Recorded in 1951 by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, “Rocket ‘88’” is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. Though it was first released as a 78-rpm single, this is a photograph of an original 1955 pressing—one of only a handful of “Rocket ‘88’” 45s in existence. Photo Credit: John Tefteller at BluesImages.com

Copland and folk music Stravinsky and Jazz Messiaen Duke Ellington Jazz The styles of Carnival and circus music

YOU: you will be listening to music you relate to because of your personal taste the your experience; but some music will be outside of those parameters. What are your assumptions? Your sense of the term?

Almost any listener would agree that “rock” includes Jimi Hendrix (top left). But what about the Supremes (above) or the Kingston Trio (bottom left)? Photo Credit: Bettman/Corbis

Almost any listener would agree that “rock” includes Jimi Hendrix (top left). But what about the Supremes (above) or the Kingston Trio (bottom left)? Photo Credit: Douglas Kent Hall/ Zuma/Corbis

Almost any listener would agree that “rock” includes Jimi Hendrix (top left). But what about the Supremes (above) or the Kingston Trio (bottom left)? Photo Credit: Ted Williams/Corbis

Jackie Brenston (foreground) is credited with writing “Rocket ‘88’,” considered by many to be the first rock and roll record. In this poster for a Memphis appearance, Brenston (with saxophone) is shown with Ike Turner (at the piano). Turner and “His Kings of Rhythm” band also played with Brenston on the “Rocket ‘88’” record. Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/GettyImages

Studying Rock Introduction

DEFINING ROCK Rebellion Music and meaning Social movements and social tolerances Physicality, language, sexuality, behaviors Marker of social change, taste and fashion: Elvis Presley, Beatles, Alice Cooper, David Bowe, Madonna etc. Responses: federal hearings and censorship (rap and heavy metal)

DEFINING ROCK Associations: First half of the twentieth century: the kinds of music that would ultimately lead to rock were under the “popular music” umbrella; These genres (stylistic categories) influenced many of the classical composers of this time. Jazz Blues Circus music Street musicians Tin pan alley

MANY OPINIONS Rock and roll: 1954-1959 (Elvis and rockabilly) Rock as a genre appears after 1964 (British Invasion) Where do you place all of the styles that co-exist in the popular stream: Soul Folk Rap Popular Country

WHO IS DOING THE DEFINING? Scholars You Media and the music industry: Rolling Stone Mojo Radio MTV VH1 Record Companies Billboard

Jimi Hendrix

Supremes

Kingston Trio

MOVEMENTS AND WAVES Geography: British response to the blues; American response to the Beatles; Spread: a local style becomes national and international – the “popularity arc” from local – to peak popularity – to subculture How does a style get from one fan space to another?

MUSIC IS/AS CULTURE Social political and cultural issues; Issues of race, class, and gender The development of the music business; The development of technology

JACKIE BRENSTON WITH IKE TURNER

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC: ROCKET 88 JACKIE BRESTON AND HIS DELTA CATS Formal diagrams Beats; measures (bars) Simple Verse form Repetition of a single section Instrumental Verse (listen for what is playing and in which combinations; Texted verse (Verse 1) 12 bar sections (12-bar blues)