Radyo Akdeniz FM Music

Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today.

Blues was originally grown out of the hardships endured by many generations of African Americans, and first arose from the rural Mississippi region, around about the time of the dawn of the 20th century. The style developed from work shouts (known as arhoolies), and became the vocal narrative style that we associate with blues music today. The contribution of Blues music to the development of many other genres of music is very significant. Jazz, rock music and country and western are just some of the styles that owe a lot of their progression from the original blues.

As industry progressed and developed in to the 1920’s, so did the everyday lives of the people it affected, and by this time Blues music was also developing. By the 1920’s it had developed a very particular style, based around a number of three-line rhymed stanzas. These stanzas contained one line of verse that was repeated, and finished with a final line of rhyming verse.

The style at this time included a repeating blues chord progression, which then formed the basis for the harmony. Although there were variations, the usual rule of thumb was a 12-bar pattern utilizing the 3 major chords of a scale. The text was set to a 12-bar chorus, and typically was between four and eight stanzas in length.

In typical cases, the melody is formed by flattened third, fifth and seventh notes of the major scale. The outcome is the ‘bent’ notes that lend Blues music that distinctive sound – the bittersweet emotional impact that lacks in other genres. For the majority of blues music the focus is on the vocals – contradicting the fact that performers will often improvise instrumental solos over the Blues chord progressions.

Country Blues

This style arose from the Southern rural experience, and was particularly influenced by the impact of emancipation. Country Blues are often referred to as Delta Blues, a nod towards the Mississippi Delta where they first originated. There were many itinerant workers (mostly men) traveling from community to community, singing songs about freedom, love, the general sorrows of life and, of course, sex.

Classic Blues

African Americans began to migrate, mainly looking for work – it led to Blues music becoming much more urban-orientated, as areas such as Memphis and New Orleans began to become more populated. The music evolved as their way of life evolved. Male or female vocalists began to appear more regularly, and there was now the addition of a single piano.

The audience also grew, and Blues became more mainstream. Throughout the country as a whole, Blues music could now be heard in dancehalls and barrooms. The music industry as a whole started to take note, and more and more compositions and marketing arrangements emerged, as people began to take notice. The popularity of this kind of music grew exponentially. What would become known as Classic Blues became so popular that many songs were released with the word ‘blues’ in the title to capitalize on this, even though they bared little or no relation to the style of music.

Electric Blues

The appetite for the style of music known as the Blues was quite voracious. Its center, previously clustered around Memphis and New Orleans, began to migrate, and soon cities such as Chicago became the central point of much of the music.

With the end of the Second World War, there was a renewed revival to the genre, and there was a lot of development in the music, the most notable changes were the extra emphasis on the bass drums and the cranking up of the guitar sounds. By the time the 1950’s rolled around, the music was no longer centered solely around the African American community, and had an equal number of protagonists across all races. Artists like Bill Haley and Elvis began to incorporate the genre into their own brands.

The incorporation of the Blues style into different genres still exists today, and Blues music in its own right continues to go from strength to strength – many top selling artists maintain the original styles. The influence that Blues music has had on the music industry as a whole is undisputed, and yet Blues music is still evolving, still developing, and still evoking the stirrings of the soul to anyone who cares to listen!

Memphis Blues music first appeared in the 1920s in Memphis, and Memphis ever since has been a Mecca for Blues music lovers worldwide. Beale Street, the heart of Memphis music scene, is home to everything from jug bands to jazz.

The sub genre of Memphis Blues music that is Jug Band Blues emphasizes syncopated rhythms and sounds of early jazz and folk songs. Jug bands play on homemade, simple instruments, such as harmonicas, banjos, washboards, and kazoos, and of course, jugs.

