...19 July 2010 Jazz as a Black American Art Form : Definitions of the Jazz Preservation Act JEFF FARLEY Jazz music and culture have experienced a surge in popularity after the passage of the Jazz Preservation Act (JPA) in 1987. This resolution defined jazz as a black American art form, thus using race, national identity, and cultural value as key aspects in making jazz one of the nation’s most subsidized arts. Led by new cultural institutions and educational programs, millions of Americans have engaged with the history and canon of jazz that represent the values endorsed by the JPA. Record companies, book publishers, archivists, academia, and private foundations have also contributed to the effort to preserve jazz music and history. Such preservation has not always been a simple process, especially in identifying jazz with black culture and with America as a whole. This has required a careful balancing of social and musical aspects of jazz. For instance, many consider two of the most important aspects of jazz to be the blues aesthetic, which inevitably expresses racist oppression in America, and the democratic ethic, wherein each musician’s individual expression equally contributes to the whole. Balanced explanations of race and nationality are useful not only for musicologists, but also for musicians and teachers wishing to use jazz as an example of both national achievement and confrontation with racism. Another important aspect of the JPA is the definition of jazz as a ‘‘ high ’’...
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...as well as the poor. There were many causes that assisted in bringing the depression into existence. However, one of the main causes was the disproportionate riches during the nineteen-twenties. The gap between the rich and the working class people was the enlarged industrialize production during this period. In addition, this periods production cost fell quickly as wages rose slowly and prices remained steady. Following world war, one arrived what we know of today as The Jazz Age. It was movement from the 1920’s that emerged dance and Jazz music. This age glorified city life. Americans and many African American sharecroppers from the South left their farms in record numbers to live and work in places like Chicago and New York City. F. Scott Fitzgerald called it a time when "the parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the buildings were higher, the morals [reduced]". This era was also known as the "anything goes “period, which emerged in America after World War I. “The unbounded optimism of the Jazz Age and the shocking consequences when reality finally hit on October 29th, ultimately lead to the Great Depression” (PBS). Beginning with the stock market crash of 1929, which was originally designed as a corporation owned capital; where “Each share of stock represented a proportionate share of the corporation. The stocks were bought and sold on stock exchanges, of which the most important was the New York Stock Exchange located on Wall Street in Manhattan”(PBS). One of the most...
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...Andrea Smart L. Singleton English 102, RZ6 April 8, 2011 The “New” Decade The Twenties were known as “the Roaring Twenties” and “the Jazz Age.” These nicknames represent exactly what the Twenties were. The changes that happened during this time were good and bad, but they were mostly positive. Women had the right to vote, they were becoming modernized, and jazz became a new sound. This decade should be viewed exactly as it is. This decade was a time of great change for America in general. Before the “flapper” emerged, “the Gibson Girl was the rage”. The Gibson Girl was inspired by Charles Dana Gibson’s drawings. She was the total opposite of the “flapper” that was soon to come. She was able to participate in some sports including golf, roller skating, and bicycling. She had long hair, and her attire was a long, straight skirt with a shirt that had a high collar (Rosenberg). She was not a risk taker and did not date. After the “Gibson Girl” came the “flapper.” The term came from Great Britain. It described a young girl still in the middle of becoming a woman (Rosenberg). It literally was defined as “a fledgling, yet in the nest, and vainly attempting to fly while its wings have only pinfeathers” (G. Stanley). “She smoked, drank, danced, and voted. She cut her hair, [and] wore make-up…” (Rosenberg). The women in those days had a hard time accepting this new style. The “flapper” was a girl that loved to dance. She needed her clothes to allow her to move freely, so she changed...
