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Re: [ARSCLIST] Sounds of Slavery
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bertram Lyons" <bert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Throwing dirt on Lomax doesn't seem to address the question of whether
recordings exist of slaves previous to the 1930s. Recording technology was
present for over 40/50 years before the 1930s. Did unknown individuals make
attempts to capture the sounds of slaves previously to the 1930s? Are there
historical recordings out there that fill this void?
>
"Recording technology" of the cylinder era consisted of a "phonograph" equipped
with a recording "head." Although there may have been individuals who used
this,
the results (AFAIK) haven't survived...!
As well, the interest in Black music (other than "Negro Spirituals," which
were recorded by Black artists as far back as 1901!) started to appear
c.1911, and wasn't recorded by Black artists until about 1920...!
As a result, our knowledge of slave-era Black music has, for the most part,
come to us via surviving "musicianers" (i.e. Charley Patton, et al) who
date back to an era when more than just "blues" was expected by audiences..,
...stevenc