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.