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.
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, more commonly known as Jelly Roll Morton, was born to a creole family in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton lived with several family members in different areas of New Orleans, exposing him to different musical worlds including European and classical music, dance music, and the blues (Gushee, 394). Morton tried to play several different instruments including the guitar; however, unsatisfied with the teachers’ lack of training, he decided to teach himself how to play instruments without formal training (Lomax, 8). ...
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...leans style of music and influenced how big bands in the later eras would approach jazz. The compositions provided information on how to accurately notate improvisatory jazz music on paper and thus, laid the foundation for the next stage in the jazz timeline: the swing era.
Though Jelly Roll Morton began his career without formal training, he grew to live an influential life. His piano style, musical notations on paper, and creative compositions thrived in the 1910s and the 1920s and even weaved its way into the later eras as musicians used Morton’s music as the foundation for their own. Even past his death, Jelly Roll Morton remains a legendary figure. His works are meticulously preserved and displayed in the prestigious Smithsonian Museum and universities around the world continue his legacy by teaching students about Jelly Roll Morton and his influential career.
On November 6th, 1854, John Philip Sousa was born in Washington D.C. His Father, John Antonio Sousa was Portuguese, while His Mother Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus Was Bavarian. The first instrument John ever played was the violin. He also sang, and played instruments such as the piano, flute, trombone, and baritone. When John was 13, his father enlisted him in the Marine Corps Band so he wouldn’t join the circus, however he did play drums for Pt Barnum, the Circus King. John remained with the Marines until he was twenty years old.
The music industry during the 1940s was filled with many talented artists who impacted the music industry and the history of rock n’ roll forever. But one of the very well known and talented artists was Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly was the first to pioneer new music genres and progressive music. Charles Hardin Holley (1936-1959) was an American musician and artist whose creative career began in 1956. The family name is correctly spelled “Holley” but his first recording contract from Decca Records in 1956 spelled his last name “Holly” and he kept it that way for the rest of his career (Griggs 1). Holly took a very influential position in the music industry and built an audience for his Rock and Roll music very quickly due to his unique voice and advanced knowledge of music. Buddy Holly is a prime example of a musical pioneer who blended resources from various music genres including a variety of popular genres such as rhythm and blues (RNB), oriental, and African (Schinder and Schwartz 85).
Though jazz has changed, the background behind it still inspires those today. Even though each artist has their particular style or expression, they all can agree that music is art. They can all agree that music is about emotions and feelings. Through the years, just as all things do, Jazz and Bebop have grown and flourished across America and the World. All in all, Jazz for African Americans opened the doors in America, jazz alone opened doors and ears all across the Earth.
was born around 1898, in New Orleans. Around Louis’s time of birth, many blacks were
Throughout history, and even today, music has shaped America’s culture, society, and even politics. One of the most outstanding and enduring musical movement has been from African American artists, ranging from bebop to jazz to hip-hop to rap. During the 1920’s , jazz artists stepped into the limelight and began their impact on American and even world history. Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential leaders during the Harlem Renaissance and his jazz legacy and impact of American history is everlasting. A master of his craft, Armstrong and his music heavily influenced America’s white and black populations from the 1920’s and up until his death.
Beginning with Goodman’s monumental performance at Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, the Swing Era gained immense popularity that helped the jazz genre rise to the forefront of popular music in America in the 1930s to 1950s. Furthermore, Goodman’s performance at Carnegie Hall brought the jazz genre to new peaks as it gained acclaim high-class music. The highly popular music form, along with its newfound recognition as a sophisticated music genre at Carnegie Hall, inspired the next generation of jazz musicians and brought many opportunities for jazz musicians to launch their music careers. In addition, Goodman crossed racial barriers in jazz by making his mixed jazz bands mainstream, which normalized mixed jazz groups and brought together previously segregated musicians. Goodman significantly impacted jazz by popularizing the Swing Era, which launched the careers of future generations of jazz musicians, and by unifying musicians of different ethnic backgrounds through jazz
The word “jazz” is significant to America, and it has many meanings. Jazz could simply be defined as a genre or style of music that originated in America, but it can also be described as a movement which “bounced into the world somewhere about the year 1911.”. This is important because jazz is constantly changing, evolving, adapting, and improvising. By analyzing the creators, critics, and consumers of jazz in the context of cultural, political, and economic issues, I will illustrate the movement from the 1930’s swing era to the birth of bebop and modern jazz. As the 1930’s began, the effects of the Great Depression still ravaged the United States, which in turn caused a dramatic change in the music industry.
He was known as the Father of Jazz. He was most notable as an entertainer, however, he was a soloist that provided improvisations in regards to tunes. Louis Armstrong's “What a Wonderful World” is the first song that comes to many minds when discussing jazz. He is also well known for his scat singing, However, he also had a political side. In his song “What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue,” Armstrong talks about the color of his skin as a bad thing and how blacks were treated. In World War II he fulfilled by performing for the soldiers during a recording
John Philip Sousa’s life started on November sixth, 1854 in Washington. “Philip was a rugged individualist at the age of four.”(9). His early stubborn nature prevented him from attending school due to catching pneumonia from sleeping outdoors when his mother denied him sweets. Sousa’s home-schooling left him craving for an activity and John Esputa started to teach young Philip music. A variety of music lessons took place, leaving Sousa frustrated with critical teachers and challenging new instruments. Eventually he enrolled in school, mainly for safety from the upcoming war, but the young musician excelled in his studies. Meanwhile, trouble with his music lessons occurred, leading him to quit music and attempt baking instead. His heart already belonged to music though, and he returned to music as the child prodigy who fearlessly performed at age ten for large audiences. He already conducted a band of grown men, accepted offers to play in a circus band, and ended up joining the Marine Band before his late teens. The Marine Band a...
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...
Sousa started in the Marine Band in a rather peculiar way. Sousa, lusting for adventure, ran away from home and attempted to join a circus. Whereas Sousa was trying to have fun, his father didn’t see it as a smart thing to do. Antonio, Sousa’s father, enlisted you Sousa in to the Marine Band, where he worked as a band apprentice. For all but a six month period, Sousa stayed in the band until he was twenty years old, he started writing his more popular songs after he left the band. As an addition to his musical training, Sousa studied music theory and composition, to better his education and help teach students, with George Felix Benkert, who was a noted Washington orchestra lea...
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
The evolvement of jazz throughout the years has been an interesting one. Blues and Ragtime are just two simple innovations that has allowed for many variations in the jazz genre. Both of these genres have their similarities and differences in how they influenced jazz music through: improvisation, syncopation, and experimentation.
In conclusion, the evidence is overwhelming that jazz has left a large impact on American culture. The birth of jazz started with African Americans and has lasted throughout the years because of African Americans. Events such as the Great Migration and Harlem Renaissance allowed for artists such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to spread the popularity of jazz. Jazz was able to change how Americans viewed African Americans and their culture and essentially invited Americans into their culture and shape America to where it is today. This change was happened because jazz brought a change to the music scene, acceptance of African Americans, and a change of lifestyles to the everyday people. Although some will never be convinced, but jazz is here to stay.
In doing so, Miles became the standard bearer for successive generations of musicians, shaped the course of modern improvisational music more than a half-dozen times. This biography attempts to explain those paradigm-shifts one after another, through his recordings and major life changes.