Hello, my name is Travis and I am a 4th year Finance major at Edwards School of Business. I have selected to take this class as an elective as I had hoped to gain some insight and knowledge around popular music in America. The course material has sufficed up to this point and has helped me better grasp concepts, ideas, and information on previous and exciting music.

After reading the part on Albert von Tilzer in the textbook, his older brother Harry von Tilzer, was only briefly introduced and sparked an interest for me. With one of the challenge questions for module two being the option to research one of the six listed artists or singers, I decided that I would take the opportunity further my interest in Harry von Tizler. So today I would like to talk about Harry Gumm or as you may know as Harry von Tilzer, the older brother of Albert von Tilzer.

Harry Gumm was born in Detroit, Michigan on July 8, 1872.  At a young age Harry participated in circus acts, which helped him better himself in playing piano and acting. At this point in life Harry had decided to adopt his mother’s maiden name of Tilzer and added the von because he thought it showed more class. Ever since, he has been known as Harry von Tilzer and had influenced his other siblings to take the name as well. From the constant practice and play of piano he was able to secure a job as a saloon pianist. After some years of this occupation he had finally published his first song “My Old New Hampshire Home”  one of the many that would become a smashing hit and #1 sheet music seller.

The success of “My Old New Hampshire Home” prompted Maurice Shapiro of Shapiro-Bernstein Music Publishers to make Von Tilzer a partner, and the firm renamed ‘Shapiro, Bernstein and Von Tilzer’. (Reublin and Beil 2018) Soon after, Harry had come out with another successful song “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” and shortly after left Shapiro Bernstein to form Harry Von Tilzer Music Company. This song is considered a Ballad and tells the story of a woman who has married a man for only money and not love.

One of the songs created under his own label was “In the Sweet Bye Bye” and was not highly recognized as the former two discussed above. Although, the song is very catchy and has a romantic storyline.

 Harry Gumm AKA Harry von Tilzer is noted as one of the best ‘Tin Pan Alley‘ songwriters of the 20th century. He contributed a numerous amount waltz songs and songs in general. His story did not contain much hardship or challenges, but only because he worked hard to achieve the status he gained. I would consider him a major contributor to the beginning of popular American music.

Reublin, Richard, and Richard Beil. 2018. “Songs About U.S. States; Missouri To Oregon, Page 1”. Parlorsongs.Com. Accessed July 20. http://parlorsongs.com/issues/2003-8/thismonth/feature.php.

Reublin, Rick. 2009. “In Search Of Tin Pan Alley”. Parlorsongs.Com. http://parlorsongs.com/insearch/tinpanalley/tinpanalley.php.

Songwriters Hall of Fame. 2018. “Harry Von Tilzer | Songwriters Hall Of Fame”. Songhall.Org. https://www.songhall.org/profile/Harry_Von_Tilzer.

Youtube. 2015. “A Bird In A Gilded Cage” 1900 Cylinder (Song By Arthur J. Lamb And Harry Von Tilzer) Lambert. Image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkc9f-5ZW-k.

Youtube. 2016. Consolidated Quartet – My Old New Hampshire Home. Image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE0dQafOIsY.

Youtube. 2016. In The Sweet Bye And Bye (1902). Image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJ1d2uaUr8.

Famous female blues singer Ma Rainey also known as “mother of the blues” for her three decades of performing and producing influential blues music during the early 1900s.

Ma Rainey was born on April 26, 1886,  as Gertrude Pridget in Colombus Georgia. She began her performing career early on in her life at the age of twelve where she worked as a singer and a dancer at a local talent show labelled “A Bunch Of Barries”. In 1904 she married A man named William Rainey who was a comedy songster. The two of them nick named as ma and pa, toured the southern states with the popular Rabbit foot minstrels sharing their talents at tent shows and cabarets. By about 1916 she had become a very popular performer and after divorcing her husband started her own music group. In 1923 she signed with the record label Paramount records, and shortly after in December of that year she began producing her first eight records including “Bad luck blues”, “Boo weevil Blues”, and ” Moonshine Blues. Paramount was a huge push on her career and helped marketing her by calling her names such as “the mother of blues” and “songbird of the south”. Over the next 5 years of her contract, Rainey recorded just over 100 songs with all sorts of other musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Thomas Dorsey. She toured and recorded music for about 10 years following her signing with Paramount records as her name became more popular within the southern states especially in black communities. In 1935 Rainey retired in her hometown of Columbus and used her money to manage and run two theatres until her tragic unexpected death of a heart attack in 1939 at the age of 53

Growing up in this era Rainey was faced with many challenges both due to her skin tone and being a lesbian. Rainey was one of the first if not the first female black blues singers, just getting publicity and popularity would have been a great challenge in the early 1900s. As for her sexual orientation, being a lesbian in the 1920s and 30s was not overly excepted. Rainey was a strong-willed woman and did not let it influence her or disrupt her career.

“Prove it on me blues”

I chose this song because i believe it represented who she was and her sexual orientation. In this advertisement, it shows a bigger lady wearing a masculine outfit with a suit and tie talking to two ladies as a police officer watches them in the background. This is a social jab at the common beliefs of this day and age. In this song prove it on me blues, she sings “went out last night with a crowd of my friends, they must’ve been women ’cause i don’t like no men.” this line could be interpreted as a hint towards her sexual orientation.

“Moonshine blues”

For the second song i chose moonshine blues, this song was written in 1923 right in the middle of the prohibition in the united states. Rainey talks about  spending time in jail for selling moonshine potentially is telling a story of a close friend who may have been selling moonshine illegally during those times.

