Nathaniel Dett - In the Bottoms (1913)

In the Bottoms, subtitled “a Characteristic Suite” consists of five Romantic-style pieces by the African American composer Nathaniel Dett. The suite maintains a close relationship with the composer’s roots; each movement in the suite incorporates African American folk idioms, depicting unique scenes from the Black community in the American South’s River Bottoms.
The fifth piece, Juba Dance, is the most popular. Juba derives from a plantation dance (“Pattin’ Juber”) with origins from the Kingdom of Kongo. The plantation owners of old were aware of the secret methods of communication via drums by the slaves, and so, outlawed rhythmic instruments for any musical use altogether. To compensate for the lack of rhythmic instruments, the slaves developed a dance that involves slapping, stomping, and patting the body. In Dett’s Juba, the left hand features a rhythm that emulates a pattern of a stomp, two short claps, while the right hand plays a pentatonic fiddle tune.
Date: 1913
Order:
No. 1 - Prelude (Night): 0:08
No. 2 - His Song: 4:04
No. 3 - Honey (Humoresque): 7:01
No. 4 - Barcarolle (Morning): 8:47
No. 5 - Juba (Dance): 13:36
Performer: Clipper Erickson on piano
Note: This channel does not own the score or audio, and they are only used for non-commercial purposes.

[@dougr.2398]

Thank to Robert J. Smith (deceased circa 1983) for illuminating my life about this wonderful suite.

[@dougr.2398]

Sadly, Robert died of alcoholism induced epilepsy, but among his accomplishments was playing for the Kennedy family while employed nightly at Herb McCarthy’s Bowden Square in Southampton, NY

[@leestamm3187]

Delightful and evocative piano works by Dett. Very well played by Erickson.

[@itchy2learn]

Beautifullly played - the Barcarolle is a particularly fine piece, I think.

[@LuisFMejia-yu6ss]

I did not know about him and his music.
Romantic, with airs of Erik Satie at times and also but lesser to Philip Glass.
Beautiful. My friend Dave Bronstetter introduced Nathaniel Dett to me. Thanks Dave.

[@SoigneTaDroite]

I love this piece, thank you! By looking around me, in musician circles, I feel we are reconecting more and more with these early 20th century masterpieces nowaday :) 100 years cycle? Pendemic aftermath? Overflow of muzak? Overcooling tendencies of academia jazz? Frfrfr! Vulgar assomptions, I Know ; p

[@itchy2learn]

Yes, I think there is a greater openness to music by 'minor' and female composers, or to marginalised musical communities from the past and that's definitely a positive thing, isn't it? Personally I find I get weary of hearing the same canonic works over and over and I certainly avoid playing them if I can.

[@SoigneTaDroite]

@@itchy2learn well said! same here :)

[@HEXL_Gaming]

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[@choijiwonballetclassmusic]

8:47

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[@jaydonheadrick6713]

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