Rhythm and Blues (R&B)

Definition: Rhythm and Blues; commonly known as R & B, is a variety of different but related types of popular music. It was produced and supported primarily by African-Americans beginning in the early 1940s. It embraces such genres as jump blues, club blues, rock and roll, doo wop, soul, Motown, funk, disco, and rap.

History: R & B originated from the sociological, industrial, and technological changes that took place in the U.S.A just before and during World War 2, which was from 1939-1945. Leading the changes was a widespread shift in American demographics. Hundreds of thousands of African-Americans migrated from rural South to Midwest, Northeast, and West Coast cities, because they were attracted to fairly high-paying wartime jobs. In popular music, new styles were created to meet the changing tastes of this demographic group, leading to the development of the urbane sounds or R & B.

The changes that came with World War 2 were the invention of the electric guitar in the late 1930s and the discovery of the German-invented tape recorder by the music industry at the end of the war.

Although the sounds of early R & B music were being performed throughout the U.S.A., the recording of R & B began on two coasts. Former big-band jazz musician Louis Jordan formed a small band, and some might say he was one of the founders of R & B. He recorded mostly in the up-tempo, horn-driven style known as jump blues. The jump blues style he originated rapidly spread among African-American musicians, with distinctive regional variants emerging in cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, and Memphis Tennessee. Jordan influenced every R & B artist in the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s.

R & B has three major forms that are distinguishable. The first and earliest one was called race, and it is very similar to the one Louis Jordan invented if not the same, and it was possible that these forms were in different parts of the country, so may be that is why they are slightly different. It appeared before World War 2 and it was the first one to disappear, it was the style of the “jump band” such a band was the often remnant whose avant-garde jazz members had left to join bebop, this music was interesting to hear, but impossible to dance to.

The second form of R & B was in the 1940s, mainly in the clubs and bars of Chicago, and it was often called Chicago Blues. Chicago Blues was played loudly by a small group with electric guitar, harmonica, electric bass, electric piano or organ, and drums. Melody lines and vocals drew heavily on the rural blues, with the rhythm strong and dance oriented.

The third and last major form was rather more diffuse; it was mainly vocal, with the instrumental backing varying from full orchestra to none at all. It was mostly performed by a group, the style employed close harmonies and nearly always medium to slow tempo. The church influence was pronounced; the lead voice tended to the upper register and often either rode over the wordless chords of the other or engaged them in a call response pattern.

Artists: Out of the many R & B artists, I have written only some of them, and they are:

1. Aaliyah
2. Tina Turner
3. Baby Face
4. Lavern Blake
5. Big Bertha
6. Blackstreet
7. Blaque
8. Mary J. Blige
9. Dane Bowers
10. Boyz 2 Men
11. Toni Braxton
12. Mariah Carey
13. Cleopatra
14. Kirby Coleman
15. R Kelly
16. Lionel Richie
17. Diana Ross
18. The Jackson 5
19. Janet Jackson
20. Donnell Jones
21. Brian McKnight
22. Monica
23. Chaté Moore
24. Mya
25. TLC

Samar Al Ansari
Grade 7 C