Impact Of Music On African American Music

He laid the foundation for the large and influential jazz movement. Beside the impressive pressing trumpet, he has a very special voice hoarse and has the ability to sing Scat ingeniously. According to music critic Steve Leggett, “Armstrong is probably the most influential person in American music in the background 20th century”. He played a very important role in the development of jazz music, so many people called him the "father of jazz" or "Pops" as the respec... ... middle of paper ... ...ability. Louis Armstrong influenced almost all aspects of jazz technique and style.

they were able to produce some of jazz’s greatest records, such as “Weather Bird” and “West End Blues.” The latter recording was considered one of the great musician’s finest works as it combines opera and blues. With this recording, Armstrong was able to prove that jazz is not only a genre meant for fun and dancing, but was also capable

In conclusion, I believe that the early history of jazz is vital in really understanding the complexity and beauty of jazz as a whole. Jazz, being a native form of music within the United States along with it many changes in the 1900’s, has significantly influenced American culture and its development through the years. Jazz remains an influential facet in the world of music and it is enjoyable to know where it came from.

Armstrong’s music was sophisticated, virtuosic, and emotionally expressive. As a soloist, he was able to test his creative instrumental abilities, well establishing his musical identity. Armstrong stands out from the rest of the Jazz musicians in that he has “superior choice of notes and shape of his lines, incomparable basic quality of tone, incomparable sense of swing, and the subtly varied repertory of vibratos and shakes he embellishes individual notes.” During its early days, jazz was seen as a “forward-looking art, incorporating new techniques, more expansive harmonies and melodies” ( Otherbook).

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.

As a result of a diaspora from French, Spanish, and African ethnicities during the late 19th and early 20th century, New Orleans became a cultural hub with an established black community. The classical influence of the European settlers, as well as the African and Caribbean cultural aspects, merged to create the birth of the New Orleans brass band sound, now known today as Dixieland Jazz. Dixieland Jazz featured prominent bandleader and musician Charles “Buddy” Bolden, who arranged music for special community events such as weddings and funerals where dancing was an integral part of the musical performance. With the beginning of the 20th century, the public wanted ne... ... middle of paper ... ...ck of public support, he was able to elevate jazz music into art music – an intellectual piece for understanding. Davis was not only influenced by the music of his contemporaries but was also inspired by the music of classical composers and of other genres by which his fellow quintet member, Bill Evans, introduced to him.

From powerful pieces capable of captivating an audience, to slow ballads able to soothe and mellow the listener, jazz is everywhere. Its sound is unique and recognizable, and is applicable in countless situations. It can fit any mood and adapt to the sound and tone that is desired. With its distinctly American roots there is a reason it is so popular and well known in the country. At one time there was an era where it first grew and dominated the music society.

Spirituals were quite popular among the slave community and eventually gave birth to the next musical stepping stone to jazz, blues. Blues is often thought of as plantation and country songs taken to the streets of the city. The most defining trait, how it sounds, perfectly resembles the troubling experiences in the wo... ... middle of paper ... ...the form of Black music. One of the most important phases of jazz for the African Americans was its acceptance. Elitist White musical circles considered some form Black artistry acceptable for the first time.

He was a dazzling improviser, technically, emotionally, and intellectually. He changed the format of jazz by bringing the soloist to the forefront, and in his recording groups, the "Hot Five" and the "Hot Seven" (Porter 2), demonstrated that jazz improvisation could go far beyond simply ornamenting the melody. He became the first well known male jazz singer, and also set standards for all later jazz singers, by creating scat singing: singing meaningless syllables instead of words, not unlike instrumental improvisation. During the 1920s, large groups of jazz musicians began to play together, forming the big bands that became so popular in the 1930s and early 1940s, (the swing era).

It is thanks to him along with many others, that jazz has become one of the most influential genres that connects people from every culture. New Orleans, the birthplace of the jazz genre started out as a city of music. Music was