
Blues is always about wanting to be someplace else but making the best of where you are.
Francis Davis, The History of the Blues: The Roots, the Music, the People (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 1995)
There are a couple of reasons used to explain the name of this music:
- Blues is short for โblues devilโ, a term that was frequently used in America at the turn of the XX century to describe sadness or depression.
- Blues make use of the โblue notesโ, which are played at a pitch lower than the major scale and give the song a haunting, melancholy tone.

In many ways, blues is easier to define than jazz. But there is more to this music than the definition expresses. Itโs true, blues songs often speak of misfortune, betrayal and regret, which is what the general public tend do think when considering blues. But while the words speak of personal hard luck, the music itself is about overcoming that hard luck. Blues is about saying what you think, ridding yourself of frustration, and simply having fun. The best blues is visceral, cathartic and intensely emotional.
There are definitely elements of blues in jazz music, though blues emerged a lot earlier in the same place where jazz manifested itself half a century later.
After the Civil War, African Americans came to the realisation that although slaves had been emancipated, freedom and equality were still a long way away. That was the feeling out of which this music was born.
The language of blues is a cultural code that finds its origin deep in the African American cultural and historical experience. It is not necessarily an intentional hidden message, like the ones in slavesโ spirituals and work songs, but rather a more intuitive message, some kind of metaphor that comes from a communal experience that was distinctively African American. For this reason, blues was for a long time circumscribed to the black community, the only one for which it had a profound cultural and historical meaning. Segregation, which was part of that same experience, allowed the evolution of blues in its own independent way. For a long time โ and even after jazz became the most popular music of the nation โ blues remained music that few outside the African American community would hear.
But inside that community, blues created quite a stir.
From the beginning, it broke with the tradition of African communal creation of music, and it was instead a personal expression of a communal experience. Bluesman and blueswoman didnโt sing with the community being part of it, but they stood alone and sang to the community, even if they expressed a communal feeling. This position implied authority on their part.
Those were men and women who performed in disreputable places and sang songs that often contained bawdy, very explicit lyrics. They werenโt considered the best representatives for an entire, struggling community. Still, as they expressed their peopleโs feelings toward life and future, they ended up competing with preachersโ and politicsโ authority on the matter.
Soon, that controversy would spread onto jazz.
An intensely #AfricanAmerican experience, blues was born from the disinlussionment following the failure of Reconstruction #blues #jazz Click To TweetRESOURCES
Ogren, Kathy J., The Jazz Revolution. Twenties America and the Meaning of Jazz. Oxford University Press, New York, 1989
Sullivan, Megan, African-American Music as Rebellion: From Slavesong to Hip-Hop (PDF)
All About Jazz โ A brief history of the Blues
Shmoop โ Blues Music History โ Introduction
Diffen โ Blues vs. Jazz
72 Comments
Susan Brody
Fascinating! It’s a privilege to learn from such a dedicated jazz historian!
jazzfeathers
Thanks Susan. I’m an history buff in general. I think history can teach us so much about our present and even about our future ๐
Sharon Himsl
Interesting. Both sad and optimistic you might say (since Blues music was also about overcoming one’s troubles).
Pioneer Women in Aviation A-Z
jazzfeathers
Music, like all forms of art, is so weird. You feel it at a intuitive level, but if you understand a bit of its history and contest, it becomes so much more enlighting. Don’t you think?
Sheena-kay Graham
Blues has various interpretations but it definitely has a unique feel from other music. I wrote a blues song once about someone losing their love. I’m an amateur lyricist so there is no music to it but I want to get it composed professionally one day.
jazzfeathers
Creating art professionally has its own feel to it. And it’s a good one ๐
Mary Burris
Enjoyed learning more of the history and back story of Blues. I’m really liking your theme so far!
jazzfeathers
Thanks Mary ๐
It was a completely new journey for me. I’m so happy the AtoZChallenge prompted me to delve more deeply in this subject.
Lata Sunil
Great detailed history. I was unaware earlier..
jazzfeathers
Happy you found it interesting. Thanks so much for stopping by ๐
Chicky
I have never read so much about music. Never gave it so much thought before, you know. It’s a new experience reading your posts in this challenge.
Do hop over to my blog sometime. I’m writing a series on happiness.
