Jazz Has Been A Part Of American Culture Throughout History

Jazz has been a part of American culture throughout history that is still being explored today. Jazz has a rich history that goes back many years. Jazz has also developed into many different styles that trace to places all around the world. There have been many jazz musicians throughout the years. Jazz music has a very complex, but good musical tune and instrumentation to it. Jazz had started, when musicians came to New Orleans to play, most of the people that came to play were former slaves of African descent. The African American people had traced their ancestry back to West Africa, and with this knowledge they began to make a new kind of genre of music called jazz, based on ancient African tribal music, that people in Africa had been†¦show more content†¦Note that the transition from ragtime to jazz, was one of melodic style, harmony, and mentation, though it involved a change of approach, swing being more purely improvisatory art (Louis 176). Much of the total developmen t of African pitch was based upon quarter tone scales quite beyond a half tone unit, confusion about certain tones of the diatonic scale, particularly the third, fifth, and seventh, resulted in the creation of the blues. Specific aspects of this evolving Negro music were represented at first by folk blues, gospel music, spirituals, and stomps; later by boogie-woogie, struts, rags, one step, and finally jazz evolved. During this evolution one basic characteristic has always been there, a fundamental pulse of quarter notes joined with a harmonic fabric moving in unit with half notes, whole notes, etc (World of Music 200). The first combination of musical ideas to achieve popularity among both blacks and whites was called ragtime. In its heyday, between 1896 and 1918, ragtime overshadowed all other forms of popular music. The music was in the style of European popular song, but with a ragged rhythm. It was usually played on solo piano, with a left hand setting down a steady march beat accompaniment over which the right hand played a melody that was syncopated, with stressed notes off the most important beats of the bar (The story of Music 42). Jazz of the 20th century continued to developShow MoreRelatedJazz Influences on the 20th Century1158 Words   |  5 PagesJazz Influence on the 20th Century Jazz is considered one of the most influential types of music in American history. Some of the greatest artists in the world have contributed to the success jazz has had not only on American history, but throughout the world. Jazz music has come to serve as the base of many music styles in the United States. This paper will explain the history of jazz, where it all came from, and the effect it has had on the American culture in the 20th century. ToRead More Jazz Essay1045 Words   |  5 PagesJazz John F. 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