Jazz Music In New Orleans

The roots of jazz are often pinned to the African American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana. Because New Orleans was at the center of trade through its major sea and river port, music was able to develop through the numerous people who came to and from the area. As a result of this mixing of people, past music traditions also blended. Music traditions, such as slave songs and brass bands, contributed to a new creation. Slave songs, which were known for their spiritual and gospel sound, were sung by slaves who were working on plantations, railroads, fields, and more. In addition to the spiritual sound, slave songs also featured the call-and-response idea, in which a leader sang one line and the others sang it back. This call-and-response idea became a key element in the improvisation aspect of jazz. Moreover, brass bands also played a role in the creation of

Out of the streets of New Orleans, a new form of music arose. This new type of music was not known as African or European, but simply American. It was jazz. In 1900 jazz first developed, but it wasn’t until the

African Americans had a major role in the development of popular entertainment in America. Following the Civil War, black Americans, developed a new style of music called ragtime which eventually evolved into what we now know as Jazz. In developing Jazz, African Americans contributed knowledge of the dance and folk music of people across Africa. Together, these musical forms had a major influence on the development of music within the United States and around the world during the 20th century. Early jazz and blues recordings were made in the 1920’s and the early part of the 20th century saw a constant rise in their popularity.

Initially, the first jazz is said to have been played by funeral bands that wailed music full of soul and sadness as the followed horse drawn hearses down the streets of New Orleans. It was blues music though (Winfield 157). Many historians mark the start of the “Jazz Age” on November 12, 1917- the day the Department of the Navy closed a thirty-eight square-block neighborhood known as storyville in the city of New Orleans. Fearing the health of its sailors, the navy shut the doors of Storyville’s brothels and nightclubs, forcing

During the early 1900’s, a new style of music began to take shape in the colorful city of New Orleans. People from all over the world came to exchange stories, conversation, and music. Although it is a very hard genre of music to define, it is said that Jazz is the combination of European and African music that was brought in via the ports. With mostly an African American population, the musicians shared their music in Storyville - a cultural melting pot, and began to spread the “New Orleans Sound”. They contributed to what would soon be known as Jazz in 1917. The spontaneous nature of Jazz’s syncopation and sound makes it a very humanistic style of music and makes every performance original. Every day we improvise, whether it is in conversation or spur of the moment decisions. These truly unique elements caused Jazz to become a symbol of America, and changed music forever.

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

Jazz music originated in New Orleans around the beginning of the 20th century, developing through various increasingly complex styles. These scores are generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms; polyphonic ensemble playing; improvisatory, virtuosic solos; melodic freedom and a harmonic idiom. These pieces range from simple diatonicism, through chromaticism, to atonality (Dictionary.com). The foundation of jazz is associated with the Black experience in the United States, but different cultures have added their own personal experiences and styles to this art form as well. As a result of jazz spreading around the world, it grew locally, regionally, and nationally in cultures. Each decade brought a new form of jazz including brass bands in the twenties, swing bands in the thirties, and smooth cool jazz in the forties.

     Jazz music is a blending of both black and white tradition and heritages. New Orleans was the center of many different ethnicities, such as French, Spanish, American, and African

The reason for New Orleans was such a vital role in the birth and creation of jazz, was because of the many musical traditions and greatly talented musicians. The culture, and genre of jazz, was impacted and derived from the heavy use of the blues, spirituals, and also ragtime in the south. Some of the very first known jazz bands emerged from New Orleans, and hybrid bands were up and coming as well, playing music that we have all come to know called jazz. What separates other music from this, is that this new new orleans type music was its own style. It was a front line, rhythm section, a lot of improvisation.

that first appeared in the 1890s, was composed for the piano, and each rag is a

Jazz originated from New Orleans, Missouri, in the 1860s. It combined black American music, European harmonies and forms, and African rhythms. (Tirro). African

The origins of jazz music and dance are found in the rhythms and movements brought to America by African slaves. The style of African dance is earthy; low, knees bent, pulsating body movements emphasized by body isolations and hand-clapping. As slaves forced into America, starting during the 1600’s, Africans from many cultures were cut off from their families, languages and

Music is a form of art that is expressed through the creation of sound based on several cultures throughout the world. New Orleans Jazz is a genre of music originating in the 19th century that allowed people, especially of African American decent, to feel to express their love and excitement for the jubilant music. Jazz is a unique style of music that is often performed by brass band musicians using simple instruments to create a distinctive musical sound. Two distinguished musicians, Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, rose to fame with their musical talents in the jazz community around the world. These two musicians born below the Mason Dixon line would acquire their popularity by performing nationwide, but their childhood, musical careers, and legacies would be totally different.

Other developments led to the ``trumpet-piano'' style of Earl Hines and Teddy Weatherford and to the swing style of Duke Ellington. Some Historians consider ragtime to be the very first jazz style. Although it cannot actually be classified as jazz, ragtime is definitely a very influential part of jazz. In Louisiana at this time there was music everywhere. Ragtime bands and marching bands were joining together. Mexican bands were also and influence especially in the way the trumpets and horns were played. All this merging of different band sounds was important in the creation of jazz. Eventually the instruments used in marching bands crossed over into jazz instruments. The drums and clarinet filled in for the marching band instruments. New Orleans was such a melting pot for music and culture but it was also a party town. This party scene was also a part of how jazz was molded. The demand for fresh new music was high, which caused musicians to alter and elongate their styles. All the new creations and variations on the music in the end fused into jazz.

Even though Jazz music was predominantly of African-American audiences, it grew to all listeners of music regardless of their race. But, if we look at the audience of today, the listeners of Jazz music are white. Jazz was also able to grow during its height because of the fact that music was able to be recorded. This gave everyone the ability to hear this genre of music, even if they were not able to go out and enjoy it live. Also during this time and through the mid-century Jazz was the dance music of Americans. Jazz in fact influenced the younger crowds in how they dressed, their language, as well as a certain attitude. Most of all, Jazz, more than most other music, has been firmly related with the societal, political, and financial impacts of American urban communities and in addition the changing status of American workmanship and music all through the