Music: Secular Folk
The MUSIC section is subdivided by category; I cross list resources where
categories overlap:
- General Music Resources
- Music: Sacred Folk (spirituals,
gospel, etc)
- Music: Secular Folk (blues, jazz, work songs, protest songs,
games, pop, rap, etc)
- Music : Classical (composed music:
concert works, choral works, musical theater, etc)
1. Lesson Plans and Teacher's Guides
2. Web Sites: Grants, online exhibits, sources
for recorded and printed music.
3. Books: Surveys and books on specific topics in
music.
4. CDs & Tapes: Anthologies to provide historical
perspective, resources for singing with students.
6. Videos
7. "How To" Instructional CDs and Video
8. Sheet Music
Lesson Plans & Teacher's Guides
Jazz in America: The
National Jazz Curriculum http://www.jazzinamerica.org/home.asp
Thelonious Monk Institute
Grades 5, 8 and 11
Eight 50-minute class lessons for each grade level. The curriculum presents
a historical overview, examines characteristics of various jazz styles,
highlights contributions of important performers and composers, and explores
the social, economic and political contexts in which jazz evolved. The
web site includes a jazz resource library, audio tune snippets, visual
jazz images, lesson plans, teacher manuals and assessments, along with
an interactive web site utilizing the latest educational technology, for
free use by social studies, American history and music teachers.
Jazz Homepage at PBS http://www.pbs.org/jazz/
- Jazz Classroom at PBS
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/
- Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns. Videocassette. PBS, 2001. (19
hours) Complete Jazz Store and Episode Guide at Amazon.com
(19 hours)
Accompanies the video series Jazz, A Film by Ken Burns. The PBS
site offers a wealth of jazz-related resources and links, including lesson
plans for all subject areas. These resources are valuable even if you don't
use the video in your classroom.
Defining
Jazz Music
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/jazzdefinition.htm
PBS Jazz Classroom
Middle & High School, Requires student internet access
"Students listen to jazz, read literature about jazz music and
explore interviews with jazz musicians in order to investigate the types
of sounds that make up jazz music. Students will research where those sounds
originated and who the early players of jazz music were, and then construct
a timeline showing how the sounds of jazz have changed over time."
The Blues Classroom
http://www.pbs.org/theblues/classroom.html
Developed as a resource for the PBS series "The Blues," free
online materials include lesson plans, glossary, video clips, audio clips,
teacher's guide bibliography and discography.
The Blues
As A Tool To Improvisation
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/bluesimprov.htm
PBS Jazz Classroom
Middle & High School, Requires student internet access
"Students use the 12 bar Blues form as a vehicle to gain fluency
with improvisation. Students will improvise on a given instrument a melodic
line in the 12 bar Blues structure. The lesson will culminate with students
recording and transcribing their 12 bar Blues solo."
Blues Foundation: Blues
in the Schools http://www.blues.org/bits/plans.php4
This steadily growing database contains lesson plans and articles of
interest to teachers.
Learning
the Blues
http://edsitement.neh.fed.us/view_lesson_plan.asp?ID=267
Edsitement: National Endowment for the Humanities
Middle & High School, Requires student internet access, and RealPlayer
for online videos
"This lesson introduces students to the blues, one of the most
distinctive and influential elements of African-American musical tradition.
Students take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee, one of the prominent
centers of blues activities, and explore the history of the blues in the
work of W. C. Handy and a variety of country blues singers whose music
preserves the folk origins of this unique American art form."
Jubilee
Singers: Sacrifice and Glory
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/singers/tguide/index.html
PBS Video
Middle & High School, Does not require student internet access
Site provides a Teacher's Guide for the video
"In the chaotic decade following the Civil War, a group of young
ex-slaves in Nashville, Tennessee, set out on a mission to save their financially
troubled school by giving concerts. Traveling first through cities in the
North, then on to venues across Europe, the Jubilee Singers introduced
audiences to the power of spirituals, the religious anthems of slavery."
Where
Did Rock Come From?
