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History and influence of jazz
Jazz history research paper
History and influence of jazz
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Early jazz or Dixieland developed in the 20th century. Early Jazz influences are ragtime, the blues, gospel music, and military brass bands. The main feature of Dixieland jazz is collective improvisation, or each musician taking a solo in turn and improvising at the same time. Majority of Dixieland jazz musicians were African American. Early Dixieland bands were small original marching bands. In the early 1920s jazz music evolved into an important part of American popular culture. Although, African Americans were faced with discrimination, racism, and segregation they found comfort in jazz music. Jelly-Roll Morton, also known as, Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe, was an important jazz musician of early jazz. Morton wrote the first published jazz composition
The first appearance of jazz was at the turn of the century in New Orleans and is called “Dixieland Jazz,” or “Classic Jazz.” It developed out of music for street parades in the black community. It also had deeper roots in a style of music called “Blues,” which was used to express the daily experiences of the community (History). Other influences include the combination of West African folk music with the popular classical music of Europe, developing into syncopated rhythms and chord variations on classical pieces (Passion).
The music of jazz became an important aspect of American culture in the early 20th century. The crisp syncopation of ragtime and the smooth tunes of the blues seeped into American mainstream music through dance halls and saloons and later through ballrooms. Instruments like the piano, trumpet, trombone and clarinet became important and symbolized the “swing-feel” of jazz because of their capability to syncopate and improvise precisely. With the help of the booming recording industry, musical geniuses were discovered and their talent and contributions to the emergence of jazz spread throughout the entire country. Such musicians include composer, arranger and pianist Jelly Roll Morton who heavily influenced the development of early jazz by his unique piano style, his “invention” of musical notation for jazz, and his compositions that have become the core in the jazz repertory. Because the style was new and different and so successful in drawing in large audiences, musicians around the world tried to mimic it. Furthermore, Morton’s masterpieces were the first to show notation for complicated jazz music and thus, formed the basis for standard notation in jazz compositions today.
All types of music require musicians. In the H.R (Harlem Renaissance), there were many who contributed to this new style of music known as jazz. These musicians all have their own style and form. Each of these styles has in some way influenced the evolution of jazz. Louis “Sachmo” Armstrong is recognized as the most famous trumpet player of this time. His “hot bop” style was heard in places like the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theatre. Everyone from all over the country would come to see him. Armstrong recorded such works as I’m in the Mood for Love, and You Rascal you (http://library.thinkquest.org/26656/english/music.html). Another famous person during this era was Coleman Hawkins, a saxophone player. Hawkins is recognized as the first great saxophonists of Jazz. His most famous work was a piece named Body and Soul (http://library.thinkquest.org…). Hawkins has also recorded with artists such as Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Other people such as Bessie Smith, Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, and “Dizzie” Gillespie have also made many contributions to the development of Jazz.
Although jazz first appeared in New Orleans in the twentieth century, the music it was derived from has been around for much longer. The roots of jazz can be found in both African and European influences that blend together to create a distinctive musical quality and swing character. It encompasses a wide range of music, including that of ragtime and blues, which are two of the most prominent genres that influenced jazz in its early stages. Although there are many differences between the musical styles and instrumentation of ragtime and blues, there are also some similarities in terms of common origin that helped drive the birth of modern-day jazz.
exchanges among an assortment of black, creole, Spanish, French, and white North American musicians. The renewed force with which Latin music emerge in jazz beginning in the late 1910s owes to a rapid migration of musicians from postcolonial Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Panama to New York City.” (Moreno 82) Two of the biggest influences on New York City jazz artists at this time were the both Cuban immigrants, Machito and his composer and arranger Mario Bauza. Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, also known as “Machito”, was successful in the fusion of “Harlem jazz with the supremely danced based aesthetic of Afro-Cuban popular music, thus connecting two centers of African diaspora.” (Austerlitz 43) Although he learned music growing
Recognized as one of the greatest all time jazz figures Duke Ellington, whose career reached over a span of fifty years was mostly known for composing thousands of influential songs. As well as constituting into jazz an ensemble of western sounds which was referred to as “American Music”. This iconic figure has left a mark in the world of jazz for centuries to come.
Jazz was introduced directly after World War I by African-Americans (Boundless.com par. 1). Although jazz was composed by many different African-Americans the main founder of jazz was Ethel Waters (McCorkle par. 8). Jazz was first played in New Orleans, but as the African-Americans moved north, white citizens caught on and tuned jazz into a new craze (Lindop 107). Even though jazz was created in New Orleans, Chicago became the home of jazz music (Bingham 8). The first jazz players derived the tune from a mixture of Latin American, African, and European rhythms, making it very popular among many different types of people (“Latin Jazz” par. 1). Jazz was so well-liked because it gave the artists the opportunity to make the predetermined tune their own (“What is jazz par. 1). When listening to jazz the same song is never heard twice because the band members each put their own spin on the way they play their instrumen...
