Many people think that jazz is the music of the elite and well-established people. But, if you look into the roots of jazz, you will see the opposite. Jazz is an art of expression in the form of music. Jazz music is the fundamental music in human life.
Jazz tradition evolved from the lifestyle of black community in America who has been oppressed. Initially, the tradition began from the influence of tribal drums and gospel music, blues and field hollers (the shouts of cultivators). Its birth process has demonstrated that jazz was closely related to the life defense and expression of human life.
The interesting thing from jazz music was that the origin of the word “jazz” was derived from a vulgar term used for sexual acts. Most of rhythms in jazz were ever associated with the brothels and the women with an unfortunate reputation.
Then, in the journey of jazz, it eventually became an art form of jazz music, both in the specific composition and improvisation, which reflected the spontaneous melodies. Jazz musicians usually expressed their feelings that were uneasily explained because this music should be felt within the heart.
Jazz legend began in New Orleans and grew into the Mississippi River, Memphis, St. Louis, and finally Chicago. Of course, jazz was influenced by music in New Orleans, African tribal drums and the structure of European-style music. Jazz background could not be separated from the facts in which jazz was influenced by a variety of music such as spiritual music, cakewalks, ragtime and blues.
One of jazz legends who was believed was the legend around 1891. An owner of hair shaving shop in New Orleans, named Buddy Bolden blew his cornet and the time became the beginning of jazz music as a new breakthrough in the music world. Half a century later, American jazz music gave many contributions to the world of music. Jazz was also studied at university, and eventually became a serious music and was calculated by the world of music.
Jazz as a popular art began to spread to almost all of American society in the 1920s (known as the Jazz Age). Jazz was more widespread in the swing era in the late 1930s and it peaked in the late 1950s as a modern jazz. In the early 20s and 30s, “jazz” has become a common word.
The influence and development of blues music could not be left when discussing jazz music in the early years of its development. Expressions that shined when playing the blues were in line with the style of jazz. The ability to play the blues music became the standard for all jazz musicians, especially to be used in improvisation.
Blues music itself, which was originated from the southern region, had a very broad history. Blues players usually used guitar, piano, and harmonica, or played together in a group who played his own musical instruments.
By: Stewart B Johnston
A lot of opinion that jazz are the music for elite and well established. But when us look back to root of the jazz may be spelled out members exactly leaves for back. Jazz is an expression art in the form of music. Jazz conceived of basal music in life man and way of evaluating his traditional values. Tradition jazz grows from a dusky skin public life style in oppressed America. Initially, influence from tribal drums and music gospel, blues and field hollers (rallying call of farmer) the parturition has showed that jazz hardly relating to defense of life and human life expression.
What is interesting is that of word “Jazz” comes from a vulgar term applied for action of sexual. Some of rhythms in jazz have ever been associated with houses for whore and women with dislike reputation. On the way then, jazz finally becomes form of music art, either in typical composition and also improvisation, what reflects melody spontaneously. Musicians jazz usually express the feeling which do not easy to be explained, because this music must be felt at heart. “If you ask it you will never know” so according to Louis Armstrong.
Legend of jazz is started in New Orleans and grows to Mississippi, Memphis, St. Louis, and finally Chicago. Of course jazz influenced by the music in New Orleans, tribal drums African and Europe for the music structure. Reasoning of jazz cannot be discharged from fact where jazz is influenced by many music such as: music spiritual, cakewalks, ragtime and blues. One of legend jazz believed that around 1891, an owner of hair shaped shave shop in New Orleans so called Buddy Bolden breezes it’s cornet and from that moment jazz started as new breakthrough in world of music. Half century after that, jazz in America gives many contributions in music world, studied in university, and finally becomes a music stream which is serious and considered.
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By: Andri Irawan
“…Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt all excelled in improvisation, which was then referred to as extemporization…”
Classical music is a sophisticated art form where talking during performances (much less to the musicians) is frowned upon. Yet in jazz, it is very common for the audience to speak to musicians during performances as a way of complimenting their improvisational skills.
Elements of jazz can be found in gospel, country, pop, R&B, movie soundtracks, and other musical forms. However, when the average person uses the word “jazz,” they may not understand the culture or the language.
Many people associate improvisation with jazz and vice-versa. However, improvisation has been an integral part of classical music history, stemming back to the medieval period in Gregorian chants. These chants used additional melodies above the Cantus Firmus (fixed melody in Latin), which were improvised by Medieval musicians to glorify God. In the later periods, improvisation was used in performances outside of churches. J.S. Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt all excelled in improvisation, which was then referred to as extemporization. Bartok’s “Mikrokosmos” were originally improvised as were Beethoven’s famous sketch books (which he later used in formal works).
Near the beginning of the 20th Century, improvisation disappeared in the Romantic Period as performers began mastering composers’ works note for note; the art of improvisation was eventually lost. Schubert’s impromptus, contrary to their title, were not improvised but written out methodically. Playing classical music well is a skill requiring great discipline and talent, but the same can be said for jazz. Both disciplines use the same musical alphabet, yet have somehow managed to create different nomenclatures for each respectively.
Historically, jazz music has not been associated with higher education. However, the great Scott Joplin, an African-American jazz composer of the late 19th to early 20th century, took formal lessons with a classical German-born piano teacher and the Creole performers of New Orleans were often Conservatory-trained in Paris.
Both classical and jazz music are disciplines requiring creativity. The classical musician, after mastering the techniques must interpret the score and bring the written notes to life in a performance. The challenge of a jazz musician is to use, simultaneously, both improvisational talent and the technique required to perform unplanned music for a live audience. To draw an analogy, a classical musician is like an actor with a full script – having to memorize and master it, then bringing the character to life. A jazz musician is like an actor with no script, only a few guidelines to follow, yet charged with creating dialogue and instantly performing in character. In its purest essence, technicality must be mastered. One would argue that the task of learning and memorizing a sonata (15-60 pages) or concerto (often exceeding 100 pages) is a phenomenal task! The best classical and jazz musicians must both be proficient in technique, but the more challenging task is for them to able to augment their technical skills in a performance to move their audience emotionally. All musicians need to play from their hearts to truly affect their audience in a meaningful way.
Recently, Conservatory Canada has implemented a new examination category implementing jazz idioms, nomenclature and styles. The Royal Conservatory has for several years used a popular syllabus for their studies selection. In addition to the previously mentioned Jazz Studies program offered at Juilliard, Ivy League schools have also shown their support; Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and Berkley currently offer or are implementing jazz programs. These institutions have embraced an original approach in combining classical and jazz instruction.
We cannot claim that one art form is more or less sophisticated than another. Classical musicians may not fully comprehend jazz culture, just as jazz musicians may not fully interpret classical culture. However, because music is a universal language, the understanding of its different forms and dialects are beneficial. These new “bilingual” musicians are able to better communicate with their audience in various ways. Following the same “early education” concept used for spoken languages, we need to educate children in both classical and jazz music. Children who study classical and jazz at the same time will be able to understand both cultures and fully realize their musical potential.
By: Jeannie Lee