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0203.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Middle-High School, Does not require student internet access
"The student will use specialized music reference sources to locate
information about the origins of rock and roll. The student will take notes
on the origins of rock and roll and organize the notes into an outline."
Improvise
a Short Story
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/storyimprov.htm
PBS Jazz Classroom
Middle & High School, Student internet access required
"Students in grades 6-8 learn that improvisation is a highly structured
art form that requires a great deal of practice, awareness in the moment
and awareness with those that you interact with musically. The lesson culminates
in an improvised group short story, group discussion, and a student-led
musical improvisation."
Write
A Rap Song
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0207.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Middle School, Does not require student internet access
"Students will be able to write a rap song that contains rhyming
words. Students will be able to associate rhythms and counting with words
that are used in their song."
Pure
Funk
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0213.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Elementary - Middle School, Does not require student internet access
"Students will perform an example of Funk music on musical instruments.
"
Reggae
Music
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0218.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Elementary - Middle School, Does not require student internet access
"An arrangement of Reggae music which elementary instrumental musicians
can learn play and sing in one class period."
Go
Down, Moses
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0224.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Elementary - Middle School, Does not require student internet access
"Students will sing an arrangement of Go Down, Moses and will play
instruments to accompany their singing. In the course of preparing and
performing the song, they will learn about important African Americans
and their contributions to society. "
Go
Tell It On the Mountain
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0225.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Elementary - Does not require student internet access
"An arrangement of two traditional Spirituals with accompaniment
playable by elementary instrumental music students."
We
Love Calypso
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Arts/Music/MUS0210.html
Educator's Reference Desk
Elementary - Does not require student internet access
" A simple Calypso song with accompaniment playable by elementary
general music students."
Websites
PBS: The Blues http://www.pbs.org/theblues/
This 7-part film series explored the blues through the personal styles
and perspectives of 7 filmakers. The web site provides a wealth of blues-related
resources useful even if you never see the films. Also available at Amazon.com
Jazz in America: The
National Jazz Curriculum http://www.jazzinamerica.org/home.asp
Thelonious Monk Institute
Grades 5, 8 and 11
Eight 50-minute class lessons for each grade level. The curriculum presents
a historical overview, examines characteristics of various jazz styles,
highlights contributions of important performers and composers, and explores
the social, economic and political contexts in which jazz evolved. The
web site includes a jazz resource library, audio tune snippets, visual
jazz images, lesson plans, teacher manuals and assessments, along with
an interactive web site utilizing the latest educational technology, for
free use by social studies, American history and music teachers.
Jazz Homepage at PBS http://www.pbs.org/jazz/
- Jazz Classroom at PBS
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/
- Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns. Videocassette. PBS, 2001. (19
hours) Complete Jazz Store and Episode Guide at Amazon.com
(19 hours)
Accompanies the video series Jazz, A Film by Ken Burns. The PBS
site offers a wealth of jazz-related resources and links, including lesson
plans for all subject areas. These resources are valuable even if you don't
use the video in your classroom.
Document Records
http://www.document-records.com/
This site is more than just the world's largest (800 titles) catalogue
for Vintage Blues, Gospel, Spirituals, Jazz and Country Music, with a little
bit of World Music and Soul thrown in. It's also one of the biggest blues
(and related music) projects around, with articles, search facilities and
more.
International Association of Jazz Record
Collectors http://iajrc.org/
N-Time Music
http://www.ntimemusic.com
Gospel CDs, songbooks, sheet music, accompanyment/performance tapes
and more If they don't have it, they can probably find it for you.
African-American
Sheet Music at the Library of Congress (1850-1920)
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/rpbhtml/aasmhome.html
Special
Presentation: The Development of an African-American Musical Theatre 1865-1910
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/rpbhtml/aasmsprs1.html
Over 1,305 pieces of African-American sheet music, digitized for viewing
and printing. Includes: songs of antebellum black face minstrelsy, abolitionist
movement, songs associated with "Uncle Tom's Cabin," African-American
soldiers and the newly emancipated slave, Reconstruction and the Great
Migration.
