What is "Black Music"?
A perfect JEOPARDY question.
The first answer would be R&B pop, blues, gospel, ethnic jazz or jazz-fusion, hip-hop or rap.
But if the definition also includes "anything written or composed by songwriters of African descent", then consideration must also be given to the following:
The compositions of late-19th-century/early-20th-century ragtime maestro Scott Joplin
The 1956 easy-listening style instrumental SOFT SUMMER BREEZE---written and recorded by Eddie Haywood
Chad & Jeremy's 1965 hit BEFORE AND AFTER, a beautiful romantic soft-pop ballad. Written by Van McCoy.
So, with this bit of quasi-ethnicity out of the way I'll just retire to my private abode and listen to Erroll Garner "play MISTY for me".
A perfect JEOPARDY question.
The first answer would be R&B pop, blues, gospel, ethnic jazz or jazz-fusion, hip-hop or rap.
But if the definition also includes "anything written or composed by songwriters of African descent", then consideration must also be given to the following:
The compositions of late-19th-century/early-20th-century ragtime maestro Scott Joplin
The 1956 easy-listening style instrumental SOFT SUMMER BREEZE---written and recorded by Eddie Haywood
Chad & Jeremy's 1965 hit BEFORE AND AFTER, a beautiful romantic soft-pop ballad. Written by Van McCoy.
So, with this bit of quasi-ethnicity out of the way I'll just retire to my private abode and listen to Erroll Garner "play MISTY for me".
I've always thought Elvis Presley's early music was black music, and Ray Charles later music was white music.
ReplyDeleteMost commercial songs are hybrids.
ReplyDeleteThe longer different styles are around the less "purebred" and unadulterated the latter-day styles are.