Real Story of Rock

Find out about the evolution of R&B right here.

juke (of West African origin, akin to Wolof dzug, to live wickedly) – a roadside drinking establishment that offers cheap drinks, food and music for dancing, often blues music.

jungle boogie (jungle –oft attrib to Hindi jangal + boogie – prob alter of bogle – goblin, object of fear) a 1974 hit by Kool & the Gang, frequently sampled by hip-hop artists, perhaps the funkiest piece of music ever recorded.

jam (origin unknown) – 1. to drive or wedge forcibly into a tight position. 2. to fill often to excess. 3. to make unintelligible by sending out interfering messages or signals. 4. to force one’s way into a restricted space. 5. to take part in a musical jam session.

jive (origin unknown) – 1. the jargon of jazz musicians or enthusiasts. 2. deceptive, nonsensical or glib talk. 3. to play or dance to jive music.

soul (Middle English, from Old English sawol) – 1. the animating and vital principle in human beings, credited with the faculties of thought, actions and emotion and often conceived as an immaterial entity. 2. a sense of ethnic pride among African-Americans, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion and music.

jubilee (Biblical) – 1. in Hebrew Scriptures, a year of rest to be observed by the Israelites every 50th year during which slaves were to be set free. 2. celebrations held by African-American slaves, usually at Christmas and Easter, which included respite from labor, feasting, music and dancing.

Africa  1500 – 1860 juju (from the African Hausa language) – an object used as a fetish, a charm or an amulet in West Africa, or the supernatural power ascribed to such an object. Africa is the second largest continent on Earth.  Africans account for over 12% of the world’s population, are distributed among 54 […]