"African-American popular composers include James Bland,
Ernest Hogan, Bob Cole, James Reese Europe, and Will
Marion Cook. Twentieth century titles feature many photographs of African-American
musical performers, often in costume."
Smithsonian Folkways http://www.folkways.si.edu/
Folkways Records was founded in 1948 and run by Moses Asch for almost
40 years. His goal was straightforward: to record and preserve the culture
and heritage of as many peoples and societies as he possibly could. At
the time of his death in 1986, Folkways had released over 2200 albums,
and had many more hours of reel-to-reel tape yet unreleased. The entire
collection was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, which has
been making the music available in a variety of formats, from reissues
of old albums to new thematic collections such as Every
Tone A Testimony reviewed in the CD section. For a history of Folkways,
visit the Old
Time Herald.
Archives of African American
Music http://www.indiana.edu/~aaamc/
"Established in 1991, the Archives of African American Music and
Culture (AAAMC) is a repository of materials covering musical idioms and
cultural expressions from the post-World War II era. The AAAMC supports
the research of scholars, students, and the general public from around
the world by providing access to oral histories, photographs, musical and
print manuscripts, audio and video recordings, and educational broadcast
programs, among other holdings."
Center for Black Music Research
"The CBMR is devoted to research, preservation, and dissemination
of information about the history of black music on a global scale."
It includes a musician's database and information about research fellowships,
events and more.
Books
Southern, Eileen. The Music of Black Americans: A History, 3rd edition.
New York: W.W. North, 1997. Read
More at Amazon.com (High School - Adult)
First written in 1971 and now in it's 3rd edition, this is a wonderful,
readable textbook on all aspects of African American music.
PBS:
The Blues http://www.pbs.org/theblues/classroom/bibliofilm.html
Extensive bibliography for study of the blues.
CDs & Tapes
- Anthologies and resources useful in educational settings.
For additional materials of general interest, see African
American Music
The Instrumental History of Jazz. Encoded Music, 1997. 2 discs. Read
more and listen at Amazon.com
Features a wide range of historically significant recordings.
In My Dream: A Celebration of African-American Music. U.S. Army
Field Band, 2004. Available free to educational institutions, libraries
and music educators only upon
request. (Sorry, this item is not available to the general public)
This CD is a goldmine for educators. Its 27 tracks provide examples
of spirituals, chants, ragtime, jazz, bebop, blues, R&B, traditional
and contemporary gospel, trombone shouts...the only thing it lacks is a
sample of classical composition by a great
such as William Grant Still. The program notes included with the CD are
outstanding; if that's not enough, you'll find more lesson plans at their
web
site.
Every Tone a Testimony: A Smithsonian Folkways African American Aural
History. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2001. 2 CDs, plus booklet
with extensive notes. Read more at Amazon.com
Highly Recommended! 59 tracks (nearly
two and a half hours) of material drawn from the Smithsonian Folkways archive,
organized to create a history of African American life and culture in sound.
Music, poetry, oratory and prose by historically renowned
African American musicians, writers and activists spanning
two centuries.
Includes Langston Hughes, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B.Du
Bois, Margaret Walker, the Fisk Jubliee Singers, Gwendolyn
Brooks, Paul Robeson, Muddy Waters, the SNCC Freedom
Singers , Martin Luther King, Jr, Angela Davis, Nikki
Giovanni, and Arrested Development. Writers who predate recorded
sound are also represented by historical recordings; for example, Arna
Bontemps reads writings of Lucy Terry, Ruby Dee reads Sojourner
Truth and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. (I was impressed with the equal representation
of women throughout the project.)
Folk tracks trace the development of African American music: for example,
there's a "field call" by Annie Grace Horn Dodson, and
a "complaint call" by Enoch Brown. Percy Randolph performs
a shoe shining song, and the Inmates Of Ramsey Retrieve State Farms
perform a work song.
