THE STORY OF JAZZ
By: Darlene Nawuridam
- Compared to classical music, Jazz is more upbeat.
- Jazz was seen as a sin, and people looked down on jazz players.
- Jazz was derived from Ragtime.
- Jazz is a mix of African and European music. It was combined when Africans were brought to America and were only exposed to European music, creating a mixture.
- The “first” famous jazz musician was Buddy Bolden.
- Louis Armstrong, by contributing his take to the genre, introduces new elements to it. He is known as the father of Jazz and created the trumpet solo in the genre.
- Jazz was well known in New Orleans, but musicians began to travel across the US, which gave it more exposure.
- Most Jazz musicians were self-taught.
- Dixieland Jass Band claimed to be the creators of jazz because they made the first jazz recording.
- Black musicians at the time could not record their music allowing white musicians to dominate the industry.
- Joe King Oliver
- Doc Chetnam
- Black musicians moved to Chicago for better opportunities.
- Louie Armstrong was the best jazz trumpet soloist. He would play high notes for an extended period while it was difficult for his white counterparts to do so.
- Coleman Hawkins introduced the saxophone as a frequent instrument in the genre.
- Inspired by the movements jazz music created, James B Johnson developed the “Charleston.”
- James Johnson, skilled with the piano, would play with his left hand.
- Randy Weston
- Billy Taylor
- Harlem, NY, became the center for the creation of new music.
- In 1923 Duke Ellington came to New York and performed with his band. He became famous and was known to be the bandleader.
- Duke Ellington’s music contributed to the Renaissance in Harlem.
- Jazz was explained in a study to contribute to wild expressions of sexuality.
- At the same time, it was being recognized worldwide.
- Kansas City became the home of South and Western jazz musicians.
- Lester Young, a saxophonist, was known to play a smooth and light timbre.
- Hollywood begins to introduce jazz music into their movies.
- Harlem swing.