Bruce (Bruce)
Blues is a form of singing created by black people after the Civil War, and its origin has not been verified. But one thing is certain, it is in the same strain as the plantation songs of black people (unaccompanied songs sung collectively during labor). Later, due to the decline of plantation economy, slaves gradually gained freedom and most of them became independent employees, so collective labor songs lost their living environment. At this time, one is called? Quot The solo form of Shouting in the Field replaced the plantation songs, and the most primitive blues form was born. Later, black people came to the city and brought this cry to the city, which had a great influence on all black music. Compared with the early country blues, this primitive form of shouting is almost the same, and it is all formed in improvisation, which is different every time. The only difference is that "shouting in the field" is a release of personal inner feelings, while country blues is usually sung by singers to attract customers when promoting products for businesses. They never imagined that their way of making a living set a template for Bruce's development. Country blues retains the natural sliding characteristics of "field cry", and its paragraphs usually consist of three sentences, but there is no fixed number of paragraphs, so many paragraphs can be improvised, sometimes accompanied by banjo and guitar. Since the country blues appeared before the 20th century, its circulation can only be recorded in words, and there is no recording material (the earliest existing recording material of the blues was produced in 1920). In the 1920s, the most popular blues was classical blues. Compared with country blues, its singing style is more popular. Classical blues is often accompanied by composers, not improvised by singers. Its music form is more regular, often accompanied by jazz bands. During this period, female singers occupied the stage of blues. They often perform with jazz bands and have achieved great success in business. For example, the earliest blues singer Ma (1886 ~ 1939) established her star status during this period. In 1930s, when blacks flocked to industrial centers to make a living, country blues also entered cities, thus forming urban blues with urban characteristics. Urban blues mainly reflects the feelings of urban life. Its structure is fixed, and the 4/4 beat 12 section is divided into three sentences, one sentence for every 4 sections, and the first sentence and the second sentence are repeated. Accompaniment may be a band, and some use the piano, and the accompaniment harmony tends to be standardized.
Form: A | A | B |
Part:1234 | 5678 | 910112.
Harmony: I-| IV-I-| V-I-|
For example, the first paragraph of Memphis Blues published by William W C Handy at 19 12 (for example, 1).
This form of 12 bar blues provides great freedom for musicians and singers to improvise. In this structural framework, blues can be arbitrarily distinguished by its unique scale and rhythm characteristics. The rhythm of blues is based on triplets, and then it changes constantly (Example 3). Therefore, musicians (or singers) who want to play (or sing) the blues must establish a good triplet concept. William handy (1873 ~ 1958), the most famous composer in the history of blues, is known as "the father of blues". He combined Bruce with Ragtime, so that Bruce, which was originally only circulated among blacks, was accepted by different classes of listeners. He played a great role in the promotion and spread of Bruce. 1960, the US Postal Service issued his commemorative stamp in recognition of his great contribution to black music.
On the one hand, blues has been absorbed by jazz and become an important part of jazz. On the other hand, as a branch of pop music, it is still developing and continues to influence jazz.
The following are some representatives of different periods in Bruce's history.
Bessie Smith (1894 ~ 1937)
Bessie Smith was the most famous female blues singer in the classical blues period. She was born in Tennessee, USA from 65438 to 0894. At first, Bessie made a living by singing in variety classes and nightclubs. 1923, Colombian producer Flack Volcker discovered her potential and recorded her first record. Unexpectedly, this record sold 2 million copies as soon as it went on the market. Seeing this situation, Columbia Records immediately signed a contract with her and praised her as its top singer. Bessie's songs cover a wide range, including social problems, dissolute humor, straightforward sexual confession and rogue ditty. Because she dominated the trend of blues music in the 1920s, people called her "the Queen of Blues". After 1929, her music career went downhill. In order to win the favor of the white audience, she began to record white pop songs. But by this time, the white music market had been occupied by country singer James Rodgers (see country music section for details). Bessie was no match for Rogers and failed to win the white market. When she looked back, she found that she had lost the black audience again. So she never recorded anything after 1933. 1On September 26th, 937, Bessie was drunk driving, collided with a truck on the expressway, and her arm was torn off from her body alive, and she finally died.
Lemon Jefferson (1897 ~ 1930)
Raymond Jefferson, a blind singer from Texas, is a blues giant. He left 8 1 record for blues music in the late 1920s. Raymond Jefferson was blind since childhood, but he was very talented in music. He taught himself guitar and sang in the street since he was a child. 1926 was a street artist who came to Chicago at the climax of the black people's northward migration. The record dealer soon discovered this talented singer who can play guitar, sing, write lyrics and arrange music-"Raymond the Blind" (as he is called in the Bruce circle). Raymond sings traditional country blues songs. His style is light, and his guitar echoes his singing. His lyrics pay more attention to style, without vulgar words. Driven by the record company, Raymond soon became a household name and won great wealth. But he spent a lot of money on pleasure, wasting it on women and wine. /kloc-one winter night at 0/930, he finished recording his last record and went to a nightclub. For some unknown reason, the driver didn't come to pick him up. He walked home and was found frozen to death in the snow the next day, aged 33.
