During the period between World Wars I and II, several key shifts occurred. Population shifts from rural to urban areas were accompanied by the cultural influences on music. The emerging commercial radio medium expanded the access to music, including an expansion of stylistic options to consumers based on demographics. Independent record labels played a significant role in the expansion of “race records,” or music that featured sub-genres such as blues, jazz and gospel choirs, which was indicative of the positive developments of black nationalism into the mainstream media (Starr and Waterman, p. 127). Blues sub-genres such as Mississippi Delta blues, twelve-bar blues, and East Texas blues were more available in the broader market were popular equally across racial divides (Starr and Waterman, p. 130). An example of a “cross-over” hit song between white and black audiences is the tune, “St. Louis Blues,” performed by Bessie Smith.
“St. Louis Blues” uses a predictable twelve bar blues format for the two repetitions of the A theme and also in the final C theme The entrance of the B theme is different in terms of melody and form. Indicative of the blues format, the chord progression is vamped on an organ, and the vocalist and primary instrument (cornet) have an almost conversational call and response throughout. Louis Armstrong provides an exceptional display of cornet playing in response throughout. This style is still prevalent in the style today, even in recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble or the John Mayer Trio. Tunes such as Cross Road Blues, recorded by Robert Johnson, provide a blueprint for current artists for the demonstration of prolific solo playing in the context of often painfully personal lyrical content. Even in a Delta blues song such as Tom Rushen Blues, the pain of an entire portion of the American population is evident. The pain of the Dust Bowl era and the broad economic impacts of the Great Depression are equally evident in hillbilly songs, such as in the narrative songs of Woody Guthrie, such as “Talking Dust Bowl Blues."
In contrast to the gloomy sentiments typical of the blues, the dance halls were the place to take in the jazz-inspired “swing” music. Starr and Waterman (2014) note, “swing - initially developed in the late 1920s by black dance bands in New York, Chicago, and Kansas City - transformed American popular music” (p. 155). The authors also provide a staggering assertion about the role of swing music in the overall record industry, stating, “By the late 1930s, largely as a result of the popularity of swing, the record industry had begun to recover: between 1935 and 1945, well over half of the records that sold more than a million copies were made by big dance bands” (p. 156). Certainly the affluence of those who could afford records should be strongly considered in this statement, as those with the ability to purchase records would be more inclined to choose more upbeat material than blues. Swing music, and the bands that played swing, were also in need of airplay on the commercial radio stations to remain popular, similar to the bands of the early 80s in the MTV generation (Starr and Waterman, p. 157).
An example of the swing style is the catchy tune, “Wrapping’ It Up,” performed by Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra. The group is rather large, with 5 brass (3 trumpets, 2 trombones), 4 reeds (saxophones and clarinets), and rhythm section consisting of piano, bass, piano, and guitar (Starr and Waterman, p. 161). The absence of drums is rather hidden on first listen, as the rhythm section provides a solid foundation of pulse that the brass and reed instruments move against throughout. My recollection of the early Harry Connick, Jr. albums, such as “Red Light, Blue Light” seem very informed by the swing style, after careful listening. “Taking a Chance on Love,” recorded by the Benny Goodman Orchestra in 1940, sounds like the soundtrack to a World War II biopic. The addition of a singer to the group seems to foreshadow the rise of the genre with greats such as Frank Sinatra. “In the Mood,” by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, features a clever arrangement, removing instruments in sequence, prior to the rather full ending. Much like a composer like Beethoven, Miller uses a single motivic idea throughout the arrangement, creating an incredibly recognizable hook.
When considering music education impacts of the blues and swing styles, a case can be made for playing an instrument by ear rather than off of a chart. In the case of the blues, most of the stylistic treatments, including specific “licks” are only possible after becoming entrenched in the vernacular of the style, as if learning a very specific language. Each subculture of blues has its unique dialect - Mississippi Delta blues and Chicago blues have the same alphabet, but the words that are painted from the instrument are as unique as the environment. Robert Woody offers great examples of curricular implications and practices in his article about playing by ear, which is an intriguing read regarding ways to incorporate careful listening into our rehearsals. Woody’s article reminds me of the Dave Growl produced series, Sonic Highways, which chronicled how the Foo Fighters incorporated the influences of specific regions into an album recording, notably the influences of the blues in Chicago.
References
Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (Fourth ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Woody, R. H. (2012). Playing by ear: Foundation or frill? Music Educators Journal, 99(2), 82-88.
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