

Incorporated them into a genre that

would become one of the biggest

influences on early American

Music the spirituals also ignited a

strong religious faction among slaves

themes from the Bible like The Exodus

became a metaphor for slavery

substituting the Mississippi or Ohio

River for the Jordan River songs like

Follow The Drinking Gourd became a

metaphor of the Big Dipper giving slaves

directions to the Underground

[Music]

Railroad contrary to myth slave and work

songs were actually organized

intelligent compositions their music has

historic Al been labeled as

[Music]

monophobia actually originated in Africa

syncopation is a rhythmic technique

which involves stressing beats that are

not normally stressed drums and other

percussion instruments were banned on

the assumption that slaves would use

them to communicate ideas of escaping or

Uprising with each other so they

implemented stomping and clapping to

create cross rhythms that went against

the fixed beat to create a sound

previously unheard of to White

settlers slaves that could play

instruments however were allowed a banjo

or other stringed instrument some songs

use a call and response style of singing

where a lead singer will call out a

short verse and the rest of the workers

known as basers will respond with the

refrain usually with a recurring

theme an interesting and crucial aspect

of this nature of music is that it is

imperfect basers May begin the refrain

before the leader was finished with the

solo or the leader May begin the solo

before the chorus was finished this type

of call and response created a unique

blend of Melodies and high and low

pitches that were bound together by

strong rhythmic

elements the actual songs sung were

unique in themselves as they portrayed

striking imagery without the use of

rhyme scheme as most songs originated as

improvisations spirituals became

synonymous with hope whether for Freedom

or perhaps the darkest form of

emancipation death regardless slave

songs shared a common theme of fighting

disguised as good versus evil or God

fighting the devil spiritual invigorated

African-Americans desire to fight their

bondage and free their

souls and before I be a

slave I'll be buried in my

grave and go home to my

Lord and be

free throughout American history

African-Americans have been patronized

to continue to face Prejudice in their

daily lives it has been said that humans

use forms of art as an outlet from their

daily lives music for African-Americans

was a path used in their struggle

following the abolition of slavery and

the ending of the Civil War one way in

which African-Americans became involved

with music was through minstral shows

tracing the Inception back to Chatham

Theater in 1843 a white Irish American

Protestant with a black face sat on

stage with three others dressed in

Plantation or slave like clothing

singing Tales of slave life this was the

first performance of emt's Virginia

minstrels and is still generally

considered to be the birth of the

commercialized blackface minstral

show in their early form these

impersonations were conventionally

staged by white male performers

blackening up their face and when they

were not wearing white gloves also

blackening their hands the visual

picture was completed by dance music and

song performances this form of

entertainment became a central part of

the saloons taverns and music Halls

across Britain Glasgow a city departing

point for America had developed close

ties with certain American states such

as Virginia a place where American

Musical influence was truly

alive during this time period Sheep

music was evolving the evolution of

sheep music led to more racial cues and

circumstances throughout these

shows the Irish and America as a group

used the phrase blacking up to establish

its ethnic separation from other races

across the country there were two groups

of Irish Americans that participated in

blackace Ministry these two consisted of

the Irish Catholics and the Irish

Protestants Christopher J Smith suggests

that when we examine all the sources we

should see that the roots of blackface

minst go back virtually to the founding

of the American

colonies during this entertainment

period based on cross race impersonation

blackface delation or minst consisted in

the grotesque and caricatured

impersonations of African-American men

and were performed by white British or

American men in most cases however after

the end of the Civil War blacks were

thoroughly integrated into minstral

shows when One race impersonates another

for entertainment reception becomes a

barometer of ethnic hedony interracial

politics and power oh Mr Billy you know

I'm crazy about my girl I love that

woman tell me cotton how do you kiss

your girl well first you got to get a

girl then you draw a close up to your

chest smooth over with fond caress put

lip to lip and gum to gum then close

your smackers and yum yum yum

artists have been repeatedly tempted to

appropriate and even try to reassign

signifiers from this tradition but

blackace and its indeni liability

Associated minstral repertoire retain

the power to reopen these hard to heal

deep

wounds While most regarded them as a

representation of African-American low

cultural One Vision originated among

whites and another originated among

blacks 20th century artists also have to

address the derogatory way in which

minst represented black people most

regarded them both as instances of

African-American low culture in today's

society we see the impact of menual

shows and blackface performances the

language of modernity therefore involved

a measure of what historian Michael

North calls racial

ventriloquism yet it wasn't only white

writers who resorted to this practice

although one might imagine that early

20th century black modernists would have

SE SE the opportunity to silence the

ways of menstrually in fact they did no

such thing at all menstrual tropes are

still uous in Black modernist

literature Wallace Thurman Langston

Hughes Alan Lo all used interrogate and

revise the form of these minstral

shows as the minstral men of the 19th

century encourage styles of racialized

masculinity contemporary white Youth too

were attracted not only to the music but

