How Did Jazz Affect African American Culture

Jazz, a genre of music that was born from fear and unfortunate circumstances, is to this day one of the most loved music genres. Jazz, by definition, is “a type of music of black American origin characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm, emerging at the beginning of the 20th century. Brass and woodwind instruments and piano are particularly associated with jazz, although guitar and occasionally violin are also used; styles include Dixieland, swing, bebop, and free jazz.” (Google Definitions) However, despite how popular and loved this upbeat music was, it caused a lot of controversy in its time.

Jazz initially began in the south among African American. It wasn’t till the 1920s when it began to become famous. Many of the whites at that time referred to the music as “nigger music”. Jazz was part of the black culture. During the migration era when the blacks began to move up north, jazz was mixed with the white culture. It was in that time when

Jazz is a style of music composed of various instruments. Originating in New Orleans, Louisiana it is believed that jazz rose up from the traditional African American style of dance music. As Jazz progressed it became very adaptive including styles from Spanish, blues, folk, and orchestral. “Anthropologist call this process ‘Syncretism’— the blending together of cultural elements that previously existed separately.” (www.nytimes.com) This new style of music would soon start to catch the ears of those in the northern region of the United States. Jazz would make its way up to Chicago, New York, and Charleston branching out throughout the US.

Jazz has always been a part of the American tradition. Some may say they like Jazz for its rhythmic twist and turns. Others may love the soothing melodies from an improved Trumpet solo. All in all, Jazz has been an American staple and has molded today’s popular music, into what it is today. It’s very different from classical music, which is written out and strict. Jazz is much more. It’s made up of spontaneity and improvisation, which makes up an idea on the spot. There are many wide varieties in Jazz. There is Bebop Jazz, Avante Garde Jazz, Acid Jazz, Free Funk Jazz, Soul Jazz, Swing Jazz, and many, many more! These forms of Jazz can be seen and heard in some of your favorite music of Today. It’s been widely used by the world. There is an important reason as to why this genre contributes to the growing of music. We first take a look into the root of all Jazz. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the country of Africa was the first known country to use rhythm primarily for the element of musical expression, and ensembles composed entirely of percussion instruments created extended polyrhythmic works. These polyrhythms, which means the “layering of multiple rhythms.”, were record in Western music. African music did not use paper, or sheet music. Instead, they relied on Aural rituals, learned by ear and also used” spontaneity, which is later said to be known as improvisation”. In Africa, most of the music that was expressed was for religious

In the 1920s America was changing we just came home for the first world war and everything from economy to culture changed. The culture changed due to the Jazz Movement in 1929. Jazz became part of everyday culture in America due to its smooth and new sound. The creation of the Jazz movement in america is largely credited to African Americans, because they were the ones who originated it. One of the key people in the Jazz Movement was Louis Armstrong a famous trumpeter, composer, singer and actor who changed the 1920s with his musicianship, his fashion, and he eased the racial tension between blacks and whites at his time.

Jazz music is a blend of white middle class thoughts and African American traditions. Jazz originated in New Orleans in the beginning of the 1920’s. The Jazz Age was from 1920 through 1929. During the 1920’s, the First World War had just ended in 1918 and the Great Depression was affecting the citizens of the United States. Jazz music and dancing helped people forget about the terrible Great Depression. It gave the citizens a reason to be happy and love life during the 1920’s. The new form of music allowed people to express themselves in new ways. Jazz music was influenced by African American musicians, changed the music industry all over the world, and affected the society.

Knowledge of jazz has fallen far behind its development. Most people do not know the facts on jazz, only some generalities and stereotypes. Often being called America’s only original art form, jazz began as an ethnic music, but there is much more to jazz than music. It is difficult to think of jazz without thinking of African-American

Jazz is a music genre that has complex characteristics and history of development and thus many musicians and scholars face troubles in defining what jazz is. In general, jazz is believed to have born in New Orleans. Jazz developed for the pleasure of the social dancers. According to the “Understanding Jazz: What Is Jazz?” of John F. Kennedy center for the Performing Arts, Jazz was created mainly by Afro-Americans, and had elements of European and Afro-American culture. Also, it emphasizes few elements of Jazz, which are swing-feel, syncopation, and improvisation. These different culture and elements of jazz may be explained by how jazz

As the dawn of chattel slavery began to rise in america, Africans from all over the continent were forced to emigrate to America. Many of them did not even speak the same language. However, all of these people were increasingly brought together because of their forced bondage. It was this shared connection that eventually brought all of these slaves together under one shared culture: The African American culture. Increasingly, music became the major component of this shared culture when it was just starting to form. Perhaps one of the reasons why music was so central for African Americans was because people didn't need to speak the same language in order to appreciate a good piece of music. However, even as slavery progressed and all African Americans could speak english, music continued to be a central component of African American culture. Ultimately, it helped slaves maintain a sense of humanity and hope.

     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.

Since its creation and commercialization, Hip Hop has been used as an instrument to raise political issues, bring awareness to the hardships of people, act as a means of protest, petition for societal change and empower the downtrodden of society. It is therefore to a large extent successful in acting as a platform to voice political commentary and aid societal progression. It is complicit in perpetuating negative stereotypes of African Americans , the glorification of thugs as well as serving to partially justify police brutality towards Black Americans. However , it can be argued that the same factors that cause this societal damage also aim to protect African Americans from further societal harm.

jazz started well before then, in Africa. The powerful impact that African culture has throughout

Music is and has been an inconceivably paramount piece of black culture, when concentrating on any kind of black music it is all that much an investigation into the back mind. Music has been a piece of the black cultural scene going over to slavery. Despite the fact that Jazz music is cherished and performed by individuals of each national background, in America, the groundbreaker, pioneer and innovator in every venture forward of Jazz has been the Negro. Unequivocally in light of the fact that the black culture talks so effectively in Jazz, it has gotten to be adored and respected everywhere. Between the two, there is no division of consecrated, secular, music, vocals, or instruments.

Jazz is consider one of the most influential types of music an America History. Some of the greatest artist in the world have contribute to the success jazz have had not only on America History but throughout the world. This paper will explain the history of jazz, where it all came from and the effect it has had on the America Culture.

Jazz is an improvised art, born in New Orleans in the in the 1800’s it was the most multiethnic and musically distinct city. New Orleans was also a major center of the slave trade, still tolerated in a country that had just passed it’s civil rights movement, this would ultimately create the most American of art forms, Jazz. Jazz was an art form about freedom. Beginning in 1817, slaves in New Orleans were permitted to sing and dance every Sunday afternoon in a place called “Congo Square,” the slaves’ music, filled with complex, percussive rhythms, seemed to provide an genuine glimpse of Africa. From the interior of the American south bringing with them work songs, spirituals, and the call and response of the Baptist Church.