“Trust no man”

For my final song i chose trust no man, this song represents her frustration and disgust with men after her divorce. It quotes “I trusted my man with my best friend but that was a bad bargain in the end.”  This line showing that she had gone through some form of cheating by her husband causing their divorce in 1916.

Bibliography

“Ma Rainey”, Biography.com. April 27. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413Ma Rainey.”

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/ma-rainey.

Gertrude Ma Rainey, http://www.redhotjazz.com/rainey.html

Jonathan ned Katz; prove it on me blues,
http://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/rainey/rainey2

Many music historians “consider Mamie Smith to be the first African American woman to record blues vocals.”¹ For someone who has had such a vital role in the history of both musical and African-American history, very little is known about Mamie Smith’s early years. Smith was allegedly born in Cincinnati on May 26, 1883. However, there is no physical paper trail to confirm this. Physical records were seldom kept for African-Americans during this time (due to their perceived lesser status).² However, we do know that when she was around ten years old, she toured with the Four Dancing Mitchells, a white act. From here, she continued to perform: she had danced in J. Homer Tutt and Salem Tutt Whitney’s The Smart Set Company in 1912 before leaving to perform across theatres in Harlem.³ Smith was known for stage presence: singer Victoria Spivey claimed that seeing Smith live inspired her to become a performer herself:

Miss Smith walked on that stage and I could not breathe for a minute. She threw those big sparkling eyes on us with that lovely smile showing those pearly teeth with a diamond the size of one of her teeth. . . Her full voice filled the entire auditorium without the use of mikes like we use today. That was singing the blues! I was really inspired and kept plugging to become a singer.⁴

It was during one of these performances that she met African-American musicians Perry Bradford, who convinced OKeh Record’s Fred Hager to sign her. Bradford argued that African American artists were an “untapped market” who wanted to listen to their own distinctive music. She her first singles, “That Thing Called Love” and Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” were met with controversy: Hager received threats from those who were uncomfortable with OKeh endorsing “black” music (in fact, Smith was almost replaced with Sophie Tucker, one of her “white” contemporaries). However, her next hit, “Crazy Blues” was incredibly popular and had sold over a million copies within the year. Despite racism, Smith was hugely popular. For example, according to the Richmond Palladium Sun-Telegram, Smith sold out in the town of Richmond, which was only 5% African-American. Additionally, it is estimated that nearly 45% of all white males in the town belonged to Whitewater Klan #60, which was Richmond’s local Klu Klux Klan chapter.⁵ Thus, one can assume that either a portion of the white citizens overcame their prejudice in order to appreciate Smith’s music or black citizens from surrounding areas travelled to Richmond in order to see Smith perform. Either way, Smith was able to overcome racism and break the colour barrier found in the recording industry. This was due to a few factors. While Smith is considered the first African-American woman to record “blues music,” it is worth noting that her music was not entirely “blues” but rather “blues-pop.” According to Derrick Stewart-Baxter, she was only moderately talented as a “blues” vocalist and she did not have the vocal inflection of other “blues” singers. It has also been said that her singing style was more at home in a Victorian parlour than at a music hall.⁶  This likely made her accessible to white audiences. In fact, one article from 1920 claims that Mamie Smith was “the only colored girl that sings for records, which we all like to hear.”  However, this caused controversy within the African American community: some claimed that record companies used artists like Smith, who “pandered” to European tastes, to exclude other black artists who were more “authentic.”⁷  Nonetheless, Smith was popular among African-Americans simply because she “ushered in a new era of music divas who presented themselves as upper-class, educated, rich, and demanding of respect.”⁸ In addition to recording songs, she acted in a number of African-American films, such as Paradise in Harlem and Mystery in Swing. She died in 1944 after a long illness.⁹

“That Thing Called Love:”

As previously mentioned, Mamie Smith’s “That Thing Called Love” as one of her first recorded song, which makes it one of the first blues songs recorded by an African-American woman.¹⁰ The song is accompanied by a white band.¹¹ This can be heard in the song, as the musical accompaniment is more “melodic”. Lyrically, the song is similar to other blues songs” which chronicle stories of scorned women mourning lost relationships.

“Crazy Blues:”

While “Crazy Blues” was not Smith’s first song, it was her first major hit. Not only did it sell over a million copies within its first year, Jas Obercht claims that “Crazy Blues” “could be heard coming from the open windows of virtually any black neighborhood in America”^c  While the song’s musical accompaniment (while not as “gloomy” as other blues songs) is slightly melancholy when compared to Smith’s somewhat upbeat inflection. Thematically, the song is about a miserable woman suffering through a tough breakup. All these facets make the song a paradox (perhaps this is what the “crazy” in “Crazy Blues” refers to). While the “Don’t Care Blues” was the first song recorded by an African-American woman, “Crazy Blues” was the song that brought “black” music closer to the mainstream and paved the way for future black musicians.

“You Can Have Him, I Don’t Want Him:”

“You Can Have Him, I Don’t Want Him,” rather than mourning the loss of a relationship (a theme typically found in blues music”), celebrates the newfound freedom that comes with breaking up with a cheating boyfriend. The song is jubilant in nature and the lyrics are relatively cheerful (when it comes to blues music, anyhow). The reason why I have selected this song is that it reminds me of a far more modern song performed by another influential black artist: Beyoncé.

In “Sorry,” Beyoncé (at least, within the song), celebrates the loss of a cheating lover (an unnecessary aside from myself: get it together, Jay-Z). She even describes this loss, like Smith, as a death and everything afterwards as a quasi-religious resurrection. However, what really interests me is that fact that Beyoncé, an artist that literally owes her ability to record to Mamie Smith, recorded a song so thematically similar to written nearly 100 years ago, which shows us how truly timeless Mamie Smith is.

