What is the Jack Dappa Blues Experience?
African American history and Black music are rarely, if ever, presented in the context of societal shifts, but highlighted more in the regard of a soundtrack to the African American struggle. The aim of the Jack Dappa Blues Experience is to enlighten guests to the accurate historical context of African American Traditional Musics as a response to historical events and daily social and economic injustices that shifted the relationships, communities and environments of African Americans. The Jack Dappa Blues Experience is my personal narrative of African American Traditional Music and the Black Experience told through original songs and dialogue.
Write ups on the Performance –
Written Statement from the “Live Music Coordinator, Blues Dance New York”
“I went to see Jack Dappa Blues (Lamont) in Harlem today. I’ve sent you the clips via Messenger.
Oh.
My.
God.
As you know, I don’t feel comfortable wading into issues of race when it comes to blues and blues history. But I cannot imagine a better response to the current blues scene zeitgeist than getting people to see Jack perform.
It’s absolutely what every blues dancer needs to hear. Black or white is irrelevant. He isn’t divisive. He simply transcends.
Even with all the blues music I’ve listened to before, I will never be able to unhear what Jack sings. He places the blues in history. He places the blues now. He talks and he performs a spiritual. He talks and he performs his own songs. He talks and he performs in the style of blues artists. He places experience of slavery next to experiences of the economy next to experiences of police brutality. It’s all the blues.
For people who aren’t aware of the history behind the music they’re dancing to, there couldn’t be a better place to begin. For people who think they know it all, they will learn something too!”
“Since meeting in 2016, I have had the opportunity to present Lamont Jack Pearly Sr.’s (aka Jack Dappa) work in public programs and libraries in New York City. Blending performance, education, and culture, Jack effectively communicates with a rarely heard authenticity, a sense of purpose, and clarity of vision. Audiences, young and old, respond to and learn from a folklorist committed to telling Blues history through the lens of African American lives, past, present, and future. Jack’s voice should be heard by anyone that wants to know about the social and cultural truths that Blues expressions reveal about the tradition and the people that keep it alive and growing.”
As a Bluesman – With a national guitar and bottle neck slide, Lamont “Jack Dappa Blues” Pearley presents a performance of original delta blues traditions, sharing stories, singing songs and engaging the audience through the oral history of African American Traditional/Tribal Music called The Blues. With an authentic style of field hollers, accompanied by southern influenced guitar playing, grounded in the NYC experience, The Jack Dappa Blues Experience shares a journey of original songs through the traditional style of music and storytelling.
Photos By Ismael Fernandez
This lecture/performance has been presented at libraries, Churches, Music organizations, African American programs, Charter Schools, Colleges, after school programs and throughout the city of New York.
If you would like this lecture at your school, organization and the like, contact
lamontjackpearley@racefilmmusic.com or denisepearley@racefilmmusic.com
Here are some images from my lecture with the R.A.P. (Rhyme And Power) program created and operated by Courtland Hankins
