Please engage with this week’s Discussion Forum here. For a detailed explanation of forum requirements and grading, please review the document entitled “Discussion Forum Instructions,” located under this week’s module.
The Discussion Forums are a place to pose your own questions or thoughts about the required materials. You can write about anything involving these materials – a new concept that you find intriguing, a song that moves you, an idea that feels controversial, etc. You can talk about any of the class content introduced in Week 1. Please meet word count minimums and include required citations. (Note: posts must cite two different sources, and reply posts must cite one source. Sources must be drawn from required materials.)
If you are look for something more specific to write about, please respond to:
THIS WEEK’S *OPTIONAL* PROMPT: One of our recent lessons was that “Black art in America is about the people that make it. The ‘art’ itself is of secondary importance.” What could this mean? Provide an example of a famous song that demonstrates this idea.
Materials:
Required Reading:
- Ismail Muhammad. On John Coltranes Alabama. The Paris Review, 17 June, 2020,.
- LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka), Blues People. New York, NY, Harper Collins, 1963. Chapters 1-3 only.
- LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka). “Jazz and the White Critic.” Black Music. New York, NY. Akashic Books, 2010. (link available under the Week 1 module.)
Required Media (Listening + Videos):
- John Coltranes Alabama (Studio Recording, 1963):
- John Coltrane’s “Alabama” (Synced with Martin Luther King):
- Louis Armstrong, “Struttin With Some Barbecue” (1927/1928):
- Bessie Smith, “Down Hearted Blues” (1923):
- Lightnin’ Hopkins, “Penitentiary Blues” (1959):
- Duke Ellington, “Sophisticated Lady” (1933):
- Charlie Parker, “Koko” (1945):
- Thelonious Monk, “Thelonious” (1947):
- Ornette Coleman, “Lonely Woman” (1959):
- Classmate reply ”As I’m reading Blues People, I realized Black people were the only race that came to the United States with their own culture and traditions but couldn’t use it. For example, I’m Mexican-American, I grew up knowing every generation were taught about our culture and tradition no matter where we lived. On page 19 in Blues People, it states “The first-born of these Africans in America knew about Africa only through the stories, tales, riddles, and songs of their older relatives. But usually the children born in this country were separated from their African parents. No mother could be sure she would see her child after it was weaned.” This explains that, their stories and traditions were taken away from them and grew up not having that connection to where they come from. “Alabama” John Coltrane and Martin Luther King made me feel some type of way that I can’t explain. Such a tragedy story but a sense of guiltiness knowing those kids needed to be saved and no one was able to. Martin Luther King’s speech and the jazz put together really makes you to stop what youre doing and think what was going on in the world.”
