Swing jazz in the 1920s and 30s aimed for making people move. The music was rhythmic, repetitive and danceable. Over time, however, different sub-categories of jazz evolved into less danceable music, such as bebop, cool jazz, and free jazz. The tempo became too fast or too slow. The structure was less transparent, with many improvised parts. A respectful jazz audience did no longer dance but had their attention fixed on the musicians. Gradually, jazz concert conventions became as fixed as for the classical concert halls: a seated audience that should applaud after solos and nod their head or tap their feet modestly to the beat. In line with the classical conventions, attentive listening was the only way of showing respect for the musicians.
The rock’n’roll that spread like wildfire in the 1950s evolved from the African American rhythm and blues. The African American music culture has always had a close link between music and movement, in the church, in concerts, in social gatherings, and many African American music genres are especially rhythmic oriented (funk, hip hop) with an obvious focus on dance. Olly Wilson points to repetition, a percussive orientation and the link between music, movement and dance as some of the elements that point to a heritage from the African continent.
In the 1950s, American society was still highly segregated, and a white artist was needed to break this new music genre to a larger white audience. Elvis Presley was the perfect man; he could sing, he was good looking, and he could move. Today his movements do not seem very provoking, but in the 1950s his moving hips were immediately associated with sex and a promiscuous lifestyle. The music was danceable and invited the audience out of their chairs to participate in the music while dancing and singing along. Still, TV hosts and concert arrangers tried in any way possible to avoid the exposing of his dance moves to escape reactions from the parent generation. The connection between music and movement was seen associated with wild and uncivilized life.
The rock’n’roll that spread like wildfire in the 1950s evolved from the African American rhythm and blues. The African American music culture has always had a close link between music and movement, in the church, in concerts, in social gatherings, and many African American music genres are especially rhythmic oriented (funk, hip hop) with an obvious focus on dance. Olly Wilson points to repetition, a percussive orientation and the link between music, movement and dance as some of the elements that point to a heritage from the African continent.
In the 1950s, American society was still highly segregated, and a white artist was needed to break this new music genre to a larger white audience. Elvis Presley was the perfect man; he could sing, he was good looking, and he could move. Today his movements do not seem very provoking, but in the 1950s his moving hips were immediately associated with sex and a promiscuous lifestyle. The music was danceable and invited the audience out of their chairs to participate in the music while dancing and singing along. Still, TV hosts and concert arrangers tried in any way possible to avoid the exposing of his dance moves to escape reactions from the parent generation. The connection between music and movement was seen associated with wild and uncivilized life.
Source: A Brief History of Music in the 20th Century
Bobby Oroza - There Can Be No Love
Bobby Oroza - There Can Be No Love
- Released by: Big Crown Records
- Release date: May 3 2019
"A large record collection of early jazz, blues, Motown hits, gospel choirs and doo-wop, as well as albums from Brazil and Africa, folk songs from North and South America from Bobby's mother, and salsa music from New York, all of these influences can be heard and felt in Bobby's music today."
Comments
Post a Comment