AFRICAN-AMERICAN'S MUSIC: WORK SONG, GOSPEL, BLUES, RAGTIME AND JAZZ

Africa-American people need to express themselves through the music. They're a culture very musical. From Africa roots they conserved a powerful rhythm, meanwhile they learned de Western culture the traditional harmony. In music class we're studying different examples of Africa-American music.

The work songs were  that the Africa-America slaves sing in their jobs.

Actually video: This old hammer:

Africa-America people are also a very religious. In their churches they sing spirituals or gospel songs. In these songs express their joy of believe in God. 

Video of actually song: "Oh happy day"

Blues is a word that means sadness, nostalgia or melacholy. In Africa-American music, blues is a sad, nostalgic and melancholic song . These songs are profanes, not realigious, and they talk about life and problem of Africa-American people.

Video of: Saint Louis Blues:

Ragtime is a music for piano solo. It is characterized by his particular rhythm (a "rag" rhythm). Ragtime music was played by African-American pianists called "entertainer". They played this music in cafes, bars, restaurants, and also in cinemas, in the movies without sound.

Video of: THE ENTERTAINER:

The origins of jazz are the African Americans who have been "cruelly transported" to the United States. Once there the African Americans have been mistreated and forced to work, without charge and without rest and sometimes they died for that. When they worked, they sang different types of music. That music is Jazz and there are 3 concepts that characterize it:

-The swing

-The "blues notes"

-The Improvisation

Once they were free they sang various musics the most famous are:

Blue train

When the saints go marching in: