On June 26th, I attended Bonobo’s show on the main stage at the Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. Bonobo , also known as Simon Green, was born on March 30th, 1974 in Brighton, England. He is currently based in Los Angeles.  His music debuted with a trip- hop ( a fusion of hip hop and electronica)  aesthetic, but he has also explored different genres to experiment with including world music and Jazz.  During his live performances, he travels with a band to create organic sounds. He also uses different layers in his music to build on top of currrent sounds.

This show was quite different compared to other concerts that I have attended. I had gotten. The ticket for free through work, and I didn’t familiarize myself with the music before attending. When I got there I initially surprised by how loud it was for the amount of people there. Unlike other shows at the jazz festival, this one was not sold out, or even close to selling out. One thing I did find interesting though, was that the bass vibrations were so loud, that it set off a car alarm for the entire duration of his performance. The general age range of the audience was from late teens to early 30’s. It definitely attracted a younger audience as opposed to other shows at the jazz festival.

The song Cirrus, sounds like it starts off with a mbira or a kalimba, which are African idiophones that have metal tines attached to a wood board which you strike in order to make a sound. This is a characteristic of the world music that Bonobo incorporates into his music.  Then, there is the addition of what sounds like finger cymbals which can be a characteristic of Moroccan music. Gradually as the song builds, the listener can hear the different layers of sound. It starts off relatively thin, then as the different rhythms repeat, more and more layers are added to the song. This was especially neat to see done live because of the use of different electronics to help make the sounds. The band only had 3 members so it was neat to see how they were able to put together all the layers seamlessly without any issue.

Break Apart, was a lot different from most of the music that they performed. This song included a singer and lyrics. It starts off with what sounds like a harp. Again, with this song, all of the sounds are gradually layered to create depth and dimension. The lyrics in this song show how someone might think what other people may think of them:

“It’s hard to take all of this hate

It’s hard to take all of this hate

This hate”

Throughout the song, the lyrics get a little bit more pleasant. By repeating “ You’re my favourite, you’re my favourite, But we’re phasing, but we’re phasing.”

Overall, I enjoyed the concert. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I was expecting some very loud electronic, dance type music, but, it was all very calming and “chill”. Even though it was a very loud show, it wasn’t obnoxious. If anything, I think i found a new artist to add to my study music playlist as each song doesn’t have a distinct melody and it isn’t like some other music where I will want to sing along with it. I’m definitely happy that I was able to go to the show and was given the opportunity to embrace a genre of music that I’m not as familiar with.

Sources:

Apple Music Biography on Bonobo

Biography

The World’s Greatest Minstrel Man, James Alan Bland, is one name that is seldom heard in the ever-changing music industry that we have today. Bland was born on October 22^nd, 1845 in Flushing, New York and one was one of eight children [1]. As an African-American man in the mid 1800’s, it may seem like Bland would have had a very tough childhood as acceptance of black folk was not overly common, but he actually did very well for himself given the socio-acceptance and rate of slavery at that time. His parents were very educated, which influenced Bland to study at Howard University in Washington, D.C. [1].

                      Howard University, Washington D.C.1870 [4]

His campus-life did not last very long as he decided to pursue music as a career instead of getting a degree, and performed at whatever gigs that he could get at that time. By the late 1970’s, Bland chose to join a band, the Georgia Minstrels, which led him to become one of the first successful people to be in a black-minstrel company [2], while also composing hundreds of songs throughout his years. Minstrel bands were used to entertain through the mockery of African American people, but Bland took advantage of this mockery to become very successful.

                                        Music Poster from James Bland and his band, The Georgia Minstrels, featuring typical minstrel mockery of African-American folk,1879 [5]

By 1880, Bland was one of the most successful performers in America, but decided to move to London, England. He did not move back until 20 years later, and unfortunately was sick and had spent all his money that he earned while being famous. Even though he was an incredible composer, and composed an estimated 700 songs [3], the excitement over minstrel shows and James A. Bland himself had passed over, and there was nothing left for Bland. He later died from tuberculosis, but his music still lives on as timeless and revolutionary.

