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THE HISTORY OF JAZZ
Historically the journey that jazz has taken can be traced with reasonable accuracy. That it ripened
most fully in New Orleans seems beyond dispute although there are a few deviationists who support
other theories of its origin. Around 1895 the almost legendary Buddy Bolden and Bunk Johnson were
blowing their cornets in the street and in the funeral parades which have always enlivened the
flamboyant social life of that uncommonly vital city. At the same time, it must be remembered, Scott
Joplin was producing ragtime on his piano at the Maple Leaf Club in Sedalia, Missouri; and in
Memphis, W.C. Handy was evolving his own spectacular conception of the blues.
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Exactly why jazz developed the way it did on the streets of New Orleans is difficult to determine even
though a spate of explanations has poured forth from the scholars of the subject. Obviously, the need
for it there was coupled with the talent to produce it and a favorable audience to receive it. During
those early years, the local urge for musical expression was so powerful that anything that could be
twanged, strummed, beaten, blown, or stroked was likely to be exploited for its musical usefulness. For
a long time the washboard was a highly respected percussion instrument, and the nimble, thimbled
fingers of Baby Dodds showed sheer genius on that workaday, washday utensil.
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The story of the twenties—in Chicago—is almost too familiar to need repeating here. What seems
pertinent is to observe that jazz gravitated toward a particular kind of environment in which its
existence was not only possible but, seen in retrospect, probable. On the South Side of Chicago during
the twenties the New Orleans music continued an unbroken development.
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The most sensationally successful of all jazz derivatives was swing, which thrived in the late thirties.
Here was a music that could be danced to with zest and listened to with pleasure. (That it provided its
younger auditors with heroes such as Shaw, Sinatra, and Goodman is more of a sociological enigma
than a musical phenomenon.) But swing lost its strength and vitality by allowing itself to become a
captive of forces concerned only with how it could be sold, not how it could be enriched. Over and
over it becomes apparent that jazz cannot be sold even when its practitioners can be bought. Like a
truth, it is a spiritual force, not a material commodity.
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During the closing years of World War II, jazz, groping for a fresh expression, erupted into bop. Bop
was a wildly introverted style developed out of a certain intellectualism and not a little neuroticism. By
now the younger men coming into jazz carried with them a GI subsidized education, and they were
breezily familiar with the atonalities of Schonberg, Bartok, Berg, and the contemporary schools of
music. The challenge of riding out into the wild blue yonder on a twelve-tone row was more than they
could resist. Some of them have never returned. Just as the early men in New Orleans didn't know what
the established range of their instruments was, so these new musicians struck out in directions which
might have been untouched had they observed the academic dicta adhering even to so free a form as
jazz.
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The shelf on jazz in the music room of the New York Public Library fairly bulges with volumes in
French, German, and Italian. It seems strange to read in German a book called the Jazzlexikon in
which you will find scholarly résumés of such eminent jazzmen as Dizzy Gillespie and Cozy Cole.
And there are currently in the releases of several record companies examples of jazz as played in
Denmark, Sweden, and Australia. Obviously, the form and style are no longer limited to our own
country. And jazz, as a youthful form of art, is listened to as avidly in London as in Palo Alto or Ann
Arbor.
Arnold Sungaard, "Jazz, Hot and Cold" (excerpt), 1955
THE HISTORY OF JAZZ
1. Based on the passage, one can infer that the origin of modem jazz is:
A. traceable to the streets of New Orleans.
B. too obscure to be precisely identified.
C. the blues songs of the early twentieth century.
D. the music of slaves in the South.
(central idea, CC2)
2. According to the passage, early jazz was primarily a form of:
F. funeral music.
G. piano music rearranged for other instruments.
H. music arranged by bandleaders.
J. songs performed by street musicians and vocalists.
(detail/evidence, CC2)
3. The passage indicates that swing declined in popularity because:
A. bop replaced it.
B. swing is not a true derivative of jazz.
C. swing became too commercialized.
D. musical tastes changed as a result of World War II.
(detail/evidence, CC2)
