“CHOO CHOO CH’ BOOGIE”: THE POSTWAR ERA, 1946–1954
Key Terms and Definitions
45 rpm:
Introduced by the RCA Victor Corporation in 1949, the
seven-inch 45 rpm single (called the “45”) became the
favored medium for distributing hit singles. The disc
spun at 45 revolutions per minute (rpm).
bel canto:
A technique used by opera singers that emphasizes breath
control, a fluid and relaxed voice, and the use of subtle
variations in pitch and rhythmic phrasing for dramatic
effect.
boogie woogie:
A blues piano tradition that sprang up during the early
twentieth century in the “southwest territory” states of
Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. In boogiewoogie performances, the pianist typically plays a
repeated pattern with his left hand, down in the low range
of the piano, while improvising polyrhythmic patterns
with his right hand.
crooning:
A style of singing made possible by the invention of the
microphone. It involves an intimate approach to vocal
timbre.
“CHOO CHOO CH’ BOOGIE”: THE POSTWAR ERA, 1946–1954
bluegrass:
A style rooted in the venerable southern string band
tradition. It combines the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro,
guitar, and acoustic bass with a vocal style often dubbed
the “high, lonesome sound.” The pioneer of bluegrass
music was Bill Monroe.
blues crooning:
A cool style of rhythm and blues; a blend of blues and
pop singing.
Chicago electric blues:
A style of postwar urban blues that was derived directly
from the Mississippi Delta tradition of Charley Patton
and Robert Johnson. It featured the amplified sound of
instruments such as the electric guitar and harmonica and
reflected the musical tastes of black Chicagoans, many of
them recent immigrants from the Deep South. The music
tended toward rougher, grittier styles, closely linked to
African American folk traditions but also reflective of an
urban orientation.
crooning:
A style of singing made possible by the invention of the
microphone. It involves an intimate approach to vocal
timbre.
honky-tonk:
A style of postwar country and western music sometimes
called “hard country” or “beer-drinking music.” Born in
the oil boomtowns of Texas and Oklahoma, it conveyed
the sound and ethos of the roadside bar or juke joint.
“CHOO CHOO CH’ BOOGIE”: THE POSTWAR ERA, 1946–1954
jump blues:
The first commercially successful category of rhythm &
blues, flourished during and just after World War II.
Ensembles were smaller than the big bands of the swing
era and specialized in hard-swinging, boogie-woogie–
based party music, spiced with humorous lyrics and wild
stage performances.
montuno:
Spanish term for a formal section within a performance
of Afro-Cuban dance music (such as a rumba, mambo, or
salsa). The montuno, generally the second half of a given
piece, alternates a fixed vocal refrain (the coro) with a
solo vocal improvisation (the pregón), and may also
include instrumental solos.