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The historical influence of jazz in America
History and influence of jazz
The historical influence of jazz in America
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What comes to mind when thinking of the 1920’s? Most people think of the freedom the United States felt after World War I and that is exactly what jazz and the Charleston symbolize (Boundless.com par. 1). Jazz and the Charleston were extremely controversial in the 1920’s because they promoted a new way of thinking, which outraged the older generations (Knowles 160). Older generations did not like the fact that young people were becoming more and more daring with their actions just by playing music and dancing (Boundless.com par. 6). Today, jazz and the Charleston are thought of as out of date, but without them, music today would be completely different. Jazz and the Charleston revolutionized modern music and dance by altering the rhythm of classical music, changing the culture of American society (Boundless.com par. 1).
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...
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“Latin Jazz.” Britannica School High. 2014. Web. 21 February 2014. .
Lindop, Edmund, and Margaret J. Goldstein. America In The 1920s. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group Inc., 2010. Print.
McCorkle, Susannah. “The Mother of us all.” American Heritage. February-March 1994: 60. Web. 18 February 2014. .
“What is Jazz.” Web. 26 February 2014. .
Review of Frederick Lewis Allen: Since Yesterday: the 1930’s America. (New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc., 1939), 362 pp.
As a nation coming out of a devastating war, America faced many changes in the 1920s. It was a decade of growth and improvements. It was also a decade of great economic and political confidence. However, with all the changes comes opposition. Social and cultural fears still caused dichotomous rifts in American society.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of production, it was the age of destruction, it was the epoch of nativism, it was the epoch of racism, it was the season of skepticism, it was the season of anti-communism, it was the spring of gain, it was the winter of loss – in short, it was the 1920's. Indeed, the decade of the 1920s was a truly “roaring” and prosperous time, but at the same time, it was a period of chaos and conflict. The events that happened during this decade influenced the world as we know it today. More importantly, the thought that the 1920’s was an era of major change in the United States, both positive and negative, is indeed fascinating and it deserves thorough examination.
Also known as the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties, the American people felt that they deserved to have some fun in order to forget the emotional toll and social scars left from the war. The Jazz Age was appropriately named due to the illegal activities and good times, which included music, parties, and flapper girls. Jazz was a new style of music that originated out of the New Orleans area, where one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time – Louis Armstrong – began his career. The energy of jazz was a very new and almost uncomfortable style for the very traditional, rigid family of the 1920s. Young people in particular seemed to enjoy this new music the most, as it made them feel carefree. The energy of jazz was symbolic of the era’s trans...
In the 20’s, the era right after World War I, music and dancing became a focus. Many musicians were moving Northward from southern cities such as New Orleans, which was a main focus for what would become jazz music. As these musicians came up to more urban cities, they introduced the country to a world of music based on Caribbean music tones and southern blues. Syncopation was common in the songs that were known in this area, as were the common bluesy sounds and rhythms of those gospel songs and old hymns. This would all greatly influence the jazz creation. Jazz began as a music type that was focused more on orchestral sounds and bigger bands than smaller bands, such as seen with Whiteman, and this was evident in the types of dances and music the people listened to, with large piece orchestras. In this time period, there were big bands, but few solos or focus on jazz technique individually, as the bands showcased the overall sound of the band’s polyrhythmic and polyphonic sound more than its homophonic solo sounds. People such as Louis Armstrong began to be interested in focusing more on chords than melodies and on solos than group collective improvisation, and this started the move to a new wave of jazz: swing.
The 1920’s were a time of growth and innovation. The workforce was getting bigger, women finally had the right to vote, and African Americans started to integrate and migrate from the south to the north looking for jobs. The result was a larger working class and the creation of a new, middle class. Society became more consumer-based, allotting for more leisure time. Times could not get any better. Business was booming, America was turning into a world power, skyscrapers dotted the skylines, and a new music started to sweep the nation. However, not everything was good. There was a huge spike in crime, and the heroes of society were also the biggest criminals. Due to Jazz Age and prohibition, the 1920’s were an intense time period with a newfound drive for innovation, the new woman, and a loss of structure.