Imagine you are walking the streets of New Orleans. You are standing right where jazz was established in the United States of America. Jazz wasn’t just about music, it also affected the culture involving social, economic, artistic and jazz leaders.
Jazz music prospered in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Jazz was created by African Americans to represent pain and suffering and also represented the adversity that racial tension brought. (Scholastic) African American performers like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker came to be recognized for their ability to overcome “race relati...
Jazz is referred as “America’s classical music,” and is one of North America’s and most celebrated genres. The history of Jazz can be traced back to the early era of the 20th century of the U.S. “A History of Jazz” presents From Ragtime and Blues to Big Band and Bebop, jazz has been a part of a proud African American tradition for over 100 years. A strong rhythmic under-structure, blue notes, solos, “call-and response” patterns, and
These days there are not many millennials, if any at all; besides everyone in our class, that listen to this early Polyphonic Jazz style from the 1920s. But this style of “collective improvisation” was the hit of that time. This style of music was heavily syncopated with accenting the offbeat by having rhythms that pulled off the main pulse (beat) of the song. The earlier form of syncopated music was called Ragtime music since it created a very ragged rhythm. It was a combination of European classical music and African syncopation. Ragtime music was popular from the mid-1890s up until the start of the national craze for jazz music in the early 1920s. Jazz was not only influenced by ragtime but was also heavily influenced from the blues of the deep south. Blues originated in the late 19th century and was more of a mellow or melancholy flow style that created a repetitive effect called a groove. These two styles of music, both ragtime and blues, synthesized to create Jazz. In listening to “Tiger Rag” by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and “Dipper Mouth Blues” by the Creole Jazz Band, it was apparent of the multiple style influences of early jazz music.
Jazz comprises of a wide range of music from the ragtime to the present music listened to by many people. The music evolution has taken roughly 100 years and jazz has been put in this particular evolution as one of the music styles today. In the definition of jazz, there is no actual definition of jazz because it a composition of very many music styles hence making it hard to get the required definition that would describe it fully. Attempts being made to define jazz have a basis of traditional music that have similar characteristics as jazz but not real jazz. Using the American or African music examples, the researchers argue that the definition is very broad and wide. Ernest Berendt one of the researchers says that jazz originated from America in the process of confronting Negros with Europeans in terms of music. This can then be termed as a tool of identity between the two groups of people due to the racist and discrimination aspects that faced America. This was now a tool that could identify the two groups to bring about national integration and understanding among the members of America. In America jazz has incorporated time as a special factor and is now referred to as swing. Swing means spontaneity and vitality of the production of music which has an improvisation role to play to the listeners. This particular jazz music contains a particular manner of phrasing which acts as a mirror to an individual and the personality of the musician performing that particular jazz music on stage. The early jazz musicians include Double Bassist Reggie Workman, saxophone player Pharaoh Sanders, and drummer Idris Muhammad who were performing in 1978 hence dating back to early jazz performance and presentation.
Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941), was the very first important Jazz composer, who contributed a lot to the development of Jazz. Jelly Roll Morton was a composer, arranger and also a performer, a piano player. He learned to play piano when he was ten years old. Within a few years, he was already began playing piano at the brothels in Storyville. Storyville would later on be called the birthplace of Jazz, although it was not entirely true because Jazz was created and recreated by a lot of people around the cities in America, but Storyville was an important place that affected the development of Jazz.
Ironically, it is nearly impossible to find the pinpoint of where jazz got started. Many early types of music, such as: Blues, Afro-Latin Caribbean rhythms, work songs, Protestant church hymns, Jewish songs, silly contemporary tunes, English and Irish dance music, gospel and spiritual, and ragtime, all went into the creation of jazz. A lot of credit goes to the African Americans for the creation of jazz. (Taborelli, Giorgio). “Jazz was born out of the cultural experience of African Americans and can be traced in a direct line to the slave songs of the plantations through the Negro Spirituals, Ragtime, and the Blues”("Jazz Musicians as
a unique sincerity and magnetism that has withstood the test of time. From its humble beginnings in New Orleans, jazz quickly spread throughout the United States and soon became an illustrious component of American culture. This art form not only offered a distinct and musically euphonic prospect, but also gave voice to the African American community. The development of jazz tore down barriers and confines forever shaping music and culture around the world.