The Blues

Brian Leonard, February 18, 2014

S Field hollers, shouts,

work songs, spirituals

S similar form, lyrics,

intonation

The Blues
Origins

S Blue notes notes

slightly sharper or flatter than the notes of the major scale S Use of the pentatonic scale
S Originated in early

1900s in the Deep South

No More, My Lawd
CHORUS: No more, my Lord, no more, my Lord, Lord, I'll never turn back no more. Jesus, the man i am looking for, can you tell me where he's gone? (chip strikes microphone)

I found in him a resting place, and he have made me glad (chorus)

Go down, go down, among flower yard,

And perhaps you may find him there.

No More, My Lawd

S Twelve-bar blues form S 12 bars per 3-line stanzas S I-IV-I-V-I chord

The Blues
Origins Form

progression often with one or all of these chords being a Dominant Seventh chord S Break instrumental passage between lines in a stanza aka call-andresponse
S Pentatonic scale S Blue notes flattened 3rd,

5th, 7th can replace major scale notes or be added to form the minor blues scale
S Blues Shuffle uneven

eighth notes

S 1920s to 1930s S Popularization of the

Classic Blues
Definition

blues through mostly female singers

S Began recording the

blues for the first time

S 1886 1939 S Played with the likes of

Classic Blues
Definition Gertrude Ma Rainey

Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson

S Stayed loyal to the folk

blues tradition
S Played in circuses,

minstrel shows, and nightclubs

S Pay attention to

instrumental breaks, 12bar blues form, blue notes

Countin the Blues Gertrude Rainey

Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to the wall Layin' in bed this mornin' with my face turned to the wall Trying to count these blues so I could sing 'em all Memphis, Ramport, Beale Street set 'em, free Memphis, Ramport, Beale Street set 'em, free Graveyard, 'Bama Bound, Lord, Lord, come from Stingaree Lord sittin' on the Southern gonna ride all night long Lord sittin' on the Southern gonna ride all night long Downhearted, Gulf Coast--they was all good songs Lord, 'rested at midnight; jailhouse made me loose my mind Lord, 'rested at midnight; jailhouse made me loose my mind Bad Luck 'n' Boll-Weevil made me think of old Moonshine

Countin' the Blues

S 1894 1937 S More sophisticated blues

Classic Blues
Definition Gertrude Ma Rainey Bessie Smith

singing than Ma Rainey

S Powerful Strong voice S Note the use of blue

notes to convey emotions, especially in the phrase the evening sun

St. Louis Blues Bessie Smith

I hate to see de evenin' sun go down, Hate to see de evenin' sun go down 'Cause ma baby, he done lef' dis town. Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today, Feel tomorrow like I feel today, I'll pack my trunk, make ma git away. Saint Louis woman wid her diamon' rings Pulls dat man 'roun' by her apron strings. 'Twant for powder an' for store-bought hair, De man ah love would not gone nowhere, nowhere. Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be. That man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea.

St. Louis Blues

S As the sale of records

became more popular, more country blues singers started recording

S Race records By black

The Guitar
Country Blues

musicians for black consumers

S Acoustic guitar without any

other accompaniment is popular

S Prominent use of open E,

open G, and standard tunings and also the use of a slide with fingerstyle playing
S Vibrato and Bends mimic

vocal techniques

S Mississippi Delta Blues S Eddie James Son

House, Jr.

Country Blues
Son House

S Singer and Slide

Guitarist
S

Metal Resonator Guitar

Death Letter Son House

I got a letter this mornin, how do you reckon it read? It said, "Hurry, hurry, yeah, your love is dead." I got a letter this mornin, I say how do you reckon it read? You know, it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?" So, I grabbed up my suitcase, and took off down the road. When I got there she was layin on a coolin board. I grabbed up my suitcase, and I said and I took off down the road. I said, but when I got there she was already layin on a coolin board.

