[78-L] Rock & Roll rising

[Joe Scott]

Since the only purpose of the expression "rhythm and blues" (a la "race" music and other terms) was to describe whatever music was currently most popular with blacks, of course some rhythm and blues was jazz sometimes and some rhythm and blues was rock and roll sometimes, or it could be "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Brother Bones or eventually "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" once someone invented that sound or whatever else. That's why Chuck Berry could sing "dig these rhythm and blues" and about "rock" and "roll" in "Roll Over Beethoven," which was rhythm and blues and was rock and roll.
Joseph Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: Koen Kamphuijs & Gusta Harderwijk
Sent: 03/18/14 03:40 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Rock & Roll rising

I wrote: >There have been zillions of discussions on the distinction between >Rhythm & Blues and Rock 'n Roll; or the lack of that; on what should >be considered the first rock 'n roll record; and more. Well - for as far as this discussion goes, it did prove the first sentence of my mail, and now we have zillions and a few more of them. One of the things that's sure - and that also helps fuel the discussion - that things are not as clear and simple as you can state in a few hundred words. There's nothing in this discussion that I don't second or have heard before, and I don't think it's really essential whether to call the new direction of late forties R&B rock 'n roll or not. I use the distinction that I made for myself, also to guide myself what to play and what not on my radio show - together with my own taste. It means that mainly I play what before '48 was called "race music" and afterwards "Rhythm & Blues" and that my show's interest mainly (but not completely) starts in the mid-thirties and ends in the mid-fifties. My choice automatically makes that nearly all on my show is from African-American musicians. I include very little swing, bebop, "modern" jazz and rock 'n roll-as-I-define-it. I favour raunchy down-to-earth blues lyrics over naive teenage love songs. Raw blues over polished pop songs. And I call the package Rhythm & Blues, knowing that half of it was before the term was coined, knowing that others include things I don't, and some call it either jazz or rock 'n roll. Koen _______________________________________________ 78-L mailing list 78-L at klickitat.78online.com http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l