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"SONNY'S SONG" |
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TASK 3: "SONNY'S BLUES" - THE MUSIC |
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Charlie "Bird" Parker |
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"Name sombody - you know, a jazz musician you admire."
"Bird."
"Who?"
"Bird! Charlie Parker! Don't they teach you nothing in the goddamn army?"
I lit a cigarette. I was surprised and then a little amused to discover that I was trembling. "I've been out of touch," I said. "You'll have to be patient with me. Now. Who's this Parker character?"
"He's just one of the greatest jazz musicians alive," said Sonny, sullenly, his hands in his pockets, his back to me. "Maybe the greatest," he added, bitterly, "that's probably why you never heard of him."
- James Baldwin, "Sonny's Blues" |
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In James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues," the narrator simply cannot understand his brother Sonny's obsession with music, namely, jazz and blues. Sonny uses this music to express himself, to find his own identity. The narrator realizes this dramatically at the end of the story when he witnesses his brother jamming with some fellow musicians at a nightclub. He finally comes to understand his brother by hearing Sonny's music. The music that Sonny creates is from his heart and soul; it is Sonny's "Song of Myself." |
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"Who's this Parker character?" If you have been echoing the narrator's question, I have included this TASK 3 of your WebQuest to discover more about Blues music. Hopefully, this will enhance your understanding and appreciation of Baldwin's short story. |
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Here is a site from PBS.org that is a biography of Charlie Parker's life. Please be sure to listen to the excellent audio features on this site included from NPRjazz.
CLICK HERE |
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Make sure that you listen to the audio clips on the PBS website. Then, email me with your thoughts. Have you ever listened to jazz before? How did this music make you feel? Are you curious about jazz? Would you like to hear more? |
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Email me: [email protected] |
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Then they finished, there was scattered applause, and then, without an instant's warning, Creole started into something else, it was almost sardonic, it was Am I Blue.
-James Baldwin, "Sonny's Blues"
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO "AM I BLUE" |
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Click HERE to go to TASK 4 |
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