Death Letter

S Mississippi Delta Blues S Influenced by Son House S Claimed to have sold his

Country Blues
Son House Robert Johnson

soul to the Devil

S Many blues idioms

originated from Robert Johnson

S Acoustic Guitar both

slide and fretted

S Note similarities and

differences with Son House

Crossroad Blues Robert Johnson

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the lord above "Have mercy, save poor Bob, if you please Mmmmm, standin' at the crossroad, I tried to flag a ride Standin' at the crossroad, I tried to flag a ride Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by Mmmm, the sun goin' down, boy, dark gon' catch me here Oooo, eeee, boy, dark gon' catch me here I haven't got no lovin' sweet woman that love and feel my care You can run, you can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown You can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown Lord I'm standin' at the crossroad, babe, I believe I'm sinkin' down
Crossroad

S Jimmy Reed pioneer in

electric guitar
S Howlin Wolf and Muddy

The Guitar
Country Blues Urban Blues

Waters Prominent blues vocalists

S John Lee Hooker

talking blues style and influential guitar player

S Blues begins making its

way into more mainstream music

S Electric guitar of Chuck

The Guitar
Country Blues Urban Blues The 50s

Berry and Bo Diddley set the stage for rock music

S Still contains the

characteristics of blues, but often at a faster tempo and with more complex licks

School Days Chuck Berry

Up in the mornin' and out to school The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule American history and practical math You study' em hard and hopin' to pass Workin' your fingers right down to the bone And the guy behind you won't leave you alone Ring ring goes the bell The cook in the lunchroom's ready to sell You're lucky if you can find a seat You're fortunate if you have time to eat Back in the classroom open you books Gee but the teacher don't know How mean she looks
School Days

S British blues style S Paul Butterfield Blues

Band guitarist Michael Bloomfield

Guitar
Country Blues Urban Blues The 50s The 60s

S The Yardbirds Jeff

Beck, Jimmy Page

S John Mayall & the

Bluesbreakers and Cream Eric Clapton

S Many heavily influenced

by Robert Johnson, Elmore James, etc.

Crossroads Cream
I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. Down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. Asked the Lord above for mercy, "Save me if you please." I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. Down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by. Well I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side. Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side. You can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside.

Crossroads

S Albert King S Numerous hit songs and

Guitar
Country Blues Urban Blues The 50s The 60s The Three Kings

copied licks S Influenced SRV, Hendrix, Bloomfield S Dropped minor tuning S Flipped right-handed guitars over upside down
S B.B. King S Unique vibrato and voice S Influential mixture of

minor and major pentatonic

S Freddie King S Not as famous as other

two S Screaming guitar style

How Blue Can You Get BB King

I've been down hearted baby ever since the day we met I said I've been down hearted baby ever since the day we met our love is nothing but the blues, woman baby, how blue can you get? You're evil when I'm with you, baby and you're jealous when we're apart I said You're evil when I'm with you, baby and you're jealous when we're apart how blue can you get baby the answer is right here in my heart
How Blue

S Texas Blues-Rock
S ZZ Top, Johnny Winter,

Stevie Ray Vaughan

S Stevie Ray Vaughan

Guitar
Country Blues Urban Blues The 50s The 60s The Three Kings The 70s to present

S Heavy gauge strings

S Strong Pick Attack

S Influenced by Hendrix,

Albert King, and others

S Derek Trucks
S Tedeschi-Trucks Band S Sophisticated slide

guitar style

Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughan

Well there's floodin' down in Texas All of the telephone lines are down Well there's floodin' down in Texas All of the telephone lines are down And I've been tryin' to call my baby Lord and I can't get a single sound Well dark clouds are rollin' in Man I'm standin' out in the rain Well dark clouds are rollin' in Man I'm standin' out in the rain Yeah flood water keep a rollin' Man it's about to drive poor me insane
Texas Flood

Bibliography
Baraka, Amiri. Blues People; Negro Music in White America. New York: W. Morrow, 1963. Print. Beaumont, Daniel E. Preachin' the Blues: The Life and times of Son House. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. Print. Candelaria, Lorenzo F. American Music: A Panorama. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. Gridley, Mark C. Concise Guide to Jazz. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2014. Print. King, Stephen A. I'm Feeling the Blues Right Now: Blues Tourism and the Mississippi Delta. Jackson: University of Mississippi, 2011. Print.