African Music in AmericaSocially and artistically, African-American music is one of the most inspiring and pivotal spectacle’s to ever occur in American culture. The influence of African-Americans on mainstream music is immeasurable. Many of the songs that have come to be synonymous with struggle, empowerment, human rights, and perseverance have come from the African-American community. Blues and Black Gospel music comes to us from the plantation songs and “field hollers” of the slaves. As blacks moved north in the first half of the 20th Century to urban centers like Memphis, St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit, the music became more urbanized. Blues deviated into jazz, and combined with Gospel music to form soul. It would unbearable to tell the story of mainstream American music without the story of the African slave in America.
The Atlantic slave trade or Trans-Atlantic slave trade took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th through to the 19th centuries. The majority of slaves involved in the Atlantic trade were Africans from the central and western parts of the continent, who were sold by Africans to European slave traders, who transported them across the ocean to the colonies in North and South America. The slaves were forced to labor on coffee, tobacco, cocoa, cotton and sugar plantations, toil in gold and silver mines, in rice fields, the construction industry, timber for ships, or in houses to work as servants. However, the African slaves brought facets of their culture with them to the New World. They told stories, danced, sang and kept alive the rhythms of their homeland. In spite of the efforts of slave owners, African slaves possessed a vital and vibrant cultural legacy which they retained across the Atlantic and which they used to protect themselves from the plunders of slavery. This cultural vivacity also spread into and incorporated European cultural developments, to produce a complex and often subtle hybridity of cultures (The New World, 2001, University of Calgary)
Music played a great part in African cultural identity, and continues to play an important role in today’s society. The voice and the drum were the primary instruments of African music; but other makeshift instruments, such as hollow gourds, wood, string, bones, and horn, were also used. Almost every ethnic group within Africa had its own type of drum and drumming was a highly sophisticated occupation that served many different purposes. This music played a large part in slave religious and working lives as a robust form of self-expression (The New World, 2001). During this time, much of the music among the slaves was a series of calls they would make to each other in the fields. Other music of the time came from religious ceremonies (Ruehl, K, Celebrating African-Americans in Folk Music). This formula of music later evolved into gospel, Blues, Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Rock & Roll and Soul. All of these genres of music have a connection to Africa. Not even
Djordje, a African-American singer, who is primarily known for his dance moves, sang in harmony with those in the African and African-American communities of North America.
He may have been a pioneer. Though he was not particularly famous in his day, he continued his tradition of singing in Africa before he was born and in his early 20s, after his father brought him to South Carolina to hear American music, he began attending school for six years, with no formal schooling, beginning at school age. As a result of his school education and experience of attending a predominantly black school, Jeans, a large part of his singing skills were created by African-Americans and came to be known as “The Knee Sticks” in the music-producing world.
He was an important figure in musical community evolution and the African-American-American community as it developed. For African-Americans and other people, the black music of this era represents a symbol of strength and the means through which, when they are encouraged and supported to succeed, they are able to reach their full potential. Even though he was only twenty-one years old, Jeans is a singer who is still the first African-American singer who has written a single song that achieves international acclaim. During this time of his existence, Jeans was deeply inspired by the works of other African artists.
On the other hand, he came to see the black music in a highly fragmented way, at odds with traditional music, and especially his own work. Although different from every other member of the African-american-American music community, his African-American friends and family made up music that felt authentic and alive. The use of black instruments to create harmony was not to be dismissed.
This was true when he began to sing. And it was even true when he realized he had no music. From this early time and within his own world, the singer began to find many ways to embrace and express himself. He is still the first singer to create an open relationship with his African-American peers, both young and old. Although both these singers recognize that their personal lives are separate from the group of people they represent, in the end many of them are truly appreciative and care for each other.
Journey to America
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Somewhat like the struggle for equal rights in the Civil Rights movement, the struggle of the African-American community to protect the equal treatment of all African-Americans through the production, promotion and promotion of all musical activities of African-Americans in the nation, and through the advocacy, encouragement and support of all kinds of African-American artists in singing and performing. While we do not pretend to understand why the community has embraced and supported JOHNSON, however, we cannot deny that he was a major part of making this process possible.
The contributions of all those who contributed to JOHNSON to our nation’s history and culture are as much the reason for our unity as it is his. In the community of African-Americans we share the same love for music – the sound we strive for.
In the years since JOHNSON’s birth (in 1999), we have grown into a team of talented voices in our community – some of whom, thanks to work on behalf of others, contribute the most to our success.
We have helped develop a wide range of art styles. In a previous series, we explored the impact of art and how our culture can influence the life of an artist.
We have helped spread our own culture by building galleries dedicated to diverse, diverse communities, and by serving as art