Category: Jazz

Introduction

The American society can be described as a melting pot of culture with different people of different nationalities with different cultures coming together to form a nation. The history of America depicts a continent that is sparsely populated by the Indian tribes of America who are the original residents of the continent and whose existence is in jeopardy due to assimilation.

The dominance and identity of the different races in the American society can be attributed to the time of their arrival in America and their numbers as well thus giving them a strong position in being accepted in society. This issue has been the biggest challenge to the minority groups that came to America late, and whose numbers are still low compared to other communities.

Thus, they have tended to be made to look like outsiders in a country where their ancestors came and were buried. One minority group that has suffered the stigma of not being easily accepted in the society is the Arab group. Most of the Arabic people who have migrated to America have tended to stick to their culture thus further alienating themselves from the community that is so diverse.

This trend has affected the reception of the Arab American literature and its acceptability in society because it ropes in their cultural practices and beliefs, which are not subscribed to by other communities as Hassan reveals (The Rise of Arab American Literature 248).

According to the study, authors such as Abu-Jaber have come up with novels written in a form that integrate the peculiarities of Arab literature with the mainstream American forms of writing. It is also noteworthy that Hassan emphasises that there is no systematic account of the birth and development of a tradition of Arab American literature (The Rise of Arab American Literature 245).

The works by Abu-Jaber are pieces of fictional writing that focus on hardships of Arabic women and men who cannot fully integrate into the American society. The novels display the way Arabic immigrants tried to translate the tongue of their hearth, of irrational, un-American passions into the language which could be understood by those around them (Abu-Jaber 304). The study provides a detailed review of the Arab literature using Abu-Jabers works, Arabian Jazz and Crescent, as the basis of argument.

Chapter 1

Reading Arab American Literature

Americas nature as a melting pot of culture is rich in different forms of literature that tend to identify with different groups. This diversity has been the only way for many different groups making up the American society to retrace their steps and curve out an identity for their society.

As Majaj finds, by so doing, different communities in the American society have turned to literature as a way of expressing their culture and practices as well as a way of preserving the same for the future generations (69). The effect of a mosaic society is that the cultures of the groups in that society tend to fade with practices that are more acceptable across the board remaining firm as the only ways the society has for a common ground.

Newcomers have to build their new lives in a heavily assimilationist US context, which makes it difficult to maintain their national and cultural identity (Majaj 63). Abu-Jaber tells the story of a variety of hardships Arabic women are exposed to. For instance, Sirine often stops and wonders if what shes saying makes any sense (Crescent 61). The woman is not sure that she is able to fit into the American society as she thinks differently, as she pertains to a different culture.

Clearly, people around her do not take pains to understand her way of thinking as it has long been expected that everyone should share American values. It is necessary to note that there are certain reasons for this lack of tolerance since several conflicts and existing tension between Arab countries and the US (and, of course, the aftermaths of the 9/11 attack) contributed to the development of ethnopolitical consciousness and marginalisation of Arabic immigrants in the US society (qtd. in Fadda-Conrey 189).

Therefore, there are two worlds which are often in conflict, and people (Arabic immigrants) in-between, who try to start a new life and fit in maintaining their identity.

Many writers in America have therefore focused their style of writing on what is perceived to be acceptable to their ethnic or racial communities as a way of selling or educating the larger society of their culture. The success of literary writers in society has therefore been pegged on the perception of the society on the community of the specific writer and its attitude towards the style of writing the writer will adapt (Hassan Arab American Autobiography 9) because the levels of tolerance for different communities practices differ.

In most instances, these practices are informed by culture. Strong and rigid cultures have been known to attract resentment due to its nature of not conceding anything in exchange for acceptability. Acceptability of culture in society has always been hinged on the universality of the practices making up the culture as well as practices that are tolerable. This one aspect about society has gone a long way to determine the acceptability of literary works in the American society.

The different ethnic groups in the American society play a big role in promoting the works prepared by the members of their community through the numbers in the sales of books. Communities with big numbers tend to promote the sales of one of their own thus reflecting the outcome as a success.