As if that's not enough for under $25, it also includes an extensive
booklet with supplemental material. See also link to Smithsonian
Folkways Recordings
The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music. Harry Belafonte
(and 50 other musicians!) Buddah, 2001. 80 tracks on 5 CDs, a bonus DVD,
and a 140 page hard-bound book. Read more at Amazon.com
Researched and recorded between 1961 and 1971, this collection traces
the history of black music from the late 1600's to the 20th Century. It
covers the roots of African music, chants, shouts and early spirituals,
Louisiana Creole music and a re-creation of a slave Christmas,
songs from the Underground Railroad and Civil War era, rural
and urban roots music, game and children's songs, work
songs, minstrel songs and more
These are not field recordings: they are contemporary recordings made based upon field recordings. As one who has spent innumerable hours straining to decipher those old recordings myself, I must say that Belafonte and crew have done a fantastic job of bringing the music to life, creating a sound that is both satisfying to the modern ear, yet authentic and respectful to the original material. (The music has NOT, for example, been modernized stylistically. Hurrah for that!) Belafonte simply captured in a modern era what might have been captured in, say, 1866 had modern recording equipment been available. And he prepared himself for this task by speaking with the then modern practitioners of the art: sharecroppers, men in chain gangs, blacks whose parents had been slaves.
Dona Got a Ramblin Mind. Carolina Chocolate Drops. Music Maker, 2006. Read
more at Amazon.com
When most of people think of fiddle and banjo music, they think of the southern Appalachian Mountains as the source of this music. While the mountains of Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina are great strongholds of traditional music today, they are certainly not the source, and stringband music has deep roots in African American traditions, particularly of the Carolina piedmont. The Carolina Chocolate Drops (Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson and Dom Flemons) are breathing new life into the old music, having studied with the masters. This CD is a joy from beginning to end!
Smithsonian Folkways
Folkways Records was founded in 1948 and run by Moses Asch for almost
40 years. His goal was straightforward: to record and preserve the culture
and heritage of as many peoples and societies as he possibly could. At
the time of his death in 1986, Folkways had released over 2200 albums,
and had many more hours of reel-to-reel tape yet unreleased. The entire
collection was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, which has
been making the music available in a variety of formats, from reissues
of old albums to new thematic collections such as Every
Tone a Testimony For a history of Folkways, visit the Old
Time Herald.
I Believe in Angels Singing: Songs from the Underground Railroad
Era. Produced by Michael & Carrie Nobel Kline, 2004. CD Read more at Amazon.com
An anthology of twenty-five songs (a cappella field recordings) remembered
from the era of the Underground Railroad and recorded on site at
churches and homes in eastern Ohio, and at the Augusta Heritage Arts Center
in Elkins, WV. The singers and narrators reflect on the music in the accompanying
liner notes. $10 plus shipping.
Harris, Kim & Reggie. Steal Away: Music of the Underground Railroad.
Appleseed, 1998.
Sixteen songs, most from the era but some contemporary songs about the era. Contemporary, studio sound. Available at Amazon.com
The Early Minstrel Show. New World Records, 1998. Includes program
notes. Instrumentalists: Vincent Tufo (fiddle) Percy Danforth (bones) Matthew
Heumann (tambourine) Roger Smith (bass). Singers: David Van Veersbilck (tenor)
Peter DiSante (lead) Brian Mark (baritone) Roger Smith (bass). Order or
listen at Amazon.com
Ethiopian minstrelsy was the most popular form of theatrical entertainment
in the U.S. from the late 1820's until well after the Civil War, having
a huge cultural impact and creating racial stereotypes that linger today.
A minstrel show featured stories, songs and skits which tried to imitate
the culture of blacks, as interpreted by white performers with blackened
faces. The music was usually inspired by black folk songs, which
became "composed" pieces by folks like Stephen Foster, and then
ended up back in the oral tradition once more...I was surprised that the
very first song on the CD was the original version of a song we used to
sing at Girl Scout camp, "The Boatman!" This CD re-creates the
music based upon sheet music, instrumental instruction books, and manuscript
musical materials. (Please note: the recreations are historically accurate,
meaning derogatory terms like the N word have not been eliminated.)
