R&B Presentation

R+BWINI CHARITY

HISTORY OF R&B MUSIC – 40’s + 50’s

• Louis Jordan was one of the major pioneers of RnB who dominated the charts with his band the ‘Tympany Five’ in the late 40’s. His music was described as urbane, rocking and jazz based, also describes as ‘jump blues’.

General characteristics of rhythm and blues music: - Integration of country and city blues styles.

- Use of electric or amplified instruments.

- Rhythm and blues music was very popular in the African American community in the post-WWII years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JgAvWvx_jM - Ruth Brown – Tears Keep Tumbling Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rEsVp5tiDQ - Ray Charles – Hit The Road Jack

During the ’50’s, R&B was dominated by vocalists like Ray Charles and Ruth Brown, as well as vocal groups like The Drifters and The Coasters

Ray Charles

Louis Jordan

60’S + 70’S• Eventually, R&B began to steer more into soul. Soul describes a number of R&B-based music styles, such as

Motown (record label) and Stax/Volt, soul was very diverse. Some of the most famous Motown musicians are, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Motown often crossed over into pop orientated music as well.

• During the early 60’s, soul music generally remained close to the style of R&B. However, artists began to stylize their music in different ways. This started to happen in different regions of America, where different areas produced different kinds of soul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlSiASsUIs - Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE - Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBLNYuKLYD0 - James Brown – Mans World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZFf0pm0SE - Stevie Wonder – Superstition

Smokey Robinson

Marvin Gaye

Different styles of soul:Gospel R&BRock + rollAll of these styles formed soul, which ruled the black music charts throughout the ’60’s and also frequently crossed over into the pop charts.

James Brown

Soul then began to split into different styles. Artists such as James brown and sly stone developed ‘funk’, and people such as Kenny gamble and

Leon huff started off Philly soul. Later on in the decade,

danceable R&B became a mass phenomenon with the up rise of

‘disco’.

Stevie Wonder

80’S + 90’S• During the 80’s and 90’s, R&B began to add stylistic components such as hip-hop into its music. • By the time of the millennium, rapping was introduced into R&B, and is now a dominant part of the

genre. Artists such as Janet Jackson and R. Kelly, and girl groups such as TLC, were popular in the 90’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrLequ6dUdM - TLC – No Scrubs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6y_4_b6RS8 - R Kelly – Ignition

2000’shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82VE8UtW8A - Rihanna – Rude Boyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1dUDzBdnmI - Beyonce – Check On Ithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J3vgcE5i2o - Nelly Furtado - Promiscuous ft. Timbalandhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WYHDfJDPDc - Dilemma ft. Kelly Rowland

In the early 2000’s, R&B became more modern due to artists such as

Beyonce, Rihanna adding a more pop genre crossover in their music.

Artists also began to include rap in their music.

(given examples in videos)

The music videos all have a similar aesthetic. They usually include dancing/club scenes. Low key lighting/very colourful (e.g. Beyonce’s check on it)