Black History in Music: Three Artists Who Broke Barriers for Black Musicians

February marks Black History Month on the calendar every year. Devon Alexis, music blogger, chooses to celebrate the occasion by listening to the Black musicians who changed music forever. Here are just a few of those incredible artists:

Scott Joplin

Devon Alexis Scott Joplin


Known as the ‘King of Ragtime,’ this legendary composer had his heyday at the turn of the 20th century.  But his mark on music still lingers today.  In the ‘70s, his music was revitalized in popularity, when Joshua Rifkin released an album composed solely of Joplin’s pieces.  Joplin constructed unique ideas for harmony, complex bass patterns and syncopation which even contemporaries compete to imitate.

Louis Armstrong

Devon Alexis Louis Armstrong


Without Louis Armstrong, jazz may have never been what it was, or what it is today.  His ability to craft his own style in a time when black voices were very much silenced is incredible.  In the ‘30s, Armstrong broke barriers and was even featured in Hollywood flicks of his day like Ex-Flame (1930), A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), and I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal, You (1932).

Prince

Devon Alexis Prince


The music of Prince encapsulates the entirety of the transition from the ‘70s to the ‘80s: funky, fresh and full of soul!  Prince’s music is still enjoyed all over the world, adored by Rock, Blue and Jazz fans alike.  Whether you remember him as a symbol or a music mastermind — Prince is an icon forever!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Non-social distanced music festival: Festival Republic

Image
For more than a year, the explosive experience of attending a music festival has been an elusive and distant memory. Due to the pandemic, most live music venues have been unable to host shows at all. The experience of attending concerts has been missed by all music lovers.. Including music blogger and travel enthusiast, Devon Alexis . But, in the UK, the music festival is back!  That is, by scientific experimentation of sorts… Sound scary?  Well, that’s because it kind of is… While there won’t be any intentional poking or prodding at the music festival, the distance between festival goers will be… well, a whole lot like it used to be!  In collaboration with the British government and Culture Liverpool, Festival Republic will neither require social distancing nor the wearing of masks.  After a year of shielding our faces from the public to hide from the virus that has run rampant throughout the entire world, both of these concepts sound foreign…  Nevertheless, a...
Read more

Remembering Michael Gudinski (1952 — 2021)

Image
  Iconic in his own right, Michael Gudinski will forever be remembered as someone who shook up the Australian music industry. On March 1, 2021, the innovative entrepreneur sadly passed on — but the statements released by Australian music stars, like Kylie Minogue, are immortalizing his memory. Music fan and blogger, Devon Alexis, shares what some of Michael Gudinski’s closest collaborators and friends in the industry had to say about the 68 year old’s untimely passing: Kylie Minogue   “Irreplaceable and unforgettable, I’ll always love you,” said “Loco-motion” singer and worldwide popstar, Kylie Minogue. Jimmy Barnes “Today the heart of Australian music was ripped out,” expressed Cold Chisel front man, Jimmy Barnes. 
Read more