...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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...Unit 5 – Socio-Political and Economic Environment March 11, 2012 Abstract The purpose of this paper is to identify a cultural artifact that best represents the society in which we live today. This paper will analyze in detail the jazz saxophone. This paper will examine its origin, it development, and its roots in American jazz. This paper will also explore the changes this artifact will have on future generations. Socio-Political Economic Environment If there were a single cultural artifact that this represents the culture in which we live, today that artifact would be the saxophone or as it is known to most musicians as the jazz sax. The saxophone and jazz are synonymous with a culture that was developed in the United States in the early 20th century. Although this instrument is enjoyed by people all over the world and is used in all forms of music today, it is best known as an integral part of jazz music (The-Saxophone, 2012). Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone in 1838 in Belgium. Sax was the son of an instrument maker and by the age of six, was an expert musical instrument maker (The-Saxophone, 2012). He produced such instruments as the flute and clarinet and learns to play them by testing the ones he made. Sax studied both instruments at the Brussels Conservatory. As a skilled musician, Sax was aware of a tonal disparity between certain instruments. He noticed that there was a disparity between the strings and wind instruments and the...
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...this day and age, many people listen to Jazz music for the mere purpose of enjoying the music. However, Jazz hasn’t always had this leisure role we know of in this modern time. Since its first appearance in New Orleans, Jazz has played several different roles in New York City’s society throughout the years. Since its debut in the late nineteenth century, the cultural aspect of Jazz music and its role in society has changed over time. Throughout history, several people have offered their definitions of “Jazz”, though not all of them have been exactly the same. For example, Joachim-Ernst Berendt characterizes Jazz as a "form of art music which originated in the United States through the confrontation of the Negro with European music" (Berendt)....
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...The interaction between Blues and Jazz can be discerned when the origins of both music are scrutinized. The development of one is hidden in the roots of one another and both use similar sound patterns for instance. In this paper the readers will be presented a brief history of Blues & Jazz within the similarities of the two. If we trace back to the history of Blues music, the impact of African-American tradition is seen quite apparently. Blues music evolved from the songs sung by West African griots, the southern Black American songs of sadness and despair, and more hopeful Christian spirituals. It originated in the rural Mississippi Delta region at the beginning of 20th century. Similarly, Jazz music emerged as a blend of African-American rituals; the features carried from West African Black folk music developed in the Americas, joined with European music of the late 18th and 19th centuries and turned out to be the minor voicing characteristics of the Blues. Jazz emerged in New Orleans and was characterized by strong but flexible rhythms. Blues had its most brilliant years in America by the end of WWI. The American troops brought the Blues home with them, which they learned from the Southern Whites who had been exposed to the blues. After WWII, Blues had a different experience by the well-known Blues musicians as B.B. King and Buddy Guy by “amplifying guitar” and “emphasized drums”; thus created intensified sounds in Blues, the collection of which later called...
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...analyze, critique, and help us to understand the music of the Harlem Renaissance and the Pop Art periods. The social conditions that influenced the art and the characteristics of the artists’ style were in many ways similar; however, with advancing technology, they had differing struggles to overcome. The Harlem Renaissance was sparked by the Great Migration from 1919 – 1926 in which African Americans began moving to northern cities to find employment and a better way of life. The musicians of this era were very influential in renewing the culture and history of the United States. Jazz, race, and class divided Harlem and New York cities. Some historians have said the best way to understand the Harlem Renaissance is by understanding the music (http://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly.com/index.html; www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/Harlem-Renaissance-1920s.html). With the roots of jazz coming from slave songs, it is truly an African-American invention. This newly formed music utilized the dissonant “blue” note. This modification to the to the standard major scale allowed the musician to play the note flat; usually the third, fifth, or seventh note of the scale. Music critic Sidney Finkelstein stated, “It expresses the hope and struggle for freedom, the vitality which enables a people to wrest joy out of misery and to assert the triumph of human beings over the obstacles that would grind them down.” ("MindEdge," 2014) Jazz was the sound of the 1920’s; with the Roaring Twenties...