– Chicky @ http://www.mysteriouskaddu.com
jazzfeathers
You know? When I started researching my novels, I was a bit scared by the fact that soem of my characters would be musicians and that a great part of the story would happen in a place with music. But as I researched, I discovered that there is a lot more about music than the music itself. It’s a way of life. And not just fo rthe artist.
Thank for stopping by ๐
Zeljka
I like listening Blues… it’s good to learn something about its history ๐
jazzfeathers
I didn’t really delve into the history of blues, but I think it’s a very rich one. Just like jazz, it has a lot to offer.
Gail M Baugniet
Felt like I was back on Bourbon Street. Great Blues song by Bessie Smith. Always so sad. Thanks for visiting my site for B-Day! Will be back on Monday.
Gailโs 2016 April A to Z Challenge
B is for Breathe Deep
jazzfeathers
That song is beautiful, isn’t it?
Bessie Smith is my favourite singer from the 1920s. When I hear her singing I always think that ejoying her performace live must have been an incredible experience. Such a voice! Such a heart!
Nilanjana Bose
Great to learn the history of blues and get such an in-depth analysis. Context always adds a different dimension to the enjoyment of art. Thanks.
Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse
jazzfeathers
I believe so ๐
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Susanne Matthews
Great post. Lots of wonderful information there. Thanks
jazzfeathers
Thanks so much for stopping by ๐
Tarkabarka
One of the best blues guitarist in the world (at least as of the Memphis world competition two years ago), Little G Weevil, is Hungarian ๐ We are proud of him. My dad also plays blues guitar, although not professionally. I grew up listening to it. ๐
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
The Multicolored Diary
MopDog
jazzfeathers
Thant’s wonderful!
Here in Verona there is one of the most popular jazz festivals in Italy, Verona Jazz. I’ve never been there, but now I’m starting to want to go ๐
Pat R
Hi Sarah
I really enjoyed this post, found it very enlightening. I am happy to have found your blog:)
Pat
jazzfeathers
And I’m happy you found me and enjoyed my work ๐
Now I want to see what you’re up to. See you on your blog.
Jen
Such a wonderful and detailed post! Thank you for this. I LOVE blues and jazz because they are so expressive. Especially blues. They make me “feel” and I love being able to connect with an artist.
Cheers!
Jen
Jen Chandler was Here
jazzfeathers
When I started my story, I had never listened to jazz before. Then, as I researched and learned about it, I started to became curious and now I really like it. I don’t know whether I would have come to like it anyway, or if knowing the history helped me get into it. But well… that’s how it went ๐
Megan Morgan
I worked in a New Orleans-themed restaurant for five years and we had local blues/jazz acts five nights a week, and on occasion national acts. I didn’t know much about the blues before I started working there but I sure do now, especially our local scene (which is quite big). The place is closed now but man I miss those days!
jazzfeathers
That’s so cool, Megan! Then I might be mobbing you about my story in the future.
Kidding ๐
I’m not an expert of jazz or blues by any stretch, but I did my best to learn as much as I could about the social aspect of this music.
Sophie Duncan
The conflict behind blues – modern music sometimes does the same thing now, it’s seen as divisive, immoral, by the powers that be, but real music made from the heart always has something to say (can’t say the same about the mass-produced mulch that comes from some pop studies though).
Sophie
Sophie’s Thoughts & Fumbles | Wittegen Press | FB3X
jazzfeathers
Blues and jazz were born from the experience and the heart of people, that’s why they are still so powerful, in my opinion.
Thanks for stopping by.
Shilpa Garg
Fascinating. Good to know about the history and background about Blues! Thanks for sharing ๐
jazzfeathers
Good to hear you liked it. And thanks for thaking the time to come by ๐
Francis H Powell
Nice choice for B
jazzfeathers
Happy to hear it. Thanks for stopping by ๐
Donna McDine
Delighted to have connected through the A-Z Challenge! I’ve enjoyed learning about the history of jazz! It’s made my day!
jazzfeathers
And you made my day with this comment. Knowing that people enjoy what I write it’s really what it’s all about.
