black scale
n.— «The pentatonic scale is sometimes called the black scale, as so many Negro spirituals are pentatonic: “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Deep River” were named. (I happen to know that Wings’”Mull of Kintyre” is also pentatonic, but that wasn’t mentioned.) The definitive version is Mahalia Jackson’s.» —“Tears of redemption, snorts of derision” by Miranda Sawyer Observer (United Kingdom) Mar. 25, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Trombonist Benjamin Jacobs-El, who toured with jazz great Lionel Hampton, calls from Huntsville, Alabama, to say that Hampton regularly addressed friends and band members as gate, as in Hey, gates, how’re you doing? Is that because good jazz...
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...