Afro-American Music; a Reflection of Realities..
African-American Music is a reflection of the emotions and lifestyle of the African-Americans. It is a branch of world music on which we can meditate upon, having the African-American history coupled with it. It has stories behind each of its lyrics. It has experiences within the melodies. It has cries of pain and suffering mixed in it. It has the call for freedom watermarked within it. The music searches for its own identity. The African-American Music has its own genres which are in their own ways relating to diverse issues which had to be addressed by the nation America. In this path came the genres in music such as Jazz, Ragtime, Blues, Rhythm and Blues (RnB), Soul and specially the Black Spirituals (famously known as Negro Spirituals). Since most of these genres had their beginnings in the historical condition of slavery in the United States of America before the American Civil War, an interesting observable fact among these genres is that, since their foundations are still firm, in the original place, the remembrance of this genres, whatever high the pillars may be built on them, the originality remains. They do not easily go with the time’s wind or the moment’s storm. The African-American Music thus is a symbol of originality even in its versions of fusions. The themes of comfort, hope and freedom are still observable in all genres of this branch of music.
‘Rhythms and Blues’, which is one of the genres, is still famously performed and experimented in all possible ways with many other genres as fusion. Robert Palmer describes RnB, which was then supposed by him as jump blues, as “urban, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat”. The term ‘RnB’ being coined in the 1940s has been shifting in its meaning and reference. Through the decades it has come to the extent of being known as ‘contemporary RnB’; such is the amount of experimentation done with this kind of music. Having the piano, horns, organ, electric guitar, drum kit, bass guitar and saxophone as its main instruments of music, the vocals and the background vocals add to the music which is pregnant with emotions. The genre had the earliest pioneers of this genre rising up from Jazz and Blues. Some of them are namely Louis Jordan, Roy Brown, Big Joe Turner and Billy Wright. The 1950s and 60s saw this genre of African-American Music taking shape with a clear identity of an insistent beat, which gave way for other genres for fusion with RnB. The 1960s also witnessed the British Rhythms and Blues taking shape with a clear identity of its own. The British Mob culture was primarily based on Rhythms and Blues.
Looking into a particular sub-genre of RnB; where ‘Rhythms and Blues’ meets Gospel Music, this can be understood as part of the Christian attitude of spreading the Good news and message of hope in all possible ways. Music plays an important part in the field of evangelism. Thus we find that since RnB was observed as becoming popular especially among youngsters, this genre is selectively used by few musicians who have the guts to take it as a challenge to experiment this genre to convey the message of hope. I find this as a challenging attempt, because the genre which is already popular for themes which are suitable for the insistent beat, has to be suitably applied in order to a theme which will answer the questions of those who watch it, for whom the answers are provided. I also observe that there is a difference in the background score of these RnB Gospels, for they need to make it filled with hope.
It is worthy, in such terms to look at one influential musician, working attentively on this sub-genre, and reaching thousands of hearts with his message of hope. Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel Musician, choir director and author. He is famously known for his leadership to urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God’s Property and One Nation Crew. It is indeed amazing to know that he is a winner of seven Grammy Awards. Beginning as a choir director, he came all the way of allowing the RnB to be used for the spreading of the Gospel. From my personal hearing of his songs on YouTube, I find that his songs are mainly based on few major themes; God’s Love, Hope and Salvation. His songs such as Lean on me, Imagine me, Give me, I Smile are exceptionally well crafted for conveying the message of hope. It’s wonderful to see how he has balanced the elements of both ‘Rhythms and Blues’ and Gospel music together. In his music I observe the fusion of both RnB and Black Spirituals. The background vocals, well twined with the lead vocal provides for the much needed effect of his style.
Looking at how this genre has shaped the identity of the African-Americans and offered or became a tool of resistance to White Supremacy, it reminds us one of the primary themes which were find in the songs and music of this genre. Hope, which was a major theme in the earlier times of the African-American community, is still prevalent in this genre. This genre, which has been brought up with the lifestyle, emotions, experiences of the traditional and cultural issues of the African-American life, still with its ever growing popularity and applications shows the own identity of the African-Americans. It is a learned and an observable fact that still, in some parts of the nation of America, in some particular social issues the discrimination is prolonging. In such circumstances, the firm stand the music makes and the freedom it has taken to be experimented with any other popular genre or may be fusion, is a symbol of yearning for that total freedom which is part of the American dream.
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