His Importance and Contributions

James A. Bland contributed a lot to the African-American community of the 1800’s. Some people may think that it is awful that he participated in the racism that minstrel shows were created for, but it may actually have been a good thing. He was a very successful black man, no matter where his success stemmed from, and successful African-American’s were scarce because of the discrimination and slavery that occurred during that time. He showed that taking advantage of your situation, even if it is unfair and not right, is still possible and you can still live a successful life, no matter what.

His Life Challenges

As a black man during the 1800’s, Bland had some major hurdles to get over. Luckily, his parents were educated and wealthy enough to get Bland out into the world and go to school, but it was still difficult as a black man. Slavery was a huge issue, and black people were overly not accepted, which is why minstrel shows became so popular. James A. Bland overcame this racial hurdle by using it to his advantage. He saw the opportunity to take this misfortune of African-American’s at the time, and become successful through it. He used what the rest of society wanted, a mockery of African-American people, and did just that.

                                    Music Poster from James Bland and his band, The Georgia Minstrels, featuring typical minstrel mockery of African-American folk,1879 [5]

The band he was in, the Georgia Minstrels, even blackened their faces more, put red makeup on their lips, and moved around in stereotypical and extravagant ways to entertain the audience [2]. No, the racism or discrimination is not fair, but Bland took that unfairness and made it positive for him and his life.

Examples of His Contribution

“Oh! Dem’ Golden Slippers” – James A. Bland

Oh, dem golden slippers!

Golden slippers I’m gwine to wear,

Becase dey look so neat;

Oh, dem golden slippers!

-James A. Bland, 1879

Bland was a very thoughtful writer. He influenced the music world has he used his compositions to tell stories of issues of his time, especially those affecting his community, the African-American people. This song is a good representation of his situation, as he writes about material things, such as a white robe, a banjo, and of course, golden slippers, which are all things that he had in his life due to his success. He writes, “t’s good-bye, children, I will have to go”, possibly meaning that he either has to get away from the fame or the American society, which he did by moving to London, or it is possible that he is referencing breaking away from the slavery that was occurring in the United States at that time. It is not clear what exactly Bland means, but either interpretation reflects the current time period for him. This shows his contribution as he used his platform to address problems that personally affected himself.

“Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” – James A. Bland

There’s where I labor’d so hard for old massa,

Day after day in the field of yellow corn,

No place on earth do I love more sincerely

Than old Virginny, the state where I was born.

-James A. Bland 1878

“Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” is un-arguably Bland’s most famous song that he ever composed. This had a huge contribution to his community and to the music world as a whole because it was chosen as the official state song of Virginia in 1940 [7]. A song adopted has the State Song Emeritus is one of the biggest compliments that any composer or song-writer could ever get, and puts a lot of emphasis on that singer and that song as important to the state and its history. He clearly made a huge impact, one big enough to grant him the honour of having his song as a staple in Virginia culture. Yes, there was an influx of discrimination occurring, but Bland still loved his state, and this is evident in this piece.

“De Slavery Chains Am Broke at Last” – James A. Bland

“Go carry the news to Sister Hannah,

Slav’ry chains am broke at last.

and tell her to Sweet Johannah,

Slav’ry chains am broke at last,

Go tell de brudders goodbye,

De slav’ry chains am broke at last”

-James A. Bland, 1880

Although Bland is known for his work in minstrel shows, he did not let go or approve of what was going on during that time. This song may be overlooked often when people argue that he had negative effects on the black community because it shows his actual feelings towards the happenings. Bland clearly shows his underlying contribution to the African-American community through this song, as it addressing the true issues of the time, even though African-American humility was the reason for his success.

   
Recorded version "De Slav'ry Chains Am Broke At Last" is not available. Here shows original sheet music and music poster from the song release in 1880 [6].

[1]”Bland, James A. (1854-1911) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed.” St. Clair, Stephanie (1886–1969) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/bland-james-1854-1911.