Endnotes:

1. Jill Weiss Simins, “‘Oh Boy! She’s Coming to Richmond’: Mamie Smith Brings the ‘Crazy Blues,’ 1921,” Hoosier State Chronicles, last modified October 6, 2016, https://blog.newspapers.library.in.gov/mamie-smith/.
2. Stevens C. Tracy, Going to Cincinnati: A History of the Blues in the Queen City (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1998), 5-6.
3. Barry Kernfeld, “SMITH, Mamie,” in Harlem Renaissance Lives from the African American National Biography, ed. Henry Louis Gates and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 458.
4. Victoria Spivey, quoted in Ibid., 459.
5. Simins, 2016.
6. Tracy, 6.
7. Grace Kenny, “Mamie Smith’s ‘Crazy Blues,’” MUS 345: Race Identity, and Representation in American Music, last modified October 10, 2017, https://pages.stolaf.edu/americanmusic/tag/mamie-smith/.
8. Simins, 2016.
9. Kernfeld, 458.
10. Simins, 2016.
11. Kernfeld, 458.
12. Simins, 2016.

Bibliography:

Kenny, Grace. “Mamie Smith’s ‘Crazy Blues.’” MUS 345: Race, Identity, and Representation in American Music. Last Modified October 10, 2017. https://pages.stolaf.edu/americanmusic/tag/mamie-smith/.

Kernfeld, Barry. “SMITH, Mamie.” In Harlem Renaissance Lives from the African American National Biography. Edited by Henry Louis Gates and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Simins, Weiss Jill. “‘Oh Boy! She’s Coming to Richmond’: Mamie Smith Brings the ‘Crazy Blues,’1921.” Hoosier State Chronicles. Last Modified October 6, 2016. https://blog.newspapers.library.in.gov/mamie-smith/.

Tracy, Steven C. Going to Cincinnati: A History of the Blues in the Queen City. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.

James Alan Bland was an African-American musician and composer who was known as The World’s Greatest Minstrel Man. Bland wrote songs about the American South for use in minstrel shows, [2]

Experience

Bland was one of 8 children born in Flushing, New York on October 22, 1854, to educated, free parents. His father was one of the first U. S. Black college graduates (Oberlin College, 1845).[2] He briefly studied at Howard University in Washington, D.C., but inspired by the spirituals and folk songs he heard performed by Blacks working on the Howard campus; he soon abandoned academics in favor of a profession in music.[2] In the late 1870s, Bland began his professional career as a member of the first successful all-black minstrel company, the Georgia Minstrels.[2]

He was only accepted as a minstrel because of his songwriting talent, but what a talent that was. His other two greatest songs were written early on in his career: “Carry Me Back To Old Virginny” and  “Oh, Dem Golden Slippers!” are unquestionably the finest of the genre – the coon song – behind only “The Lily Of Laguna.”[1]

In 1878, Bland wrote the nostalgic ballad Carry Me Back to Old Virginny. inspired by the homesick sentiments expressed by his Howard classmate and future wife, Mamie Friend. it would become his best-known song and marked his first significant success as a composer. Almost thirty years after his death, Virginia adopted it as its official state song. It was the official State Song of Virginia from 1940 to 1997. It was retired in the latter year because of controversy over its racial nature.[2]

This song still well-known and popular within in the whole world. It is one signal of Minstrel Show. The melodious tunes and the catchy lyrics make the song more attractive. The words reflects James’ memory to the hometown as well as the complicated history.

Bland wrote many other songs during his minstrel career, including In the Morning in the Bright Light (1879), In the Evening by the Moonlight (1879), Oh! Dem Golden Slippers (1879), Hand Me Down My Walking Cane (1880), and De Golden Wedding (1880).[2]

Oh! Dem Golden Slippers is one minstrel show song set in the style of a spiritual. Besides its well-known melody, nowadays “oh! Dem Golden Sippers” is also well-known in the brass band movement as the classic cornet solo “Golden Slippers.”

In the Evening by the Moonlight is a typical coon song.  One of the symbols of James jazz song. Even though this song has already been a long time, the audience still can hear the internal emotions in the song. More times you listen, you will be attracted more.

The only dedicated biography of Bland was published in 1951; unfortunately, A Song In His Heart,  by John Jay Daly, is not referenced correctly and is filled with speculative or even invented dialogue,  but from this and other (at times conflicting) sources it is possible to construct an illuminating picture of The World’s Greatest Minstrel Man.[1]

In London, Bland rented a dwelling in Battersea and performed in clubs and restaurants and toured Europe where he made a lasting impression; according to Daly, the German journalist Hans Wunderlich said that “Before the turn of the century, only three American composers made an appreciable dent in the German consciousness: John Philip Sousa, James A. Bland, and Stephen Foster”.[1] Bland is rightly regarded as the spiritual heir to Foster, and his songs have at times been misattributed to the white Southerner.[1]

With the rise of political correctness and the stupid epithet racist applied to anything vaguely associated with minstrelsy, songs of this nature have become despised, but minstrels – whites (who performed in blackface) and blacks – were above all entertainers[1]

By the turn of the century, vaudeville had replaced minstrelsy as the leading genre in entertainment, and with the decline of the minstrel show, Bland lost his livelihood.[2] Bland was one of the most prolific minstrel composers of all time; he is reputed to have written over six hundred songs, though only about fifty were published under his name.[2]

James Bland was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame in 1970; a housing project in Queens,  New York was named after him, and perhaps most fittingly, in 1948 a Bland Music Foundation was founded to provide scholarships for the gifted youth of Virginia.[1]

Cited:

[1]: “Burges, Sir James Bland (Afterwards Lamb) (1752–1824).” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, June 2018, doi:10.1093/odnb/9780192683120.013.3969.

