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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

J is for Jazz



Jazz music originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans in the 1800’s.  The foundation of jazz is deeply rooted in the black experience of the United States, but other cultures have also contributed to its development over the years.

Jazz spread around the world after World War I, and with it national, regional and local music cultures gave rise to many distinctive styles, each performer seeing the music differently.



 Duke Ellington 1943

Jazz music includes brass band marches, ragtime and blues.  In the 1930’s, dance-oriented swing bands started.  In the 1940’s, bebop came along.  Cool jazz with calmer sounds emerged by the late 1940’s and in 1950; hard bop emerged, which introduced rhythm and blues, gospel and blues with saxophone and piano playing.  Two of my favorites playing saxophone are Wynton Marsalis and Kenny G.



 Wynton Marsalis 2009
 
In the early 70’s, jazz changed again with the introduction of rock music rhythms, electric instruments and amplified sound.  Other styles abound in the 2000’s, such as Latin and Afro-Cuban.

Adelaide Hall earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for performing for eight consecutive decades


Women also played a role in jazz and began playing instruments in the 1920’s.  During World War II, there were all-women jazz bands that toured Europe in the 1940’s and traveled with the USO.  The dress code for women at the time was a bit of a hindrance (strapless dresses and high-heel shoes), but they fit in with their suit-wearing male counterparts.  Some famous women in jazz were: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Ethel Waters, Betty Carter, Adelaide Hall, Abbey Lincoln and Anita O’Day.  They were often singers and not given much credit for their composing, band leading, or instrumental skills.



 Miles Davis 1989
 
The music in New Orleans had a big effect on jazz as many early performers played venues throughout the city, including brothels and bars.  After slaves were freed it was still hard for them to find work so many of them found it in music, whether performing in jazz bands or vaudeville.



 Louis Armstrong
 
During the early 1900’s, jazz was done mostly in African-American communities and mulatto communities (mixed black ancestry), due to segregation laws.  Tourists visiting the red-light district of Storyville, New Orleans brought jazz music to a wider audience.  Many of these early pioneers in jazz later found success in Chicago after the government shut down Storyville in 1917.

In the 1920’s, skiffle, playing with homemade instruments such as washboards, jugs, kazoos and saws, emerged in Chicago.  This form of jazz later merged with country music.

Pharaoh Sanders 1978

Since jazz got a start in the “Deep South” from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants by slaves in the fields, it’s evolved more than two dozen times during the last one hundred years, as each performer interprets the music in his or her way and plays/sings it according to how they feel that day. 


I hope everyone knows a bit more about jazz now than they did.  What’s your favorite kind of music?

8 comments:

  1. I'm more into the music of the 1970s to 1990s :) My husband likes jazz. I'll listen to it and its nice, but not quite my "groove."

    betty

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    Replies
    1. Betty,

      I understand. I don't care for big band or bebop music and that stuff started out jazz, and even the blues we have today. I really like Kenny G and Wynton Marsalis. I like jazz saxophone and piano, but I also like my rock and roll (like The Stones and Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix).

      It depends in what mood I'm in. Sometimes I like Indian flute music too and Celtic music.

      Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  2. I've never been fond of jazz. It's hard to play!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz,

      As I wrote to Betty above, I don't like all jazz. I really like a good jazz saxophone and piano but I evolve into different moods and sometimes I like to relive my teen years with good old rock and roll, or listen to soothing Celtic instrumentals, especially if I'm writing.

      Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  3. Wanted to say... thank you for being part of the Challenge and keeping up with it!
    Jeremy [Retro]
    AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2016]

    Stop over and find a free "SIX STRINGS: BLOGGING AtoZ CHALLENGE" Here: http://www.jmhdigital.com/

    HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
    You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jeremy,

      I love doing the A to Z. This is my fourth year, but I do admit it's hard to keep up with sometimes.

      Thanks for visiting me during the challenge and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  4. It's coincidental but I just watched an old movie with Louie Armstrong. He certainly knew how to play his instrument. Good post Sis.
    http://enchantedfantasies.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thea,

      Glad you enjoyed it. Most of those musicians lived a life to practice and play so they were good at playing instruments. Like with anything, practice makes perfect (or better anyway).

      Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete

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comment on my posts. I appreciate it.
Sunni