American contribution to the world

[Harleyman]

You can see the influence of black gospel in the King's early releases. Being a lad from Tupelo, Miss he was very familiar with B.G.

[ronthenekred]

Unless your a musician you could never understand what makes them tick.

Many years ago as a drummer in an amateur rock group playing until 3 or 4 AM for nightowls in bars was quite normal

 

I am a musician, since the age of 4.

What makes them tick isn't that unusual to what makes other artists, performers tick. It isn't particularly unique, mainly it's just over romanticised. So yeah, we're all musicians it seems but it's no big deal.

 

American blues has the UK to thank in many respects. Black performers were getting a pretty rough ride over there to the point that mainstream radio didn't even acknowledge them. The UK gave the US a (forget your prejudice in favour of making lotsa dosh) kick up the backside which turned out good musically for both sides of the pond.

[Harleyman]

I am a musician, since the age of 4.

What makes them tick isn't that unusual to what makes other artists, performers tick. It isn't particularly unique, mainly it's just over romanticised. So yeah, we're all musicians it seems but it's no big deal.

 

American blues has the UK to thank in many respects. Black performers were getting a pretty rough ride over there to the point that mainstream radio didn't even acknowledge them. The UK gave the US a (forget your prejudice in favour of making lotsa dosh) kick up the backside which turned out good musically for both sides of the pond.

 

Although mainstream radio left black music out in the cold it thrived very well among blacks anyway. New Orleans with it's large black population saw the birth of jazz and in the 1920s became the "rage" among both blacks and whites. All this was going on while radio was mainly catering to white listeners. Even with the arrival of R & R in the early 50s a lot of radio stations were giving it a wide berth saying it sounded "too black" for American audiences although radio shows such as Amos and Andy which featured black actor comedians had been popular anong white audiences for years already.

Older Americans feared and hated R & R in the early years but their kids sure didnt and the rest as they say is history

 

Country music and Bluegrass can trace it's distant ancestry to the British Isles with some influence derived from the music of the French Cajuns and didn't R & R have it's origins in Black Gospel, Bluegrass and Country?

[ronthenekred]

Although mainstream radio left black music out in the cold it thrived very well among blacks anyway. New Orleans with it's large black population saw the birth of jazz and in the 1920s became the "rage" among both blacks and whites. All this was going on while radio was mainly catering to white listeners. Even with the arrival of R & R in the early 50s a lot of radio stations were giving it a wide berth saying it sounded "too black" for American audiences although radio shows such as Amos and Andy which featured black actor comedians had been popular anong white audiences for years already.

Older Americans feared and hated R & R in the early years but their kids sure didnt and the rest as they say is history

 

Country music and Bluegrass can trace it's distant ancestry to the British Isles with some influence derived from the music of the French Cajuns and didn't R & R have it's origins in Black Gospel, Bluegrass and Country?

 

Yeah, plenty of Black stations playing Black produced music, but as you say it was given a wide berth and I really don't think it had anything to do with "too Black" musically, it was just Black (think of the period). Black music had a massive White following just sadly underground. In later years the UK threw the US's own product back at them, or should I say they could no longer be ignored, mainstream that is.

 

Country and Bluegrass likely had a naval influence at some point. Certainly from the South West of the UK.

[Harleyman]

Yeah, plenty of Black stations playing Black produced music, but as you say it was given a wide berth and I really don't think it had anything to do with "too Black" musically, it was just Black (think of the period). Black music had a massive White following just sadly underground. In later years the UK threw the US's own product back at them, or should I say they could no longer be ignored, mainstream that is.

 

Country and Bluegrass likely had a naval influence at some point. Certainly from the South West of the UK.

 

Not underground at all. Jazz for instance was not only widely popular in America but throughout Europe from the first decade of the 20th century although amongst older Europeans considered "degenerate" as was what was called "Swing" with it's "wild gyrations" ie "ladies dancing in a most immodest way"

 

It really caught on in Britain during WW2 with the arrival of black GIs although even black hating white GIs enjoyed themselves as much as anyone else when it came to dancing to it.

