Jazz is my favorite genre of music. I listen to it when I am seeking inspiration, when I have had a long day or when I simply want to relax. I admire some of the famous Jazz artists including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and many more. It is a genre that has a rich history. We listen to it but can we truly appreciate all that it is without knowing its upbringing? So, I decided to get informed about the history of my all-time favorite music genre: jazz.
Now, this isn't only about the history of jazz. There are also things to learn about many different music genres. For example, blues is an African-American-derived music form, mainly focused on broken hearts and sadness. I’m sure everyone has heard of it. Well, did you know that it is also the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll and country music? Blues may seem like an old genre but it still lives on today through various modern forms of music.
Jazz is actually a blending of various different types of music including church music, African drumming, opera, folk music, the blues, etc. That is what makes it so beautiful; its rich diversity.
Jazz originated in a place of celebration, New Orleans. At the time, New Orleans was the only place in the New World where slaves were allowed to own drums. Jazz was born because of the glorious celebration of all different people. In a time of segregation, color did not matter because the birth of a new music united all people. It was music that made all people want to get up and dance, and though it spread far beyond the borders of the New Orleans, no one played it like New Orleans did.
Though not the first jazz artist, Louis Armstrong is one of the most memorable (and one of my favorites). He was known for jazz solos where not only did people improvise at the same time, but one person was highlighted during a silence. Louis Armstrong was a brilliant musician. His music is legendary and he will forever live on through it.
Jazz invited all different types of ethnic groups into its mix of styles. Not only did it serve as good music, but it also finally highlighted the beauty that can come from embracing diversity. In the later development of jazz, there arose Afro-Cuban jazz (which is still popular today). It started when artists such as Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie decided to combine their music with Latin music. This created a new form of jazz which brought together even more music culture.
Jazz is a music that united people regardless of color, culture or general differences. It proves that our differences can be beautiful if we are just willing to share them with one another. Jazz is not a new genre; it is not frequent on “today’s hits radio” and many young kids probably think it is boring. But it is a type of music that sets a perfect example for what we all should stand for.
We should seek to find the beauty in our diversity. During a time of skin color segregation, jazz forced America to take a step back from its fear of material differences and recognize the magnificent result of our differences working together.
To learn more about the birth of this music genre, visit these websites:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/history_of_jazz.htm
http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/music/musichistory/jazzbirthplace.html
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