Thursday, March 13, 2008
Thinking Blues
I am reading and rereading musicologist Susan McClary's "Thinking Blues" chapter from her book Conventional Wisdom: The Content of Musical Form...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Up Above My Head
Researcher's Note: For real though, this might be the first time I have ever seen an "old black woman" playing guitar...certainly from such an earlier era. I love it. I just can't get past it. I had no idea she even existed until a little while ago!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Evergreen Questions
1. What are/were their eras?
2. How did they learn how to play guitar?
3. Which guitar(s) do/did they play?
4. Are/were they also songwriters?
5. Do they have any albums?
6. What kind of recognition have they received?
7. Any music videos or live recorded performances of them?
8. How do/did they understand themselves?
9. Who are/were their male and female influences?
10. Who were/are their peers?
11. Did/do they tour?
12. Were they married?
13. How did they get their "big break/s"?
14. Where do/did they live?
15. What style(s) of music do/did they play?
16. Who did they collaborate with?
17. What about issues of sexuality?
18. Do/did they make a living wage?
Any feminist/racial/political/intellectual sensibilities?
2. How did they learn how to play guitar?
3. Which guitar(s) do/did they play?
4. Are/were they also songwriters?
5. Do they have any albums?
6. What kind of recognition have they received?
7. Any music videos or live recorded performances of them?
8. How do/did they understand themselves?
9. Who are/were their male and female influences?
10. Who were/are their peers?
11. Did/do they tour?
12. Were they married?
13. How did they get their "big break/s"?
14. Where do/did they live?
15. What style(s) of music do/did they play?
16. Who did they collaborate with?
17. What about issues of sexuality?
18. Do/did they make a living wage?
Any feminist/racial/political/intellectual sensibilities?
An Essay I just stumbled across!
I had to Google something like "black women" and "guitarists," lol
Just stumbled across a book called Black Women and Music: More Than the Blues by Eileen M. Hayes and Linda F. Williams.
In it is an essay I absolutely must read entitled, "Black Women Guitarists and the Authenticity of the Blues" by Maria V. Johnson
Yay for Dr. Johnson whoever she is!
Will hit up the library tomorrow to get this book!
Just stumbled across a book called Black Women and Music: More Than the Blues by Eileen M. Hayes and Linda F. Williams.
In it is an essay I absolutely must read entitled, "Black Women Guitarists and the Authenticity of the Blues" by Maria V. Johnson
Yay for Dr. Johnson whoever she is!
Will hit up the library tomorrow to get this book!
The Point
I'm getting there...or I will...before April 16 when this assignment is due.
Inspiration delves from my relatively recent interest in black women playing guitar. This is not new. Black women have been playing guitar for a long time, but I would argue that it is still seen and treated as a novelty. Hell, the same still goes for black MEN now except for Hendrix. Wait, perhaps he's now seen as the ultimate novelty...this despite black folks playing the blues, rock-and-roll, country and jazz on and with guitars for a century.
Upfront, I am new to all of this and it will show again and again, but I have a heartfelt interest and strong determination to bring out black women's history and present as revolved around guitars. I want to create a space and place where they can be learned about, talked about, seen and heard, possibly.
I don't want them to be forgotten. I want black women to see another side of our legacy. Hell, I want EVERYONE to; not including those already well in-the-know...
The plan is to school myself as much as is possible...read and listen and think. Oh, and of course talk when I can with whomever is willing to hear my newbie thoughts and answer my newbie questions.
Inspiration delves from my relatively recent interest in black women playing guitar. This is not new. Black women have been playing guitar for a long time, but I would argue that it is still seen and treated as a novelty. Hell, the same still goes for black MEN now except for Hendrix. Wait, perhaps he's now seen as the ultimate novelty...this despite black folks playing the blues, rock-and-roll, country and jazz on and with guitars for a century.
Upfront, I am new to all of this and it will show again and again, but I have a heartfelt interest and strong determination to bring out black women's history and present as revolved around guitars. I want to create a space and place where they can be learned about, talked about, seen and heard, possibly.
I don't want them to be forgotten. I want black women to see another side of our legacy. Hell, I want EVERYONE to; not including those already well in-the-know...
The plan is to school myself as much as is possible...read and listen and think. Oh, and of course talk when I can with whomever is willing to hear my newbie thoughts and answer my newbie questions.
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