The History Of Jazz

Early History of Jazz Jazz is a style of music that began and has been revolutionized within the United States. Jazz music first appeared in the city of New Orleans and eventually moved onto Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and New York City. Jazz unites different elements of African, African- American, religious, brass brand, and blues style of music. The music of Jazz, and its changes through the years, is now a form of music that is known and respected throughout this nation and the world. Jazz music is a blending of both black and white tradition and heritages.

Jazz is American music developed from ragtime and blues, created by rhythms and ensembles; followed by African traditions. Jazz not only gave its name to an era, but also it was a unifying social force and a powerful movement in the cultural identity of blacks and whites. Nevertheless, jazz was founded in New Orleans by African Americans and European immigrants. One

White performers were used for the popularization of jazz music in America. Even though the jazz movement was taken over by the middle class white population, it facilitated the blend of African American traditions with the white middle class society. Cities like New York and Chicago were cultural centers for jazz, and especially for African American artists. Some famous black artists of the time were Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie. Jazz was not always enjoyed and liked by most, at one time people t... ... middle of paper ... ...us, or insecure about.

“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 Cultural Intermediaries”).The 18th Amendment, or the ban of alcohol also fueled new opportunities for jazz to begin. (Tirro, Frank) Not only is it nearly impossible to pinpoint jazz’s conception in time, many locations are accredited with its origin, the United States allowed for jazz to start gaining popularity and leading into the change it had to the music scene. When jazz is brought up, many first think of its birth place being New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans has always been a big musi... ... middle of paper ... ...re are still people who enjoy listening to jazz and musicians that strive to learn the genre. In conclusion, the evidence is overwhelming that jazz has left a large impact on American culture.

Comparing Jazz and Hip-hop Throughout the history of this country, the music of African-Americans has remained a strong influence upon our society and culture. Beginning with the music carried over from Africa with the slaves, up until now, with the new styles created by urban youth today, African-Americans have retained certain elements within their music which makes it unique from any other musical form. Some of the musical forms which were created from, and/or were strongly influenced by afro-centric musical characteristics are: Hymnals, Gospel, Spirituals, Ragtime, the blues, and R&B. While many of these musical forms are still popular today amongst Blacks and Non-Blacks, jazz and hip-hop are arguably the two most widespread and popular forms of Black music ever created. As both forms of music were created strictly by black musicians, these musical forms are most popular amongst both the younger and the older generations of African-Americans.

Introducing the idea of syncopation and the bringing together of European and African American traditions. Ragtime was a balanced blend of all type of music, but jazz is what it truly inspired. Works Cited Stearns, Marshall Winslow. The Story of Jazz. New York: Oxford UP, 1956.

Music has always been a very important cultural aspect of many communities. America has important roots in music as well. Since the late 1800s a new style of music took over the country. In the early 1900s, the music was given a name, Jazz. Jazz was a uniquely American genre of music that developed from many other styles of sound, and is still changing today.

That is just one-way how Jazz music effects music today. There are also many other ways that Jazz has affected music today, like without it, African-Americans would not have the same rights as whites, because Jazz was one of the things that helped with the Harlem Renaissance, and the Harlem Renaissance is what started the pathway to civil rights for African-Americans. With so many different styles and artists, Jazz has survived to today, since the early twentieth century, and has become a popular style of music. Jazz first started in the early twentieth century, during that time, live music was still the main for of entertainment. Historians believe that the birthplace of Jazz music win in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jazz has a rich history that predates all the way to the mid 1800s. It is a form of music that originated from African Americans. Jazz was tied to the experiences African Americans suffered in America. Having nothing, enslaved African Americans entertained themselves through singing. As a result, jazz incorporates their songs, among other styles such as blues, to create a defining genre.

To demonstrate, with the onset of jazz, slaves began writing spirituals and plantation songs by meshing European style music with specific African elements (Harker, 2005, p. 21). Their masters could do nothing to stop them from expressing their feelings of frustration and doubt in the form of music. Jazz helped individuals through both the good and bad times, while giving them a new way to express themselves in ways never before