Roots of the Blues: A Lifelong Learning Series

Each session is from 10am-11:30am at the Bel Air Armory (37 N. Main Street). Free admission, but advance reservation is required.

Roots of the Blues: A Lifelong Learning Series Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

Explore the origins of the blues in post-Reconstruction times and discuss musicians such as W.C. Handy, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson, and others. Trace the history of the northward migration to Chicago, culminating in the music Muddy Waters (1950s). Recordings, video excerpts, and live performances from the instructor will keep these presentations as lively and interesting as the music itself.  Seth Kibel is one of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier woodwind specialists, working with some of the best bands in klezmer, jazz, swing, and more. Wowing audiences on clarinet, saxophone, and flute, Seth has made a name for himself in the Washington/Baltimore region, and beyond. When he’s not performing, Seth frequently lectures on a variety of topics in music history for numerous institutions, including the Osher Lifelong Learning programs at Johns Hopkins and Towson Universities. www.sethkibel.com.

2) Session 2 — The Blues Belters of the 1920s (Tuesday, October 17, 2023)

When blues entered the mainstream in the 1920’s and took America by storm, it was through a cadre of female blues singers — Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Albert Hunter, and Ethel Waters. We’ll examine the lives, careers, and music of these amazing women.

This series is supported in part by the Bel Air Arts & Entertainment District and the Maryland State Arts Council.