[2]: Lichtenwanger, William. “Bland, James Allen (1854-1911), African-American Minstrel Performer and Composer.” American National Biography Online, 2000, doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1800115.

Born in 1890 in the heart of the south of New Orleans, Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe better known as “Jelly Roll Morton” was respected as one of the first Jazz composers and “Godfather” to this amazing genre.

Early Life and Childhood

Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe was born on October 20, 1890, although there is talk that he was born five years earlier. His parents were of a Creole background being a mix French, Spanish and African descent. He later took his stepfather’s last name, Morton. By age 8 he was introduced to the guitar and by age 10 he had taken up the piano. It was the piano that he grew a strong interest for and into his early teens he was found playing keys in the local brothel. These establishments are credited to giving him his nickname, “Jelly Roll” Morton (Britannica, 2018).

Jelly Roll Morton originally played ragtime tunes in the infamous Storyville neighbourhood of New Orleans. Here combined the styles of ragtime, minstrel, and the core of dance rhythms which ultimately became the birth of jazz. Michael Campbell from Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On mentions that Morton’s music was more syncopated compared to his ragtime peers.

An aspect to Morton’s life was his big and loud personality. With his hunger for fame and loud ego he began claiming that he was the creator of jazz. While this statement is debatable, one thing we can agree is that Morton contributed to many jazz discoveries including the development of early jazz to eventually orchestral jazz. He can also be credited with becoming one of the first to put jazz to paper.

It was in 1917 that Morton moved west towards California to pursue a career in music which lasted roughly five years and where he published his first work, “Original Jelly Roll Blues” (Encyclopedia, 2004).

Over the years Morton moved to Chicago. It was here that he formed Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers. The band grew in success and they created a new wave of stylish music, the swing. The band lasted four years.

Later in life, Jelly Roll Morton’s popularity dwindled and his downfall marked the end of an era. He eventually passed away on July 10, 1941 in Los Angeles, California.

Some of his hits include, “Black Bottom Stomp,” “King Porter Stomp,” “Shoe Shiner’s Drag” and “Dead Man Blues.

Many years after his passing, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 1998 and awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 for his contributions to jazz and his influence on the jazz scene (Biography, 2014).

What challenges if any, did he face, and how did he overcome these challenges?

At periods in Morton’s life it was evident he had a dynamic and inconsistent lifestyle. He been known throughout his career to be a man of many occupations including a nightclub owner, gambler, and vaudeville comic. This being said, I think Morton may have struggled with his identity and the ability to be taken seriously. At the end of the day, it was his passion for the keys and sheer talent for composing jazz music that caught everyone attention.

His ego and temptation to brag set him apart from the others, making more enemies than friends and not giving him the best reputation. Morton struggled to fit in and was characterized as being hard to work with.

Some of Jelly Roll Morton’s most notable jazz pieces are “Dead Man Blues.”

Before hearing instrumentals in “Dead Man Blues” we are introduced to text. It appears there are two men having a conversation relating to church bells in the afternoon which we assume signifies a funeral of the “Dead Man.” Morton was known to incorporate minstrel aspects to his music and I believe it is evident here with the theatrics and playful language between these two gentlemen. Some of the instrumentals if you listen closely is the piano (Jelly Roll Morton), clarinet, banjo, drums, trombone, and even the cornet with a more mellow tone which is distinct from the trumpet.

The piece starts out quite melancholy which addresses the funeral and uses a slow tempo with long pulses from the trombone. Shortly after, the somber tones are replaced with a swing-like, playful, tempo where all the instrumentals unite and I feel marks an end to the funeral.

At first, we are introduced to a clarinet solo and then the cornet. I like to think these two instruments are having a conversation with one another just like the two gentlemen at the beginning of the piece.

I enjoy listening to “Dead Man Blues” by Jelly Roll Morton because I believe it to be unique with many different elements.  With the conversation at the beginning, to the slow and somber musical introduction, and eventually the body of the piece being a swing-like jazz rendition. Somehow, through Morton’s expertise, he manages to get away with adding an upbeat swing with the solemnness of a funeral and is a reason why I enjoy this piece.

Another song Morton is well-known for is “Shoe Shiner’s Drag.”

I enjoy this piece for a few distinct reasons. The relaxed tempo encourages one to tap their foot and makes it easy to dance. A vibrant cornet starts the song off which I find sets the tone for the rest of the song. Morton must have enjoyed using the glissando because they are continuously used throughout as they add drama. Overall, my interpretation of “Shoe Shiner’s Drag” is of a young shoe shiner getting through their mundane day as it seems to be reflected in the relaxed tempo.

The last piece I have chosen is Morton’s, “Original Jelly Roll Blues” which is said to be one of his first pieces of Jazz work. My reason for choosing this song not only comes from the understanding that it was ones of his firsts but also that it was recorded in Chicago, which is said by some to be one of the best places for Morton’s music career. This song is interesting to listen to because I feel it shows the starting point for Morton and as we go through his music over the years we can see the evolution. I find this piece to be less “risky” compared to his other songs.

Have a listen yourself!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Biography. “Jelly Roll Morton Biography.” Biography.com. https://www.biography.com/people/jelly-roll-morton-9415945 (Accessed July 17, 2018).

Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. Nelson Education, 2012.

