A world of music
LIVE MUSIC 1: A World of Music: rock and roll
Jazz
Jazz was created by African-American musicians in New Orleans, Louisiana, US. One of the most interesting aspects of jazz is improvisation, which means that the music is made up while the artists are playing. Jazz uses complex chords and blue notes (notes played with a different pitch from standard).
Country
Country was very popular in the 1920s in the south of the USA. It blends American folk music, including Creole and Cajun, cowboy western music and gospel. It uses simple forms and lyrics. Artists may use banjos, harmonicas, fiddles or acoustic guitars to accompany the melodies.
Gospel
Gospel refers to African-American religious music sang in the church. It may be accompanied by different instruments and, apart from praising God, it usually describes hard times and struggles.
Rhythm and blues
It is a type of African-American music developed in the 1940s and targeted urban communities. Its lyrics usually referred to the search of joy and freedom. Bands consisted of piano, guitars, drums, bass and saxophone. Music included simple, repetitive chords.ROCK AND ROLL
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Inc. Photograph promoting the film Jailhouse Rock depicts Elvis Presley.(Public Domain)Rock and roll originated in the USA in the 1950s. It combines elements from other types of music such as gospel, rhythm and blues, jazz and country. It is usually played with a lead, a rhythm and a bass electric guitar helped by amplifiers and drum
kits. It frequently uses 4/4 time signature and syncopated beats which make dancing easier. In comparison to previous musics, young people felt rock and roll was spontaneous and fun, as well as full of energy and vitality.
Rosetta Tharpe, sometimes called "the godmother of rock and roll" influenced early rock and rollmusicians such as Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.
In the mid 1960s, rock and roll broadened its lyrics to become less innocent, artists began to use more instruments and music started to be louder, with a great emphasis on the electric guitars. Rock and roll started to be called only rock music (Aerosmith and The Rolling Stones). Rock music also evolved into other genres along the years: folk rock (Bob Dylan), psychedelic rock (Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd), progressive rock (Electric Light Orchestra, Genesis, Camel), punk rock (Patti Smith, The Clash, Ramones, Blondie), heavy metal (Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple), etc.
TINA TURNER
This American rock singer was born in Tennessee, US in 1939 and is well-known for her powerful voice and presence on stage. She started her career in music in 1957 with a rhythm and blues band but she had her greatest hit with her album Private Dancer in 1984. She has taken part in some films and written the autobiographies I, Tina in 1986, which was adapted as the film What’s Love Got to Do with It in 1993. She was a successful star until she retired after her last tour called Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour.
She has received 12 Grammy Awards, sold over 100 million records worldwide and been referred to as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll.
QUEEN
This British band formed in London in 1970. It is considered a rock band even though it was influenced by progressive rock, heavy metal and also incorporated pop rock. The members of the band were Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals) and John Deacon (bass).
Some of their greatest hits are We will rock you, We are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody. They are one of the best-selling groups in the world. They received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 1990 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Freddie Mercury died in 1999, John Deacon has retired and Brian May and Roger Taylor keep on touring.
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