Innovations and Evolutions - The Blues 

I'm not even much of a singer, but I would love to know how to sing The Blues... and wouldn't everybody? Especially, the basic Blues songs of the turn of the century!

The Blues genre of music has influenced many other musical styles of our modern day, such as Jazz, Country and most notably, Rock and Roll. So what were or are The Blues? 

The Blues originated from the "call and response" melancholic choruses or "hollers" of African American slaves working in the fields in Georgia, North and South Carolina, Texas, and Mississippi in the 1800's and  was continued after the Civil War with the emancipation of slavery in early minstrel shows, vaudeville shows, and early gospel music with its "spontaneous weaving of harmonies". As African American slaves were freed and started moving North to urban areas their music began evolving and the Blues ensemble developed because the bluesman was accompanied by a pianist or harmonica player and also the bass and drums made up the rhythm. This music at this time in history was considered low-class and not worthy of documenting or recording.

                                      

At the turn of the century, Ragtime, or piano music, became popular. Ragged time meant syncopated - having an "off the beat" accent- and was influenced by the folk tradition and the minstrel shows. By the 1920's, technological advances increased the intensity of the music and meant blues musicians could record their work. 

Scott Joplin- the King of Ragtime

The first recorded Blues singers were W.C. Handy with the "Memphis Blues" that introduced his style of 12-bar blues and was credited with the beginning of the Foxtrot. In the rural area of Kentucky, Sylvester Weaver was recorded with his use of the slide guitar. However, most credit went to Mamie Smith who was known as the "Queen of the Blues", and later Bessie Smith was given the title "Empress of the Blues". Other early Blues musicians were T-Bone Walker who inspired B. B. King. Chicago is credited with having a heavy influence on Blues music with early musicians like Memphis Minnie, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, and Sonny Boy Williamson. 

Mamie Smith known as "The Queen of the Blues"

The Blues and Jazz are very closely related. Jazz is the innovation of Blues and Ragtime. Jazz contains the complex harmonies and syncopated rhythms but adds more improvisations. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1912 was the first recording of Jazz but recorded in New York by white musicians, it is said not to be the same as jazz from New Orleans where it originated. Notable Jazz musicians include Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong,  King Oliver and the Creole Jazz Band and Duke Ellington, among others. Louis Armstrong invented the swing rhythm and is the most influential jazz musician of this time.  

Louis Armstrong

The biggest influence, of the Blues, was on Rock and Roll with Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and Elvis Presley, stemming from Rhythm and Blues, as well as Soul music with its similar tones and rhythms. Country music originated from folk music and Blues, paving the way for Western Swing with amplified guitars and strong dance rhythms. Hank Williams was a big influence in Country music and Honky-tonk, as well as Johnny Cash, and Patsy Cline.

Blues is both a musical form as well as a musical genre which originated with a slow tempo and strong rhythm with "bent" or "blue notes"  the sixth note on a standard pentatonic scale which gives the "tension and release" sound in the melancholic Blues music. It centers on a single vocalist over a strict chord progression known as the 12-bar blues. It uses three chords: the 1 chord, the 4 chord and the 5 chord in any given key. It's usually in 4/4 time and the twelve bars (measures) are repeated over and over. The melody and lyrics follow an AAB pattern where the first phrase is repeated  and then the third phrase is different.

Here is an early Blues performance by Muddy Waters:

 As the sound evolved, the tempo increased and eventually this evolved into the foundation for Jazz with a more swing polyrhythm being more lively and upbeat with instruments such as the trumpet, trombone, saxophone, string bass and tuba. A soloist or an ensemble improvises the tune with usually an AABA or an ABAC 12- bar, 16-bar, 24-bar, or 32-bar form in 4/4 time. Syncopation is still usually present as in the Blues but it is all up to the player on how they perform these notes. 

I personally love the evolution of Blues to Jazz because the sadness of Blues music is too deeply emotional and Jazz makes me want to sway or dance to the rhythm.  I was not aware of the improvisation piece of Jazz compositions and I have so much respect for the talent it must take to perform great Jazz music.

Here is a lively Jazz example featuring Jelly Roll Morton's song "Black Bottom Stomp".

I'm curious to what you prefer? Jazz or Blues? I certainly learned a great deal in researching the history and components of these two great music genres. So many great artists to add to my playlist!

 

“History and Notable Musicians.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/art/blues-music/History-and-notable-musicians. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

Gewertz, Ken. “The Evolution of the Blues.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 2 Dec. 2021, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/02/the-evolution-of-the-blues/.

“The Evolution of Music: Blues, Jazz and the Rise of Popular Music.” Reader’s Digest, www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/the-evolution-of-music-blues-jazz-and-the-rise-of-popular-music. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

“Blues Music: What It Is and How It Originated: Classical Music.” Blues Music: What It Is and How It Originated | Classical Music, www.classical-music.com/features/articles/blues-music/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

“W. C. Handy.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Oct. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Handy.

“Mamie Smith.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Oct. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamie_Smith.