Black minstrels started to appear around the time of the Civil War.
American Blues. Putumayo World Music, 2003. 1 CD plus booklet
with extensive notes. Read more or listen at Amazon.com
Congress designated 2003 as the Year of the Blues,
and both PBS
and Public Radio produced related series'. This CD is the perfect complement,
featuring blues tracks by some of the legends (e.g. B.B. King, Taj Mahal,
Ruth Brown, Henry Gray) and some of the rising stars (e.g. Keb' Mo', Robert
Cray, Eric Bibb, Susan Tedeschi) who keep the blues alive and thriving.
Whether you're a student of the art, or just like to listen to great music,
this CD is for you.
Mali to Memphis: An African-American Odyssey Putumayo World Music,1999.
1 CD with extensive notes. Order
at Amazon.com
Drawing on a wide variety of contemporary sounds as well as old recordings
(lovingly remastered to sound as if they were recorded yesterday) this
CD illustrates the connection between the roots of African music and American
blues. This is an indispensible CD for any serious student of African American
music...or anyone who just enjoys listening to great blues. As with all
Putumayo releases, excellent program notes are included.
Violin, Sing the Blues for Me: African-American Fiddlers, 1926-1949
- Various Artists, CD, Old Hat Enterprises 1999. Available at Amazon.com
As early as colonial times, free and enslaved blacks were widely known
for their virtuosity on the fiddle, so it was only natural that the instrument
would eventually find a home in the blues...even though most people probably
don't tend to think of it there. And that's the beauty of this CD. It contains
samples of the blues and many of the traditions that preceded it: country
dances, rags and stomps, folks songs and medicine show music, all lovingly
remastered from early recordings to create 73 minutes of vintage fiddle
music. The 32-page full-color booklet alone is worth the price. This is
a must-have for any student of African American culture in general, or
anyone who just enjoys good music.
Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black America Freedom Songs 1960-1966. Listen or order at Amazon.com
A 2-CD set and 40 page booklet includes annotation by Bernice Johnson
Reagon and historic photos. Many of the songs were recorded live in mass
meetings held in churches, where people from different life experiences,
predominantly Black, with a few White supporters, came together in a common
struggle. These freedom songs draw from spirituals, gospel, rhythm and
blues, football chants, blues and calypso forms.$21 plus shipping
Paul Robeson - The Peace Arch Concerts, Freedom Train and more!
See
all his titles available at Amazon.com
Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was the first black man to present a concert
program consisting entirely of African-American spirituals. Joseph Kern
wrote "Old Man River" for him to sing, and he was the first black
man to portray Othello on Broadway. Both albums feature extensive liner
notes telling Robeson's story, and the story behind the music on the albums.
"These albums are more than just music. They are living, singing history."
The Kwanzaa Album. Women of the Calabash. Bermuda Reefs Records,
1998. Madeleine Yayodale Nelson, Marsha Perry Starkes, and Mayra Casales,
all vocalists and percussionists. Order or listen at Amazon.com
This album is the premier authentic collection of music inspired by
and based upon the ideals, stories and history of Kwanzaa. In addition
to a wide range of instrumental pieces, the album features eight specifically
chosen vocal performances, ranging from traditional African songs to contemporary
composed pieces. A standout for me is "Mya Si Grei", a traditional
song which originated in Guyana, sung by enslaved Africans and passed down
to their children. The lyrics roughly translate into "Even though
we are here in these terrible conditoins, we are still the same proud,
noble people we always were." I also enjoyed Jody Gray's a capella
arrangement of "Lift Every Voice" performed with the Free Voices
of Praise Choir. This is a dynamic, beautiful CD, one I highly recommend
to celebrate Black History any time of year.