4. According to the passage, the appeal of swing music lies primarily in its:
F. beautiful melodies.
G. brassy sound.
H. catchy lyrics.
J. rhythms.
(detail/evidence, CC2)
5. The author's main purpose in the passage is to:
A. explain why jazz is played all over the world.
B. trace the origins of jazz.
C. show the influence of jazz on popular music.
D. describe the main characteristics of jazz.
(central idea, CC2)
6. It can be inferred from the passage that New Orleans was a hospitable place for jazz to develop
because of the city's:
F. flamboyant social life.
G. proximity to the Mississippi River.
H. acceptance of Baby Dodds.
J. musical tradition.
(detail/evidence, CC2)
7. That the author finds it "strange" (line 37) to read foreign books about jazz and to hear
recordings of jazz from abroad implies that:
A. non-Americans lack the spirit and soul for jazz.
B. jazz played abroad is an imitation of the real thing.
C. future developments in jazz may come from unexpected places.
D. jazz is a uniquely American art form.
(language, CC4)
8. All of the following descriptions of bop also apply to jazz EXCEPT:
F. bop arose out of a need for a new form of music.
G. bop was improvised and spontaneously performed.
H. bop began as a reaction to existing schools of musical thought.
J. bop was influenced by earlier forms of music.
(detail/evidence, CC2)
9. By calling the rise of Shaw, Sinatra, and Goodman a "sociological enigma" (line 21), the author
implies that the three musicians:
A. were not appreciated solely for their musical talent.
B. do not seem like typical heroes for young people.
C. took a long time to become popular.
D. enjoyed enormous popularity in their day.
(language, CC4)
10. The author's assertion in line 27 that bop "developed out of a certain intellectualism and not a
little neuroticism" means that bop musicians:
F. knew that jazz could benefit from musical techniques invented by classical composers.
G. understood modem music and needed to experiment with newer musical techniques.
H. made a thoughtful effort to push jazz to its limits.
J. tried out new musical forms to show their dissatisfaction with the state of contemporary
music.
(detail/evidence, CC2)
Guided Highlighted Reading for Answering Multiple-Choice Questions
Directions: With a highlighter pen, follow the prompts of the teacher and highlight what the prompts
instruct you to highlight.
The teacher reads the following:
In lines #2, #6, and #7: Find and highlight the three cities in which jazz might have been born that the author
names to show that the origin of jazz is difficult to trace. (“New Orleans,” “Sedalia, Missouri,” and “Memphis”)
(detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #4: Find and highlight where early jazz was heard. (“…in the street and in the funeral parades…”)
(detail/evidence, CC2)
In lines #9 and #10: Find and highlight the words that show that New Orleans with its musical tradition was the
perfect place for jazz to grow. (“…the need for it there was coupled with the talent to produce it and a favorable
audience to receive it.”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #12: Find and highlight five words that show the importance of rhythm in jazz. (“…twanged, strummed,
beaten, blown, or stroked…”) (language, CC4)
In line #13: Find and highlight the name of the percussion instrument that further reinforces the importance of
rhythm in jazz. (“washboard”) (language, CC4)
In line #19: Find and highlight the name of the popular music that resulted or was derived from jazz. (“swing”)
(detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #21: Find and highlight the two words that mean the author thinks it was a mystery of society that young
people made musical heroes of the older jazz performers, Shaw, Sinatra, and Goodman. (“sociological enigma”)
(language, CC4)
In lines #22 and #23: Find and highlight the reason swing lost its strength and vitality. (“…by allowing itself to
become a captive of forces concerned only with how it could be sold…”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #26: Find and highlight the name of another form of music that was a reaction to jazz. (“Bop”)
(detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #27: Find and highlight the description the author gives of Bop to show that it was a reaction to jazz not
a result of jazz. (“…a wildly introverted style developed out of a certain intellectualism and not a little
neuroticism.”) (language, CC4)
In lines #30 and #31: Find and highlight the words the author uses to show that returning GI jazz musicians
based Bop on more modern or contemporary music. (“…the atonalities of Schonberg, Bartok, Berg, and the
contemporary schools of music.”) (language, CC4)
In lines #40-#41: Find and highlight the sentence that shows that jazz is no longer a uniquely American art form.
