Lesson 1 Questions Lesson 1 - Africa to Afro-American, Spiritual, Gospel, Blues, Country, Rhythm and Blues, Elvis, and The U.S. in the 1950's. Reading: Rock and Roll: A Social History, Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 Students are encouraged to repeat the listening examples (located in the Listening Links for Lesson 1 folder) as necessary. It would be counterproductive to listen to this great music only once. You may want to open another tab or two to access the Listening Links for Lesson 1 and the Music Characteristics To Listen For pages to have them available while you respond to the Lesson #1 Questions. Lesson 1 Questions: 1. The roots of rock and roll are clearly African-American in origin. Much of the indigenous music from West African cultures features musical characteristics that are prevalent in rock and roll. Listen for musical characteristics in the recording of Ba-Benjelle Pygmies from Central Sub-Saharan Africa . The variety of timbres (tone quality or colors) present in many sub-Saharan African singing voices range from rounded, to guttural, without vibrato, raw, and grainy. Buzzing sounds (buzzing timbres) are prevalent in many of the instruments used in the countries and culture groups of sub-Saharan Africa. Open the Music Characteristics To Listen For page and list any of the musical characteristics you happen to hear in this incredible Pygmy selection. Beyond a mere listing of the characteristics, describe and respond to what you are hearing. 2. Listen, compare, and contrast the following two Spirituals below. How are they different? What do they seem to have in common? List and describe any musical characteristics you notice in these recordings. Shout All Over God's Heaven - The Fisk Jubilee Singers Roll, Jordan Roll - The Fairfield Four 3. Click on the NPR (National Public Radio) video below to view, to listen, and to provide a music observational response to these two famous gospel quartets who are actually related to each other - The McCrary Sisters, and The Fairfield Four. Are there instruments accompanying these singers or is this performance "a cappella?" What patterns (rhythmic or song form structure) do you notice in this performance? Rock My Soul - a spiritual song performed in a Gospel manner by The McCrary Sisters and The Fairfield Four (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. 4. Listen and respond to the W.C. Handy composition St. Louis Blues as performed by The Empress of the Blues, Bessie Smith. On this recording of the Classic Blues style, Bessie is accompanied by Louis Armstrong on Cornet and Fred Longshaw on the Reed Organ. Describe this music--what mood is being conveyed here? As you listen, list and describe any musical characteristics you recognize. 5. Compare and contrast St. Louis Blues from question #4 and Traveling Riverside Blues by Robert Johnson. How are they different? What do they seem to have in common? List and describe characteristics you notice in the m ...