Sing Along With Putumayo. Putumayo Kids, 2004. Read
more at Amazon.com
This delightful romp through American folk styles is the perfect CD
for those long family car trips, because there's something on here to please
everybody regardless of age or musical preference. What an eclectic blend:
blues great Taj Mahal sings Woody Guthrie's "Don't You Push Me Down,"
funk master Rufus Thomas breathes new life into "Old MacDonald"
and Eric Bibb's bluesy "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" reclaims
this classic African-American spiritual. Rosie Flores' rockabilly version
of "Red Red Robin" is infectious...in fact, there's not a single
song on this CD I DIDN'T like! Includes lyrics, and the background information
on the songs and singers is presented in English, Spanish and French.
Ella Jenkins. Songs, Rhythms & Chants for the Dance. CD. Smithsonian
Folkways 2000. Includes booklet with lyrics. Recommended for ages 6-11.
Read
more at Amazon.com.
For more than forty years Ella Jenkins has brought traditional music
of all kinds to children and adults. This is a reissue of the historic
1977 recording celebrating all forms of dance - a tribute to Ella's
own childhood fascination with music, rhythm and movement. It features
21 tracks of spirituals, chants, blues, and folk songs, plus 9 interview
segments with members of Chicago's dance community, including a
choreographer and Afro-Cuban dance specialist, a dance therapist and a
dance student.
Ella Jenkins and the Goodwill Spiritual Choir of Monumental Baptist Church.
African American Folk Rhythms. CD. Smithsonian Folkways 1998. Reissue
of Scholastic Records Album No SC7654 1960. Includes booklet with lyrics,
notes. Read
More at Amazon.com
Though she is perhaps best known for her recordings of folk music for
children, this CD presents songs that highlight the hardship, struggle,
work and religious experience of African Americans. Some are new songs
with traditional arrangements, others are very old but newly arranged (such
as Maya Angelou's two arrangements of familiar children's songs.)
Sweet Honey in the Rock. All for Freedom. CD. Wea/Warner Bros,
1992. Listen
to samples at Amazon.com
Includes Civil Rights songs, African stories, a Calypso
song and even a Georgia Sea Island chant.
Still the Same Me. Sweet Honey in the Rock. Rounder Kids, 2000.
Available at Amazon.com and also at Rounder Records.
I'm always skeptical about music billed "especially for kids."
It can either be so banal it drives adults insane (you know who you are,
Barney) or it is so healthy/wholesome/correct and over produced that parents
just KNOW their kids SHOULD love it...but they don't. Fortunately, this
extraordinary collection of soulful, uplifting and entertaining songs for
children is the real deal, with Sweet Honey using only their voices and
percussion instruments to create an amazing and compelling sound. I especially
like the four segments of "Improv Time!" which encourage kids
(and adults) to make their own music. In fact, the whole CD is participatory.
The liner notes provide background information about the music, but also
personal interviews with the artists,who answered questions about their
childhood ranging from "Do you remember your favorite hairstyle?"
to "Have you had an experience that was a disaster (embarrassing,
painful, etc) that you feel is all right for you to share?" The cover
art is a special treat for any Sweet Honey fan...it features childhood
photos of the six performers on front, mirrored by contemporary photos
on the back. If I had such a list, I'd rank this in my Top Ten of the year,
for adults or kids.
Afro/American Sketches: The Music of Oliver Nelson. Oliver Nelson
Orchestra. Original Jazz Classics, 1961. Amazon.com
Oliver Nelson's first big-band date as a leader. Meant as a folk album,
it pays tribute to the history of blacks in America, with such songs as
"Jungleaire," "Emancipation Blues," "Going Up
North" and "Freedom Dance."
Videos
Roots of Rhythm, hosted by Harry Belafonte. Produced for KCET/Los
Angelos, 1994. 3 Volume set available at Amazon.com in VHS and DVD
Long before there was "World Music" Americans danced the Mambo
and Conga. This series provides a fascinating, in-depth look at how Latin
music has roots in Africa rhythms and Spanish melodies, and came to the
U.S. in the early 20th century via Cuba. Host Harry Belafonte is delightfully
informal and shares personal experiences along the way, such as how his
contract was cancelled by the mob who ran the Copacabana because he'd married
interracially. One of the aspects I particularly enjoyed was the look at
everyday life in Cuba, and the discussion of the U.S. role in that country's
history. Without hammering away at the fact, Belafonte discusses our government's
unwillingness to recognize Cuba's sovereignty, and expresses his hope that
music will break down the barriers. But politics aside, this video series
is a must-see for any student of African American music.
