Instituitional Research- What is R'n'B

R'n'B is the abbreviation for Rhythm and Blues, this is a genre of music that was created by the African americans in the early 1940's-50's. the term R'n'B was used to replace 'race music' as it wsas found to be offensive in the post war world. According to Lawrence Cohn the words "R'nB embraced all black music, except classical and religous musicn unless a gospel song sold enough to break into the charts."


"Rhythm and blues bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, and sax. Arrangements were rehearsed to the point of effortlessness and were sometimes accompanied by background vocalists. Simple repetitive parts mesh, creating momentum and rhythmic interplay producing mellow, lilting, and often hypnotic textures while calling attention to no individual sound. While singers are emotionally engaged with the lyrics, often intensely so, they remain cool, relaxed, and in control. Bands dressed in suits and even uniforms. Lyrics seem fatalistic and the music feels somehow inevitable."

HISTORY
in the 1930's when the african americasns migrated to to the urban industrial centrals of chicago, detriot, new york, los angeles and elswhere, this created a new market for 'jazz' and 'blues' and other related genres of music, often performed by full time musicians either in a gorup or working solo. "The precursors of rhythm and blues came from jazz and blues, which overlapped in the 1930s through musicians such as Leroy Carr, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, and T-Bone Walker. There was also increasing emphasis on the electric guitar as a lead instrument, as well as the piano and saxophone."