Jazz was born by the African American community in New Orleans. Although it was founded in New Orleans the roots can be found in the musical traditions of both African and European cultures. Jazz gets it rhythm and blues quality from African music. Along with the tradition of playing an instrument in your own way from the African culture. However jazz got its harmony and instruments from Europe. Jazz is a combination of many different cultures and ethnicities. New Orleans was the origination of jazz mainly because New Orleans is a port city. Meaning there were people arriving from all parts of the world, it was a meeting place for people of different ethnic groups. The city was
The 1920s were considered the decade of extraordinary social and political change. People who had once taken residence in the country and lived as farmers migrated to the cities for job opportunities and many more things. While the decade symbolized an era of affluence, leisure, and inventions in the medical and technological fields, no one can or should deny that the 1920s hosted a dark side which is a stain on the great 1920s image. The 1920s was trapped in a wave of racial violence, and injustice. But despite that detail, the 1920s was an overall positive era that improved the lives of many throughout this country and the world. Inventions, resurgence of black pride, and the creation of new forms of entertainment, such as movies and music
Jazz music is a blending of both black and white tradition and heritages. New Orleans was the center of many different ethnicities, such as French, Spanish, American, and African American, which resulted in a city with a unique blend of individuals. New Orleans became a significant center of culture in the mid to late 1800’s. It is believed that jazz was largely influenced from African slaves who were brought over in the 1800’s, who did not have their native instruments, had to make due with what they could find in their new home of the southern United States. On arrival in America, they were exposed to western musical styles that include harmonies, tonal sounds, along with unique beats and rhythms. This resulted in a raw version of what we know as Jazz. Some components of early jazz are still found in the many modern forms of music such as soul and reggae.
I have played the music and appreciated the work of many artists myself. I listen to the genre in my free time and enjoy the sound. I have also read a large amount of credible books and sources on the music, and especially of the jazz era. It was in this time period that jazz really found itself and had a large presence during that decade. It is an important time period for anyone to learn about, and jazz played a large influence. The jazz of the 1920’s grew in popularity and was an immense part of society due to the instruments and sound, the artists, and the effects that it caused. To begin with, a major aspect of jazz that inspired its influence and growth was the instruments and sound that it
Now a days, many believe that jazz is not that important of music genre, but with our history, jazz plays a big role. “Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but it is a gift that America has given to the world.”, quoted by Ahmad Alaadeen. Jazz in the 1920’s opened the eyes of whites and invited them into African American culture; it evolved Americans to where we are today since it brought a change to the music scene, an acceptance of African Americans, and a change of lifestyles.
music so far. Jazz was not created by Europeans, it was created by Afro-Americans who descended from ancestors in Africa. These Afro-Americans learned how to play these European instruments well, including percussion or the drum set, trumpet, cornet, saxophone, trombone, tuba, and many other instruments. They wanted to show what they were like to other races, so they attempted to express themselves and their feelings through music and the instruments which were so foreign to them. A lot of the music which they played came from black folk music. Jazz did have a part of it come from Europe. The instruments of course, and the basic beginning forms of music helped jazz to be created. Another part of jazz which is not of African origin is improvisation, which is similar to interpretation but has no melodic restrictions. Improvisation began with the Greeks and their music over 2,000 years ago, before the many emotional and creative types of music were even composed. At one time, baroque and classical music used a lot of improvisation in their music. It was very important, and composers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt used it in their unique composing. These composers were also good at improvising themselves, and were among the best ...
Jazz reflects a cultural diversity and individualism of its mother country- America. Necessarily, around the turn of the twentieth century, New Orleans in Louisiana was the area of diverse cultures that had merged in (Gridley, 2011). People came from different regions and countries for different reasons, which resulted to exposure of musicians to a variety of music genres. Some of the music genres included the European classical music, American blues, and even South American songs and rhythms that merged to form jazz (Gioia, 2011)
Cardel Blalock 5/4/17 English The Jazz Age: What is the Jazz Age ?The Jazz Age was a period in the 1920s , ending with the Great Depression in which jazz music and dance styles became popular in the United States. Despite of social and economic upheaval , the 1900s prospered as a whole. Society was experiencing a total new way of life , characterized by new technology that enabled Americans to relax and enjoy what life had offered to them . During the 1920s , America had felt weary and optimistic after the previous events from World War I but after new advances
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.