The history of Jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The history of Jazz - Essay Example Jazz music is deeply rooted in various musical styles of African-American music with European traditional music also contributing to its melodic sound. It was composed of several styles of black folk music such as field hollers, lullabies, rowing chants, spirituals and blues. Jazz began with small bands or solo pianists playing at weddings, picnics, parades and funerals. Blues and ragtime had also formed several years before jazz, and were strongly influencing its styles and forms. New Orleans, Louisiana experienced the earliest form of jazz. Improvisation, along with the existing sounds of other black music such as ragtime and blues, made jazz unique. Charles â€Å"Buddy† Bolden, also known as â€Å"King Bolden,† was known to have led some of these early jazz groups. Bolden’s band was well known in New Orleans from 1900 to 1907. Many early musicians credited Bolden and his band with having originated the genre known as â€Å"jazz†; however, the term â€Å"jazz† didn’t become widely known until after Bolden’s era. One writer labeled Bolden as the father of jazz, and several early Jazz musicians were inspired by his playing including Joe â€Å"King† Oliver, Freddie Keppard, Bunk Johnson. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded the first jazz record in 1917. They were very popular overseas as well as in the United States. The New Orleans Rhythm Kings and the Creole Jazz Band were the next bands to emerge i n the early 1920s. The Creole Jazz Band would yield American cornetist King Oliver.... Scat singing had a great impact on jazz music; It altered the melodies of many jazz sounds, thereby giving them a new sound for their listener. During the 1920s, Jazz began to migrate to Chicago, Illinois. Many musicians from New Orleans, including Armstrong, were influencing the local musicians, thus creating the Chicago style form of jazz. This style was similar to that of New Orleans, however it differentiated in that it emphasized more on soloists and added the saxophone to the instruments of the band. Bix Beiderbecke, clarinetist Benny Goodman, drummer Gene Krupa, banjoist and guitarist Eddie Condon and trombonist Jack Teagarden were instrumentalists working in Chicago who were influenced by the Chicago style jazz. New York City was also another major area for jazz in the 1920s. Harlem became the center for jazz music. Piano music was also making great strides for the development of jazz music as well, and ironically, Harlem became know for the stride piano. James P. Johnson was a master at this, but it was Fats Waller who became stride piano's most popular performer. Another style of piano that developed during this time was boogie-woogie. It was a form of blues played on the piano, and it became very popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Pine Top Smith, Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons were leading boogie-woogie pianists during this time. However, it was Earl "Fatha" Hines who was the most-known pianist of the 1920s. His style influenced most pianists of the next generation such as Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. Also, the big bands, large groups of jazz musicians that would play together, were also popular throughout the 1930s and 1940s. This period was better known as the swing era. Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson were