Soul Music, Or Soul?

Soul music is a mix of R&B, gospel, blues and jazz and originated in the late 1950s in the United States. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame defines soul as, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testifying."(Nero 2016). Neo-soul is a musical genre that fuses contemporary R&B and 1970s-style soul with elements of hip-hop. As its name (new-soul) implies, Neo-Soul music is essentially modern-day soul music, artist like D'Angelo, Erykah Badu. It differs from contemporary R&B in that it's obviously more soulful, and it also tends to have deeper messages and meanings than R&B. In general, neo-soul has remained almost exclusive to R&B outlets

The rise of Soul music was a product of the particular environment of that time in which the musicians who created it lived, a period much paralleled with the Civil Rights Movement (CRM) and Black Power Movement (BPM) (Maultsby, 1983, 54). The objective of this research was to examine any existence of political and social messages delivered in Soul music around the civil rights movement era in America, which would lead to a better understanding of the role of Soul music having served in the process of political and social changes in the country.

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.

The blues have deep roots embedded within American history—particularly that of African American history. The history of the blues originated on Southern plantations in the 19th century and was created by slaves, ex-slaves, and descendants of slaves. They were created by individuals who endured great hardship while performing endless hours of arduous labor and blues served as a form of escapism. To these individuals, songs provided them with the strength to persevere through their struggles. Blues songs depicted individuals who persevered in the face of adversity. They were symbols of hope to those squandering in the depths of oppression. In relations to the blues, every song has a story behind it and within every story, there is something to be said. Blues artists, through their struggles, detail how they overcame hardship and laughed at the face of oppression. They defied the rules and in doing so, showed African Americans that they too are beacons of hope for the hopeless. The best blues is instinctive, cathartic, and intensely emotional. From irrepressible bliss to deep sadness, no form of music communicates more genuine emotion than that of the blues. Like many bluesmen of his day, Robert Johnson applied his craft as a lonely traveling musician on street corners and in juke joints. He was a lonely man whose songs romanticized that existence. With Johnson’s unique vocal style, haunting lyrics, and creative guitar techniques, Johnson’s innovation embodied the essence of

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

African American religious music is the foundation of all contemporary forms of so called “black music.” African American religious music has been a fundamental part of the black experience in this country. This common staple of the African American experience can be traced back to the cruel system of slavery. It then evolved into what we refer to today as gospel music. The goal of this paper is to answer three main questions. What are the origins of African American religious music? How did this musical expression develop into a secular form of music? What is the future of African American religious music? These questions will be answered through factual research of African American traditions, artists, and various other sources.

In the midst of a time where black Americans were facing extreme ridicule and fighting for their rights, Sam Cooke arose from the Gospel music style and merged into the music known as Soul, a genre that spoke to the socially crumbling nation about peace and civil rights changes. Through his smooth style, velvety voice, handsome appearance, and appeal to black and white audiences alike, Sam Cooke made a difference in the lives of Americans in the 1960s by singing with pure emotion and soul, like in "A Change is Gonna Come." Through this genre’s sincere singing with lyrics full of emotion, a sense of understanding was brought to the people of America about the

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

In my opinion, the role of “soul” in the Jazz-Gospel connection is subjective to the definition of soul and how the individual uses the term. Over time, when differing cultures coalesce, old words take on new meanings. According to the Old English Dictionary (OED), the noun soul dates prior to the 11th century and continues to change its definition to this day. What I mean by this, is that the word “soul” has different denotations in Black culture than the Old Frisian word did centuries ago. However, the term “soul” and jazz go as far back as the 1920’s (OED). Nonetheless, “soul” became synonymous with the sociopolitical African-American identity in the 1950’s when recording artists such as Ray Charles were promoted as “soul music.” “Soul”

The Culture of Soul Music I. Introduction A. How many people have listened to a song that has touched their souls? For many of us, there is a special song that speaks to our soul. There was one song that touch my soul, I was in the car with my dad and he had the radio on and I heard a song called I’d rather by Luther Vandross.

In today’s day and age, it’s easy to hear black culture represented in most hip-hop; that is the dominating music genre that expresses African American views. It’s not so easy to remember where African Americans influence on music al began. Black influence on music today is really unrecognized but it’s important to bring to light just how much African Americans really have contributed to the sound, style, and feel of today’s music. Not just hip-hop or rap, but all kinds of music.

This article reminded me of several times in history when music was used by African Americans to survive times of hardship. In the time of slavery, music was used as an escape. The negro spiritual was sung by the slaves who worked in the fields and those who worked in the household alike. The songs took them to a more peaceful time and were passed down from generation to generation. The negro spiritual was even used by Harriet Tubman and others who worked the Underground Railroad as a code. The spirituals were used as a haven for the African Americans who were not in charge of their own lives. That same music would be used in future generations as a war call and as a way to endure the struggles they would face.

For centuries, Gospel music has influenced and promoted African-American social, moral and ethical values, playing an imperative role in modelling their past and future. Originating from the hardships of slavery and the strength of Christian worship, Gospel music has adapted to musical tastes through the development of a number of sub-genres, while retaining its moral and spiritual framework. Throughout its musical history, Gospel music has had a profound and predominant influence on its devotees and followers. During the turbulent years of the American Civil Rights Movement, Gospel music played a vital role in building the foundations of stability and

SoulDaemon is Heavy Metal band from Italy that merges Death Metal, Doom and Black. The main feature is the bass that plays rhythm and solo as guitar. In fact SoulDaemon was started in 1999 as bass project. Then in 2009 it becomes a band. The sound is old school. Main influences are '80 and '90 bands such as Bolt Thrower, Obituary, Autopsy, Morbid Angel, Death, but also epic tunes of Bathory, Manowar and Cirith Ungol. Lyrics are referred to inner demons, fears and nihilism. In 2016 Mark SoulDaemon explores link between SoulDaemon's music and Generative Art as process to illustrate band concept.

Gospel, has parallel streams of black and white Christian Gospel which is a mixed-race heritage. It is the origin of Soul music, which supplanted blues-based r&b. With emerging of the soul music, traditional urban black popular music has a new trends and direction. And it eventually became a sociological and political significance in American popular culture. Funk is a musical mixture which fuse some different types styles of music to create a soulful and rhythmic sound. Dance-tempo rhythm and blues-style music are most popular form of funk music. It also be regarded as a ‘spiritual thing.’ The essay will illustrate the characteristics of soul and funk guitar style with references to the music of James Brown.