Charlie Patton (1885 ~ 1934)
Charlie Patton, 1885 was born in Cleveland, Mississippi Delta, and was a representative figure in the blues music scene in the early 1930s. Barton was sickly and short from childhood, so people called him "Short Barton". Barton taught himself to compose music, absorbed nutrition from his own living environment and created various songs. He reformed the music tradition and strengthened his personality. His song Otawa is related to his own experience. The theme of Bruce-sadness is everywhere in his music. From 65438 to 0929, Barton began to record, but in the overwhelming singing of female blues singers, he sang softly and with a unique style. By the time 1934 died, he had recorded 60 records in five years. Barton's thin body, rich bass, exquisite guitar skills, a large number of records and short artistic career all make him a legend in the history of Bruce. Marty Waters (Marty Waters, 19 15 ~ 1983)
Marty Waters (19 15) was born in Rowling fork, Michigan. His original name was McKinley Morgefield. He is one of the greatest blues musicians between Charlie Barton and Riley B. King. Because he used to play in muddy water, he got the nickname "Mud". Mardy Waters/Kloc-learned harmonica at the age of 0/3, guitar at the age of 0/7, and went to Chicago at the age of 0/943 to become a slider guitar master there. From 65438 to 0944, he began to play electric guitar, performed in clubs at night, worked in paper mills during the day and later worked as a truck driver. From 1946 to 1954, he recorded a number of popular songs with strong reflections, which had a far-reaching impact on R&B. From 1950, almost all Chicago blues stars joined his band. After the 1960s, his music became more mature and professional, and a large number of pianos, harmonicas and drums were added, which made blues accepted by more blacks and whites. They called me Muddy Water, which was shown in 197 1 and won him the first Grammy Award.
Jin (Riley B. King)
B B King was born in Itabina, Mississippi Delta on September 1925. His real name is B King (Riley B. King), and he is the most influential and important blues musician in the history of blues. When Jin was a child, he was wandering between his mother and grandmother, and his life was difficult. When he was a teenager, he learned to sing in church. In his musical concept, country music and gospel music had an important influence on him. At the end of 1948, he came to Memphis. Soon, his music was valued by the local radio station, and he also stayed in the radio station to work. When his program was broadcast live on the radio, he was called "Beale Street Blues Boy", later referred to as "Blues Boy", and finally simply called "B B", so B B King came. There are pure blues, country music style, pop and rock in B·B· King's works, but every form is mixed with blues. In the 1970s, his concerts attracted audiences of all races and ages. 1985, his 50th album came out, 1987, and he won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. As a master of blues, he still devotes himself to blues music.
John Lee john lee hooker.
John lee hooker was born in Mississippi. In the years after World War II, he lived in Detroit and became a top player in the blues circle there. At first, he mainly sang black gospel songs, but he was soon attracted by blues music. Hook's deep voice is particularly noticeable in the crisp guitar sound and dynamic beat. In the 1960s, he combined blues with dance music, rock music and other styles, so that the original Boogie Woogie (a percussion instrument and improvisational blues piano music, which is characterized by the fixed rhythm of the left hand setting off the blues tone of the right hand and producing a strong rhythmic effect) gradually disappeared from him. In the 1970s, his style turned to rock and roll. Like B·B· King, he integrated various musical elements with the blues and made indelible contributions to the prosperity of blues music. After 90, the "King of Blues" began to fade out of the stage, spent his old age at home and occasionally participated in some social activities. In 200 1 year, Hook died at the age of 84.
Ragtime music
Ragtime music is the first truly influential music form in American pop music. It was originally a kind of piano music, which prevailed in 19 until the end of World War I, and was replaced by the rise of jazz.
/kloc-New Orleans was very open and free at the end of 0/9, such as the system of public prostitution. In this land, a large number of musicians accompany prostitutes and clients, and their skills in playing European classical music are perfect. In the bohemian atmosphere, they began to modify the tracks and even create their own. The audience here don't have much musical literacy, and occasionally they can't hear a few mispronunciations, so the pianist can play freely and deviate from the fixed mode at will. Due to the long performance (from night to early morning), these rambling artists began to get tired of strict music standards and began to try new creations. Therefore, the two modes developed by the "brothel pianist" (syncopation and improvisation) have become the main symbols of ragtime music.
Ragtime music is developed on the basis of black music and absorbs the characteristics of European music. Its biggest feature is complex segmentation. Such as cross-sectional segmentation (Example 4).
Another typical feature of ragtime syncopation rhythm is that in regular rhythm, the fixed rhythm is temporarily changed with triplets (Example 5).
Ragtime's musical form is similar to that of the March at that time, and it consists of three or four different passages, each of which includes four phrases (*** 16). The phrases are often repeated, with typical structures such as AABBCCDD or AABBCCA, and sometimes introductions and interludes. Ragtime seldom uses minor. Like the March, its contrasting middle part (c) is often transferred to the subordinate key.
The famous ragtime composers are Scott Joplin (1869 ~ 19 17) and James Scott (1886 ~ 1938). Scott Jopling, known as the "King of Ragtime", was the son of a black slave. When I was young, I played the piano in bars and other entertainment places. 1899 composed Maple Leaf Lager and became famous at one fell swoop.
The birthplace of jazz-New Orleans
Jazz was born in the southern American city of New Orleans at the end of 19 and the beginning of the 20th century. /kloc-At the beginning of the 9th century, the French ruled New Orleans. Due to loose management, many African blacks fled to New Orleans from slave owners in the southern United States and enjoyed the status of "free blacks". Due to the freedom of marriage, a large number of mixed-race blacks appeared in the combination of African blacks and French. Quot Creole ". By the end of 19, except for whites and blacks, all the residents of New Orleans were Creole mixed-race blacks. Before the civil war, Creoles enjoyed the same status as whites and received a good education, including classical music education. After the Civil War, they were forced to associate with blacks because of the implementation of the new apartheid law. The combination of black African music tradition and Creole classical music training has played a very good role in the production of jazz.