Minority groups often attract sales from their own, which in the end can be too little to count. Therefore, the population number in the society of given communities counts when it comes to success in writing unless the writers work is not a reflection of the society from where they are coming. Nevertheless, there are loads of exceptions to this trend as minority groups writings often attract attention of the entire American society.

This is the case with Abu-Jabers writings. Thus, Field claims that Abu-Jabers Arabian Jazz was warmly received by the American public (208). Though, it is also necessary to note that some works face certain rejection or lack of understanding as publishers are reluctant to bring out books and require sweeping changes as they are afraid of low popularity of the book (Field 208). However, minority groups books are often received positively as Americans are becoming more tolerant.

Arab American literature has gone through so many challenges since the first Arab writers started to publish works in the United States of America (Hassan The Rise of Arab American Literature 247).

To date, the Arab American literature is still in a state of transformation in such a way that it cannot be defined. In her interview with Abu-Jaber, Shalal claims that most Arab American writers have struggled to penetrate the American society beyond their communities because of literary, social, and political issues that have for a long time acted as an inhibition to their growth.

Arab American literature comes across as work meant to preserve and defend a culture as well as society where most cultures have been intermingled. Abu-Jaber is one of many writers who feel the need to tell about their experiences and to help others to cope with similar problems.

More so, Abu-Jaber states that she also wrote her books to help young people of Arabic descend to learn more about their culture, to help them build their own micro cultures (qtd. in Shalal para 12). The writer creates a microcosm of fictional works which can guide young people searching for their identity.

The Arab American society has been defined along cultural, political, and religious lines, which have been resented by the larger American society (Orfaela 117). The need by the Arab Americans to maintain their culture has been expressed in their literary works thus becoming a defining point of their work.

This case has made it difficult for the larger society to be attracted to the work because it pursues a narrow communitys hegemonistic interests that may not be the interest of the whole society in general. Though, as has been mentioned above, the contemporary American society is steadily changing and Americans become more tolerant and they are ready, at least, to learn more about (if not to accept) different mind-sets and different cultures.

The earliest Arab American publications were newspapers that leaned on religion, which in this case is Islam and politics in their countries of origin in the Middle East. Naaman indicates that this was all done with the belief that the Arab community would one day go back to its homeland and hence the need to preserve its Arab identity (267).

The need therefore made this kind of literature a preserve for Arabs who would want to one day go back to their motherland. Reading Arab American literature requires one to first understand the Arabic cultural practices that provide the tone for the writings and want to know more about this culture. Without this, one may not be able to understand the thoughts or messages as they are being delivered.

Transformations in Arab American Literature

The Arab American literature has gone through so many transformations for many years since its advent because the styles and themes employed were narrow in such a way that they were specifically meant to capture a specific audience, which was the Arab community, even though they were often written in English. Therefore, according to Rana, the authors were whatsoever never interested in capturing an audience beyond their community thus leading to their works being limited in scope (548).

The need to uphold a form of filial piety in their works led to the Arab American writers concentrating more on a writing tone touching on their culture and in turn simply making their writings look like an Arabic translation. The wider American society thrives on the independence of the mind and utmost liberty, which does not expect ones mind to be tied by cultural beliefs and laws that act as a prohibition to being a creative mind.

This case therefore made the Arab American literature produced by early generation Arab immigrants seem more of an attempt to perpetuate traditional Arab literature as Ludescher (96) finds. The use of Arab tradition as a defining tool for Arab literature was simply a way of reconnecting with their homeland by the writers thus making it difficult for their literature to find acceptability among the masses (Ludescher 103).

However, younger generations had another view on the matter as they were bred on the American ideals of liberty and progress (Ludescher 95). Kahlil Gibran, Ameen Rihani and Mikhail Naimy were some of those Arab American writers who questioned Arabic conventions and claimed they were not applicable in the American society. Clearly, this does not mean those writers forgot about their roots or tried to alienate themselves from Arabic culture.