#M2Q3

William Christopher Handy was born on November 16^th, 1873 in Florence, Alabama. W.C. Handy grew up in a deeply religious family with his father working as a pastor at the local church. Handy was exposed to music at an early age through his church where he sang. His interest in music only increased as he grew older. In his youth he bought a guitar without his parents consent and practiced in secret. However once his father came to know of it he was forced to return it as it was his father’s belief that musical instruments were “of the devil”. His passion for music didn’t go unnoticed and his father signed him up for organ lessons. In 1892, Handy formed a band called the Lauzette Quartet to perform at the World’s Fair Chicago, however he was able to perform at the show until the following year. W.C. Handy hit his first major milestone in his musical career at the age of 23 when he became the bandmaster of the Mahara’s Colored Minstrels. With this group Handy was able to travel the country extensively and even performed in Cuba with the band. Throughout his travels he was able to pickup on the rural African-American folk songs that would inspire his     mainstream blues music in the future.

In 1896 W.C. Handy married Elizabeth Price. In the 1910s Handy had moved to Memphis, Tennessee and wrote “Memphis Blues” which would become a blues hit. By 1918 Handy had moved to New York where he would be instrumental in promoting blues. In 1928 he was accredited with setting up the first blues concert in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. W.C. Handy was constantly producing work throughout the 1920s and 1930s including publications such as Blues: An Anthology, Negro Authors and Composers of the United States and W.C. Handy’s collection of the Negro Spirituals. In 1941 W.C Handy published his autobiography titled Father of the Blues. By the mid 1940s Handy’s eyesight began to deteriorate and he eventually became blind. In 1958, W.C. Handy passed away due to complications from pneumonia. Thousands of people came to his funeral services to pay respects. Challenges Faced by W.C. Handy:

1. Upbringing: W.C. Handy was born into a family of pastors and was expected to follow suit. He often said about his family that “if there was any musical talent, it remained buried”. Non-religious music and musical instruments were considered taboo by his church and father. So he wasn’t able to musically express himself until he left his parents home to work and eventually pursue music.
2.  Racism: Handy lived at a time in the South where people were having a hard time digesting the reality of slavery being over and transitioning into a new society where all were equal in the eyes of the law. W.C. Handy faced racism in general while growing up in Alabama and even more so when he began touring with the Mahara’s Minstrels. During performances the group was threatened by lynch mobs, humiliation, and racial violence. It was also because of racism he experienced in the South that he decided to move to New York later in his career.
3. Business Exploitation: “Memphis Blues” was one of Handy’s most famous and financially successful songs however he was never able to benefit financially from its sales because he had signed over rights to the song without fully understanding the consequences it entailed. Handy let this be a lesson for himself and decided to protect his songs by opening up his own publishing company called Pace and Handy Music Company.
4. Poverty: W.C. Handy wasn’t from a very well-off background. He did small jobs just to stay afloat while trying to pursue a career in music. There was a period of about 2 years where he was homeless living under a bridge in St. Louis, after his band Lauzette Quartet became defunct.

Contributions towards music:

1. W.C. Handy was the first to systematically record and log Blues music.
2. He was a skilled songwriter and composer which allowed him to produce legendary hits by combining his own compositions with blues music he had heard while travelling across the country.
3. He played a crucial role in helping blues music achieve mainstream success and exposure by being one of the first artists to publish blues as sheet music.
4. His efforts of preserving blues and folk music from the rural south and working to legitimize blues music as an exclusive musical form. Due to these contributions W.C. Handy came to be popularly known as “Father of the Blues”.

Famous Songs:

“Memphis Blues” was written by W.C. Handy in 1912 and was one of the first blues songs published that pushed blues into the mainstream scene. This song was originally written as a campaign song for mayor candidate Edward Crump. Memphis Blues became an instant hit. I chose this song because of its importance in launching W.C. Handy’s career and blues music in general. It became an instant hit.

Saint Louis Blues

Arguably W.C. Handy’s most famous song is “Saint Louis Blues”. It was called “the jazzman’s Hamlet” because it was sung by many famous artists including Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and Guy Lombardo. Bessie Smith’s version of the song was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The song form is 12-Bar blues written in a tango rhythm.

