Brief History of Jazz
An American Music

The History of Jazz

In this module you will learn:

• the origin of jazz
• early musical influences
• early social influences

Buddy Bolden's Jazz Band circa 1900

Public Domain Image retrieved from Wikimedia Commons

Jazz music began around 1900 in New Orleans LA

• Early Jazz centered around bars, brothels and marching bands
• It's early practitioners were primarily African-American and Creoles of Color
• Other ethnic groups would become involved as the music grew in popularity

Main characteristics of jazz:

• improvisation
• syncopation
• call and response

Roots of Jazz

Blend of elements from different cultures

• West African emphasis on improvisation, percussion and call and response techniques
• American brass band influence on instrumentation
• European harmonic and structural practices

Two major stylistic influences were Ragtime and Blues music.

Ragtime

Dance hall and saloon music originally performed on the piano

• Usually in duple meter at moderate tempo
• Right hand plays highly syncopated melody
• Left hand plays steady march style "oom pah" bass part

Scott Joplin 1852-1917, was known as the "King of Ragtime"

Blues

From area known as the Mississippi delta

Primarily vocal music with instrumental accompaniment

• Originated with solo performers
• Simple harmonic structure
• twelve bar musical structure
• three part vocal structure featuring a statement, restatement and counter statement or punch line.

Example:

References:

Gioia, T. (1997). The history of jazz. New York: Oxford University Press.

Kamien, R. (2012). Music: An appreciation. New York: McGraw-Hill.