Spirituals and Gospel: Thomas Dorsey to James Cleveland

 

Topics we will discuss and learn:

• The African experience in American creates the foundation elements of the blues, spirituals and jazz
• Spirituals and Gospel

The African experience in American creates the foundation elements of the blues, spirituals and jazz

The African belief in many gods helped them to assimilate Christianity into their belief system.

Among many African cultures there is a custom of acceptance of a conqueror’s gods and an inclusion of them into their ritual observance.  They are recognized as powerful and placed in the hierarchy of the tribe’s gods.

There were corresponding similarities in the religions that made it easier for the African to adopt the conqueror’s religion.

The many saints in the Catholic and Episcopal religion were similar to the many deities in their indigenous religions such as Yoruba and Akan.  Santeria is tone such amalgamation that grew in Cuba.  Vodoun grew in Haiti and New Orleans.

The African-American found similarities in his/her situation with the Jewish stories of Moses and Pharoah, and the travels in the wilderness. 

The total immersion of the Baptists was attractive to the early slaves because the water spirits were some of the most powerful spirits in many West African religions.  Yemoja and Osun in Yoruba are said to grant you success in life and can bestow riches. 

The belief in “spirit possession” that was distinctly African made its way into the Black churches through different expressions.

            It is known as “gettin’ the spirit” or “gettin’ happy”

The ring shout is very similar to African ritual in that people congregate in a circle and move together amidst singing and dancing for hours to allow the spirit to come through them.

Even though dancing was strictly prohibited they rationalized the movement of the shuffle because they weren’t crossing their feet.

After successive generations of African-Americans who never knew Africa and who practiced Christianity, it became taboo to practice African religions.  As a result religious sayings and beliefs became known as superstitions and “voodoo” became known as a negative pagan ritual when in fact it was a religious way of life known as Vodoun.

Attempts at missionization and conversion by evangelical groups were sparse at first because of the belief that Africans were savages and beasts.  However when the benefits of more passivity and less revolutionary activity among slaves were realized through conversion, many masters sought to missionize their slaves.

Double Entendre or double meaning

Although passivity did increase among slaves, resistance did not stop.  The religious songs became the coded messages with which the slaves communicated.  Songs like “Steal Away,” “There’s a Great Camp Meeting in the Promised Land,” were ways of congregations letting each other know under the master’s nose that either a meeting was taking place or they were going to runaway.

            Call and Response

The field hollers and work songs were mainly shouts and grunts but the congregational preaching tradition used melodic singing in their call and response exchanges.  “Have you got good religion?/Certainly, Lord.”

The Hymns

The various hymnals used in the white churches were transformed into new songs in the black churches with songs like “Climb Jacob’s Ladder” changing to “Climin’ Jacob’s Ladda.” 

The notes would be flattened or diminished creating what’s known as the blues scale

Syncopation, polyphony, and vocal effects such as vibrato were all used to change the music to a distinctly different expression.

Social function of the Black Church

                        Originally the only place where slaves could congregate

                        Place for social events barbecues, concerts, etc.

                        Hierarchy of ministers, deacons, elders, trustees, ushers with the

“backslider” or “heathen” at the bottom

Many of the “house” slaves or freedmen founded the Black Episcopal  and Presbyterian churches in an effort to align themselves with their white masters. 

They rejected for the most part the behavior of the Baptist and Methodist congregations because the music was too “African.”

Imitation of the white slave masters meant social ascension and more material comforts

Spirituals

            Spirituals evolved in camp meetings and camp fires

Fisk Jubilee Singers

Sang concert versions of the spirituals and gained respect for African-American song

Sang around the world and for heads of state

            Composers

                        James Weldon Johnson

                                    Wrote “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

                        J. Rosamund Johnson

                                    Wrote “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

                        Harry T. Burleigh

                        William Grant Still

            Concert Singers

                        Marian Anderson

                        Roland Hayes

Gospel

            Gospel evolved in urban settings under tents and in tabernacles

The composers borrowed melodies and structures from Tin Pan Alley songs much like jazz composers did.

Composers

                        Thomas Dorsey “Father of Gospel”

                                    Played for Ma Rainey

                                    Wrote “Precious Lord, Take my Hand”    

            James Cleveland

                                    Started the Gospel Music Workshop of America

                        Andre Crouch

                        Richard Smallwood

            Singers

Mahalia Jackson

                        Clara Ward

                        Sister Rosetta Tharpe

                       

Terms to know:

Call and response

Double Entendre

polyphony

Youtube:

Thomas Dorsey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVMmjHlhJA

Clara Ward (story of Gospel): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_1AVgx9kv8

Edwin Hawkins Singers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwcWdWlv2yM

Lift Every Voice and Sing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1DHxzkD9Ps

Slave Narratives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E68yahKvqH0