The Music of the Harlem Renaissance
Remember that the jazz music created and made famous in Harlem was a direct descendent of blues music. When black families left the South during the Great Migration, they brought their culture (which included blues music) with them. Can you detect the connection between blues and jazz?
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I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above "Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please" Yeoo, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride Ooo eeee, I tried to flag a ride Didn't nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down Standin' at the crossroad, baby, eee, eee, risin' sun goin' down I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, babe, I'm sinkin' down And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked east and west Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress |
Follow the link below and read the article about impact that the Harlem Renaissance had on American music.
The Harlem Renaissance and American Music
Below are clips of some of the music referenced in the article.
The Harlem Renaissance and American Music
Below are clips of some of the music referenced in the article.
For your brainstorming sheet...
How would you distinguish jazz from blues? How might you incorporate the rhythm or style from one or both of these types of music into your own poetry?
How does this music make you feel? Does blues music make you feel differently than jazz music? How so? How might this be related to WHEN this music was created?
When you're finished brainstorming, click below.
How does this music make you feel? Does blues music make you feel differently than jazz music? How so? How might this be related to WHEN this music was created?
When you're finished brainstorming, click below.