Encyclopedia Britannica. “Jelly Roll Morton: American Musician.” Britannica.com. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jelly-Roll-Morton (Accessed July 17, 2018).

New Orleans Official Guide. “Jelly Roll Morton.” New Orleans Online. http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/music/musichistory/musicgreats/jellyroll.html. (Accessed July 15, 2018).

Hello everyone. For my first personal blog post in Music 111, I have chosen to write about Jelly Roll Morton, an important individual in the early history of pop music and jazz.

A pianist, composer and band leader, Jelly Roll Morton was not only considered a major influence on the genre but a fore father in the development of jazz [1]. Legally born as Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe, Jelly Roll was born on Oct 20, 1890 in New Orleans Louisiana, and passed away on July 10, 1941 in Los Angeles, California [2]. At age 10 he learned to play the piano and within a few years was playing in bordellos where he earned his nickname Jelly Roll [3]. Being a son of creole parents, Jelly Roll Morton remained true to his African, French and Spanish roots with his ragtime and minstrelsy dance rhythms, which would be known as jazz [4]. Jelly Roll’s “Original Jelly Roll Blues” is believed to be the first published work of its genre. Early 1926, he would then led Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers and earn national hits like “Black Bottom Stomp” and “Smoke House Blues” and later on other tracks like “Kansas City Stomp  and “Tank Town Bump”[3]. Jelly Roll fell on hard times during the Great Depression as did his kind of music and was later found tending a bar in 1938. Early sounds of rock and roll can be detected in his vibrant blues and ragtime pieces and along with his “flamboyant, colorful and exasperating personality”, could possibly make him a grandfather of rock and roll [1].

Song #1: Black Bottom Stomp

The first song I chose to write about was “Black Bottom Stomp”, played by Jelly Roll and his Red Hot Peppers. Recorded on September 15, 1926 [6],”Black Bottom Stomp” would become a national hit and one of Jelly Roll’s most well known pieces of music. Eight instruments make up this New Orleans spirited piece (piano, bass, drum, cornet, clarinet, banjo, trumpet, and the trombone) [5]. Throughout the song you can hear the piano and drum as the frontline features the clarinet, trombone and trumpet. I chose to write about this song for the mood it creates. At first listen, almost instant, my foot started tapping and I started bouncing in my chair. The bright and exciting musical texture gives the audience a fun piece to listen to. The song brings a swing feel and proudly demonstrates a New Orleans essence, like a trip to Mardi Gras.

Song #2: Jelly Roll Blues

My second choice to write about is Jelly Morton’s “Jelly Roll Blues”. Considered to be jazz music’s first ever published work, an incredible accomplishment in the Jazz industry, “Jelly Roll Blues” obviously holds a historic significance and must be listened too. A foxtrot written in 1910 and published by 1915, it is Jelly’s and the Red Hot Peppers first musical piece and in comparison to his “Black Bottom Stomp”, one can notice how more toned back and not so flamboyant and bright it is. Given it being Jelly’s first song, it is understandable his work isn’t at the intensity you later see in his career.  That being said I do appreciate hearing his musical origins and experience the transformation into his explosive, creole flair.

Song #3: Winin’ Boy

The last song I chose to listen and write on isn Jelly and New Orleans Jazzmen’s foxtrot  “Winin’ Boy” of 1939. I chose Winin’ Boy for the purpose of experiment, I wanted an idea of Jelly’s musical transition. In 1941, poor health lead to the death of Jelly so “Winin’ Boy” is one of his latest records. It is interesting to hear the transition of his music as the music popularity shifted, his classic swing shifted to a blues feel. And when I listen to “Winin’ Boy”, I get that blues feeling. I feel the frontmen carry the passion where the piano balances the rhythm, bring that soothing but horn emphasized blue feeling!

I hope you enjoyed!

Bibliography

[1] “Jelly Roll Morton.” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/jelly-roll-morton

[2} “Jelly Roll Morton.” Britannica. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jelly-Roll-Morton

[3] “Jelly Roll Morton.” Biography. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/jelly-roll-morton-9415945

[4] “Jelly Roll Morton.” Encyclopedia. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/jelly-roll-morton

[5] Molina, Roberto. Black Bottom Stomp. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://blog.mcdaniel.edu/ramolina/2014/02/12/black-bottom-stomp

[6] Winin’ Boy Blog, The. Black Bottom Stomp – Jelly Roll Morton. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://thewininboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/black-bottom-stomp

Hi everyone!

My name is Heather and I am a second-year business student. For my first blog post, I wanted to discuss Mamie Smith and her lifelong contributions to the world of music.

I really wanted to learn more about Mamie Smith because of how much of an influence she is for young women today. She didn’t have the easiest time being black and a woman in the 1920’s(shocking I know!) but she didn’t let that stop her and refused to play by anyone else’s rules. And this I find is something everybody should do in their own life, while they follow their own dreams.

Background

While most 10-year-olds today spend their time snap-chatting or watching YouTube videos, Mamie Smith was busy on tour with an act called the Four Dancing Mitchells. With time, Mamie put her many talents to use and began dancing on different sets and continually pushing herself. By 1913, Mamie even decided to leave the Tutt Brothers and pursue her solo career. As fate would have it Mamie even ended up finding love and married a waiter named William.

Living in Harlem at the time Mamie proved herself time and time again as more than just a pretty face with a successful career as a singer, dancer, pianist, and even actress. It was here that she would meet the highly talked about songwriter; Mr. Perry Bradford.  Despite being turned away from many music executives simply because of the fact that Mamie was black, the duo persevered. By August of 1920, Mamie was on track to record numerous songs with a talented young group of African American musicians referred to as “The Jazz Hounds”.  Two of the songs on the album released called “Crazy Blues’ and “It’s Right Here For You” were wildly successful as over a million copies in less than a year.