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...suits, silk shirts, and pinstripe suits for the men. The women in the Great Gatsby wore the sleek colorful dresses and skirts along with dazzling hair and head accessories. The Great Gatsby showed a scene that showed the backdrop of the ballroom for the parties that was the best example of the 1920s. The Great Gatsby ballroom was the size of three or four houses together with the multiple levels opening up to grandiose dancing areas. The ceiling was glittering with sparkling lights that looked like white bubbles, lights, ornaments, exotic chandeliers, and beautiful greenery. The Great Gatsby dancing, singing and music was right out the of the 1920s jazz age. The movie soundtrack was a trip into the pass with all the Jazz Greats playing their songs from the 1920’s from Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dobbs and King Oliver and many other jazz musicians. The Great Gatsby movie set was the perfect example of the real life in the 1920s right down to every stitch of the dress to the style of grandiose furniture. To what extent was the decade of the 1920s a direct consequence of World War I? There are several events in the 1920s era that was a direct impact of the World War such the recession after the war ended that brought back home millions of United States military men looking for employment. The financial...
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...and at the top of critics' lists everywhere, the 1931 "Babylon Revisited." "Babylon Revisited" is the story of a Charlie Wales, a former drunken party-goer who returns to Paris, the site of his former 1920s debauchery, shortly after the stock market crash of 1929. Charlie sees his world with new (sober) eyes and is both shocked and appalled by the extravagance that characterized his former life. The story is rooted in the financial crisis of its times. Fitzgerald wrote the piece in December of 1930, when the good times of the Jazz Age (also called the "Roaring Twenties") had come to an end and America was headed into the Great Depression. Charlie's horror with his own former waste and self-destruction is Fitzgerald's condemnation of a society who drank away the '20s. "Babylon Revisited" is also a criticism of Fitzgerald's own participation in the party that lasted a decade. (Fitzgerald's fast-lane lifestyle epitomized his generation of Jazz Age party-goers.) He wrote in a letter to his editor that he "announced the birth of [his] young illusions in This Side of Paradise, but pretty much the death of them in […] stories like 'Babylon Revisited'" (source: Matthew Joseph Bruccoli and Scottie Fitzgerald Smith, Some Sort of Epic...
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...are always going to have a very different perspective on death than the dead which makes this passage so interesting because it give the perspective on death from the actual dead, which is seldom because …well, they’re DEAD! WEEK 3 WRITING ASSIGNMENT PART 2 I chose F. Scott Fitzgerald. "Babylon Revisited" is the story of a Charlie Wales, a former drunken party-goer who returns to Paris, the site of his former 1920s debauchery, shortly after the stock market crash of 1929. Charlie sees his world with new (sober) eyes and is both shocked and appalled by the extravagance that characterized his former life. The story is rooted in the financial crisis of its times. Fitzgerald wrote the piece in December of 1930, when the good times of the Jazz Age (also called the "Roaring Twenties") had come to an end...
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...The Roaring Twenties and Modernism 7 F. Scott Fitzgerald “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” (1920) A. Characterisation - Comment on the characters with regard to the final chapters and the end. B. Narration and Language - What sort of narrator narrates “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”? Compare with Hemingway. - Characterise Fitzgerald’s language; you may find the adjectives below helpful. Compare with Hemingway; who is the more experimental? metaphorical – religious – humoristic – serious – playful – matter-of-fact – straightforward - | - What function do the passages of dialogue have? - Does Fitzgerald mainly ‘tell’ or ‘show’? telling – the narrator tells the readers what the characters feel: | showing – the narrator shows the readers what the characters feel: | When the teacher asked the students if they had done their homework, they felt very embarrassed. | When the teacher asked the students if they had done their homework, they looked down. | C. Structure - How has the short story been structured? (exposition and presentation of main conflict, subordinate conflicts, climax, coda) - What function does each chapter have, or how does chapter contribute to deepening or relaxing the conflict(s)? D. List the ten most important words of advice that would necessarily be included in a guidebook for a society vampire of the 1920s. E. Modernism In Life and Literature, Christensen writes about F. Scott Fitzgerald that * his works often...
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...Krishnan, Laksan APUSH Per.4 24 May 2018 Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties are known for both the magnificent players who helped sports grow and for the scientific and medical innovations that changed American society. Sports grew in popularity and many men and women went to local stadiums to watch their favorite players compete. There were many athletes who were revered during this time and a depiction of the age wouldn’t be complete without them. Babe Ruth (1927) Babe Ruth was the most popular baseball player in the 1920s and people gathered in large crowds just to see him play. He set a new record in 1927 by hitting 60 home runs and won...
