Blues: The Basics

by Weissman; Dick

• ISBN13: 9780415970679
• ISBN10: 0415970679
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Blues: The Basicsgives a brief introduction to a century of the blues; it is ideal for students and interested listeners who want to learn more about this treasured American artform. The book is organized chronologically, focusing on the major eras in blues's growth and development. It opens with a chapter defining the blues form and detailing the major genres within it. Next, the author gives the beginning blues fan points on how to listen to and truly enjoy the music. The heart of the book traces blues's growth from its folk origins through early recordings of city blues singers like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith and country blues stars like Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Finally, the author gives an overview of the blues scene today. The book concludes with lists of key recordings, books, and videos. Blues: TheBasicsserves as an excellent introduction to the players, the music, and the styles that make blues an enduring and well-loved musical style.

Author Biography

Dick Weissman is Emeritus Professor of Music and Music Industry Studies at the University of Colorado at Denver

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(3)
Some Caveats	4	(1)
The Roots of The Blues: 1619--1919	5	(23)
Timeline: 1619--1919	5	(1)
History and Origins of the Blues	6	(3)
African Musical Traits in African American Music	9	(1)
African American Spirituals	10	(3)
Early Black Secular Music	13	(1)
The Minstrel Show	14	(3)
The Early Blues	17	(4)
Social Conditions at the Birth of the Blues: 1870s--1900	17	(1)
The Blues: 1890--1920	18	(2)
Subject Matter	20	(1)
Ragtime and Early Jazz	21	(2)
Blues Structure	23	(2)
Learning to Play or Sing the Blues	25	(2)
Summary	27	(1)
The 1920s: Documented Beginnings of the Classic and Rural Blues	28	(16)
Timeline: The 1920s	28	(2)
Ma Rainey and Her Influence on the Blues	30	(3)
Bessie Smith: Empress of the Blues	33	(4)
The Recordings and Importance of Bessie Smith	35	(2)
He Done Me Wrong: Classic Blues Subjects	37	(2)
Other Blues Women of the 1920s	39	(3)
Women and the Folk Blues	42	(1)
Jazz Influences on the Blues	43	(1)
Summary	43	(1)
The Folk Blues: 1920--1940	44	(38)
Timeline: 1920--1940	44	(1)
African American Musical Styles	44	(1)
Why the Classic Blues Were Recorded Before the Folk Blues	45	(2)
Blind Lemon Jefferson	47	(3)
The Jug Bands	50	(2)
Delta Blues	52	(19)
Charley Patton	52	(2)
Robert Johnson: His Life, the Music, the Controversies, and the Legend	54	(15)
The Impact of Robert Johnson	69	(1)
Other Mississippi Artists	70	(1)
Piedmont and Other Regional Styles	71	(2)
Leadbelly and Lonnie Johnson	73	(1)
Mr. Charley's Blues: White Blues Performers	74	(3)
Holy Blues	77	(1)
The Role of Individual Instruments	77	(3)
Memphis Minnie: Women and the Folk Blues	80	(1)
Summary	81	(1)
Rhythm and Blues and the Beginning of Electric Blues: 1940--1960	82	(18)
Timeline: 1940--1960	82	(1)
Chicago Blues: 1935--1950	83	(3)
Rhythm and Blues	86	(2)
The Blues Go Electric: T-Bone Walker	86	(2)
Muddy Waters and the Chicago Delta Sound	88	(1)
John Lee Hooker and B.B. King	89	(1)
The Record Business in Postwar America	90	(3)
Rhythm and Blues vs. the Blues	93	(1)
Texas Goes to California: The LA R&B scene	94	(1)
New York and the Doo-wop Groups	95	(1)
