Cool Stuff No. 2: Inca Music and Women in the Blues

Music of the Inca Empire:

In class, we learned a lot about the music of post-colonial South America and how the musical traditions of native peoples, Spaniards, and Africans blended. I was curious to know more about what music was like around modern-day Ecuador before the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century. The instruments used by those living in the Inca Empire were primarily percussion and wind instruments. Strings were introduced later by foreigners. My favorite instrument I have learned about is the pututo. It is a large seashell used for announcing arrival of people and commencement of events. This is very much like the brass horns that were being used in other parts of the world. Though these indigenous people did not yet have access to brass, they found a way to produce the same result with a very different medium. There must be a very special technique involved in getting a substantial sound out of a pututo. I definitely couldn't pick one up and make any sort of sound.

                                         

This video shows a woman playing the pututo!

Source: http://www.discover-peru.org/andean-inca-music/

Cultural Attitudes and the Emergence of Black Women in Blues

In watching the documentary Wild Women Don't Have the Blues, I was so intrigued by the success so many black women enjoyed during the emergence of the blues in the mainstream during the 1920s and 30s. At a time when womens' lives were so dictated by cultural convention, it seems that it would be absolutely radical for a black woman to make a living as a musician. So, I did some research on the time period in order to better understand the conditions that made for the success of these women. First, the 19th amendment was passed in 1919. Clearly, attitudes were changing towards women. The early 1920s was also a time when more Americans than ever before were moving to cities. As a result, more women entered the workforce and their increased liberation (due to financial freedom, increased proximity from family and tradition) led to the popularity of flappers. Because of these factors, many women enjoyed social liberation like they never had before. Shifting attitudes toward women probably made it a lot easier for women like Bessie Smith to make a living on the stage. These performers led incredible lives, especially for the time. They were able to make their own living while some of their southern brothers and sisters were still sharecropping. 

Source: https://www.history.com/news/flappers-roaring-20s-women-empowerment

Ida Goodson

Ida Goodson is the pianist who appeared in Wild Women Don't Have the Blues. I just thought she was so fun, so I decided to try to find out more about her. She had six sisters, and they all had careers in blues and jazz music. This is ironic because their father, a minister, insisted on a musical education for them, but only for the purposes of sacred music. Ida did play sacred music, but is mainly known for her contributions to blues and jazz. She could also play the piano in gospel, vaudeville, and pop styles. You would never know from such a broad skillset, but she actually wasn't permitted to play secular music in the home. For a long time, she could only practice when her parents weren't around. She made a living as a pianist, and was even a one-time accompanist for Bessie Smith. 

                                           

Source: https://www.floridamemory.com/collections/folklife/people/?id=goodson