Crazy Blues 

As I listened to many Mamie Smith songs before choosing three to further explore, I felt as if I couldn’t not choose “Crazy Blues”.  With so much hype around this song, I am happy to say I was not disappointed. This song was not only one of her biggest hits (if not the biggest) but it also paved the way for other black female artists.

While some argue that “Crazy Blues” isn’t technically a typical blues song, many still view it as the first blues song to be recorded by a person of color. As I mentioned earlier, “Crazy Blues” recorded with Okeh records was a smash hit and had started a movement. It proved very popular with other African Americans and had sparked the interest in race records (Kernfeld, 2000).

 “Crazy Blues could be heard coming from the open windows of virtually any black neighborhood in America.”

-Jazz musician, Danny Barker 

While analyzing the actual music the component that stood out most to me was the actual lyrics. The lyrics themselves are actually quite harsh.  I think perhaps the reason this song was so successful is because of how relatable it is. Mamie sings about how nothing is going her way and how the person she loves doesn’t seem to care about her at all.   After really listening to this song I am not surprised how much people loved it.  It’s one thing to write about your feelings, and another to actually sing them, and Mamie Smith was able to accomplish both beautifully.

You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down

One of Smiths classics, “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” starts off with a faster, high tempo tune leading the listener to believe the song will be an upbeat tune. However, slowly this song transitions into a soothing, slower melody. One specific detail I noticed while listening to this song was the work of the trombone and piano. With such a strong voice being the center of attention, the piano and trombone do a great job of complimenting Mamie’s voice, rather than overpowering it.

Between Mamie Smiths powerful voice and the Jazz Hounds delicate instrumentation, this song went on to be one of her most successful and was a stepping stone for Mamie Smith to one day become a household name.

That Thing Called Love

Being that this song was one of the first songs to ever be released by a black Blues singer, I found myself instantly drawn to it. Like many of Mamie’s songs, “That Thing Called Love” starts off with a faster paced instrumental mix of piano notes. Then, by the time the vocals come in the song slows down. I really enjoyed this single because of how the piano harmonizes with Mamie’s singing. It gives the song a really intimate vibe. “That Thing Called Love” is one of those songs that will have you swaying and singing along without even realizing it.

Mamie after Music

While Mamie’s short life was mostly filled with music she did pursue other dreams. She spent her well deserved money on the luxuries of life such as diamonds and real estate, continued singing and performing in New York Theatres, and even made an appearance in a few African American films.

Looking Back

Before this blog, I really didn’t know much about Mamie Smith and what she did for the world. However, now I feel so much more educated and excited to continue learning about the impacts of these early time musicians. I hope the world remembers Mamie Smith as more than just a Blues Singer but perhaps a powerful woman, an underdog, and an inspiration.

Works Cited

Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. 4th ed.* Boston: Schirmer/Cengage Learning, 2013

.Kernfeld, Barry. “Smith, Mamie (26 May 1883–30 October 1946?), Blues and Vaudeville Singer and Film Actress.” American National Biography Online, 2000.

Reiner, Robert. “2. The Birth of the Blues.” The Politics of the Police, 2010, 39-66.

“World Chronicles.” Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle.

Hello my name is Jordan, I’m a second year commerce student. My first post is about Jelly Roll Morton.

Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941)

Jelly Roll Morton was born Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe on October 20, 1890, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ferdinand’s parents were Creole; he was a mix of African, French and Spanish heritage. Morton began learning music at the age of 10, soon after he started to perform in Storyville a red light district in  New Orleans. It was here that he earned the nickname “Jelly Roll”. Morton’s playing style was a mix of ragtime, minstrels and dance rhythms. Hi eventually be called jazz. Morton, his musical talents, and popularity found their way finally to Chicago where he formed the musical group called Red Hot Peppers. Morton and the Red Hot Peppers recorded many jazz style songs together until Morton left again for New York, where he created a band similar to the Red Hot Peppers. However, like many artists of this time, Morton’s musical success fell on hard times with the coming of the Great Depression, as Hot Jazz was out of style and the public preferred the sound of Bigger Band music. During Morton’s Later years a man by the name of Alan Lomax recorded multiple interviews with Morton for the Library of Congress. These interviews were initially short musical examples but soon expanded into more than 8 hours of Morton talking and playing piano.

Morton also claimed to be the inventor of jazz, although he was never able to prove that he did invent this style of music. Morton ended his career playing piano in a dive bar. Morton died in 1941 at the age of 51 and blamed his declining health on a voodoo spell.

Jelly Roll Morton’s most famous song is Original Jelly Blues. It is an early Jazz era songs, which was initially recorded by Jelly Roll Morton himself. Then re-recorded when he formed the Red Hot Peppers in Chicago.

This second song features the full talents of Morton and the Red Hot Peppers. It is titled The Pearls and highlights the early jazz style similar to his other songs.