I'll Make Me A World. Executive Producer Henry Hampton. 6 Videocassettes, 60 minutes each. PBS Video, 1999. Out of print, but still widely available at libraries.
Profiles African American musicians, artists and authors
throughout twentieth century America. Each segment is 60 minutes.
Suggested Activities provides an extensive overview of each segment,
and standards-based activities put the video in context. You can connect
to these via the main web site but you'll end up viewing the information
is a tiny frame window...I have ferreted out the direct URLs to the windows
for you:
- Segments
1 & 2: Lift Every Voice (1900-1920); Without Fear or Shame (1920-1937)
- Segments
3 & 4: Bright Like the Sun (1935-1954); The Dream Keepers (1940-
1965)
- Segments
5 & 6 : Not a Rhyme Time (1963-1986); The Freedom You Will Take
(1985 - Present)
Jubilee Singers: Sacrifice and Glory. Producer/Director, Liewellyn
Smith. Videocassette. PBS Home Video, 2000. 60 minutes. Amazon
.com
Program Information
at PBS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/singers/index.html
Teacher's
Guide at PBS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/singers/tguide/index.html
"In the chaotic decade following the Civil War, a group of young
ex-slaves in Nashville, Tennessee, set out on a mission to save their financially
troubled school by giving concerts. Traveling first through cities in the
North, then on to venues across Europe, the Jubilee Singers introduced
audiences to the power of spirituals, the religious anthems of slavery."
Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns. PBS, 2001. (19 hours) Available
at Amazon.com on VHS
and DVD
The PBS site offers a wealth of jazz-related resources and links, including
lesson plans for all subject areas. These resources are valuable even if
you don't use the video in your classroom.
Ella Fitzgerald: Something to Live For. American Masters/PBS 2000. 86 minutes. Amazon.com
In addition to historical narrative that places Fitzgerald within the context of her times, this DVD provides lots of archival footage of her performing, a fitting tribute to the First Lady of Song. There are resources for teachers at the PBS website.
American Roots Music. Produced by The Ginger Group for PBS, 2001.
(4 hours)
This series explores the development of uniquely American music genres
during the 19th and 20th centuries. Though not strictly about African American
music, it covers that genre and also looks at how the various streams of
roots music merged into new forms.
You can order it or get more information at Amazon.com.
You will find related material (including more history and teachers' guides)
at the PBS website.
Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Artisan (Fox Video) 2003 110
minutes. Rated PG Available at Amazon.com on VHS
and
DVD
The Funk Brothers played on more hit records than the Beatles and Elvis
combined, and they created the Motown sound which carried us through the
60's and continues to inspire musicians today. Yet this studio band labored
in relative obscurity compared to the stars they backed, such as the Supremes
and the Temptations. This moving documentary reunites them and finally
pays the R-E-S-P-E-C-T they deserve. It's warm, humorous, poignant and
a great way to gain a better understanding of the Motown sound and times.
Stormy Weather. Twentieth Century Fox, 1943. 78 minutes.
Available at Amazon on VHS and DVD
This is a rare big studio film which featured an all-black cast. Like
any hollywood musical of the era, the plot is paper thin and primarily
serves as an excuse to showcase song and dance numbers. But what a fantastic
show it is! Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Cab Calloway,
Fats Waller, Ada Brown, the incomparable Nicholas Brothers...they're all
here and more in a script that doesn't reduce them to stereotypes. Since
the story begins right after WWI, a special treat is the incorporation
of actual rare footage of Jim Europe's 369th "Hell Fighters"
Infantry Band marching triumphantly in New York City.
