History and Legacy of Jazz Music Essay - 1001 Words

In the 1920s, through the streets of New Orleans, a familiar sound could be heard escaping from the walls of the night clubs. The sultry saxophone solos and the strange scatting selections filled the air. The style was new and spontaneous. This new genre incorporated the styles from gospel hymns, blues, and ragtime, yet was completely different in its own way. The sound, with its new techniques that gave it a raw uniqueness, was able to capture Americas curiousness, and make many fall head over heels for the new infectious sound. It drew in people from any age, race, and social status. This new genre was called jazz, and it became so popular that an era was named after it. Jazz is a blend of African American spiritual folk songs and†¦show more content†¦Another factor that makes Jazz music so distinctive is its alternating rhythms. In jazz, the rhythm or beat of the music is often sped up of slowed down at different parts of the piece to increase the mood the musician wishes to display through the song (Matthews). Because jazz was so heavily influenced by ragtime and blues, their styles were brought out during the times the artist wanted to convey different messages. For example, if the song was upbeat and happy, then the ragtime style was used. According to Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden, ragtime is â€Å"A musical form in which the right hand plays the melody while the left hand makes â€Å"stompy† sounds on the keys.† In Jazz, however, the beats are often off count which differentiates it from Ragtime. If the jazz musician wanted to bring out the sorrow of the song he or she would approach the song with more of the Blues style (Blue and Naden). One jazz song could incorporate both the blues and the ragtime styles, which is what made this genre so unique to other genres that came before it. Rhythms are so important in Jazz because the musician has the ability to change the tempo or mood of the song at any time. Since so many of the songs during the Jazz Age were performed so many times by many different artists, Jazz musicians often reshaped the rhythms during the song to express their own individuality in the song. According to Dr. Marshall Stearns, who was an Associate Professor of English Literature atShow MoreRelatedLouis Armstrong : The Greatest Jazz Artist1087 Words   |  5 PagesLouis â€Å"Satchmo† Armstrong One of the greatest in Jazz music history Louis Armstrong, a man of many talents and skills his occupation ranging from singer, film star, soloist, comedian, bandleader, and most importantly a jazz trumpeter with his thrilling performances; being recognized as one of the greatest jazz artist in history. Louis Armstrong is considered one of the most influential jazz artists capturing the people’s attention with his â€Å"daring trumpet style and vocals†. Developing his skillsRead MoreThe Most Influential Jazz Artists History And Thee Most Important Figure Essay1347 Words   |  6 Pagesone of the most influential jazz artists history and thee most important figure in jazz history. From the 1920’s all the way through the 1960’s, Armstrong had a very illustrious career. Armstrong was a composer, instrumentalist, arranger and a singer. Giving him many ways to have an everlasting legacy in music. He innovated many different styles and excelled in many different eras of jazz. Armstrong made an abundan t of contributions to jazz ranging from new styles of jazz including a new way of singingRead MoreThe Original Dixieland Jazz Band Influence715 Words   |  3 PagesThe Original Dixieland Jazz Band Influence The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, although not the first of many jazz musicians, made a big impact on jazz community by popularizing the culture of jazz throughout the nation. They consisted of five members from New Orleans: Nick LaRocca, leader and cornet; Larry Shields, clarinet; Tony Sbarbaro, drums; Eddie Edwards, trombone; and Henry Ragas (replaced by Russel Robinson), piano. The grouped gained popularity around the 1910s-20s. They gained popularityRead MoreJazz Music: Bebop Essay1151 Words   |  5 Pagesone of the most artistic styles of jazz music. Bebop gradually developed during the 1940’s. Bebop focused more on the freedom of creativity rather than rhythmic aspects. According to The Bop Era, it also gave soloists more room for â€Å"innovative improvisation† (Glass). Through the works of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and other players we will discover how Bebop became such a prominent style during this era. Bebop is a â€Å"genre of American music originated in New Orleans around theRead MoreThe Most Popular Instrument of All Time: The Trumpet Essay892 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout history, music has changed. One instrument has been able to stand the testament of time. Many instruments have had their time, but faded away. The trumpet has survived them all. It is probably the most popular instrument of all time. With talented musicians like Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis, the trumpet has been able to endure. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the careers of Armstrong and Davis, and how the trumpet became their way into Jazz. Louis Armstrong was born onRead MoreEssay about Miles Davis1689 Words   |  7 Pageswas Miles Davis’ breakthrough year. His performance of amp;quot;round midnightamp;quot; at the Newport Jazz Festival alerted the critics that he was amp;quot;backamp;quot;. Davis form a quintet which included Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, and John Coletrain. In 1957 Davis made the first of many solo recordings with the unusual jazz orchestrations of Gil Evans, and he wrote music for film by Louis Malle. In 1963Davis formed a new quintet including the talents of Herbie Hancock, RonRead MoreComparative Analysis : The Great Miles Davis1549 Words   |  7 PagesComparative Analysis Throughout Jazz history there has never been an artist that it has changed the sound of jazz several times. He challenged himself and encouraged others to go on diverse paths to create sounds and rhythmic patterns. This distinct musical innovator that influenced jazz beyond its limits is the great Miles Davis. Davis was born on May 25, 1926, in Alton, Illinois. But, he grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. His father was dental surgeon, therefore they never had any financialRead MoreMost Influential Jazz Singer, Billie Holiday693 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican cultural movement specifically in creative arts such as music and literature. Jazz represented the flavor and zest of African American culture in the 1920s-1940s. Billie Holiday had a great impact on the Harlem Renaissance because she was one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. She performed with other great jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Teddy Wilson, Jo Jones, and Henry Allen. Her career as a jazz singer was an incredible and thriving one, however, it was shortenedRead MoreDuke Ellington Essay1260 Words   |  6 PagesDuke Ellington Duke Ellingtons pre-eminence in jazz is not only because of the very high aesthetic standard of his output and not simply due to his remarkable abilities as a pianist, composer and bandleader, but also to the fact that he has extended the boundaries of jazz more than any other musician, without abandoning the true essence of the music. Perhaps no other American musician left such a massive and challenging legacy in composition and performance. Edward Kennedy Duke EllingtonRead MoreMusic Is Exceptionally Powerful And Meaningful To People1353 Words   |  6 PagesMusic is exceptionally powerful and meaningful to people worldwide as it serves as an expression of emotion. Authors of various literary works integrate music into their stories. In Baldwin s short story, Sonny s Blues, jazz music is an important part of the story that explores the life of one of the main characters, Sonny. During the time this short story was written, Charlie Parker, an influential jazz musician that is briefly acknowledged in the story, had an immense following. Charlie Parker