As has been well documented, in the second decade of the twentieth century, a section of New York City called Harlem became the Mecca and magnet for the coming of age of African Americans. The synergistic and cross-pollination of literature, art and music, informed by a general aesthetic ethos, produced the foundation for America’s...
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Surely, Anna Julia Cooper fits the criteria of Maya Angelou’s phenomenal woman which reads in part: Now you understand Just why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing It ought to make you proud ‘Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally Cooper...
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The extraordinary achievements of African American women did not grow out of the degradation of slavery or segregation, but out of a legacy of courage, resourcefulness, initiative and dignity. For example, a look at the African American Freedom movement and an examination of the triumphs of black women in recent years show what black...
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What’s Going On is not only Marvin Gaye’s masterpiece; it was a ground breaking album for Motown and for music in general. Gaye had been affected by what he had seen and heard in Vietnam and wanted to take his sound in a new direction, using it to inform and motivate people to act....
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Since it hit the airwaves half a century ago, Kind of Blue by Miles Davis has influenced the hearts and minds of jazz fans everywhere. Its songs became instant classics, and it has also converted many a non jazz fan to appreciate the subtlety and complexity of this masterpiece. Kind of Blue has also...
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Surely, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme has relevance today and carries a message which speaks to the necessity of improving the human condition through elevated consciousness and practice. Coltrane produced a musical statement which tapped into the spiritual consciousness of a broad range of people- student and worker, white and black, religious and non...
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Everyday, somewhere, a trumpet or cornet player tries to render an emulation of Louis Armstrong playing the West End Blues. West End Blues is one of the most famous recordings in the history of jazz for the following reasons: 1) Armstrong’s introduction showed how dazzling his skills as a trumpeter were; 2) he laid...
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As Reconstruction passed into the Jim Crow Era, predominately African-American music such as jazz and blues evolved. This music explored and reflected the lived experience of African-Americans in America. This music also began advocating for social change. Songs that promoted social activism were rare before the mid 1960s. One of the earliest of these...
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Aretha Franklin – Respect Live 1967by chilavert Aretha Franklin, commonly referred to as “The Queen of Soul”, is one of the most influential singers of the twentieth century. In 2008, the American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Franklin #1 on its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time. Franklin is one of the...
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Little Richard is considered a key figure in the transition from rhythm & blues to rock & roll in the 1950s. Little Richard’s reputation rests on a string of groundbreaking hit singles from 1955 through 1957, such as Tutti Frutti, Lucille and Long Tall Sally, which helped lay the foundation for rock and roll...
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