Lastly, to highlight the ability that made Morton famous, I have selected the song King Porter Stomp. This song displays his remarkable piano abilities

References

Jelly Roll Morton Biography. (2014, April 02). Retrieved July 13, 2018, from https://www.biography.com/people/jelly-roll-morton-9415945

Jelly Roll Morton. (2018, May 2). New World Encyclopedia, . Retrieved 03:02, July 18, 2018 from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Jelly_Roll_Morton&oldid=1011244

Ferdinande “Jelly Roll” Morton. (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2018, from http://www.redhotjazz.com/jellyroll.html

Photo References

Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2018, from http://www.redhotjazz.com/jellyroll.html

Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers [Digital image]. (2004). Retrieved July 10, 2018, from http://www.doctorjazz.co.uk/jelly24.html

I wanted to ease into blogging by picking an easy topic that I could get my feet wet as they say. I chose to do a biography on Ma Rainey who is often called “The Mother of Blues”[i]. I thought, I am a mother and maybe we have somethings in common that I could blog about and win lots of creative points. Well, I hate to disappoint but I did not come up with many comparisons between our lives! I will include a few points where our lives differ for your reading enjoyment.

Ma Rainey was not her real name, her birth name was Gertrude Pridgett and she was born in 1886 in Columbus, Georgia. Gertrude started working at the ripe old age of 14 participating in a show called The Bunch of Blackberries at the Springer Opera House[ii]. She met a man and married him a few years later in 1904. The man that she married was William “Pa” Rainey and this is how she came to be known as Ma Rainey. She was only 18 year old when she started performing as the Ma to his Pa. Ma and Pa toured together for years while performing blues, country style.

*My name is Jennifer and I have always been known as Jennifer or a derivative of that name. I was married at 23 and Ma was married at 20. I also work with my husband in the same building similar to how she toured with her husband. Ma started working at the age of 14 and I started working at 15 years old. Unlike her job as a performer, my first job was at McDonalds.

Although Ma was very young when her career started, she soon came to be thought of as an authentic blues singer. She seemed to be able to portray true feeling and perhaps empathy to the situations and everyday issues that black people faced at that time and still face today. Her delivery of song lyrics with serious subject matter (incarceration, adultery, abuse etc.) was delivered with humor at times which is a style that was often employed in the slave era[iii]. This would have made her a very entertaining performer that would draw crowds as they could understand her lyrics as their own stories.

Ma Rainey was the first black woman to be recorded while singing the blues and she had a lot of challenges to overcome in her career. She was a black woman running her own career in the first two decades of the twentieth century and this was before women had the right to vote! Sources say that Ma was a true professional in how she ran her travelling troupe which was rare of a blues singer at the time. While photos of Ma Rainey are flattering, she is NOT reported to be a great beauty but she captured her audience with her performance and personal style[iv]. I am sure the spectacle to seeing Ma perform while being swathed in flashy fabrics, iced in diamonds and flashing gold when she smiled didn’t hurt her stage cred either!

*The most expensive piece of jewellery that I own is my engagement ring that cost my husband $900 in 2003! My family and I were once hired to be in a photoshoot for Co-Op Agro but it was because we were a regular family and could represent their customers well.

I would say that Ma Rainey was important to blues history for:

1) Her extensive touring and almost 100 recordings helped to distribute blues around the country[v]

2) For not being afraid to sing about taboo subjects at that time. Subjects like lesbianism, spousal abuse, incarceration, and blatant sexuality; all of which would have been frowned upon by the general public (aka. the majority of the White population). She essentially loaned her voice to be a voice for her people.

One of the unique tidbits that I discovered was that Ma Rainey could draw both black and white a customers to her shows. At times, the white crowd would fill up the allocated seating but sat in the seating reserved for the black customers so that they could take in the show[vi]. This peaceful integration was a testimony of her gift for singing the country blues and her remarkable showmanship. No one could stay away!

*I cannot sing and I do not have the kind of stage presence that Ma had. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have been known to draw the eye of fellow commuters as I belt out a song in my car

Ma Rainey has many recorded songs to choose from (92 to be exact[vii]) but I only choose three songs for your listening pleasure and to showcase her vocal talents.

“See See Rider”

This song by Ma Rainey has a typical blues feel as she sings it. Her vocals start off high and ends low. It was actually her first recorded song from 1925. My favorite thing about this song is the opening line that Ma Rainey sings “I’m so happy…” but her voice is so low that it does not sound happy at all!

“Trust No Man”

I appreciate how this song has a conversational deliverance. It feels like I am in the room watching Ma Rainey sing it to me, eye to eye. I can see how her audience enjoyed her performance.

“Black Eyed Blues”

This song has a typical county blues feel. The banjo (or electric guitar played to sound like a banjo) leads the song and this lends itself to a true country blues feel.

I hope that you enjoyed learning about the Ma Rainey as much as I did. As I said in my intro I thought that Ma and I might have a few things in common but it turns out that our lives are wildly different (go figure!) Are you and Ma Rainey more alike than her and I? I would love to read your comments below!

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Endnotes

[i] (“Ma Rainey”, Biography.com 2017)

[ii] (Jones 1974), page 28.

[iii] (Davis 1998), page 105.

[iv] (Jones 1974), page 25.

[v] (“Ma Rainey”, Brittanica.com 2018)

[vi] (“Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of “The Mother of the Blues”, jasobrecht.com 2010)

[vii] (“Ma Rainey”, Brittanica.com 2018)

___

Bibliography

2017. “Ma Rainey”, Biography.com. April 27. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413.
2018. “Ma Rainey”, Brittanica.com. April 19. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ma-Rainey.

2010. “Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of “The Mother of the Blues”, jasobrecht.com. August 7. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://jasobrecht.com/ma-rainey-the-mother-of-the-blues/.

Davis, Angela, Y. 1998. Blues legacies and Black feminism. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Jones, Hettie. 1974. Big star fallin’ mama: five women in Black music. New York, NY: The MacMillan Company of Canada Limited.

Hi my name is Olivia, and for my second post will be about Ma Rainey and her contributions to Blues music.

