The History of Jazz Music

The History of Jazz Music

If you truly want to appreciate the music you listen to, I would recommend that you

study about it's Roots. It was a life changing experience for me to study about the music

of the United States. I studied about Jazz, Blues, Ragtime, Spirituals and Gospel. It was

Rather astonishing to see how this music is inter- related.

It is said that American music is Jazz. My studies revealed to me that Jazz is an

African American creation which started in the south of the United States. The name

Jazz was given in 1917 and it is said that this name originated from different sources

including a whorehouse in New Orleans. Jazz has its roots in several types of music

including West Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. Jazz was originally dance music but became

listening music after the forties. It was also oral music meaning that it is not written

down. The American root of Jazz is two folds, black and white. White roots can be seen

in European hymns, folk Music, popular song, dances melodies and harmonies. Black

roots can be found in work songs, spirituals, Gospel hymns and dances.

There are several styles of Jazz, New Orleans or Dixie Jazz, Swing, B-Bop, Cool Jazz,

Free Jazz and Jazz-rock. (Fusion) New Orleans Jazz was popular between 1900 and

1917. Jazz style that was related to Bop but was calmer is called Cool Jazz. Lester

Young, Stan Getz, Lennie Tristano, a pianist and Miles Davis, a trumpeter and

Bandleaders were leaders of Cool Jazz. Cool Jazz pieces tend to be longer than the

B-Bop works and relied more heavily on arrangements. One of the finest works in Cool

Jazz style is Boblicity (1949,) by Miles Davis. Free J...

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... singing but I discovered in this class the history behind this form of singing.

History says that when slaves were taught hymns, lining was used because they could not

read. This style of singing was used to teach them songs. This developed during slavery

and is still continued today. Melisma, (One pitch on a syllable ) is also another kind of

singing that was explained to me. I found these to be rather informative and interesting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the studies about music of the United States of America and it

has helped me to better appreciate the American people and their culture.

Bibliography:

Bibliography:

Wood-Charles, N. Classnotes 1999-2000

Kamien, Music an Appreciation VI Edition

The Mcgaw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, 1996 P. 556-588