“Beale Street Blues”

Released in 1916, Beale Street Blues was a successful song by Handy that was characterized by being a hybrid between classic blues and the popular ballad style of the day.

Legacy:

W.C. Handy undoubtedly had a massive impact on the emergence of Blues music into mainstream America. By helping to create a Blues industry and establishing publishing companies he was able to pave a way for struggling black musicians to produce music and be rewarded justly for their craft. W.C. Handy has been honored by having roads, parks, theatres, statues, scholarships, and festivals named after him.

References:

Robertson, D. (2011). W.C. Handy: The Life and Times of the Man Who Made the Blues. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.

Summer, L. S. (2002). W.C. Handy: Founder of the blues. Chanhassen, MN: Childs World.

Yeager, A. (2003). W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues. Birmingham, Alabama: Seacoast Publishing.

W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

Ma Rainey, originally named Gertrude Pridgett, was born on April 26th, 1886 in Columbus, Georgia. Her parents, Thomas and Ella Allen-Pridgett, were minstrel troupers.²   Ma Rainey followed in their footsteps, and by age fourteen was performing in minstrel and travelling Vaudeville shows all over the southern United States.² She continued entertaining as a blues singer with her husband, William Rainey, and after their split in 1916, she kept her travelling performances going with a variety of talented musicians until her eventual retirement from the music business in 1935.² She died four years later at the age of 53 in Rome, Georgia.³  

Ma Rainey, often referred to as the “mother of the blues,” was one of the first female black classic blues singers at a time when the majority of musicians were men. She made a name for herself as a singer not only because of her strong vocals but also because of her loud, boisterous personality.  She was a woman in a man’s industry, and she was an African American living in the southern states during racial segregation. These were hard times for most but to be successful as a black female singer in a white man’s world, Ma Rainey must have had grit, perseverance and a great, big personality. Despite these circumstances, she was able to thrive in the music industry and enjoyed a very successful career.

While she contributed not only stylistically to the classic blues genre, she was part of the first generation to record this type of  music. From 1923-1928, she made over 100 recordings in an exclusive contract with Paramount Records, recording with some of the greats like Louis Armstrong.² Her contract ended as a result of inevitable stylistic changes within the music industry, there was no longer the same amount of interest in classic blues but her contribution to the music industry was enormous in that it introduced the blues to a much wider audience and became more accessible to a variety of people.

Ma Rainey’s classic blues style included the “three defining aspects of the blues: it’s form, style and feeling.”¹ Other characteristics of classic blues include conventional 12 bar blues form with the singer calling and a response from the band, often from one of the brass instruments. The blues evolved from slaves during the plantation years when work songs and the ability to express themselves emotionally thought music truly began. While the blues may often describe personal hardship, it is also filled with lyrics of surviving everyday life, having fun and letting go. The power of blues music lies in its ability to express powerful emotions.

“Hey, bo-weavil¹, don’t sing them blues no more
Hey, hey, bo-weavil, don’t sing them blues no more
Bo-weavil’s here, bo-weavil’s everywhere you’ll go

I’m a lone bo-weavil, been out a great long time
I’m a lone bo-weavil, been out a great long time
I’m gonna sing these blues to ease the bo-weavil’s lonesome mind

I don’t want no man to put no sugar in my tea
I don’t want no man to put no sugar in my tea
Some of them’s so evil, I’m afraid they might poison me

I went downtown and bought me a hat
I brought it back home, I laid it on the shelf
Looked at my bed, I’m getting tired of sleeping by myself”

True to blues form and style is the song Bo-Weavil Blues written and recorded by Ma Rainey in December of 1923.³ It has lyrics that are rhyming couplets with the first line repeated. It is sung in a typical blues call and response style with Ma Rainey’s vocals being followed by a response from the jazz ensemble who is accompanying her. I chose the song Bo – Weavil Blues because I feel that the song is typical of the essence of the blues style. Ma Rainey’s vocal phrasing from high to low with a gravelly voice is typical of this style.

