Deep Blues, Prologue and Chapter 1

While reading the first bit of "Deep Blues", there were several things I found interesting.

First of all was the mention of voice masking(Beginnings, page 36). Being the band nerd I am, I immediatly thought of how the brass in band use different kinds of mutes to add a different sound to the band. I don't think that was necessarily the purpose of the voice masking, though. Sure, it would be more interesting to listen to with the singer singing in various different sounding voices, but I think it had more to do with the theatrics. It mentioned how the singers, with their masks, were believed to be posessed by the gods. Then it also said that this voice masking was more popular in sacred music for the African Americans. This was interesting to me because the Christian faith (which I think they are talking about as far as "sacred music") doesn't much believe in possession or things like that. So the perspective of voice masking must have changed, but it would be interesting to know what they believed it added to spiritual songs.

I also found it interesting when Palmer discussed the wide variety within Blues Music(Beginnings, page 43) He listed all the different types of music that probably contributed to blues. He then explained that blues musicians are influenced by other blues musicians, then add their own twist or distnictive style. I think this is really important. From the small amount of it I've heard, blues seems really personal, so being yourself while singing is part of what makes it blues.

Adios!