Nonetheless, they showed that Arab Americans were a part of the multi-ethnic American society. Abu-Jaber follows the path created at the beginning of the twentieth century and believes this approach is suitable for the twenty-first century. In fact, she and other Arab American writers have come up with works that resonate positively with the society they live in because the acceptability of their works by publishers has been limited due to societal expectations and stereotypes that the larger society holds towards the Arab community.

As Abu-Jaber confirms in an interview with Shalal, her work has been limited largely concerning what is acceptable for publishing as the climate is often simply not conducive to publishing a book about the expulsion of the Palestinians after the creation of the state of Israel (Shalal Para. 3). She has been forced to edit and re-edit some of her works numerous times until they have lost the lustre the writer had intended for them (Shalal Para. 2).

Arab American literature has always had two themes that are identifiable with their work. These themes are religion and politics back home. These two constitute the sensitive issues in the American society because the larger American society is always on the other side of the divide when it comes to matters touching on Arabic politics and religion.

Therefore, Arab American writers have been inhibited with these factors whenever they want to express them in their literary works because most publishers would not want them expressed in their publications. More so, they would receive condemnation from the lager society (Shalal Para. 3).

In search of acceptability , Arab American literature has had to continuously transform itself over time with the hope that it would create resonance with the American society. Much still, most of the early generation Arab Americans are now gone. In their place, there is a new generation of Arab Americans born and brought up in America, and with distant roots and touch with their motherland. This group has most of its people identified as Arabs who cannot speak a word in Arabic.

Just like any other descendants from minority groups, all they know of their motherland is that it was where they originated but have no roots completely. This group is at last producing writers who do not have too much attachment to their Arabic culture but in essence trying to create a balance between the two communities to which they belong. Most of the young Arab American writers have been critical in their writing of American culture or some of its conventions, a fact that has endeared them to the public.

Their criticism though has been balanced in that they criticise both communities. Previous Arab American writers were reluctant to criticise their community because, being in a foreign land, they felt that it would be disloyal to disown their practices. This view according to Allen has not been shared by young Arab American writers who do not feel compelled by the filial piety their customs demand (474).

They tend to air their views in an American fashion. Their belonging to the American society has made them understand what the society wants to hear. Importantly, writers and young Arab Americans also want to write and read about it. They do not only seek to be accepted and integrated into the mainstream American culture. Noteworthy, Arab Americans have developed a new perception of their life in the USA.

They have incorporated major values of both cultures in their understanding of the world and the way it should be. Abu-Jaber as well as other contemporary Arab American writers has managed to express (from the Arab American perspective) a valuable message of understanding in a society founded upon a wealth of cultural combination (Cherif 226).

It is necessary to note that the American society is ready to accept this viewpoint and Americans are now eager to examine new ways of development of a truly multi-ethnic democratic society.

The big challenges that the previous Arab American writers had can still be traced to the present-day upcoming writers. The issue of politics as well as religion in the Middle East can be described to be part of any Arab identity. Arabs of all generations passionately hold and express their views.

Some American publishers have not tolerated the criticism of Israel in their works since they are afraid of being branded anti-Semitic, a fact, which would have much harsher implications from the American public, which has a substantive number of the Jewish population (Shalal Para. 2). Some publishers are reluctant to release books which can be disturbing or can cause negative reactions from any groups of people.

Moreover, political tension between the US and Arab countries contributes to development of this trend. It is true that American society is now rather politicised and political discourse affects the way the entire society develops. For instance, the events after the 9/11 attack revealed abundance of prejudice which existed in the American Society. Americans became hostile to representatives of the Arabic world and Arab Americans were also perceived as aliens.

However, at present, people are eager to face the diversity of the American society. Americans are ready to hear different voices and face the changes which are taking place. Arab American writers are raising questions which are already in the air. Arab Americans, other minority groups as well as the majority of Americans are trying to understand how to live in the world which is transforming. These people are trying to let alone political or economic terrains and focus on day-to-day life of Americans and Arab Americans.

Admittedly, this leads to understanding and appreciation. Americans learn more about life of Arab Americans and understand they are very similar as their major values are the same. Arab Americans as wells as Americans strive for peaceful life in a society where people are not alienated or discriminated.

