Musicology - Drum Set in US Culture

Catalog description

“The drum set was the first bona fide American musical instrument.” -Wynton Marsalis. The evolution of the drum set tells the story of the U.S. in numerous ways. It was formed from instruments brought to the U.S. by people from all over the world. It was created by disenfranchised voices, and their work changed the shape of almost every major style of popular music in the U.S. Innovation and adaptability allowed this instrument to influence the story of American popular music from the creation of jazz, to the big band swing era, to bebop, to R&B, to funk, to rock, to hip hop, to country and to pop. The story of the drum set tells the story of the U.S. for the last 150 years: the story of innovation, creativity, ingenuity, racism, resilience, systemic inequalities, and the work to overcome them. It tells us the story of American exceptionalism and American imperialism. Through the drum set you can hear the influence of the U.S. throughout the world, with seemingly endless creativity of musicians who created reggae, hiplife, reggaeton, K-pop, calypso, cumbia, and many more. Hip hop alone has inspired hundreds of styles globally. Created from people all around the world and then released to people all around the world to create new styles of music, the drum set is certainly one of the most influential instruments on the planet. The drum set has a story to tell, of people coming together to have a good time and to change the world. Satisfies: US Culture (USC)