After WWII, Memphis Blues music saw the birth of electric instruments. Many musicians flocked to Memphis to the Blues scene with these electric instruments, changing the sound of Memphis blues. The musicians would gather on Beale Street, where there were recording studios up and down. West Memphis saw the same influx of musicians, who would record the most famous and renowned classic blues, rhythm and blues, and rock & roll records. Once of the most famous of these studios was Sun Records, who would also record the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, among many others.

The beginning of Memphis self expressive music was attributed by a certain sound that became familiar to the colored workers of the cornfields, the sharecroppers. Much of the early Memphis blues music was an attempt to capture the sound of the singing workers. This sound at first was nicknamed the gutbucket blues. Some of the more popular topics of the songs were those of prayer, faith, and life.

Even today on Beale Street, songs are written and recorded in the small studios by artists with their dreams in tow. The streets in Memphis are just as alive today with the Memphis Blues as they were in the 40s and 50s. The clubs and bars in Memphis fill up every night with tourists and people who sit for hours listening to the artists and their music, much the same way they always have.

With all of the new and ever changing genres of music that have come about, people may wonder what gives the Memphis Blues music such staying power. The answer is simple. The Memphis Blues remains such a huge part of tradition in Memphis because it is more than just music. It is an entire culture and lifestyle that gets passed from one generation to the next.

Ever since the Memphis Blues music was born on the curbs of Beale Street, people have been flocking to Memphis to enjoy it ever since. Chances are pretty good that it will continue to be enjoyed and loved for many more generations to come.

Inch Blue

Love your baby’s feet

Inch-Blue, a divine range of handmade soft leather shoes which have been adorning the feet of babies and toddlers since 1999, is designed my mum of two, Rhiannon Owen, who lives with her family in Cardiff, Wales.

“My daughters are a constant source of inspiration,” says Rhiannon, whose focus has been on creating shoes that provide total comfort for little, growing feet. To ensure she’s always close to her family, Rhiannon has even opened Inch Blue factory close to her home, ensuring that she can stay on top of quality control and production at all times whilst having her family nearby.

Made exclusively from soft, natural and non-toxic leather, Inch Blue shoes let babies’ feet breathe. And to ensure the shoes can’t fall off, they feature elasticated ankles, which are recommended for babies as they are the next best thing to bare feet. And the best thing of all is that when they get dirty, they simply need to be wiped down using a damp cloth!

With over 100 fun and fresh designs to choose from (and around 25 new styles added each season!), there’s always a style that will appeal. If your little girl is as sweet as can be, then why not get her a pair of the deliciously divine Cupcake shoes, and if your little boy has a musical ear, then what about the too-cool-for-school Guitar shoes?

Inch Blue’s constantly evolving shoe collection is complemented by gift sets, which include 100% cotton babygrows and 100% lambswool receiving blankets, making Inch Blue a popular choice for new parents and people looking for imaginative and eye-catching gift ideas. Inch Blue shoes retail at £17.00, gift sets at £30.00 and receiving blankets at £40.00.

Not just for babies, Inch Blue shoes are suitable for children up to four years old. The supple, non-slip kid suede soles are ideal for tiled and wooden floors, keeping toddlers cosy and safe when crawling around or taking their first precious steps indoors. They are also ideal for use when in the buggy or car seat.

All the shoes have a low carbon footprint as they are designed and hand-crafted in the Inch Blue factory in Wales. The shoes come in either a clear gift bag with handle or luxurious box. Gift sets and blankets also come in boxes in white, baby blue and baby pink.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Rhiannon has also launched a spin-off brand called Rosie & Romeo, which has been designed to complement the already established Inch Blue brand. “I love nostalgia and have always dreamt about creating a range that conjures up images from my own childhood. I have spent a great deal of time developing the prints and have come up with a range which I feel is both stylish, yet with a hint of the past to it.” Rosie & Romeo features a selection of ‘must have’ accessories and gift sets for babies and toddlers made of charming vintage-inspired fabrics. Prices range from £10.00 – £58.00.

For more information about Inch Blue or Rosie & Romeo visit www.inch-blue.com