 

The Nazis tried to ban both kinds of music and largely succeeded by throwing musicians who dared play it into concentration camps.

 

 

A movie came out a few years back called "Swing Kids" telling the story of the German kids who formed bands that played Jazz and Swing in the Nazi era. Sad story but worth watching as an educational experience

[callippo]

In the first few bars (even the opening lyrics) I thought it was 'Elmore James's' 'Skake Your Money Maker' which I've played more times than I care to remember.

Regarding being R&R I'd say more piano roll 12 bar boogie, a style that obviously contributed to R&R as we came to know it. .

 

Bassman, I will love Elmore until the day I die.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRVYj57Yl-Q

 

this is not a typical Elmore James record. Elmore is using harp here, when he normally uses saxophone.

[ronthenekred]

Not underground at all. Jazz for instance was not only widely popular in America but throughout Europe from the first decade of the 20th century although amongst older Europeans considered "degenerate" as was what was called "Swing" with it's "wild gyrations" ie "ladies dancing in a most immodest way"

 

It really caught on in Britain during WW2 with the arrival of black GIs although even black hating white GIs enjoyed themselves as much as anyone else when it came to dancing to it.

 

The Nazis tried to ban both kinds of music and largely succeeded by throwing musicians who dared play it into concentration camps.

 

 

A movie came out a few years back called "Swing Kids" telling the story of the German kids who formed bands that played Jazz and Swing in the Nazi era. Sad story but worth watching as an educational experience

 

 

I was relating to my era, 60's. If it wasn't mainstream it was underground. That's not to say that some Black artists didn't buck the trend. Even Sammy Davis would have struggled without the likes of Sinatra and Martin etc who on occasion would refuse to perform a booking or a hotel without Davis. Then again Davis was a Black guy in a White musical world, so bucking the trend was a little more simplified.

Jazz also owes it's European roots to a liberal France where art, music and culture were entwined, mainstream wise. Black was "Hip" man. Or was it "Groovy"?

[callippo]

Sammy Davis, for all his talents as a dancer and entertainer, simply wasn't an American composer and musician. Miles Davis on the other hand, definetely was.

[buck]

I just did something crazy. Along with my wife, drove 1500 miles to Florida in near summer, when most intelligent Northern Americans are heading back home, leaving Florida to the Brits. It was nice to see the Grandkids faces when we arrived, because we hadn't told them we were coming. It's a shame that so many people come to Florida, and don't know how beautiful most of the neighboring States are. The Carolinas and Virginia are unparalleled for scenery. Florida is one giant billboard with no hills and no beauty except its beaches. We'll stay till July, then head back to enjoy NYC.

[Harleyman]

I was relating to my era, 60's. If it wasn't mainstream it was underground. That's not to say that some Black artists didn't buck the trend. Even Sammy Davis would have struggled without the likes of Sinatra and Martin etc who on occasion would refuse to perform a booking or a hotel without Davis. Then again Davis was a Black guy in a White musical world, so bucking the trend was a little more simplified.

Jazz also owes it's European roots to a liberal France where art, music and culture were entwined, mainstream wise. Black was "Hip" man. Or was it "Groovy"?

 

The early years were a struggle for black musicians trying to get into the white music mainstream.

The immortal Nat King Cole was refused entrance through the main door of the Vegas casino where he was starring and told to use the back entrance instead and he was not allowed a room in the casino either.

 

I'm dedicated to early R & R. Apart from the Stones, the Doors and a very few other's I drifted away from the music of the 60s era.

After finishing military service I sort of lived a semi nomadic life in rural Idaho for awhile and played drummer with a country and western band for a time, doing gigs in small rural roadhouses and later when living in L.A played with a R & R band. Couldn't get involved with their lifestyle of drugs and booze though and dumped that scene shortly after