Call and response is common in blues. ... Blues can be both sung and spoken. ... Other styles began to develop, such as Chicago Blues, Kansas City Blues, Piedmont Blues, Saint Louis Blues, and other variations. ... In the song "Back Door Man" Howlin Wolf sings about how he is sneaks in mens' house when they aren't around: "Well the men don't know, but the women understand/ when everybody's tryin' to sleep/ I'm somewhere making my midnight creep.... Like Many other blues singers that did Chicago Blues, Chester was born and raised in the South. ...

• Word Count: 1900
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

Among the contributing blues pioneers were Son House, Charles Patton and Robert Johnson. ... Louis Blues" published in 1914. Mamie Smith is the woman who started Blues on record. Her "Crazy Blues" is considered the first Blues recording ever. ... Lastly, Bessie Smith defines the term of "classic" Blues singer; earned the title of "Empress of the Blues" with her sassy, bold songs that earned the respect of both Blues and Jazz artists. ...

• Word Count: 2036
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In James Baldwin's short story, "Sonny's Blues," the narrator's brother, Sonny, has a heroin addiction and gets arrested for using and selling drugs. ... James Baldwin's short story "Sonny's Blues" presents a family theme through the use of symbolism, tone, and first person narration. Jazz music is a very big symbol in "Sonny's Blues." ... He lets Sonny know his disapproval towards drugs and Sonny's choice in music, as well as clearly laying out the rules for him staying at his house. ... The theme of "Sonny's Blues" is family. ...

• Word Count: 876
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Characterization "Sonny's Blues", written by acclaimed writer James Baldwin is a story of two brothers who struggle with their differences and end up going two different ways at the fork of life; molding them into their personalities which we see develop throughout the story. ... From the beginning of the story Sonny starts off in jail after his arrest, he then goes to stay at his brother's house with his wife, Isabel, and her parents. He hones in on his love for music and at Isabel's house with their family piano. ...

• Word Count: 1003
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

It combined elements of Ragtime, marching band music, and Blues. ... There is no doubt that Morton had music not covered by the blues or ragtime and that he applied a swinging to a variety of music. ... Some of the early sounds of jazz where associated with whore houses and "ladies of ill repute." ...

• Word Count: 846
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Jazz was a period when marching band music and blues combined as one were in style, played by African American men and Creoles. ... The music world in New York was large with recording companies, music business, and publishing houses. ... Although Armstrong still had to work small jobs such as selling newspapers and delivering coal, he began obtain a good name by being an exceptional blues player. ... Armstrong did his first recording with King Oliver on April 5, 1923; on that day he earned his first solo recorded solo on Chimes Blues. ... The album Kind of Blues is considered one of the bes...

• Word Count: 3064
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Then came blues music, which was different from jazz music because they were stories told through song about life's sadness and misery. Chicago blues music has pianos, bases, electric guitars and harmonicas for a different type of sound. ... Together, Addams and her friend leased a house, built by Charles Hull, which was meant to supply a place of social life, work on educational projects and most importantly, to improve the conditions of Chicago. ...

• Word Count: 1116
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

He grew up with music all around him, so he could hear music from outside his house when he woke up and when he went to bed. ... He was sent to the Coloreds Waif House a reform school on the out skirts of New Orleans. ... These recordings were some of the most famous made by Armstrong, including "Mandy Make up Your Mind" and "Money Blues" (Bergreen 96). . ...

• Word Count: 1911
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School