Known as the “Mother of Blues,” Gertrude Pridgett, better known as “Ma” Rainey; remains one of the most important early blue singers, who incorporated blues into minstrel and vaudeville stage shows, blending styles from country blues, early jazz, and her own personal musical style.

Early Life and Career

Born on April 26, 1886 in Columbus, Georgia; Ma Rainey (born Gertrude Pridgett) made her performance debut at the age of 14 in a local show called “A Bunch of Blackberries.” Soon after Ma Rainey was inspired to sing the blues after hearing a girl sing the blues in a theatre in St. Louis in 1902. By 18, she had become one of the South’s most popular vaudeville entertainers, and the first to make the rude, low-down blues of the country juke joints her specialty. After marrying comedy sonster William “Pa” Rainey in 1904, the couple traveled and toured with the popular Rabbit Foot Minstrels, billed as ”Ma and Pa Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues.”

Separated from her husband in 1916, Rainey toured with her own band, Madam Gertrude Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Smart Sets, featuring a chorus line and a Cotton Blossoms Show, and Donald McGregor’s Carnival Show.

Entering the Recoding Industry 

In 1923 Rainey signed with Paramount Records. That December she made her first eight recordings for the label which included the songs “Bad Luck Blues,” “Bo-Weevil Blues” and “Moonshine Blues.” Over the next five years, she recorded more than a total of one hundred songs, including numerous classics, and with such luminous sidemen as Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Kid Ory, and Coleman Hawkins. Her sides included “Jelly Bean Blues,” “Walking Blues,” “Black Cat, Hoot Owl Blues,” Runaway Blues,” “Sleep Talking Blues,” “Black Eye Blues,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Ma Rainey  was known for being called numerous names, “Mother of the Blues,” the “Songbird of the South,” the “Gold-Neck Woman of the Blues” and the “Paramount Wildcat.” Her music gave the public a distinct Southern folk based music, singing about life’s joys and sorrows in a poetic but simple direct language. Her songs were about many themes, such as prostitution, domestic violence, murder, abandonment, heart break, promiscuity, drinking binges, the odyssey of travel, the workplace and the prison road gang, magic and superstition.

Ma Rainy had immense stage presence, and was noticeable with her gold teeth and feathers crowning her hair; long beautiful gowns and the many diamonds and gold necklaces she wore. Her voice was unique, was capable to capture audiences that heard her.

As Dorsey recalled, in The Rise of Gospel Blues, “When she started singing, the gold in her teeth would sparkle. She was in the spotlight. She possessed listeners; they swayed, they rocked, they moaned and groaned, as they felt the blues with her.”

Rainey‘s recordings and performances were extremely popular among black audiences, particularly in the south. After reaching the height of her popularity in the late ’20s, her career faded away by the early ’30s as female blues singing became less popular with the blues audience.

She retired from performing in 1933, settling down in her hometown of Columbus for the remainder of her life until her death in 1939. She left behind a legacy, which continues to move and influence successive generations of blues, country, and rock & roll musicians.

Rainey’s death came just as her work began gaining serious attention and recognition for her historical contribution, impact, and overall influence on the Blues. She was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame in 1983, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1992,  Georgia Women of Achievement in 1993, and in 2004 “See, See Rider” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Ma Rainey faced several challenges as a black women in America where civil rights belonged only to white people. In a time of heteronormative view of sexuality; she boldly expressed her own lesbian sexuality within the lyrics within some of her songs. Songs which she sang unapologetically about taboo topics of the time, such as lesbian relationships. As an entertainer she faced harsh criticism for her ‘ugly’ stage appearance; however, she “didn’t care, because she pulled in the crowds.”

Some Music from the “Mother of Blues”

The first song I chose is “Slave To The Blues” because it describes the ongoing existence of slavery and oppressive treatment towards African Americans within American culture and music. Restricted with no choice or civil rights; Ma Rainy paints the hopelessness she feels as an African American woman who can never escape from being chained from the power of men, white people, slavery and the blues. As demonstrated through these lyrics:

Blues do tell me : do i have to die a slave
Do you hear me screaming : you’re going to take me to my grave

If i could break these chains : and let my worried heart go free
Well it’s too late now : the blues have made a slave of me

The Second song I chose is “Chain Gang Blues.” An example of Rainey’s poetic writing style; no matter where she goes, she will always be treated like a criminal; forever criticized for everything she does based on the colour of her skin.

The final song I chose is “Walking Blues.’ Describing how African Americans had to present themselves with “their heads bowed down” to the authority and dominance of white culture. Ignored and “left with no news”, feelings of frustration being passed down to the next generation show through her lyrics:

Walked and walked till I almost lost my mind

Sources:

BHS. “Ma Rainey Biography at Black History Now.” Black Heritage Commemorative Society. June 15, 2011. Accessed July 17, 2018. http://blackhistorynow.com/ma-rainey/.

Garau, Annie. “Why American Music Wouldn’t Be The Same Without Ma Rainey, Mother Of The Blues.” All That’s Interesting. December 18, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2018. http://allthatsinteresting.com/ma-rainey.

Jazz, All About. “Ma Rainey @ All About Jazz.” All About Jazz Musicians. October 24, 2013. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/marainey.

“Ma Rainey.” Biography.com. April 28, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413.

“Ma Rainey.” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/ma-rainey.

O’Neal, Jim. “Ma Rainey | Biography & History.” AllMusic. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ma-rainey-mn0000188279/biography.

Orr, Lee N. “Gertrude “Ma” Rainey (1886-1939).” New Georgia Encyclopedia. May 09, 2013. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/gertrude-ma-rainey-1886-1939.