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...Aren Lim Jimmy Lopez Ryu Masuda Michael Ta American Literature Period 2 May 13, 2014 The Jazz Age As the 19th century came to an end, the start of a meaningless war triggered an era known as The Great Jazz Age. The year was 1914, as the world came together and fought in a useless war. The naive Americans partied as news spread that the war had ended. By 1920, F. Scott Fitzgerald coined the term, The Jazz age when he published his successful book, This side of Paradise. This era was sparked with ideas of jovial times and world peace. F. Scott Fitzgerald quoted, “Though the Jazz Age continued it became less and less an affair of youth. The sequel was like a children's party taken over by the elders.” The music was louder and the alcohol consumption was stronger. The correlation of people and alcohol consumption was increasing as the expansion of rebellious youths and usage of Jazz music increased. The effects of the war, triggered an unconditional response that changed American ideals. As hands shook, and papers were signed, Armistice Day marked the end of World War One and ignited a new beginning for America. Everyone celebrated the American victory of the biggest war of the time. In a way, the end of the war was a wake up call. The war helped open people’s eyes and made them realize that life was short and you should cherish every moment you have. Everything seemed to conveniently fall into place. Soldiers were reunited with their families, and the economy blossomed...
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...THE ROARING TWENTIES AN AGE OF JAZZ By: Vinson Gill Instructor: Dr. C.A. deGregory “The Golden Twenties or the Roaring Twenties as the 1920’s has been known to be called; when everybody seemed to have had money to party. The nightmare of the Wall Street Crash of October 1929 was inconceivable right up until it happened. While looking backward in time, when we hear “The Roaring Twenties” we tend to think almost automatically: mobsters, flappers, the Charleston (dance), a nightlife that seemingly was the highlight of the day, and that is what Hollywood would have you believe. Actually Hollywood has its beginnings in the twenties and celebrated the culture. The new fad was a new music form called Jazz; a culture for a new generation, a passion for the young adult, a crossover appeal that rocked the urbanites of America and a passionate people who were not just fascinated by jazz but supported it. Langston Hughes described jazz as, “The music from the trumpet at the Negroes lips is honey mixed with liquid fire.” At first the art form was not accepted by black intellectuals. Most blacks distanced themselves from a music that seems to draw white attention to black culture; criticized and called it folk art. Jazz was born in brothels, performed in speakeasies which were illegal, actually brought together music lovers of all races in some clubs. Jazz went from being played only in New Orleans to becoming a staple of the American airwaves, dance halls, and homes. African Americans...
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...Review up till now WW1 Economic downturn Fear of radicalism Immigrants might be the problem… Let’s go back to the good ole days… Q: Are the old days really better? The Jazz Age (1920s) The Long Nineteenth Century Historians always ignore what everyone else is doing 1789 to 1918-???? Industrial Revolution French Revolution Victorian Ideas and Imperialism Bigger push for imperialism Ends in 1918- why? WW1 is over, Russian Revolution taking place What replaces it? “The Modern Age” parallels “Return to Normalcy” what does that mean? Science better at understanding the world than religion Individuals have the right to choose their own lifestyles Women control their minds and bodies More rights for minorities? Reactions? The New Traditionalists God trumps science Bible is the ONLY source of morality Women are subservient to men Immigrants are subservient to white Anglo-Saxon men 1920s The New Era The Roaring Twenties Rise of automobile, gangsters, rise of the radio & other gadgets and appliances The Jazz Age Clash of old & new values The Economy after the war… Switch from war to peace initially difficult Gets re-cranked up by 1922-1923 United states’ industry still intact after war, unlike Europe Becomes world’s top producer of consumer products Middle class expands greatly What about the lower classes? Same problems as before Too much prosperity for middle class to care!!! Rise of consumer spending on new fangled items...
