History of Women in The Blues Workshop : by Gaye Adegbalola

Gaye traces the history of blues women from the 1920s to today. She shares video and/or audio clips from Bessie Smith to Billie Holiday, from Rosetta Tharpe to Big Mama Thornton, from Etta Baker to Etta James and many others. She illuminates how the history of working class black women is documented in blues lyrics. Musically, she highlights the many vocal techniques (wails, syncopation, phrasing, growls, etc.) that are used that give drama and immediacy to the performances of blues women. This presentation runs 1 1/2 to 2 hours. However, it can be presented as a full length course with in-depth information and more listening experiences. For more information, visit: http://www.adegbalola.com

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  Education