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...The Evolution of Jazz and its Modern Influence Jazz is a music art form that was created solely in America. It is considered to be one of the most influential forms of music in American history. Not only did it originate in America but it is also one of the few art forms that have two distinctive sounds. The jazz sound is separated into classical jazz and jazz fusion (modern) jazz. Jazz is also one of the only forms of music for which college music majors are required to study several artists’ techniques as a semester course. Jazz music has been used in many forms of music in America. With all the respect that jazz has garnered around the world, unfortunately, the art form has lost popularity over the last 20 years. With the emergence of hip-hop, techno, and other music forms, young musicians of today do not find the music appealing or relevant. All the awards for jazz musicians have been moved off the national television award shows. There is also a movement to remove the jazz categories from the Grammy list completely. This paper will discuss the history of jazz, where it began, how it evolved, and its future. To understand the future of jazz, one must understand what it really is and the instruments that were combined to make the ensemble. Jazz started to form early in the twentieth century in New Orleans. At that time, the sound was called Ragtime. This sound was produced by a band that included the string bass, drums, a guitar or banjo, and a "melodic section" with one...
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...The History of Jazz and Reggae In the history of music the smooth sounds of jazz and reggae has influenced listeners all over the country for many years. Although some prefer to listen to Hip Hop and R & B the genuine sounds of Jazz and Reggae is some of the most delightful music to listen to. Jazz and Reggae has been two of the most popular and unique musical categories with similar styles but different in their own way. When these particular styles of music was introduced they made great impressions in the music industry. In the early 1800’s jazz was born in the city of New Orleans where it was performed in festivals such as the Mardi gras also at funerals. In 1940 they began to broadcast the music over the radio when the music was played people found themselves dancing, clapping, and singing to the musical sounds being played. Jazz is considered to be a mixture of blues and marching band music when it first started out it was played by african americans and creole. When jazz hit the music charts and became more popular the europeon and african culture got together and presented a new sound for jazz to make it even more exciting. It has continued to be performed in the streets of new Orleans, night clubs, dancehalls, and concerts throughout the countries up until this present time jazz is still popular more than ever. The roots of reggae music originated in Jamaica in the 1960’s introduced in dancehall clubs where people danced to the low beats and rhythm of this particular...
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...Comparing Styles in Music or Dance Jon Smith Art100 September 38, 2018 Professor Jonas Basom Comparing Styles in Music or Dance There is a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to love, a time to hate, and there is a time to dance. Dance is one of the most expressional forms of art that has been around for thousand of years. It allows communities to come together, celebrate, to tell a story, and to express emotion. It is an art that requires the use of almost all of the performer's body and soul. It has started wars, and it has brought peace. Dance has changed the world. Two of these styles are Ballet and Jazz, and they have been apart of society and life for many years. When one thinks of beauty and grace in dance, they cannot help but to think of Ballet. In the 15th century, Ballet was first developed in the Italian Renaissance courts. Celebrations like weddings and extravagant parties called for dancing to be an elaborate spectacle. At these events, dancing instructors taught Noblemen and women how to make these events truly memorable by having them participate in the performances. This was the meager beginning of Ballet until Catherine de Medici began to fund ballet in the French court in the 16th century. Catherine de Medici was the wife of King Henry II of France and a great patron of the arts. Catherine would throw elaborate festivals called ballet de cour. Ballet de cour included dance, decor, costume, song, music and poetry. It was a culmination of all the arts...
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...Throughout the 1920’s jazz music was a defining aspect of American culture; it also had a huge effect on society.. People of the time saw either playing or listening to jazz as a way to feel free or even escape from their daily lives. With the social changes going on in the 20’s, like the parties and the way people behaved, jazz fit right in with the changing times. Many jazz enthusiasts will argue that you are born with a love of jazz (Jazz History: The Standards). Like Louis Armstrong once said, "if you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know" (Music with Ease > Jazz Quotes). In conjunction with the roaring twenties, jazz made it to the top and became widely known across the United States, and even some parts of Britain, making it a worldwide movement. It came very popular with people who wanted to get away from their normal lives and escape into the swing of jazz. Novelist F Scott...
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...Nastasia Tamarkin 10 April 2016 AP Language Jazz Part B: Essay Outline I Introduction a b c Jazz is not something to be considered an annoyance of threat. Jazz is continued to be looked up upon and appreciated by many regions around the world, such as New Orleans, Louisiana. How could a genre of music that bonds both African American and European history be considered a threat, or not needed? I believe that Jazz music should continue to flourish and continue to represent different cultures through sound. II Body d II Jazz is an expression of feelings, emotions, and a story of history. Although this is true, some would argue that it is purely an act of random, irritating chords and sounds. e Jazz has been a cure and an uplifting medicine for Americans during the Great Depression. It has so much meaning and combines cultures from all over the world. It is one of the only aspects in world culture that almost any country can connect and relate to. There is Jazz music relating to African Americans, Europeans, Latinos, and even Cubans! f People will argue that Jazz is just something to keep people busy, and that it is hyped up for what is really is. In reality, Jazz is not understood enough, and not fully understood for what it really is trying to represent. Not many people listen to Jazz and know that is a combination of different customs and traditions. Conclusion a While people find Jazz music to serve as a threat, and to be annoying,...
