CAST 213 - Roots of Rock

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
Rock and roll is Black music rooted in commercial and folk traditions from the late 19th century through the 1950s. In this course, students will explore ring shouts, minstrelsy, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, gospel, country, jazz, folk, blues, rhythm and blues, Latin, and more styles that merged uniquely to create popular sounds that quickly dominated the globe. While there are many candidates for the first rock and roll song (from Fats Domino’s “The Fat Man” to Jackie Brenston & Ike Turner’s “Rocket 88”, among some fifty or so other choices), each boasts identifiable regional influences from country to blues, clave to ring shouts. Moreover, students will learn to identify those roots that influence artists - consciously or subconsciously - of today. We will critically analyze sounds, cultural contexts, regional developments, and social and political movements as students dive into the musics that pushed rock and roll onto center stage.

This course is appropriate for new students.