A Century of African-American Music: Cultural Appreciation or Cultural Appropriation?
Wednesdays, May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3 | 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon
Bethany Congregational Church 556 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara
VISTAS member price: $50; non-member price: $75
Presented by Norm Cohen
The contributions of African-Americans to our national music are unmistakable, though nevertheless contentious. Through recordings and pictorial documents we will explore the history and development of this music from the 1860s to the 1960s. We’ll listen to many genres, including spirituals, gospel and other religious music, ragtime and jazz, work songs and children’s songs, rhythm ‘n’ blues, and soul, as well as the African-American contribution to classical music. We’ll consider the phenomenon of musical interchange between black and white cultures and the important question of cultural appropriation.