Moreover, Arab Americans and Americans are now ready to be more open and try to cooperate with each other, not only co-exist within certain area. Reading the Arab American literature therefore can be interesting in that the writers employ different forms of writing that they are hopeful will endear them to the public thus making the Arab American literature a form of mosaic that cannot be defined in one way.

Challenges in Arab American Literature

Different writers employ different styles that they hope will identify them as Arab Americans because no single writing style has established a foothold in the Arab American society. The continuous transformation of the styles can be attributed to a need to find a foothold. Therefore, according to Albakry and Siler, the latest style by younger Arab American writers that tends to be critical of their own society is just one of the ways that are being followed to find a standing point for the same search of their identity (113).

Admittedly, these young are not Arabic as they have already been brought up on somewhat different values, or rather on a broader set of values. These people have adopted many ways accepted in the American society. This does not signify their rejection of their identity or their eagerness to forget about their roots. They have been surrounded by different systems of values, Arabic (coming from their parents and relatives) and American (coming from their friends, teachers, neighbours, partners, etc.).

They feel they cannot blindly adopt Arabic values which make sense in the Arabic world but are somewhat limited in the western world. These young writers are not already in-between the two world, they are becoming parts of the global multi-ethnic community. They are more open as Americans and all western people, but they are also devoted to their culture, language and identity as any Arabic individual.

A critical point that should be noted about the Arab American literature and acceptability in society is the political situation around the world. Though the Arab American literature had started picking up, it was upset by the 9/11 events that have since opened new doors for alienation and stereotyping. Most Arab American writers have found it difficult to convince the literary world to look at them with a different eye thus extending the case to their work (Metres 3).

The larger society tends to look at them with a suspicious eye thus resenting any form of writing that is defensive of the Arabic culture or one that seems to be promoting it. Reading the Arab American literature, one finds that more women dominate this field than would be expected of the Arabic culture. As Naaman points out, women have used Arab American literature to find their lost voice in a society that is believed to be patriarchal (269).

And Arab American community is still rather patriarchal as even though they have adopted a lot of American values, some families still cherish their ancestors values when it comes to gender roles. For instance, Abu-Jaber reveals hardships of Arabic women living in the Arabic world through the character of Fatima who is strongly attached to patriarchal values of her homeland. She stresses that it is really hard to be a woman who should be devoted to the man in the family.

Thus Fatima sees the only way out, i.e. to have husband to survive on the planet of earth (Abu-Jaber Arabian Jazz 117). Hence, the writer shows that even among Arab Americans there are families where females are somewhat marginalised within a family, though younger generations still find their ways to build their families in accordance with their new Arab American values.

It has been identified as one way that women have found a platform to communicate their problems to the larger society, which for a long time has been shut out of the goings in the Arab society or which has been disinterested in the Arabic culture. The difference that comes out is that most Arab American male writers have tended to lean towards the status quo because they are the beneficiaries of the system at the end of the day.

However, now lots of influential male intellectuals are supporting Arab American feminists as they have also adopted many values of the western society (Cherif 214). This can be a great stride forward as Arab American literature will not be divided into male and female writing. Both groups will shed light on complexities of Arab American integration into the American society providing insights into different aspects of the issue.

Works Cited

Abu-Jaber, Diana. Arabian Jazz. New York: Norton and Company, 1993. Print.

Abu-Jaber, Diana. The Crescent. New York: Norton and Company, 2003. Print.

Albakry, Mohamed, and Jonanthan Siler. Into Arab American Borderland: Bilingual Creativity in Rand JAR RARS Map of Home. Arab Studies Quarterly 34.2(2012): 109-121. Print.

Allen, Roger. The Happy Traitor: Tales of Translation. Comparative Literature Studies 47.4(2010): 472-486. Print.

Bardenstein, Carol. Beyond Univocal Baklava: Deconstructing Food as Ethnicity and the Ideology of Homeland in Diana Abu-Jaber the Language of Baklava. Journal of Arabic Literature 41.1-2(2010): 160-179. Print.