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...BACHELOR IN MUSIC EDUCATION COURSE TITLE: JAZZ MUSIC TITLE OF ASSIGNMENT: ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY HONOLULU, HAWAII TABLE OF CONTENT CCONTENT PAGE INTRODUCTION……………………………………3-5 JUSTIFICATION…………………………………………5 BODY……………………………………………….…….6-14 REFERENCES………………………………………. …..15-16 INTRODUCTION Musical language started changing throughout Europe by famous composers such as Stravinsky and Schoenberg, alone side a new style of music was developed in America called the jazz music, this new style of music that was developed by instrumentalist and singers, predominantly the black Americans who were performing this new style of music along streets, bawdy houses, dance halls and other southern cities. Jazz music can be defined according to according to oxford student dictionary defined jazz music as a style of music with a strong rhythm, originally of African American. Again, jazz music can be describe as a style of music rooted out of improvisation and features by syncopated rhythm, a constant beat pattern with a distinctive tone color and performance techniques. The term jazz became popular around 1915, though it started as early as 1900 but throughout the early period of jazz existence nothing was written down on paper or notated on jazz music due to the fact that jazz music was mostly dominated by improvisation. Moreover, only little of jazz music...
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...Response” Jazz has played a major role in the history of society as well as the blue’s which both allowed individuals to succeed in the prejudice discriminative years of the 1900’s. As I was reading in the article “Dizzy Atmosphere”: The challenge of Bepop by Eric Porter, I realized that the history of music and where it has evolved to is somewhat surprising. Artist such as Charlie Parker, Scott DeVeaux, Duke Ellington and John Birks Gillespie aka “Dizzy” all talented African Americans that participated in having a strong persuasive impact on society from the sound and tempo played from their instruments. As I understand, slavery was abolished in the year 1830, and I’m also aware of prejudice movements and racism was lively up to 1960’s or 70’s. To think at the time these young African American men were making moves such as being played on the radio and performing to massive crowds is very impressive. Bebop was the musical language that had a majority of everyone satisfied from what bebop had to offer which included fast tempos, discordant sounds and other different chord transactions that listeners were new to. Most importantly soloing on the frontline instruments became big and allowed artists and musicians to express themselves in a musical manor. “Dizzy” was known for his solos and skills of playing chords on top of chords with the trumpet making up his own sound and tempo. Creating new music came with audiences adapting to the renegade style and enjoying the bebop music that changed...
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...College | History of Jazz Music | | | Inemesit Inyang Crump | 4/27/2012 | | In the world we live in today there many different types of music that comes from all types of people, countries and origins. Rock, blues, neo-soul, classical, hip-hop, techno and even heavy metal are just brief descriptions of the many genres of music. One genre of music that is most popularly known worldwide is Jazz. Jazz is one of the most historical forms of music in America, contributing to several cultural achievements and society. The history of jazz has an extensive timeline of history dating back to the early 1700’s and 1800’s which is also known as the slave era and the ragtime era. This unique form art has helped to unite people of all races, regions and national boundaries. Even though it is a form of entertainment, it has been used to widely voice sentiments on slavery, freedom, creativity, and American character both in the United States and also overseas. Jazz music consists of many forms such as European, ragtime, modal, afro-cuban jazz, fusion and many more. While many people argue that Jazz is not one of their favorite forms of music, it has been proven that it is one of the longest lasting forms of music dating back over 100 years. Jazz was born to African Americans, which were predominantly slaves. These African Americans attempted to express their culture and feelings using instruments to give other cultures an idea of their personalities. Even though Jazz is a...
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...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 music, but rather played...
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...1. Introduction: We often use the word “Jazz” to describe an era, not just in music, but in culture itself, which began in the late 1910s and lasted for the whole of the ‘20s. This era wasn’t yet a modern one, but it was beyond old-times and carried itself as its own entity. The music that came from it was its own as well; the world had left behind typical baroque, romantic, and classical styles, but this was completely singular to any of those. It was a unique, clunky sound both classic and revolutionary. And as the world moved forward into the mid-1900s, developing into the one we observe now, this style was exactly the right, new quality to accompany it. 2. The History of Jazz: But where did it actually come from? As far as anyone can look,...
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