“ I’m gonna buy me a pistol

Just as long as I am tall

Lawd, lawd, lawd

Gonna kill my man and

Catch the Cannonball. 2

If he don’t have me

He won’t have no gal at all”

– Ma Rainey, See See Rider Blues

The second song that I have chosen as a reflection of Ma Rainey’s contribution to the music industry is See See Rider Blues. What I found intriguing about this song was the racy lyrics. While she sings this in a typical bluesy style with her booming, rough voice, she laments falling in love with a man who loves another woman but instead of simply moving on and leaving him, she plans to buy a gun and kill her man because if he won’t have her, he won’t have no one at all. Considering this is a song written in 1924, I was surprised to find these types of lyrics that even by today’s standards would be considered questionable.

“ I want to see that dance you call the black bottom

I wanna learn that dance

Don’t you see the dance you call your big black bottom

That’ll put you in a trance”

– Ma Rainey, Black Bottom

The final song of Ma Rainey’s I have chosen is Black Bottom, recorded in 1927. Once again, she uses risque lyrics to draw attention to her “black bottom”. Recorded later in her career, this song displays her big, bold personality.  This song is different, because while many blues songs evoke strong emotions, this one displays the more fun and playful side of classic blues. However, It is like many of the other blues songs, written in the 12 bar blues style featuring dominant gravelly vocals, a pianist and a jazz ensemble. When I first started researching blues singers, I expected most of their songs to have sullen, almost depressing lyrics, or to be more similar to church music, very religious and uplifting. In reality, much of their blues music is suggestive with controversial lyrics which I found surprising and interesting.  

Ma Rainey was an inspiration not only to other musicians but to artist of all sorts including poets and authors. For example, Alice Walker, who wrote the novel The Colour Purple, was influenced by Ma Rainey’s cultural contribution towards women of African- American descent.² In my research, it seems to me like she would have been a modern day diva. She was described as  perhaps not the most attractive singer but her big personality and powerful performances commanded the stage. She wore gowns, ostentatious jewelry and mesmerized the crown with her gold front teeth. Her performance style can be compared to current pop artists like Cardi-B or Nicki Minaj in that they display personality traits similar to Ma Rainey. Songs such as Black Bottom and the message delivered can be seen in current songs, such as Anaconda by Nicki Minaj, where suggestive lyrics are used to shamelessly flaunt personal characteristics. Ma Rainey’s gritty, bluesy vocals, controversial lyrics and diva persona had a significant and profound effect not only on the people of her era but on numerous entertainers and artists that would come after her.

Bibliography:

1. Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes on. Boston, MA: Cengage, 2019.
2. “Ma Rainey.” Biography.com. April 28, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413.
3.  “Visions & Voices: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom:.” Research Guides. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://libguides.usc.edu/c.php?g=571084&p=3936619

Pictures Link

https://www.google.ca/search?q=ma+rainey&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA803CA803&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjxmsqo96fcAhWPTsAKHbaqCJYQ_AUICigB&biw=1368&bih=807#imgrc=iApNPl7r5-19MM:

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Born 1941 in Ottawa, Canada, to Camelia and Andrew, Paul Anka’s story of success can be linked to his youthful endeavours into music. In his earliest years Anka sang choir at his families church, as well as studied the piano. At the age of 13 Anka contributed his vocal stylings to a band called the Bobbysoxers, where he and his band would preform at amateur events as often as possible. It wasn’t long after that Anka had devised a plan to move in with his uncle in Los Angeles and try to score a record deal. He had his first ever meeting with Modern Records where he recorded his first single “Blau-Wile Deverest Fontaine” which although was not a successful release, (and frankly, a repetitive and uninspired track) was a commendable attempt from a extraordinarily young man, which exemplified Anka’s persistence and determination to succeed in the world of popular music.

