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Explore Syncopation in
Ragtime and Jazz
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Trailer/7296/ragtime.htm
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the syncopated
blues was heard in American ragtime and jazz music. At this site you will
hear examples of these blues. Listen carefully to determine which notes
or melodic ideas are especially syncopated.
Discover Blues Performers
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/
Visit this site to hear excerpts of blues artists and learn more about
their lives. Use the alphabetical index of artists to look up such celebrated
blues artists as John Lee Hooker, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and
Leadbelly.
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/
Quarter/5939/memphisminnie.html
At this site you can learn more about Minnie Memphis, a female blues
artist.
After learning about these blues artists, you can:
- Discover their inspiration for playing music, additional
jobs they've held, and unusual situations they have been in.
- Construct a fictional blues artist whose life contains
details you read in these biographies. Don't forget to create an appropriate
bluesy stage name!
- With a strong blues attitude, vocally or instrumentally
perform a blues-like song, such as "Down by the River," as this character.
While in character, entertain your audience with stories about your
life.
Contemporary Blues
Artists
http://www.pbs.org/riverofsong/
Click on different cities along the river to learn about contemporary
blues artists and hear excerpts of their music at this site.
Charles "Doc" Cooke
http://www.redhotjazz.com/cooke.html
Charles "Doc" Cooke was an early African-American jazz musician. Once
at this site, click on "Doc Cooke and His 14 Doctors of Syncopation" to
hear examples of early jazz music. In particular, listen to the syncopated
horn punches of "Alligator Crawl" (at about 18 seconds into the sound
file) and the syncopated intro of "Willie the Weeper." As you listen,
use an instrumental or your voice to improvise syncopated ideas along
with the audio file.
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