New Orleans	96	(1)
Rock and Roll and the Blues: 1954--1960	97	(2)
Summary	99	(1)
The Blues Revival: 1960--1980	100	(30)
Timeline: 1960--1980	100	(1)
The Folk Revival	101	(12)
The Strange Career of Josh White	102	(1)
Blues Scholarship and Rediscovered Blues Singers	103	(2)
Protest Music and the Blues	105	(3)
The Young, White Blues Singers	108	(3)
The New Independent Record Labels	111	(1)
Why the Blues Became Popular?	112	(1)
The Blues Goes Abroad	113	(3)
American Blues-Rock Bands	116	(1)
Jimi Hendrix	117	(1)
Black Gospel Music	117	(1)
Soul Music	118	(2)
Building a New Blues Audience	120	(1)
Louisiana Blues: The Sound of the Swamp	121	(1)
The Blues Roll on in Chicago	122	(2)
B.B. King's Career and Influence	124	(1)
Blues Music Economics	125	(4)
Artistic Control	128	(1)
Summary	129	(1)
The New Generation of Blues Artists: 1980--Today	130	(61)
Timeline: 1980--2003	130	(1)
The Late 1970s: The Blues Hiatus	130	(1)
Bonnie Raitt	131	(1)
Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Austin Blues Scene	132	(1)
Independent Labels Fill the Void	133	(1)
The Return of Robert Johnson	134	(1)
The Emergence of Young, Black Blues Artists	135	(2)
Blacks, Whites, and the Blues	137	(2)
Women of the Blues	139	(1)
The Young Turks: The Blues Rockers	140	(1)
Zydeco	141	(1)
Regional Music	142	(1)
The International Blues	142	(1)
Current Outlets for the Blues	142	(1)
The Martin Scorsese Blues Series	143	(2)
Feel Like Going Home (d. Martin Scorsese; written by Peter Guralnick)	145	(1)
The Soul of a Man (d. and written by Wim Wenders)	146	(2)
The Road to Memphis (d. Richard Pierce; written by Robert Gordon)	148	(2)
Warming by the Devil's Fire (d. and written by Charles Burnett)	150	(1)
Godfathers and Sons (d. Mark Levin)	151	(1)
Red, White and Blues (d. Mike Figgis)	152	(2)
Piano Blues (d. Clint Eastwood)	154	(1)
Summary	155	(2)
Appendix
Note	157	(1)
Bibliography	157	(14)
Social Histories	157	(1)
The Blues and Africa	158	(1)
The Minstrel Period	158	(1)
Ragtime	158	(1)
Social and Musical Background of the Blues	159	(2)
Classic Blues	161	(1)
Black Country Blues	162	(1)
Gospel and Holy Blues	163	(1)
Urban Blues, Rockabilly, Rock Blues, the Folk and Blues Revivals, British Blues	163	(1)
Protest Music	164	(1)
R&B and Soul	164	(1)
Cajun, Zydeco, and Swamp Pop	165	(1)
The Blues Today	165	(1)
Biographies and Autobiographies	165	(2)
Collections of Lyrics	167	(1)
Songbooks (Words and Music)	168	(1)
Record Companies and the Music Business	168	(1)
Miscellaenous: Record Guides, Regional Blues, etc.	169	(2)
Discography	171	(15)
Boxed Sets	171	(1)
Black Secular Music Before the Blues	172	(2)
Classic Blues Singers: Women of the 1920s	174	(1)
Holy Blues	174	(1)
Jug Bands	175	(1)
Piedmont Blues	175	(1)
Mississippi Delta Blues	176	(1)
Texas Blues	177	(1)
Songsters	177	(1)
White Country Blues	177	(1)
Urban Blues of the 1930s	178	(1)
Various Instruments	179	(1)
Social Protest and Commentary	179	(1)
Chicago: Early Electric Blues	179	(1)
R&B and Soul	180	(2)
Chicago: Classic Electric Blues	182	(1)
White American and the British Blues Revivalists	182	(2)
Rock and Roll	184	(1)
Cajun, Zydeco, and Louisiana Swamp Rock	184	(1)
The New Black Blues Artists	184	(1)
Young Guns	185	(1)
Beyond Category	185	(1)
Instructional Materials and Videos	186	(5)
Books	186	(2)
Audio and Visual Materials	188	(1)
Performance and Documentary Videos	188	(3)
Index	191