Jazz Music History

Music has been a part of human culture for eras, dating back further than the middle ages. However, if one were to ask an American where they believed that their music history began, most would reply, “around the 1900’s, when the Jazz Age began.” Jazz is an essential movement in music history, not just for Americans, but for the entire world. It has not only made a statement for African American performers, but also to music as a whole, contributing aspects to the multitudes of musical genres that were created as a result of the musical form. With the assistance of performers such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Parker, jazz has formed and evolved into the most influential musical style in American music history. Joseph

Jazz has a very distinct rhythmic style, featuring “accents in music [that] are moved away from the main beats, the beats that are normally accented. . . This is called a ‘back beat’” (Kerman & Tomlinson 382). The general method of achieving this type of syncopation was to accent what would otherwise be considered the “off-beat.” An additional syncopation method was formed, following this, called “beat syncopation . . . [where] accents are moved just a fraction of a beat ahead of the metrical points.” This technique is said to have been derived from African drumming styles, paying further homage to the African roots of the genre (Kerman & Tomlinson 382). More important than any other feature of jazz music is the inclusion of improvisation. This aspect is crucial to the heart of jazz, as it is what brought the genre to its peak. “Jazz musicians . . . do not stick to a written score or duplicate the way they have heard [a song] before . . . they freely elaborate around a song” (Kerman & Tomlinson 382). This provided performers with an opportunity to play generally whatever they wanted, which came together in a musical bliss that previously structured music could not find a method of comparing

He became known for his gravelly voice and innovative approach to improvisation, which is imitated to this day by jazz players across the globe. Armstrong found his roots in music by growing up in a relatively poor family, teaching himself to play the cornet so he could sing and play songs on the street corners of New Orleans for income. He found his introduction to formal music education through the “Colored Waif’s Home for Boys,” which only assisted in his performance quality. He started from the bottom and worked his way to the top, moving from street corners to small bands, from small bands to riverboats, and from riverboats to stages across the globe. Armstrong had such a love of performing for others that he continued setting up band rehearsals up until just a few days prior to his death. His style, as well as his love of a great performance, all wrapped up in his step-by-step ascension to fame all led to him being a founding father of the jazz movement, inspiring others to create their own forms of jazz (“Louis