Portland Observer Section II February 26. 1661 Page 27
Morton was the first to transcribe a jazz composition in
musical notation.
Jelly Roll Blues (1915) was the first published jazz
arrangement in history.
Blues, o f course, is exemplified in the works o f the
legendary W .C. Handy. His memoirs “ Father o f the
Blues" recounts his early experience along "The River"
and throughout the Western area o f the States. Mem
phis Blues, was originally a campaign song for a Mem
phis politician, and has since become a standard along
with Sz. Louis H oman ( 1914). Although Blacks, par
ticularly Southern Blacks, had been singing blues for
years. Handy was the first to use them in serious musical
form.
The music forms o f the blues and jazz have so many
schools, each w ith its own adherents, that the
limitations o f this paper prohibit presenting them in a
format that would do each justice.
An interesting outgrowth o f the Blacks* innovative
approach to music may be seen in the evolution o f the
musical instruments. The folk performer has often been
responsible for new heights in music because he was
often unaware o f the limitations o f his instrument - he
didn’ t know that he could not duplicate the sound in his
mind on his instrument. As a result, more demands were
placed upon the instrument that it could handle with
resultant damage. When repairs were indicated, changes
sometimes were created to compensate. Thus, new
designs were made to fu lfil the need o f Black perfor
mers.
Black music has influenced life.
The styles, forms, content and spirit o f Blacks have
influenced music throughout different eras. The projec
tion o f our music through TV, cafes and musical shows
has broadened and democratized the tastes in music o f
performers and audiences. It has had an impact on
tra d itio n a l (classical) music fo r it has become im
provisational and less highly organized.
Music seems to be the m ajor area in which Blacks
have been accepted as peers by the whites, and, in some
cases as superior.
The acceptance o f Black music from the "lo w e s t”
(field hand) to the aristocracy has truly democratized
the people.
As Ralph Vaughn-Williams has stated: "Music fits
the needs o f the people, antiquity is valued only in the
antiquity o f the song... there are no fix e d rhythmical
figures. ’’
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