Jazz History: The Advent of Jazz
Dawn of the 20th Century
Jazz Origins
• Jazz music is the first true American music
form.
• Developed out of the African American
community
• Symbol of individuality and inclusiveness
The Rise of Jim Crow
• After Plessy v. Ferguson, a set of laws
stating that “separate but equal” was
constitutional were formed called the Jim
Crow Laws.
– With these laws in place, African American
people were even further disgraced.
– One of the reasons why Jazz symbolizes
freedom and equality
• No rules about how to play it
• Anyone can play.
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• The birthplace of jazz
• Long before jazz: popular place for
classical music
• Before it was American, (part of the
Louisiana purchase) it was a French city
and then before that it was Spanish
shipping port.
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• Many different styles of music coexisted
together in one place
– Ragtime (track 6)
– Blues (track 7)
– New Orleans Funeral Bands (track 4)
– Tradition African and Latin music (track 3)
– Classical piano and opera (track 1-2)
– Traditional gospel music (track 8)
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• The African American people of New
Orleans added the importance of rhythm
to the mix of music.
– On Sunday afternoons in Congo Square,
slaves were permitted to dance and sing. (3)
– The music they played for this was a mix of
African and Caribbean:
• The Caribbean islands were a stop on the slave
trading route, thus the music became part of
African American music.
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• “Creoles of color” were light skinned
descendents of white slave owners and
their black wives.
– Creole musicians were classically trained as
well as knew how to play jazz music.
• Thought of themselves as better
– Creole musicians could read music (1,2)
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• Ragtime is a style of music that uses
syncopated rhythms and stride piano.
– Scott Joplin was the first African American
composer to become well-known for Ragtime
music.
– (6)
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• Black refugees from the cotton fields brought the
blues
• Blues definition: (7)
– Originally started as just vocal music, but later on
instruments were added.
– Only ever uses three chords
– Allows for a lot of improvising.
• Blues is about finding hope in a troubled world.
New Orleans: Melting Pot of Sound
• Gospel music at the same time was
almost identical to blues music, but with a
religious meaning behind it.
– Church people looked down on blues
because it was “good-time music” and not
Christian. (8)
• All these styles mixed together at once
created Jazz!
Buddy Bolden
• No ones for certain who was the first to
actually play Jazz, but it most likely was
Buddy Bolden
– Played the cornet in dance clubs and then
formed his own group called Professor
Bolden.
– Loved playing dance music and people loved
to dance to his music.
– Made other people want to play like him
Jazz: National Sensation
• Phonograph made Jazz national
• The first group to have recorded hits was
the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and their
songs were “Dixieland Jazz Band OneStep” and “Livery Stable Blues. (13,14)
Sidney Bechet
• Creole child prodigy on clarinet and
saxophone.
• Toured Europe with his group Southern
Syncopated Orchestra.
• Had a huge sound on his instruments!
• Lived in France at the end of his life and
continued to play until he died.
• (17,18)
Louis Armstrong and Joe Oliver
• Both born in New Orleans, prodigies on
trumpet.
• Louis learned how to play in New Orleans,
spent his summers on steamboats playing
for dancers.
• Joe Oliver started his group Creole Jazz
Band and became a success in Chicago
• Later, Louis joined him and learned more
from him.
– Oliver- 21, Chimes Blues, 22, Snake Rag
– Louis- 23, Sugar Foot Stomp, 24, St. Louis Blues
Great Migration
• In the 1920s, African Americans left the
south to get away from the Jim Crow laws.
• They traveled right up the Mississippi river
into Chicago.
– From 1917-1930, more than ½ million people
made the journey
• Chicago soon became a center for Jazz
musicians.