The VERY Early Blues

Subject: The VERY Early Blues
From: Chet W.
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 04:52 PM

A lot of you probably already have heard this already, but a lot of the music from east Africa still has the harmonies and scales that became the blues. I first heard it on the one or two tracks they have on the Columbia Records double LP "The Story of the Blues", which are field recordings of Yoruba people in Senegal or Gambia or that vicinity. Same scales, harmonies, and rythms. More contemporarily, there are a few albums (cd's) out by now by the great guitarist and singer Ali Farka Toure from Mali. His music is a mixture of the traditions of many of the peoples of his region, with all their different languages, and some of the American blues music (particularly with regard to his guitar playing) that he learned from recordings. One of his albums is a joint effort with Ry Cooder. Very enlightening and highly recommeded.

Chet W.

Subject: RE: The VERY Early Blues
From: Barry Finn
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 05:26 PM

Hi again Chet, this here's a better thread to be in. If you haven't read Alan Lomax's "The Land Where The Blues Began" it's a must in this case. He compares some of the East African singing to some of the field recordings collected by him & his father in the prisons & on the road through the south. Barry

Subject: RE: The VERY Early Blues
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 05:41 PM

WEST Africa, right?

Subject: RE: The VERY Early Blues
From: Barry Finn
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 05:53 PM

Right Jerry. Barry

Subject: RE: The VERY Early Blues
From: Chet W.
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 06:43 PM

sorry, it's west. I'm a biology teacher, I make mistakes. I have read the Lomax book, and the relatively recent one by Sam Charters, also very informative. Isn't it often the case that some of the best music comes when cultures blend together?

Chet W.

Subject: RE: The VERY Early Blues
From: Barry Finn
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 08:18 PM

Couldn't agree more Chet. In the Sea Shanty dept. the musical mix of Irish & African has to be the most exciting & interesting. Barry

Subject: RE: The VERY Early Blues
From:
Date: 22 Aug 98 - 08:25 PM

I have always thought that the guitar accompanyment of Son House was the best example to show that the blues have other than European background.

Murray