One year later Anka decided to try his luck in the rapidly expanding city of New York, which is where he got a big break and landed a meeting with ABC-Paramount Records artist and repertoire man Dan Costa where he played for him some of his songs. One of the songs Anka showcased for Costa was ‘Diana’, which was impressive enough to not only spot him a record deal but a number one single as ‘Diana’ settled on the top of the charts in 1957 just months after Anka had moved to the big apple and released the track. The first hurdle had been cleared for Anka on his path to stardom and, just as most other notable artists who achieve a number one single this early in their career, released a handful of [career best] tracks, including ‘Lonely Boy’ and ‘Put Your Head on My Shoulder’. Touring with big name acts like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, the young man had solidified his position with the big dogs of the industry.

The late 50’s was an unfortunate time period for Anka to enter the scene considering his style of music, as the uprise of psychedelia and rock led by the Rolling Stones and the Beatles was taking over and attracting young people all around the planet. Anka, although still preforming, cleverly invested his musical talents into the world of lyrical construction and song writing alongside his performances as a sort of fall-back. Anka wrote and co-wrote songs for some high profile acts such as Tom Jones, and Michael Jackson which is a showcase of the versatility Paul Anka possesses.

One of Anka’s most recent releases “Rock Swings”, landed on the top 10 in the UK and sold more than 500,000 copies.

Put Your Head on My Shoulder – Paul Anka

Put Your Head on My Shoulder, released May of 1959 on ABC/Paramount Records is a shining example of the tremendous quality of music released and preformed by musicians during the conception of rock music. It’s no wonder the popularity of rock music compounded and flowered into the mammoth industry it is today. Put Your Head on My Shoulder features a 4/4 time signature with a consistent tempo of about 116 beats per minute which was generally standard practice in popular music of the 50’s, and actually still, for the most part, the norm today in popular music. The song begins with a very short intro and leaps into the chorus about 9 seconds in, where Anka introduces his vocals with the title of the track, this is the hook of the song and is sung every second time immediately before the chorus begins and after a whole rest by the band. Although this strategy of lyrical placement is not groundbreaking in anyway, it is beautifully executed and an example of the alluring simplicity of Anka’s earlier releases. Behind Anka’s lead vocal stylings is the harmonizing backup vocals which act as the melody in the song alongside the reverberating guitar and steadily chattering piano. The song features painfully simple percussive work as the kick and snare consistently pound at beats 2 and 4 respectively, throughout nearly the entire song, yet although the beat is simple, the track still provokes a swaying feeling in me which I would attest to the synergy of the backup vocals and piano.

In comparison to artists of similar general song structure such as the likes of Frank Sinatra and Nat Cole, Anka’s music is much more distinct due to the higher frequencies and faster tempo, but to compare two complete monsters like Sinatra and Nat Cole to Paul Anka is fairly straightforward; the truth is, Anka is not even in the same league musically. The masterfully crafted music of Sinatra and Cole compared to Anka’s repetitive immature compositions alongside teenage romance lyricism, is insultingly cheap when standing next to monstrous tracks like Fly Me to The Moon by Frank Sinatra or When I Fall In Love by Nat Cole. The similarity in the three artists is all of their music is driven by vocals, and I would say that is about it. The instrumentation in nearly all of Anka’s tracks are laughably simply while you experience impossibly intricate orchestrated masterpieces in nearly all of Sinatra’s and Cole’s tracks. It’s like trying to compare a wine cooler to a 15 year aged single malt scotch whiskey, it’s clear which one is of better taste, but each has it’s own appeal and seductiveness.

Anka’s real talent lies in his songwriting ability. Writing and co-writing for big name acts like Tom Jones, Micheal Jackson, and Sinatra, Anka made a living with his simplistic song lyrics that fit so well in popular music throughout the late 20th century. His significance in Canadian culture can be explained by this. It is the reason for his admittance to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and success later on in his career.

The 1966 album Pet Sounds, by the Beach Boys (the undisputed best album of all time) has a similarly titled track named “Dont Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)” which bears a resemblance in it’s theme to Paul Anka’s Put Your Head on My Shoulder, although it is slower and more endearing.

Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in American The Beat Goes On. Boston, MA: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013.

“Paul Anka – Singer, Songwriter, Television Actor, Film Actor, Guitarist, Pianist, Actor – Biography.” Accessed July 12, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/paul-anka-3424.