Write a Black Music Review

The outline below provides details on the structure of the review. I. Introduction a. List name of artist and album, include date of release of album b. Describe genre of album (blues, jazz, etc.) c. Brief summary of your impression of the album (elaborate on this later in the review) II. Artist Biography & Discography a. Bio (birth, death, and key events in between that may have shaped the artist music and lyrics) b. Discography (how many albums did s/he produce, any key awards for their music, where does the album that you’re listening to fit into the discography?) c. Influences (if applicable) – what artists influenced your selected artist work’ and which of today’s artists have been influenced by your artist’s work III. Song/CD a. Choose strongest songs from the CD – why did you choose these songs? What made them special? Describe the meaning of these songs and how they connect with the overall message or musical content of the album, as a whole? Any lyrics stand out for you? You may choose to single out a song(s) that received special attention or awards. b. Choose weakest songs from the CD (if applicable) – what did you find missing in these songs, musically and/or lyrically? IV. Overall Impression and Opinions a. What’s your impression of the album after a through listening – justify your opinion b. Unique elements of the album? c. Does this artist belong among a particular set of other artists d. Rate album on a scale of 1-10 e. Would you recommend to friend? Why or why not?