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...his honest character, Nick Carraway has a reflective side, which is presented by the second sentence. The phrase “inhabited by a gentleman of that name”, elaborates on Nick’s thoughtfulness and precision in his judgment. The wording of the second sentence indicates that Nick reflects on his previous sentence and tries to correct himself. By saying, “it was a mansion inhabited by a gentleman of that name”, Nick acknowledges that he and Gatsby do not know each other in a conversational level. Nick, therefore, thinks that it is appropriate to address Gatsby in a more objective manner. One of the Gatsby’s guests is imitating Joe Frisco as he or she is dancing in Gatsby’s party. Joe Frisco, according to some accounts, is a famous comedian and jazz dancer during the decade of The Great Gatsby’s release. He has choreographies that appeal to those who like to follow the...
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...prosperity in the Roaring Twenties, jazz's growing popularity sparked a grave controversy, with many viewing the appeal of jazz as either an annoyance or a threat. b. Should the testament to the United States’ prosperity in the Roaring Twenties about jazz’s growing popularity be viewed as an annoyance or threat? c. Jazz’s growing popularity in the United States in a time known as the Roaring Twenties, was a dramatic turning point in the American life. The growing of this musical industry meant jazz would be thrived in adversity and come to symbolize a certain kind of American freedom, and would be called upon to lift the spirits and raise the morale of a frightened country. The growing of this genre would break barriers between Americans. II. Body a. Opponents of this position protest that jazz was an annoyance and a threat to America. People in the mid-twenties argued that “it is not music at all. It is merely an irritation of the nerves of hearing, a sensual teasing of the strings of physical passion.” They claimed that a moral disaster was upon young American girls at this time due to the “pathological, nerve-irritating, sex-exciting music of jazz orchestras." Also, the origins of jazz were claimed to be “the Negro’s brothels of the South”, which left many white older people to be appalled when they saw their children dancing to jazz music. Some even felt that playing this music backwards would make it sound better. b. Nevertheless, these arguments are...
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...In the era of the 1920s, they weren't listening to Hip-Hop and dancing Dubstep, like you might be today, but the 1920s had its own music and dance revolution. For the first time, dancers were closer together, some were even touching, and the music was faster, more soulful, and louder than ever before. In spite of the horrors that the nation lived during this time of the Great War, the dancers took to the ground great movements in styles like the Shimmy, the Charleston, the Foxtrot, the Tango and the Waltz (study.com). The Shimmy is a kind of ragtime dance in which the whole body shakes or sways back and forth, and at the same time leaning back and forth to the beat of the music. Charleston, named for the town in South Carolina, involved turning the knees inward and kicking out the lower legs. Some Charleston dancers even wore tap shoes, used to make them sound at every dance step and produce a persevering accompaniment to the music. The Foxtrot, substitute for the Turkey Trot, involved hopping side steps and scissor-like actions with the feet (fashionretailac2015.tumbler). The Tango, originated in Argentina and Uruguay, but also had a lot of African influence, is a ballroom dance characterized by marked rhythms and postures and abrupt pauses. Tango is a dance that represents the romance and the passion, the dancers dance very close together and they glided for the ground. The waltz is a dance in triple time performed by a couple who as a pair turn rhythmically around and around...
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...sounds that could be heard during the 1920s. The Jazz Age incorporated more than just jazz, with blues booming, ballads and ragtime filling the air, and show tunes enrapturing audiences on and off the stage, the 1920s were alive with all kinds of music. The 1920s brought significant changes to music in America with new musicians, styles, and innovations, all of which would influence music around the world for years to come. Jazz music was a significant source of music in the 1920s, a style which originated in New Orleans and had spread throughout the country by the 1920s. Large cities such as Chicago, and New York City become epicenters for jazz music. People of all backgrounds embraced the music which would become synonymous with the time period becoming known as the Jazz Age, named by author F. Scott Fitzgerald (Bruccoli ix). Jazz music was characterized mainly by syncopation and improvisation along with techniques to alter the sound of instruments such as mutes and slides, and the overall swing feel of the music (Tyle). An abundance of jazz musicians became well known for their various techniques, styles, and the instruments they played. Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential jazz Bellingeri 2 musicians of the 1920s. Hailing from New Orleans, the hub of jazz music, he would become a legacy for the Jazz Age with his trumpet and voice bringing jazz to life. Leon “Bix” Beiderbecke was another great trumpeter and jazz musician of the 1920s. He never learned to read...
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