Language of the Blues - Edmonton Blues Society

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This form
of coolness silence- became a tool slaves and their descendants used both to avoid
trouble with whites and to resist their domination subtly (see signifying).
The principle of coolness extends to African music making, and from African music into
the blues. When ethnomusicologist John Miller Chernoff was studying drumming in
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have not learned yet to use silence; therefore their playing had no meaning, no power to
move the soul. The teacher went on to say that sometimes, if a student overplays to an
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Many flashy young blues musicians have experienced similar admonishments
from elder bandleaders.
In the blues, older artists teach the younger generation what cool means by example.
to maintain a soulful quality despite his speed and dexterity to his youthful apprenticeship
with blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon.
Robben Ford, San F rancisco Blues Festival, 2001
Photo by M ike Shea
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