various cultural artifacts extended

beyond what was once considered to be

hip and cool for blacks was now

beginning to be liked by

whites this began with the integration

of black and white to the Minal shows at

saloons and theaters all across America

simply put blackface minst was for by

and about the white Community although

in its early period it was a form of

engaging the black other it is

misleading to suggest that this

engagement might even have been

supportive of action to correct the

other's social plight black minerally

promoted racism and undermined the

African-American race during this time

period thus allowing Prejudice and

stereotyping to live on after the Civil

War after the transatlantic slave trade

had ended it is during this period to

which America witnessed the birth of a

powerful musical expression conceived as

the result of the black man's struggle

for his survival and freedom known for

his ability to endure his spiritual

strength and his outstanding sense of

Rhythm black men in America would use

these characteristics to shape the

sounds and ideas of their music in the

years to come the earliest trace of

popular black music that still exists

today is the Blues in the difficult

period of transition From Slavery to

Freedom during the mid 19th century the

blues became an outlet and a therapeutic

release for black men to unburden

himself from the cruel and harsh

realities of his life

[Music]

she make me than of mine than of

[Music]

mine it is during this time while

performing in the company of whites that

the Black American singer had to develop

dual personality traits as a survival

mechanism by removing black slang verbal

codes and suggestive material in order

to appeal to the white crowds at the

turn of the 19th century and the

beginning of the 20th the earliest forms

of jazz emerged when black musicians and

other African-Americans became immersed

in Modern Life and Society in what was

originally known as a [ __ ] song during

the American miny period it was during

the earli 20th century where it acquired

the additional label of rag time with

the focus primarily based exclusively

upon syncopated time and not so much

melody or fine Harmony rag time would

become the precursor to modern-day Jazz

seen as a revolt against Victorian codes

of behavior the black American artists

of this time were abandoning accepted

musical styles of the time period and

entering risky stylistic and social

terrain being a direct challenge to

Western norms and culture the birth of

jazz music was more than just music it

was a cultural movement which influenced

the attire language and attitude of all

its followers in this respect Jazz

became a prototype for later forms of

Music such as rock and roll in hip-hop

because it was hated by the bis and

musical establishment of that time

period largely associated with the drug

use and deviancy jazz music in its

earliest forms was referred to as the

devil's

music one cannot discuss the rods of

jazz without mentioning the great jelly

roll Morton identified as a major

influence on the development of early

American Jazz the self-proclaimed

inventor of jazz was responsible for

writing the first complex and

self-conscious compositions deploying

breakes stop time devices improvising

feeling and the swing Rhythm all factors

of jazz that would continue to shape the

genre for decades to come growing up as

a Creole in New Orleans in the early

20th century jelly roll Morton became

both the face and the talk about jazz

music known for his flamboyant demeanor

Morton was also a whouse Entertainer and

alleged pimp with a diamond tooth and a

large wardrobe of flashy suits making

much of the American society associate

jazz music with criminality and

deviancy growing up in New Orleans

Morton describes the city as the

stomping grounds for all the greatest

Jazz pianists in the country wherever

jazzz was being played Martin notes how

there was no discrimination of any kind

and people of different color and

backgrounds mingled together just as

they wish to and everyone was just like

one big happy family although by the

early to mid 20th century major cities

like New York and Chicago both had

established Jazz scenes that cannot be

comparable to New Orleans historically

New Orleans was a major port where on

Sundays a place called Congo Square

became a destination hot spot for slaves

and free blacks for Sunday Recreation

and Market activity here in Congo Square

African music was performed throughout

the early and middle Decades of the 19th

century leading many historians to

believe that jazz and by extension all

black music traces its genealogy to this

iconic Square in New Orleans another

major reason why New Orleans had such

distinct Jazz culture would be the

city's complex social order of white

black and creole inhabitants who each

had their own unique musical

performances and styles with the

racially mixed and diverse City it is no

wonder how New Orleans Jazz became such

such a unique style and expressive art

form although many see a direct

connection between African music and

dance and the early rise of jazz jelly

roll Morton stresses how early Jazz was

a unique product of America not Africa

he notes How African music is nothing

like no New Orleans music just like oil

come out of Oklahoma jazz came out of

New Orleans starting with jelly roll

Morton followed by other New Orleans

greats like leis Armstrong and King

Oliver all three allow Jazz to Branch

out and become music that no longer only

belonged to New Orleans but to the

world while the blues rag time and the

evolution into jazz can all be traced

back to African Roots it was the

African-American who truly shaped the

foundation of what the future of modern

music would sound like although

originally only heard in the streets and

clubs of New Orleans the once forbidden

and demonic music scene would spread

like wildfire and penetrate mainstream

American culture placing the black

artists at the center of attention in

the public eye characterized by their

Carefree lazy yet extremely personalized

and intimate performances it is the

American black artist of the early 20th

century that would ultimately shape the

sounds of American popular music in the

years to

come e