St. Louis Blues

Jazz, a music genre that originated from New Orleans with ties to blues and ragtime and had spread through the continental US during the early 20th century. This genre not only has ties to music but also art, literature, philosophy, and social organization. Jazz, the American Theme Song by James L. Collier details the economic and social developments in the United States that led to the creation of a new age known commonly as the Jazz Age as well as discussing music theory topics essential for…

amazing musician. He sings and plays the blues. His fans are a part of him. When blues lovers think of the blues they think of B.B. King. Riley B. King nicknamed King of the Blues, had his share of struggles, awards and many other things yet to come, because he is still making an impact with his music by playing around the world for his fans. Finding who he really is . B.B. King performed on the street and learned he made more money when he sang the blues (Lester, 2001). In 1947 B.B. King…

BOB DYLAN One of the most legendary names in the American music industry is no one else but the singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The influence he made in popular music last for more than five decades and still echoed through generations till this very day. Bob Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota and raised in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA. Dylan’s parents Abram Zimmerman and Beatrice “Beatty” Stone were part of a tight local Jewish community. As a…

The post-World War II era saw the rise of blues musician and song-writer Jimmy Reed, born Mathis James Reed on a plantation in Dunleith, Mississippi on September 6, 1925. He developed an early understanding of the harmonica and guitar from his close friend Eddie Taylor but never progressed much beyond the fundamentals. They sang together in churches and retained their friendship throughout their careers, as it was Eddie who was responsible for bringing Jimmy’s career to its peak of success. His…

In the late 1940’s, a new genre of music was starting to take shape. Music artists were starting to combine different elements of country, western, and rhythm and blues (R&B) to create what would eventually evolve into rock and roll. Of these earliest artists, Bill Haley and His Comets would rise to popularity and become known as (if not, one of) the Father(s) of rock and roll. Haley was not the creator of rock and roll, but he was the one that changed rock and roll from a “ ‘virtually an…

reached widespread popularity in the 1920’s (Gioioa 30). The African American community was largely responsible for the creation of jazz music, however influences can be seen from many different ethnic groups and communities. A combination of the blues, ragtime, and Tin Pan Alley songs can be heard when listening to jazz and its improvisational style set it apart from preexisting genres. Creole of Color Brass Bands During the 1890’s and early 1900’s brass bands had become hugely popular in New…

What do you listen to when you turn on the radio? Is it country, is it rap, or is it rock? If you are one of those people that choose rock, then let's talk. There are so many legendary rock bands. There is Metallica, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Black Sabbath that's just to me a few. There are also a few that have followed in their footsteps, like Avenged Sevenfold’s Synester Gates amazing guitar solos. Bring me the Horizon’s Jordan Fish playing piano, and Asking Alexandria’s Denis Stoff screaming in a…

Koko Taylor also known as “Queen of the Blues”. Koko Taylor is an extraordinary singer with a powerful voice and not afraid to sing what she wants. Known for her iconic 1965 hit ‘Wang Dang Doodle’, a line that really caught my attention was “We're gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long”, she’s expressing a very strong sexual feeling, which in my defense is a good way of expressing the song lyrics and vocals better. Even though Willie Dixon was the songwriter, and he was the one who meant…

The bass is one of the pioneer string instrument jazz musicians started to use around the 1890’s to provide a low-pitched bass line that would outline the chord sequences of any song. Before jazz, the bass was mostly known for its use in grand orchestras. The double bass arose in Germany during the late 1650’s. It was mostly used in Orchestras for classical music, creating a low pitched base for the violins and violas while harmonizing with the cellos. As time evolved, around 1890, the African…

dawned, pop-influenced country music was the dominant style, through such acts as Kenny Rogers, Eddie Rabbitt, and Crystal Gayle. Crystal Gayle best known for her 1977 country-pop crossover hit, the jazz-flavored ballad, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Kenny Rogers’s crossover success was important; his lush, easy listening productions and smooth croons showed that country stars could conquer the pop audience, if produced and marketed correctly. By the beginning of the '80s, Rogers'…