(“Obviously, the form and style are no longer limited to our own country.”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
Guided Highlighted Reading for Summary
Directions: With a highlighter pen, follow the prompts of the teacher and highlight what the prompts
instruct you to highlight.
The teacher reads the following:
In line #3: Find and highlight the words the author uses to let the reader know that there were other
explanations for the beginnings of jazz. (“…other theories of its origin.”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
In lines #6 and #7: Find and highlight two other forms of jazz being developed at the same time as
New Orleans jazz. (“ragtime” and “blues”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #19: Find and highlight the name of the popular music that resulted or was derived from jazz.
(“swing”) (central idea, CC2)
In lines #22 and #23: Find and highlight the reason swing lost its strength and vitality. (“…by
allowing itself to become a captive of forces concerned only with how it could be sold…”)
(detail/evidence, CC2)
In line #26: Find and highlight the name of another form of music that was a derivative of jazz.
(“Bop”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
In lines #30 and #31: Find and highlight the words the author uses to show that returning GI jazz
musicians based Bop on more modern or contemporary music. (“…the atonalities of Schonberg,
Bartok, Berg, and the contemporary schools of music.”) (detail/evidence, CC2)
Close and Critical Reading—Suggested Response
What does the text say? (Restatement: Briefly summarize “The History of Jazz” at the literal
level.)
The origin of jazz is difficult to pinpoint because jazz was developing in New Orleans at the same time
ragtime was developing in Sedalia, Missouri and the blues were being played in Memphis. (central
idea, CC2) As jazz developed, there were a number of derivatives such as swing and bop. In the late
‘30’s, swing became very popular, but it’s popularity waned because it was over commercialized.
(detail/evidence, CC2) GI’s coming home from World War II wanted a fresh kind of jazz, and Bop, a
more introverted and intellectual form of jazz that was influenced by contemporary schools of music,
was born. (detail/evidence, CC2)
How does the author say it? (Description: In other words, what techniques of craft and
structure does the author use? What are the genre, format, organization, features, word choice,
figures of speech, etc.?)
This excerpt from a longer essay (genre, CC5) is organized by thesis with evidence (organization,
CC5) The author contrasts the younger jazz fans with the older performers such as Shaw, Sinatra, and
Goodman. (organization, CC5) The author and date of the passage are identified indicating that the
author’s credentials and the timeliness of the piece can be researched. (point of view, CC 6) The author
uses vivid verbs such as “exploited” and “erupted,” vivid descriptions such as “wildly introverted”
(also irony) and “breezily familiar,” irony in “…the academic dicta adhering even to so free a form as
jazz,” and literary allusion to the Air Force theme song in “The challenge of riding out into the wide
blue yonder….” (language, CC4) The author also uses alliteration such as “…sensationally
successful…,” onomatopoeia in words such as “twanged” and “strummed,” internal rhyme or
assonance in “nimble thimbled,” and repetition in “Over and over….” (language, CC4) (Words in
boldface refer to author’s craft, structure, and perspective.)What does the text mean?
(Interpretation: What is the theme or thesis and how do the author’s choice of content,
structure, and craft combine to achieve his/her purpose?)
So what? (Evaluation and Integration: What does the theme or thesis mean in your life and/or
in the lives of others—text-to-self, text-to-text, and/or text-to-world?)
Answers will vary but should include at least one of the relationship: text-to-self, text-to-text, and/or
text-to-world.
History of Jazz Answer Key and Explanations
1. B The correct choice, B , is suggested by the first paragraph, which cites several different theories
about the origin of jazz. A is just one of the theories given in the first paragraph. C is not mentioned as
an origin of jazz. D is not discussed in the passage.
2. F This correct answer is supported by line 4, which shows the link between early jazz and funeral
parades in New Orleans. G suggests the music Of Scott Joplin, but, in the early days of jazz, Joplin's
music was performed only on the piano. H contrasts with the spontaneity associated with early jazz. J.
is not discussed in the passage.
3. C This answer is correct, because it affirms the statement in line 22 about swing's loss of strength
and vitality. A is true, but, according to the passage, swing was already in decline when bop became
popular. B contradicts information given in line 19 about swing music. D is not discussed in the
passage.
