ECU Libraries Catalog

African American music : an introduction / Earl L. Stewart.

Author/creator Stewart, Earl L.
Format Book and Print
Publication InfoNew York : Schirmer Books : London : Prentice Hall International, ©1998.
Descriptionxiii, 380 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
Subject(s)
Contents General characteristics of African American music. Call and response ; Attributes of African vocality ; Rhythmic features of African American music ; Texture and harmony -- Work songs, minstrelsy, and spirituals. Work songs ; Minstrelsy ; Spirituals ; Characteristics of spirituals ; Categories of spirituals ; The dissemination and popularization of the spiritual ; Spirituals and the blues -- Blues. General attributes ; Blues styles ; The blues principle ; Blues elements in jazz ; Blues elements in pre-1950 popular songs ; Blues elements in pre-1950 gospel music ; Blues elements in white post-1950 popular music ; Blues elements in classical music -- Gospel music. History ; Performance tradition in African American gospel music ; Characteristics of black gospel music ; Other gospel composers ; Derivative influences -- Emergence of ragtime. Types of ragtime ; Scott Joplin -- Classic jazz. Stylistic attributes ; Early cultivators ; The Chicago style -- Emergence of swing. Swing style and the big band ; Elements of swing ; Great improvisers -- Bebop. Schools of bebop ; Elements of bebop style -- Jazz: 1950-1970. Cool jazz ; Hard bop ; Avant-garde nationalism -- Jazz: 1970 to the present. Jazz rock and fusion ; Free jazz after 1970 ; The neo-bebop aesthetic ; Third stream and eclecticism after 1970 -- Rhythm and blues: 1940 to 1960. Louis Jordan ; The rhythm and blues explosion ; Doo wop ; Rhythm and blues in the 1950s -- Soul music: 1960 to 1980. The innovators of soul music ; The rise of Stax and Motown ; Characteristics of soul music ; James Brown and the emergence of the soul/funk tradition ; Jimi Hendrix and Sly and the Family Stone ; Disco -- Rap and beyond: 1980 to the present. The roots of rap ; Rap music from 1979 to 1984 ; Rap music: 1985 to the present ; Jazz rap -- Theatrical and early classical music. Musical theater ; The roots of African American classical music -- Classical music: 1850 to the present. White composers working with black idioms ; Twentieth-century black classical music ; The nationalists ; Classical music: 1950 to 1970 ; Classical music: 1970 to the present.
Abstract This book provides an introduction to all of the richness and diversity of African American musical styles, focusing on the distinct characteristics and development of each genre. This book is divided into four parts: folk traditions; the jazz aesthetic; black popular styles since 1940; and black theatrical and classical music. Using brief musical examples, the author illustrates and explains the basic concepts that unite all African American styles before discussing each style individually. Among the many types of music explored in individual chapters are spirituals, blues, gospel, ragtime, jazz, pop and classical. Biographical portraits of major musicians and composers, as well as detailed stylistic analyses of each musical genre, make this book not only required reading for any introduction to the field, but a pleasure to read for anyone interested in all of the different styles that comprise African American music. Includes information on Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, bebop, Chuck Berry, blues, boogie woogie, James Brown, call and response, classical music, classic jazz, Sam Cooke, cool jazz, William Levi Dawson, doo wop, Antonin Dvorak, Duke Ellington, free jazz, gospel music, Isaac Hayes, jazz, James Weldon Johnson, Motown Records, Charlie Parker, rags and ragtime, rap music, rhythm and blues, soul music, spirituals, swing, etc.
Local noteLittle-309959--305131013444T
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 385-348), discography (pages 349-359), and indexes.
LCCN 97042487
ISBN0028602943

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Music Music Stacks ML3556 .S87 1998 ✔ Available Place Hold