Thus rebelling against the existing structures in the jazz world. The first notable style “bebop” was so difficult for white musicians to copy and too intricate for dancing, forced audiences to sit up and listen and take note of who and what was being played. It was an underground movement not seeking commercial success but rather seeking another type of gratification, self expression. The musicians development of the improvised solo was a crucial vehicle for their self expression and the key feature of the style. Jazz being one of the few public forums for African American self expression, allowed musicians a platform to speak to their audiences and to transcend the barriers they faced in society.
Jazz and modern dance are two different genres of dance. Jazz dance started in the early 1700’s in Africa and was brought to America through the slave trade. Two pioneers that influenced jazz dance were Jack Cole and Katherine Dunham. Jack Cole was called “the Father of theatrical jazz dance” and is remembered as the prime creator of the jazz heritage. Katherine Dunham was known for her leadership of African American jazz dance and started her own dance company.
It is a language that musicians use to express their emotions on a concrete moment or the emotions that they are feeling while they are performing. It is unique and diverse that the musicians improvise music within the spur of the moment which makes Jazz music much more intriguing and different from other genres of music consequently making it one step from the past, one step from the present and one step from the future. (What is Jazz?, n.d.) The Birthplace of Jazz Approximately about a hundred years ago, Jazz was born in New Orleans although some of its roots are being connected to the musical tradition of both Africans and Europeans. It bloomed in New Orleans considering it was a port of all nations and meeting place for different nationalities and ethnic groups that they blended in
Jazz is a genre of African American music originating from New Orleans in the southern United States from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Jazz is recognized for its unique playing style and performance itself rather than the format of the song or the song itself. Sounds, phrasing, rhythm, blues and harmonies of jazz come from the unique sense of African and African American music. Instruments, melodies, harmonies used in jazz follow the traditional approach of Europe. Jazz’s features include swing from the offbeat rhythm, originality and vigor by the improvisation and sound of the player’s unique individuality, so these may be described as different from European music and classical music.
Latin Jazz, also known as Afro-Cuban jazz originated around 1940. It was due to the gradual and long interactions of American and Cuban music which birthed this distinct style of jazz. African american tunes and dance rhythms traveled north into the United States as well as the musical styles of African-American Jazz found their way down to the Caribbean and Central and Southern America. The fusion of both musical styles; Cuban music and African-American jazz was largely due to musicians and dancers throughout the area beginning to familiarise themselves with both of the musical techniques. The fusion happened in 1940 in the city of New York through the beginning of Machito and the Afro-Cubans orchestra, which was under directorship of Cuban trumpeter Mario Bauzá who essentially created the Latin Jazz through fusing jazz arrangements with Afro- Cuban percussion rhythm.
Bebop Jazz came before cool jazz, but the two styles of jazz are very different. It displays a fast tempo, instrumental virtuosity, and improvisation founded on the combination of the harmonic structure but cool jazz has lighter tones and slower
They are passed down, interpreted different ways by each person that hears them, and can change the entire course of someone’s life. Music can have the same the same impact. In the 1920’s, Jazz and the blues became increasingly popular because of the freeing feeling young people got from listening and dancing to it. The new sound was shunned by the older generation because of the ““vulgarity” and “depravity” (and the “moral disasters” it supposedly inspired), but many in the younger generation loved the freedom they felt on the dance floor.” (History.com Staff) This type of music has lasted through almost a hundred years now, and still brings people the same freeing feeling it did when it was first discovered. Jazz is a type of music that is improvised.
Jazz, a music considered truly ‘American’; a mix of African-American rhythms such as ragtime, blues and gospel, has also been interpreted by the community, ingrained with their own style, their own sabor. Mexican Americans and Jazz have combined so well, that some good bands have been formed and there is a Texas Jazz Festival being held every year, which has been promoted and planned with the participation of Latinos to a great extent. This has been possible thanks to the flexibility of these people, who have opened their arms –and their ears- to the new sounds and who have found ways to make them their
Under these circumstances, African culture was intertwined with the Indigenous and Spanish cultures already within Costa Rica. It is especially apparent within the rhythm of Costa Rican music (“Costa Rican Music,” n.d.). Furthermore, the black population of Costa Rica is prominent in the Limón province. Migrants from Caribbean islands such as Jamaica, brought the Caribbean feel over with them, residing on the coast of Costa Rica. There are several types of drum and marimba that are still used in Costa Rican music from the African influence (“Costa Rican Music,”
When musicians engage in collective improvisation, they usually have some sort of frame of reference from which to base their playing off of. In jazz slang, this frame of reference is known as a “standard”. In popular music it is typically uncommon to have one song played and recorded by countless bands and for each recording to be unique in its own way, but somehow jazz musicians find a way to play the same song again and again, for decades. Take for example, the popular jazz standard “Autumn Leaves”. Ever since the year of its composition in 1945, jazz musicians have been playing and recording covers of this iconic piece.