1950s Stars of Rock Flashcards
What was Boogie-Woogie?
Boogie Woogie is piano-based blues music. Most were 12-bar blues pieces. A lot of tunes were recorded by solo piano, but sometimes there was accompaniment by a small band (like R&B). The music is much older (starting in the 1920s) and was a big factor in the development of R&B and African American Rock styles. Boogie Woogie was like a popular version of jazz, but sounded more like the urban blues than swing music. And like the blues, it originated from the deep South (mostly Texas) by African American pianists.
Why is this important? It started an African American rhythmic riff style on the piano that was later used by R&B and Rock bands. The pianist plays a basic bass pattern in the left hand, then adds some improvised riffs with the left hand (in the upper register).
