The Music Evolution and Jazz

The author explained the complexities, the styles, and the musicians of jazz, which were much larger than I knew about. I agree with the author on attending live performances over listening to recordings. Recordings are often short, premeditated events. When attending live performances you get the true feel of the musician and their music. Jazz has much more to it than other music styles, and now I appreciate it and have a greater understanding of jazz.

Jazz is over 100 years old, probably making it one of the longest, lasting forms of 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 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.

There unique genre of jazz was and is a very popular genre of music that people listen to which influenced the music of today by its upbeat tempo, originality, and lasting impact. The decade of the 1920s was known as the jazz Age ("Jazz Age" was first introduced by F. Scott Fitzgerald), Roaring Twenties, and also by other names because jazz music originated mainly in New Orleans, and is a blend of many types of African and European music. Jazz was very popular and jazz had just risen. At that time, jazz was the entertainment and much more. Jazz is not just music, it was a way for people to express themselves and their emotions.

Jazz brought together individuals, who had the common goal of making music. This was especially true when evaluating the African American population. They knew that they had to bond together in order to survive the constant discrimination they faced each and every day, and jazz seemed to help them unite on a deeper level as they expressed all of their feelings through song. On top of that, each musician involved in a jazz band brought something unique to the table, and this diversity make some incredible things happen through the various instruments and notes being played. While playing, these musicians soon began improvising and playing “off the cuff” (Vernick, 2009).

Jazz is a form of art that brought American’s together during turbulent times, for example, the youth effected society with their rebellious acts, the blacks had a voice in the world, and middle-class whites fought traditionalism. The world was being molded by jazz, the music created by African Americans, whom were former slaves. Jazz was such a compelling movement in the 1920’s, it was so compelling that it united an entire

With works such as “Birth of the Cool” and “Kind of Blue” being regarded as important intellectual advancements in jazz by many music critics. This paper will explore Miles Davis as a highly significant figure in the transition and growth of jazz in its cultural capital through his works and important artistic collaborations. This paper will explore the effect Miles Davis had on racism in the developing jazz criticism. Jazz had it's beginnings in the 1920's with New Orleans being a major centre in it's establishment as a significant addition to North American culture. 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.

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.

“If you don’t feel it, you’ll never know it” – Louis Armstrong. Different kinds of music have been heard throughout centuries and the ever-changing sounds of music continue to appease mass audiences today and do not seem to slow down in sight. One type of genre that emerged in this case was the improvisation of black, white, and Creole musicians in New Orleans of what became known as Jazz. Jazz, which had international connections from Africa and European-derived music, emerged somewhere between 1890 and 1935 as a wide-ranging form of black expression of arts in the community, consisting of the blues and works of the spirituals. It eventually spread to other urban cities such as Chicago and New York, where similar styles were played, establishing Jazz as a popular genre in the United States.

Jazz music has been around for a long time, while being around for so long jazz has taken on many forms and has had many styles. It ranges from smooth jazz to bebop, and everything in between. Some styles are not very popular, while other styles are known around the world. As well as a large genre of styles, it also has a large variety of composers and musicians who have contributed to the jazz world. Some pieces are very popular, while others are considered diamonds in the rough and have to be sought out.