Comprehensive Analysis of the Performances of Finger-Style Guitarists at the 1969 and 1970 Ann Arbor Blues Festivals
Mentor 1
John Stropes
Location
Union Cinema
Start Date
5-4-2019 12:20 PM
Description
The Ann Arbor Blues Festivals of 1969 and 1970 were historic cultural events that are now understood as pivotal moments in American music. They brought together the leading electric blues guitar players of the time and many of the seminal acoustic blues guitar players who were still touring. In this period of cultural reconfiguration, this music was interesting to a wider, curious audience. This research builds on work which began in Fall 2017: the accession, digitization, and integrations of materials (color slides, audio recordings, programs, photos, and other ephemera) related to the 1969 and 1970 Ann Arbor Blues Festivals. Set lists have been established, and tunings and other distinctive characteristics of each performer have been recorded. Selected passages of compositions by Robert Pete Williams, Johnny Shines, John Jackson, and Big Joe Williams have been transcribed and typeset. Analytical tools such as Melodyne and Sonic Visualizer software have supplemented the painstaking work of transcription. A strategy using social media to bring together blues scholars and enthusiasts around the world who share an interest in this topic has been implemented, and materials from private collections have fueled our work. Monographs for publication in both print and digital formats have been developed which are supported by photography, audio, and video, and include state-of-the-art transcriptions of musical passages that illustrate the unique approach of each performer along with comprehensive information on discography, set lists, tunings, and other details significant to each performer. The positive response from blues periodicals in the US and Europe confirms that this work will receive a broad popular reception. With the inclusion of state-of-the-art transcriptions of performances, this research breaks new ground in ethnomusicological studies.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Performances of Finger-Style Guitarists at the 1969 and 1970 Ann Arbor Blues Festivals
Union Cinema
The Ann Arbor Blues Festivals of 1969 and 1970 were historic cultural events that are now understood as pivotal moments in American music. They brought together the leading electric blues guitar players of the time and many of the seminal acoustic blues guitar players who were still touring. In this period of cultural reconfiguration, this music was interesting to a wider, curious audience. This research builds on work which began in Fall 2017: the accession, digitization, and integrations of materials (color slides, audio recordings, programs, photos, and other ephemera) related to the 1969 and 1970 Ann Arbor Blues Festivals. Set lists have been established, and tunings and other distinctive characteristics of each performer have been recorded. Selected passages of compositions by Robert Pete Williams, Johnny Shines, John Jackson, and Big Joe Williams have been transcribed and typeset. Analytical tools such as Melodyne and Sonic Visualizer software have supplemented the painstaking work of transcription. A strategy using social media to bring together blues scholars and enthusiasts around the world who share an interest in this topic has been implemented, and materials from private collections have fueled our work. Monographs for publication in both print and digital formats have been developed which are supported by photography, audio, and video, and include state-of-the-art transcriptions of musical passages that illustrate the unique approach of each performer along with comprehensive information on discography, set lists, tunings, and other details significant to each performer. The positive response from blues periodicals in the US and Europe confirms that this work will receive a broad popular reception. With the inclusion of state-of-the-art transcriptions of performances, this research breaks new ground in ethnomusicological studies.
