Blues

Blues

1. history

   • origins in late 1800s/ early 1900s
   • began as an evolution from African-American folk music - lots of songs were ones previously used as work and community songs (like banana boat song (Day-O))
     • origins in the rural southern US played by black plantation workers on acoustic instruments
       • migration to the cities led to the evolution of the electric blues in the 1940s - Chicago, New Orleans, St. Louis, Memphis
   • had little commercial success to begin with, 30s blues recordings were classed as race music by the big record companies and not marketed to white audiences
     • Independent record companies emerged in the 40s which started releasing and promoting blues
       • Sun Studio
         • Memphis
         • local blues artists like B.B. King and Howlin' Wolf
         • developed new country and rock'n'roll artists like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis
         • Sam Philips (Owner) associated with using slapback tape delay as part of the rock'n'roll sound
           • See 'Blue Moon', Elvis Presley
       • Chess Records
         • Chicago
         • Muddy Waters etc.
         • adapted to record soul artists in the 60s
       • Atlantic Records
         • New York
         • Mostly jazz but some blues such as Ray Charles
         • an important label in the 60s for soul music and later went on to sign Led Zeppelin etc.
   • blues guitarists had an influence on the 60s emerging rock sound

2. early acoustic blues

   • main artists
     • Bessie Smith
     • Robert Johnson
     • John Lee Hooker
     • Tampa Red

3. electric blues

   • Muddy Waters
   • B.B. King
   • Howlin' Wolf
   • Elmore James

4. Production

   • The move over to tape recording, improving microphone tech and mixing desks in the 40s (post-war times) led to better recordings
   • Recorded as live ensemble to allow interaction between performers for improvisation
   • blues players developed the sound of the overdriven guitar
     • 20th century blues guitarists developed the slide guitar style of playing

5. Rhythm and blues

   • 1950s
   • Instrumentation
     • Vocals and backing vocals
     • drums
     • bass
     • guitar
     • piano
   • Influences
     • blues
     • boogie-woogie
     • doo-wop
     • gospel
   • Rhythm and blues was a loose term used by record companies to replace the term 'race music' - it described any music by black artists, the R&B charts were separate from the mainstream charts. Nowadays it refers to urban black music styles.
   • Links blues and soul music
   • main artists
     • Ray Charles
     • The Drifters
     • Ben E. King