4. J Rhythm gives swing its appeal, particularly to dancers. The passage states that swing "could be
danced to with zest" (line 20). F is not a quality of swing music. G is a part of swing music's appeal,
but not its most appealing quality. H is not a characteristic of swing music.
5. C This answer reveals the primary concern of most of the passage. A is discussed in lines 36-42, but
it is too limited to be the passage's main purpose. B is discussed early in the passage, but is also too
limited to be the main purpose of the passage. D is mentioned throughout the passage; but does not
receive the emphasis it needs to be the main purpose.
6. J This correct choice is supported by the statement in lines 9-12 that New Orleans had a need for
jazz, "the talent to produce it, and a favorable audience to receive it.” F exemplified the lifestyle of
New Orleans, but did not cause jazz to develop. G is not mentioned in the passage. H is an example of
one musician, but it took more than one person to provide jazz with a home.
7. D This answer is suggested by the contents of the final paragraph. A contains a criticism of foreign
musicians that the passage does not imply. B is not implied by the passage. C may be a valid
observation, but it is not implied in the passage.
8. H The correct choice; H applies only to bop. F is common to both jazz and bop, according to lines 910 and 26. G is common to both jazz and bop, although jazz is probably freer than bop. J applies to
jazz as well as to bop.
9. This is a reference to the unusual excitement that these three unlikely heroes evoked among young
fans in the late 30's and the 40's. A is not implied by the phrase or by the passage itself. C is not
implied by the passage. D is true, but in the context of the passage the enigma refers more specifically
to popularity among young people.
10. G Choice G is supported by the passage: Many bop composers were educated and could not resist
"riding out ... on a twelve-tone row." F implies that bop musicians wanted to make jazz better, but jazz
did not need help, only "fresh expression." H may have been what some bop musicians had in mind,
but the idea is not stated or implied in the passage. J is only half right. Bop musicians sought new
forms, but they were not dissatisfied with the music of their day.
Guided Highlighted Reading for Answering Multiple-Choice Questions—Match to Questions
Directions: With a highlighter pen, follow the prompts of the teacher and highlight what the prompts
instruct you to highlight.
The teacher reads the following:
#1 In lines #2, #6, and #7: Find and highlight the three cities in which jazz might have been born that the author
names to show that the origin of jazz is difficult to trace. (“New Orleans,” “Sedalia, Missouri,” and “Memphis”)
#2 In line #4: Find and highlight where early jazz was heard. (“…in the street and in the funeral parades…”)
#6 In lines #9 and #10: Find and highlight the words that show that New Orleans with its musical tradition was
the perfect place for jazz to grow. (“…the need for it there was coupled with the talent to produce it and a
favorable audience to receive it.”)
#4 In line #12: Find and highlight five words that show the importance of rhythm in jazz. (“…twanged,
strummed, beaten, blown, or stroked…”)
#4 In line #13: Find and highlight the name of the percussion instrument that further reinforces the importance
of rhythm in jazz. (“washboard”)
#5 In line #19: Find and highlight the name of the popular music that resulted or was derived from jazz.
(“swing”)
#9In line #21: Find and highlight the two words that mean the author thinks it was a mystery of society that
young people made musical heroes of the older jazz performers, Shaw, Sinatra, and Goodman. (“sociological
enigma”)
#3 In lines #22 and #23: Find and highlight the reason swing lost its strength and vitality. (“…by allowing itself
to become a captive of forces concerned only with how it could be sold…”)
#5 In line #26: Find and highlight the name of another form of music that was a reaction to jazz. (“Bop”)
#8 In line #27: Find and highlight the description the author gives of Bop to show that it was a reaction to jazz
not a result of jazz. (“…a wildly introverted style developed out of a certain intellectualism and not a little
neuroticism.”)
#2 In lines #30 and #31: Find and highlight the words the author uses to show that returning GI jazz musicians
based Bop on more modern or contemporary music. (“…the atonalities of Schonberg, Bartok, Berg, and the
contemporary schools of music.”)
#7 In lines #40 and #41: Find and highlight the sentence that shows that jazz is no longer a uniquely American
art form. (“Obviously, the form and style are no longer limited to our own country.”)