BET Journeys in Black: Luther Vandross (2001) Read
more or order at Amazon.com
Luther Vandross' sound has virtually been the soundtrack of R&B
over the past 20 years. The veteran R&B singer first realized his love
of music as a youngster going to the legendary Apollo Theater in his native
Harlem, N.Y. He listened to the radio constantly and developed a love for
the classic soul of the sixties and seventies. Since then Luther has gone
on to develop a smooth classic soul sound that is his alone, when you hear
one of his songs there is no question that the voice behind the music is
Luther.
BET Journeys in Black: Patti LaBelle (2001) Read
more or order at Amazon.com
Truly one of the most the most prolific singers in the history of recorded
music, Patti LaBelle's career is still going strong after five decades.
From the 1960s with Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles, the seventies with
LaBelle and from the eighties to the present as the premiere female Soul
singer, Patti has set the bar too high for most to reach. Her uninhibited
stage performances are legendary; when she performs live she gives the
audience her all. BET's Journeys In Black Presents Patti LaBelle in all
her glory, featuring performance footage, interviews and testimonials from
Whitney Houston, Whoopi Goldberg, former President Bill Clinton and more.
BET Journeys in Black: Master P (2001) Read
more or order at Amazon.com
Take an inside look at the rapper/CEO/business mastermind from his days
in the housing projects of New Orleans to corporate CEO .
"How
To" Instructional CDs and Videos
Singing in the African American Tradition - Ysaye Barnwell (CDs
or Cassettes) Amazon.com
You'll learn how to sing multiple parts-melodies, harmonies, rhythms
and counter-melodies-to more than 20 inspiring songs: African chants, spirituals,
gospel songs and anthems of the American civil rights and South African
freedom movements. Ysaye Barnwell,
of Sweet Honey In The Rock, teaches the vocal parts one at a
time. Then, you can choose whether to sing along with the melody or one
of five or six distinct harmony parts. These lessons are wonderful for
individuals, choirs, church, camp and community groups who want to participate
in this powerful and uplifting singing tradition.
Learn to Play Gospel Piano. Taught by Ethel Caffie-Austin. DVD
or VHS. Homespun 2003. Read
more at Amazon.com
Ethel teaches the basic melody of a hymn or spiritual, and then adds
the chords and bass lines that will give the song a solid rhythmic foundation.
Finally, by adding intros, runs, harmonies, fills and turnarounds, you'll
create a complete piano arrangement in true gospel style.
The well-known hymns and spirituals you'll be playing include "When
the Saints Go Marching In," "Standing in the Need of Prayer,"
"Angels Keep Watching Over Me," "Can't Nobody Do Me Like
Jesus," "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," "Show Me
The Way," "Study War No More," "Jesus is on the Mainline,"
"Amazing Grace" and other beloved gospel standards.
Learn to Sing the Blues. Gaye Adegbalola (80 min Video) Read more
at Amazon.com
W. C. Handy Award-winner Gaye Adegbalola's vocal workshop identifies
17 key points to help a singer put a song across, and provides technical
instruction in breathing, vibrato, the "growl," the octave slur
and other elements of singing. Songs include "Fishing Blues,"
"Hear Me Talkin' To Ya," "Down Home Blues," "Meet
Me With Your Black Drawers On," "1-800-799-7233," "Dirty
Sheets Blues," "Blues is in the House," "Sweet Black
Angel," "Coat Hanger Blues," "Staggerlee," "Don't
You Feel My Leg" and "C. C. Rider."
- More than 50 Blues instructional audio and video programs by leading
traditional performers are available from Homespun
Tapes, including "Learning to Play Blues Guitar," "Fingerpicking
Blues" and "Blues Guitar of Keb' Mo'"
- More than 50 Jazz instructional audio and video programs - covering
everything from Scott Joplin piano rags to contemporary innovations - are
available from Homespun
Tapes,
Sheet Music
MusicNotes.com Digital sheet music on demand! A wide library to select from, with adjustable keys. For example, Select from 17 versions of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and Download a DIGITAL VERSION instantly.
http://creativefolk.com/toolkit/musicfolk.html
