1920s' JAZZ

  

Jazz is considered by many the premier contribution the United States has made to the art of music. Developed from a combination of African rhythms and European harmonic structure, jazz is generally thought to have originated in New Orleans, Louisiana at the turn of the Twentieth Century. The basic instruments of jazz are brass, reeds, and drums; instrumental technique combines Western tonal values with emulation of the human voice.

1920s' Jazz, like the "Jazz Age" in general, was about breaking the old rules. Instead of following traditional music structure, jazz is an improvisational music style. Improvisation may factor in the lyrics, melody, harmony, or time signature. Counter melodies are improvised in New Orleans or Dixieland Jazz. Unlike classical music which is the composer’s medium, jazz serves both composer and performer. Classical music is played exactly as written, but jazz asks for a new interpretation. Antithetical to the white heritage of mainstream music, jazz mirrors African-American culture. 1920s' Jazz, while very popular, was demonized by critics.

Critics of 1920s' Jazz maintained Nineteenth Century ideals and declared European classical music the only "good" music. Jazz made its own rules which were viewed as corrupting musical values technique. Racism also played a strong role in critical opposition to 1920s' Jazz music. Black musicians were not allowed to play in most establishments, so they played where they could—brothels, speakeasies (illegal under 1920s' Prohibition), and other venues of questionable repute. Because of its association with prostitution, alcohol, drug addiction, gambling, and organized crime, jazz was considered immoral and viewed as symptomatic of cultural decline. The Charleston Dance, performed with jazz accompaniment, further shocked sensibilities with its free-spirited abandon. 1920s' Jazz found greater acceptance in Europe and many musicians became expatriates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urbanization following World War I helped expand the influence of 1920s' Jazz. Multitudes of blacks looking for better jobs moved to northern industrialized cities from the South. Jazz musicians followed their primary audience to Chicago, which became the new center for jazz. New Orleans or Dixieland music marked 1920s' Jazz. The greatest representation of the sound was "King" Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. A master cornetist, Joe "King" Oliver pioneered altering a horn’s sound by using mutes such as a plumber’s plunger. Also a composer of note, Oliver was Louis Armstrong’s idol.

Louis Armstrong was the first important soloist to emerge in 1920s' Jazz. During 1924-25, Armstrong switched from cornet to trumpet. A virtuoso with a compelling personality, he became the most influential artist in jazz history. Armstrong lent his name to established groups rather than acting as bandleader.

1920s' Jazz gained a wider following when white musicians imitated or adapted it. White musician Paul Whiteman, nicknamed the "King of Jazz," became the decade’s most popular bandleader. Assembling the largest band to date, Whiteman eschewed improvisation and used semi-classical devices to produce symphonic sound. Young 1920s' Jazz musicians developed distinctive styles by stressing a single melodic line instead of the Dixieland counterpoint. Bix Beiderbecke, a cornetist and pianist with Whiteman’s orchestra, had an introspective, original style of music improvisation.

 

1920s' Jazz for the Bears in the Park

 

Radio and phonograph extended the reach of 1920s' Jazz. New York, number one in jazz recording and performances, supplanted Chicago as the nucleus of jazz after 1925. The Harlem Renaissance, which began in the Roaring Twenties, made New York the heart of African-American culture. W.E.B. DuBois, a Harlem Renaissance leader, did not like jazz; a significant number of blacks felt it was Negro ghetto music, below classical standards.

Bibliography

Early Jazz: Its Roots and Musical Developments (The History of Jazz), by Gunther Schuller, Oxford University Press, USA, 1968

Jazz in Black and White: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Jazz Community, Charlie Gerard, Praeger Publishers, 1998

Jazz: The First Century, John Edward Hasse, Editor, Ted Lathrop, Author, William Morrow, 1 edition, 2000