Reflective Rhythms

We talked with Sonya about how she uses affect—the feelings, emotions, and moods that music creates—to share her ideas with listeners through song. We also talked about how the blues women used inflection, emphasis, and improvisation to create different affects. Here’s another song by Ma Rainey called “Those Dogs of Mine.” What kind of affect do you think Ma Rainey is trying to create? How does she do it? Feel free to try out some of her techniques or make some of your own up!

“Those Dogs of Mine”

Lyrics: https://lyrics.fandom.com/wiki/Ma_Rainey:Those_Dogs_Of_Mine

If you’re interested in learning about the Blues women of the 1920s and how you can support women in Blues today, you can find some good information here: https://www.nationalwomeninblues.com/history/

If you are a teacher interested in incorporating some of what we talked about into your classroom, PBS has a lesson plan that covers much of what we discussed in this episode. It can be found here: https://www.nationalwomeninblues.com/history/

Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World by Vashti Harrison (Suggested Ages 8-12)

Ithaca-Tomkins County Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 920.72 Harrison

Austin Pubic Library Call Number: J 920.72 HA (Available at the Manchaca Road, Milwood, Old Quarry, and University Hills branches)

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison (Suggested Ages 8-12)

Ithaca-Tomkins County Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 920.72 Harrison

Austin Public Library Call Number: J 920 HA (Available at the Cepeda, Milwood, North Village, and Twin Oaks branches)

Rad American Women A-Z By Kate Schatz

Ithaca-Tomkins County Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 920.72 Schatz

Austin Public Library Call Number: Y 920 SC (Available at the Central Library, St. John, and Terrazas Branches)

This clip is from a samba school that plays at Carnival in Brazil. For more information on this tradition, see the Band on the Wall link in the “links” section. The video can be found here:

This samba is performed by a choro, which is a small group of instruments:

For a closer look at Brazil and its wonderful musical traditions, take a look at this website from Band on the Wall: https://www.guidetotheworldofmusic.com/articles/people-and-places/the-music-of-brazil-samba-and-cultural-expression/

Want to learn more about Latinx musicians and music genres? PBS has a great site that focuses on the roles of Latinx musicians in U.S. music that can be found here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/latinmusicusa/home/

The CUNY Dominican Studies Institute has taken a closer look at the role of Dominican musicians and provide a wealth of resources that can be found here: http://dominicanmusicusa.com/

In this episode how Latinx covers a diverse array of experiences and identities. What do you find special about the characters in these books? What ideas do you have about celebrating them?

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera (Suggested Ages 8-12)

Austin Public Library Call Number: J 920 HE (Available at the Central Library, Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, North Village, Southeast, Spicewood Springs, Terrazas, and Willie Mae Kirk branches)

Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library: available at the Waterloo Library, Children’s Non-Fiction J 1049 Herrera

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Austin Public Library Call Number: Available as an eBook or an Audiobook

Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library: Children’s Picture Book Fiction E Morales (Also available as an eBook)

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal

Austin Public Library Call Number: E FIC MART (available as an eBook and at the Carver, Central, Cepeda, Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, Howson, Little Walnut Creek, Milwood, North Village, St. John, Terrazas, Twin Oaks, Willie Mae Kirk, and Windsor Park branches).

Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library Call Number : Children’s Picture Book Fiction E Martinez-Neal (also available as an eBook)

Want to learn how to scratch? Take a look at this video from Grandmaster Flash to see how he uses scratches, breakbeats, and back spins in action:

The Roland TR-808 was a very important tool in early hip hop music. Take a look at how it works:

Here’s an example of breakdancing from two members of Rock Steady Crew, a famous New York breakdancing group that’s still around:

Take a peek at these materials from various eras of hip hop history! https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/hiphop/digital_collections.html

Tulane University has archived works of hip hop and bounce artists in New Orleans: https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:p16313coll68

Want to make changes in hip hop like La’Kayla and RAS? Take a look at Get Free Hip Hop Civics: http://getfreehiphopcivics.com/

Grab a grown up and take a look at graffiti from around the world! http://intergraff.com/

La’Kayla and RAS taught us a lot about how we can use hip hop to create the changes we want in the world, stand up for ourselves, and stand with others. Do you find these ideas in these books? How is music being used by the characters?

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill

Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 782.42 Hill

Austin Public Library Call Number: J 921 DJ (Also available as an eBook and at the Carver, Central, Cepeda, Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, Howson, Manchaca Road, North Village, Old Quarry, Ruiz, Southeast, Spicewood Springs, St. John, Terrazas, Willie Mae Kirk, and Windsor Park branches)

Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giovanni

Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 811.008 Hip

Austin Public Library Call Number: J 811.008 HI (Available at the Carver, Central, Little Walnut Creek, Southeast, Spicewood Springs, and Twin Oaks branches).