Leroi Jones (a.k.a Amiri Baraka) wrote the book "Blues People: Negro Music in White America" in 1963. Jones appraoches this musical genre with a sociological, historical, and political persepctive.
Honestly I am not, nor have I ever been a blues fan. I never found myself listening to the genre nor does anyone in my life have a liking to it. Luckily for me, I am always open to new genres of music at any given chance. So I was excited to read this due to the fact if I do find myself enjoying blues at some point in my life, it would be ideal to have knowledge of its history. I expected to read more about blues but Jones focused more on jazz music. I was looking forward to reading about the late 60s where Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, and Etta James ( I saw Cadillac Records) the only reason I have a clue how these people became interisting and brought about a new direction in the world of blues. However, a die hard fan of blues would still very much enjoy this read.
Jones touches on the social history of how black music developed in relation to black culture and selp-perception of themselves, and how their music relates to them. Despite the fact that slavery destroyed many artistic traditions. African Americans music still thrived, showing that through obstacles they are survivors. When it came to style of music it mirrored African American historical changes in the attitiudes and social conditions they endured. Jones discussed African Americans changes that occured during slavery in the nineteenth century. Africanism became less potent in slave life as Christianity changed religious perspectives. Black Church became the center and life for slaves and freed people. Work songs became spirituals that became popular in American music. It developed into musical forms- musical stage, and modern recorded music.
"Blues People" stays alive by the writers individuality of persepctives expressed in his writing. It is a solid easy read to help understand the history of African Americans before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.
1 comment:
I agree jazz music it totally not my type of music but it wouldn't hurt to try something new. You mention something I didn't mention which was church music. I think church is the definition of work songs. It was like black people movement with music.
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