Blues and the spirit
Louis Armstrong, Big Mama Thronton, Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, BB King, Ray Charles,Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James….
Wikipedia defines Blues as: A music genre and musical form that originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the African-American culture
I could go on and on and on… and on. Now if you’re young, have young parents, non Black, or from a different country. You’re probably wondering who are these people, what is their relevance and what do they have in common (besides being in my daily Tidal rotation).
I’ve always had a varied taste in music, imagine listening to Beyoncé’s Video Phone one minute and the next minute Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters plays. It’s okay, you can laugh, because when it happens I definitely giggle a little. Since I was a child, Blues had a way of making me feel feelings I didn’t know existed at the time. Blues makes you feel a sort of soothing bliss, it has a way of making you feel feelings in a peculiar way. Now, there are still some older folks I know (looking at you Grampie) who would say “Now you don’t know nun about that!”. Sometimes joking, most times questioning. I mean I get it, I guess and although I haven’t lived very long (compared to my Grampie who is a young 76) I understand soul and spirit and one thing about Blues? Oh boy it’s gonna connect you to the spirit!
One day, while still living on campus in college, I was walking my good friend back to her dorm room. I confided in her that I had a “different” musical taste than the average Black girl on an HBCU campus. She asked me to give an example of one of my favorite songs, and I responded shyly with, “Blue in Green by Miles Davis”, She said to me in her sternest voice possible: “Brya, don’t EVER let ANYONE make you feel bad for enjoying music you like!”. And that really stuck out in my mind, because she was right, why does it matter to anybody what I’m listening to? Since then, I’d been extremely intentional about not giving a flip about what anyone says about my music taste, while also being mindful of others’ taste as well.
With my new found confidence in my great ear for music, I started to delve further into genres I was familiar with and others that I hadn’t given a chance to, and my discovery opened me open to a world of wonders. Look at that, my own personal Narnia! Before you ask, no there was not any Turkish Delight waiting for me on the other side, but there was plenty of food for my little ear bug. However - my craving for discovery still lingered about.
I’ve always wondered how do others hear music, like REALLY HEAR. If you ask 10 random people on the street how they listen to music and what do they hear everyone will tell you something different. Some hear beats, some hear melodies, some hear harmonies etc etc. When I hear music, depending on the song, I listen for the arrangements of the instruments, if vocals are involved, I listen to how the artists’ voices melds with the complete flow of the arrangements and how they use their voice to become apart of the song. From horns and drums to piano and clarinet. It’s an enlightening experience, truly.
My passion for discovery and my different way of hearing music is what led me to try different genre’s, and I found it with Blues. Blues had always been my secret weapon in my back pocket. Waiting on me patiently to use it when feeding my ear bug. To bring it out and showcase it, to give it all its deserving glory. Well one day, I went deep, deep into my pocket to find it, pulled it out, and SLAPPED IT onto a table like a draw 4 card in UNO!
Since then, I simply could not bear to put it down. Chile I can’t even bare to put it away for a second. I do declare, that I had the audacity, which is a habit of mine, being audacious. The audacity to open the old, dusty, warn out torn up box that held the soul opening, heart thumping, rhythmic sounds of the voices that make up my past, present and future; my culture. Oh yes, my culture, and yours too suge. You see because without Blues, we wouldn’t have the music that we have of today.
Now depending on who you ask and when, you’ll get a different answer. But officially, in my opinion, Blues got its start with W.C Handy’s song Memphis Blue’s and it was a hit. It was originally called “Blue Devil’s Music” because of it was considered seductive and destructive by parents and clergy of the time (where have we heard this before?). Blues were born in the fields, the railroads, the juke joints1, and the church. It was the feelings of regret, pain and joy even if that joy was expressing being a Voodoo man and having a Mojo Bag2
I was drawn to Blues, because of its expressive nature, its ability to show feelings, and not give a damn about the next. Blues is unapologetic and raw, it makes us face our sometimes happy sometimes not, feelings. Now everybody is a music critic and I am not here to convince you to listen to the greatest music genre. I’m here to ask you why haven’t you BEEN listening? Blues is THAT girl OKAY? And without her, we wouldn’t have the sounds of Wayne, Jay Z, dare I say, even Youngboy! You can find its influence in every single American musical genre: R&B, Rock, Gospel. You name it, Blues was there.
Listen, when I hear the first few notes of “Rock Me, Baby” by B.B. King (I love Tina Turner’s version of this by the way). My feet start stomping and my hands get to clappin. And I have me a ole good time! So don’t ask what the Blues are! Because shit you ought to know by now sha!3 Blues feeds the spirit, your spirit, mine, and the ancestors. So if you ever find yourself skipping that suggested Ray Charles track on Spotify, how about give it a listen, I guarantee, your body will start to move and you’ll feel awake, rejuvenated. Hell you might get the urge to scratch that scratch (I’m just saying)! Before I leave you, I want you to know, I love you, I hope you’re having a great day so far, and be sure to feed your spirit!
Informal club, traditionally used by African American in the early and mid 1900’s
Used in Hoodoo to hold magical items
Cher - a Cajun French slang word used to show affection akin to darling or baby