Impact of Rhythm and Blues on African-American Culture Essay

The roots of modern american rock and roll music, are firmly planted in Africa. As the native Africans were torn apart from their family’s and brought to the new world their lives were immediately and drastically changed forever. Finding themselves immersed in a completely new environment with a foreign culture, they thankfully persevered and carried on with their own traditions and most importantly to this paper, musical ones. Most American slaves originated from Western and Central Africa. The West Africans carried a musical tradition rich with long melody lines, complicated rhythms (poly rhythmics) and stringed instruments CITATION. The West Africans music was also strongly integrated into their everyday lives. Songs were preformed for religious ceremonies and dances and music was often a

     The Blues musical move was prominent during the 1920s and '30s, a time known as the Harlem Renaissance. Blues music characteristically told the story of

In the 1960's, America was ready for a change. Black rhythm and blues known as Motown became popular. Bob

This judgment began unexpectedly to spread as African American music, especially the blues and jazz, became a worldwide sensation. Black music provided the pulse of the Harlem Renaissance and of the Jazz Age more generally. The rise of the “race records” industry, beginning with OKeh’s recording of Mamie Smith’s

African American influence in music has been an ever present and controversial subject in American history. Stemming from many different cultures, religions and backgrounds, large portions of American music was introduced by, and credited to African Americans. Although in many cases, this music was used for entertainment by the masses or majority, contrary to popular belief, black music served a greater purpose than just recreation. Dating all the way back to the beginning of slavery in the U.S. during the 17th century, music has been used to make a statement and send a message. As African American music progressed over the years, there were common themes expressed as the genres evolved. It has been an open letter to the world, documenting and protesting the ongoing oppression faced by blacks in the United States, as well as an outlet for frustration. For many African Americans, the music gave them the only voice that couldn’t be silenced by their oppressors.

There are many different genres or categories of music. These can range from the smooth layered sound of classical music to the harsh thrashy sound of heavy metal in a seemingly endless list of geners and sub-genres. Amongst these genres few have been as influential in contemporary music as the Blues. The blues can be attributed as being the foundation for many modern generes including rock and roll and jazz. (Nicole 2005)

R&B Genre is African American type of Music, Also known as Rhythm and Blues. R&B originated around the early to mid 1900’s. This type of music is soft rhythm and well known as soul music. Anytime I feel am feeling down and need a way to ventilate my emotions, R&B is the best type of music to listen to, However it is my favorite. Some Rhythm and Blues Artist that are well known is the Queen Mary J. Blidge, Alicia Keys, Usher, and Beyonce.

As a general principle, music has been in a never-ending evolutionary state, in which each genre evolves with changes and grows to remain relevant. Just like we’ve seen in class, music will either change its forms, change its styles, change its themes, or it will evolve into a new form of music. With this in mind, I will use this critical lens to evaluate modern rhythm and blues music. While has gone through gone through changes before, and most likely will continue to evolve, I will be looking at the musical change from the 1990s until modern-day rhythm and blues. In the 1990s, R&B contained within it a strong connection to its origins. By this I mean that R&B music of the 90s had a strong presence of its jazz and blues inspirations that brought about its start. It

The Chicago Blues style, named so from its city of origin, began to take form in the late 1940’s. It evolved from delta blues, when musicians began to amplify instruments and reduce the size of bands. “Adding drums, bass, and piano (sometimes saxophones) to the basic string band and harmonica aggregation, the style created the now

Kopp, Ed. “A Brief History of the Blues.” all about jazz. All About Jazz, 16 Aug. 2005. Web. 17 Nov. 2015. ‹http://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-brief-history-of-the-blues-by-ed-kopp.php›.

Around the turn of the Twentieth Century, out of the loose partially improvised music sung by blacks, the Blues was born and subsequently evolved into the smorgasbord of musical styles indigenous to today's culture. This new genre spawned the rhythm section (i.e. guitar, bass, keyboard, and percussion), which continues to anchor every other form of modern music. Each of these musical languages commands a large and loyal following. Each form, in union with the others contained in the contemporary musical landscape, represents a realistic and fitting alternative to classic

The blues is a musical genre that originated among African-Americans in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From these humble and provincial origins it has come to be appreciated all over the country and the world, and has also spread its influence even more widely by way of its offspring, jazz and rock. While the word "genre" is certainly appropriate, the blues can be defined more specifically as a closely related set of melodies, harmonies, rhythmic patterns and bar structures. Unlike many musical genres, the blues is very tightly focused in fact it could be said without much fear of exaggeration that all blues songs are variations on one song. Nevertheless, as time went on the blues lost some of its stereotyped or formulaic aspect and loosened up its structure to encompass a variety of forms of expression.

Wilson once said, “I think the blues is the best literature that we as blacks have created since we’ve been here, and it’s a lot of philosophical ideas. I call it our sacred book” (Dyson). This genre of music was created in the south of the United States by African Americans in the late 1800’s. “The blues give lyrical shape to the hurts and affections that stymie and transform black life. The blues tap comedy to temper tragedy – and to tame the absurd” (Dyson). The blues music was popular among slaves living in the deep south.

R&B’s full name is Rhythm and Blues; it came from Jazz and Blues, and it is a genre of popular African-American music. It developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. In the 1970s, the term R&B changed again and used for soul and funk. In the 1980s, a new style of R&B developed, was “Contemporary R&B”. In the 1950s through the 1970s, the R&B bands usually consisted of piano, guitar, bass, drums, saxophones. Then, many kinds of music were developed from R&B.