From: bweiner@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Benjamin Weiner)
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote
Subject: Re: BLUES: an appropriation?
Date: 23 Aug 92 20:00:58 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

Warning, soapbox alert.  All opinions mine only.

bubba@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Gary Beason) writes:
> ...  how do y'all contend with the idea
>that the blues is *not* so much a part of African-American culture as
>it is an appropriation by them and then a re-appropropriation?
>I'm not trying to inject racial or ethnic commentary at all, but some
>people like Van Morrison argue, with some good reasons, that blues has
>its origins in Irish-Celtic music.  Certainly, the chord progressions
>are the same, and the themes, [...] are similar.

Well, the themes of _all_ folk music are pretty similar: jealous
husbands, back door men, et al exist in blues, Irish music, Spanish
music, Romani (gypsy) music, African music, you name it.  The chord
progressions are a stronger argument, but even if the blues used
accordions and tin whistles it would still be a part of African-
American culture, because of the position in society that it had.

>Perhaps this is all widely accepted.  But I find it very interesting,
>particularly when we label things "black music."  This is NOT to deny
>the signficant changes and enthusiasm that the black culture embued
>the blues with; rather, it's a very multicultural art form.

I really can't agree that the blues was "multicultural" at its roots
(as opposed to now when the majority (?) of blues fans are probably
white).  The original bluesmen played music for blacks, of blacks, by
blacks, and about blacks.  The blues are black music, regardless of
where the chord progressions came from.  After all, the guitar itself
is a Spanish instrument ... the traditional Irish/Celtic music of
which you speak uses violins, accordions, and fretted string
instruments which are themselves late Continental imports, which
displaced the truly traditional harpists - and even the harp came from
somewhere, so what can original or traditional mean in this context?
(Alright, I admit only the Irish could have possibly invented uileann
pipes :-)

I think the term "multicultural" is a misnomer here - whatever the
influences, the blues are (were?) inextricably linked with black
people and the African-American experience.  At bottom, what matters
is not the source of the musical forms, but what the musical
expression signifies to those who heard it.  Back in the 20s or 30s no
self-respecting Anglo Southerner would have allowed that that devil's
music had anything to do with the songs from the Old Country.  The
blues were black and spoke to black people.  Today, I could make a
case that, say, Youssou N'Dour is multicultural; but, Son House, then?
No way.

>Thematically, the blues and rap are similar in terms of expressing
>frustrations, but musically, would y'all agree that rap represents
>more of an African influence, because its heavy emphasis on
>percussion, than blues does?  I hope I'm not perpetuating a
>stereotype, but from I've heard of African music, it emphasizes
>percussive instruments.

Well, only some African music does.  Javanese music, now there's a
percussive music.  Maybe hip-hop is Javanese-influenced.  Seriously,
that link is a caricature - and if you listen to some the weird
rhythms John Lee Hooker taps out with his foot, maybe you'll hear some
kind of echo of talking drums.
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