The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950-1999

278 Pages·2006·2.78 MB·English

by  Richard J. Ripani

THE NEW BLUE MUSIC
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THE NEW
BLUE MUSIC
Changes in Rhythm & Blues,
1950–1999
RICHARD J. RIPANI
University Press of Mississippi / Jackson
AMERICAN MADE MUSIC SERIES
Advisory Board
David Evans, General Editor John Edward Hasse
Barry Jean Ancelet Kip Lornell
Edward A. Berlin Frank McArthur
Joyce J. Bolden Bill Malone
Rob Bowman Eddie S. Meadows
Susan C. Cook Manuel H. Peña
Curtis Ellison David Sanjek
William Ferris Wayne D. Shirley
Michael Harris Robert Walser
www.upress.state.ms.us
The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the
Association of American University Presses.
Copyright © 2006 by University Press of Mississippi
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First edition 2006
(cid:1)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ripani, Richard J.
The new blue music : changes in rhythm & blues, 1950–1999 / Richard J. Ripani.— 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ), discography (p. ), and index.
ISBN 1-57806-861-4 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 1-57806-862-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Rhythm and blues music—History and criticism. 2. Soul music—History and criticism.
3. Funk (Music)—History and criticism. 4. Rap (Music)—History and criticism. I. Title.
ML3521.R58 2006
781.643—dc22 2006002022
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
To the memory of my father,
whose love of American music was greater than
that of anyone I have ever met
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CONTENTS
List of Examples [ ix ]
List of Figures [ xi ]
List of Tables [ xiii ]
Acknowledgments [ xv ]
CHAPTER ONE The New Blue Music and Rhythm & Blues [ 3 ]
CHAPTER TWO The Blues System [ 16 ]
CHAPTER THREE Blues with a Beat: 1950–1959 [ 62 ]
CHAPTER FOUR The Soul Era: 1960–1969 [ 81 ]
CHAPTER FIVE Funk and Disco Reign: 1970–1979 [ 102 ]
CHAPTER SIX The Old and the New: 1980–1989 [ 125 ]
CHAPTER SEVEN Rap Goes Mainstream: 1990–1999 [ 149 ]
CHAPTER EIGHT The Transformation of Rhythm & Blues [ 170 ]
Appendix A: Record Data Collection Methodology [ 193 ]
Appendix B: Chord Conventions and Diacritical Marks [ 199 ]
Appendix C: Interview with James Brown [ 201 ]
Notes [ 207 ]
Bibliography [ 223 ]
Index [ 241 ]
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LIST OF EXAMPLES
1. Allen Prothero, vocal, “Jumpin’ Judy” 21
2. Lefty Frizzell, vocal, “Traveling Blues” 22
3. Professor Longhair, vocal, “Hey Little Girl” 22
4. John Lee Hooker, vocal, “Hobo Blues” 25
5. Jimmy Smith, organ, “Bucket” 25
6. Blues mode “bends” as performed on keyboard instruments 27
7. Professor Longhair, piano, “Tipitina” 28
8. Charlie Parker, alto saxophone on “Now’s the Time” 31
9. Formal/harmonic structure of “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud,
Part 1” 36
10. Harmonic parallelism in vocal parts of “When Doves Cry” 39
11. Harmonic parallelism in vocal parts of Luvale song 39
12. Mahalia Jackson, vocal on “Just Over the Hill” 40
13. Harmonic structure of “Lord I’ve Tried” 42
14. Offbeat rhythmic phrasing in “Low Rider” 49
15. Rhythmic complexity in “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud,
Part 1” 50
16. Habanera rhythm in “Death Letter Blues” 51
17. Two versions of the rhythm of “Think” 53
18. Three versions of title line of “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, Part 1” 56
19. “I Almost Lost My Mind” 65
20. Saxophone solo on “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” 67
21. “Hey Little Girl” 68
22. Latin infl uence in 1950s R&B 69
23. “Double-entendre” lyrics in “Sixty-Minute Man” 70
24. Doo-wop style traits in “Don’t You Know I Love You” 71
25. Gospel-style vocal performance in “I Got a Woman” 73
26. Vocal riffs in Sam Cooke songs 74
[ ix ]