Thanks so much for stopping by ๐
Maryann Holloway
Thanks for sharing and defining the blues. Great post
@Ma_holloway from
If I Only Had A Time Machine
jazzfeathers
And thanks for stopping by ๐
Robin Rivera
I love the Blues! When my husband and I first started dating we lived at a blues club and we saw everyone that come to town. Another great post, Sarah!
jazzfeathers
Now I’m a bit envious… ๐
Yolanda Renee
Love the blues, and funny thing is, I have to be in a certain frame of mind to really get into it! LOL
Happy Second Day of the A to Z!
Ninga Minion @YolandaRenee from
Defending The Pen
Parallels
Murderous Imaginings
jazzfeathers
Art is like taht, sometimes ๐
Heather Jackson
I love learning new things, and you hit me with two facts right off the top! Thanks for another great post, and a link to a great song.
jazzfeathers
So happy you enjoyed my posts!
The song is beautiful, isn’t it? Actually, Bessie Smith is encredible every time I hear her.
Barbara Taylor
I’m not a music aficionado, but I do enjoy a variety of styles. This was interesting information that I would never have thought to look up. And I love that you used Bessie Smith for the example. It’s been a very long time since I’ve heard her music.
jazzfeathers
Thanks so much for stopping by, Barbara. This is one of the things I love about the AtoZ: you learn thing you don’t even know you’re interested in ๐
Barbara In Caneyhead
Ah, the Blues! Some super awesome singers and songs in the blues.
jazzfeathers
Bessie is awesome, isn’t she? ๐
Anna Tan
That was a nice song ๐
jazzfeathers
I love Bessie Smith. An incredible voice.
Tasha
Most elucidating as ever. I like the fact the blues could not be put down even though the places where it thrived were not always considered exemplary.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings (72) | Wittegen Press (74) | FB3X (AC) (75)
jazzfeathers
That’s true for much of African American music, actually. It was certainly the same for jazz too.
Megan Lee
I love the blues. I went through a time in my teenage and young adult years when I listened to B. B. King and Muddy Waters. My grandfather was a huge fan of jazz and he was often playing Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Great stuff!
jazzfeathers
I’ve just discovered this music, and mostly because of my story. But I’m getting into it ๐
Stephanie Faris
I knew something sad had to have inspired the words “the blues,” but I didn’t know the exact origination of the term for the type of music. “I guess that’s why they call it the blues!”
jazzfeathers
And I find the name so evocative. I don’t know why. To me, it sounds like a name dense of meaning.
Jeffrey Scott
Lots of great information. Neat to hear where the origin of the term ‘blues’ came from.
jazzfeathers
It’s always interesting to know where a name came from. There is always a story there ๐
Laura Roberts
Oh, good, I thought I was missing something on your A post yesterday, but it turns out you were just saving the Blues for today! Great post. ๐
jazzfeathers
Couldn’t miss this one, could I? ๐
Thanks for stopping by.
Stephanie
What an interesting topic. I look forward to learning more.
Good luck on the challenge! We’re doing โIโve Got The Music In Meโ this year on The Road Weโve Shared. โ looking at how important music is in the Down syndrome community. I hope youโll stop by and see/hear! http://theroadweveshared.com/category/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-2016
jazzfeathers
Thanks so much for stopping by.
You’re theme seems so intersting and important. I have a nephew who suffers of the Down Syndrome. I’m heading over to your site ๐
Molly
I’ve always liked jazz, but I have a feeling after reading all your challenge posts, I’m going to learn to LOVE it.
jazzfeathers
Learning about it did teach me to appreciate it a lot more ๐
Rajlakshmi
I love listening to the Blues… never realised that there was so much history behind it. Thanks for sharing this.
Visiting from A to Z Challenge
Pam’s Unconventional Alliance Team
A Whimsical Medley
Twinkle Eyed Traveller
jazzfeathers
Happy you liked it and thanks for stopping by ๐
Tawnya
Blues….such a moving genre of music. Thanks for giving me more insight into its’ history! Loving your posts so far!
jazzfeathers
I’m so happy to hear this. Creating something that people enjoys is the whole point of writing, be it a novel or a series of articles ๐
Damyanti
Love listening to the Bles, so this was fascinating. Thankyou!
jazzfeathers
Knowing about the history of this music is making me appreciate it even more ๐
Kristin
Another good post that I missed!
jazzfeathers
Happy you liked it, Kristin ๐