Cherif, Essayah. Arab American Literature: Gendered Memory in Abinader and Abu Jaber. MELUS 28.4(2003): 207-228. Print.

El-Hajj, Hind, and Sirene Harb. Strandling the Personal and the Political: Gendered Memory in Diana Abu Jabers Arabian Jazz. MELUS 36.3(2011): 137-158. Print.

Fadda-Conrey, Carol. Arab American Literature in the Ethnic Borderland: Cultural intersections in Diana Abu Jabers Crescent. MELUS 31.4(2006): 187-205. Print.

Hartman, Mitchelle. This Sweet/Sweet Music: Jazz, Sam Cooke and Reading Arab American Literary Identities. MELUS 31.4(2006): 155-165. Print.

Hassan, Wail. Arab American Autobiography and Reinvention of Identity: Two Egyptian Negotiations. Journal of Comparative Poetics 22.1(2002): 7-35. Print.

Hassan, Wail. The Rise of Arab American Literature: Orientalism and Cultural Translation in the Work of Ameen Rihani. American Literary History 20.12(2008): 245-275. Print.

Limpar, Ildiko. Narratives of Misplacement in Diana Abu Jabers Arabian Jazz, Crescent and Origin. Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies 15.2(2009): 483-488. Print.

Ludescher, Tanyss. From Nostalgia to Critique: An Overview of Arab American Literature. MELUS 31.4(2006): 93-114. Print.

Majaj, Lisa. Arab American Literature: Origins and Developments. American Studies Journal 52.2(2008): 63-88. Print.

Metres, Philip. Arab American Literature after 9/11. American Book Review 34.1(2012): 3-4. Print.

Naaman, Mara. Post Gibran: Antology of New Arab American Writing. MELUS 31.4(2006): 266-271. Print.

Orfaela, Gregory. The Arab American Novel. MELUS 31.4(2006): 115-133. Print.

Rana, Swati. The Production of Nativity in Early Syrian Immigrant Literature. American Literature 833.3(2011): 547-570. Print.

Shakir, Evelyn. Mothers Milk: Women in Arab American Autobiography. MELUS 15.4(1988): 39-50. Print.

Shalal, Andera-Esa. Diana Abu-Jaber: The Only Resonse to Silence is to Keep Speaking, 2012. Web. www.aljadid.com/content/diana-abu-jaber-only-respnse

The Rise of Opera

The first opera appeared in Italy, in Florence at the turn of XVI  XVII centuries. It was composed by the members of a small company the admirers of ancient art. They entered the history of music as the Florentine Camerata (Italian camerata  company). They created half-melodious, half-reciting vocal tune intended for a solo performance with instrumental accompaniment. First Florentine operas were characterized by the dominance of the recitative, the lack of arias and ensembles, static nature of the action. The first classical plays were created by Claudio Monteverdi. He composed acutely stressful, dramatic recitative with sudden shifts of tempo and rhythm, and expressive pauses. Opera schools appeared in other Italian cities.

Venetian opera increased contact with the folk art; Roman opera had mostly religious in nature with some comic elements; the latest Naples school adopted a new style of opera singing, bel canto. Bel canto style contributed to the flourishing of the typical aria, which was dominating on the opera stage for a long time. They also divided the recitative into accompanied (accompagnato) and dry (secco). Alessandro Scarlatti created new opera genre  the opera-seria. In my opinion, Scarlatti is the most compelling creator of opera as the role of opera-seria was extremely significant for the development of the opera as a musical genre. In contrast to the opera-seria in the 30ies years of the XVIII century, in Naples appeared comic opera-buffa. From Italy opera quickly spreads to other European countries, becoming by the mid-seventeenth century one of the most popular genres.

The Rise of Jazz

Jazz is a kind of musical art, which appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a result of mixing of African and European musical cultures. African component of this blend was expressed in improvisation, rhythm, and repetition of the primary motive, European culture contributed the harmony of sound in the minor and major to its development. Jazz emerged in the United States, as a result of the importation of the African slaves who were trying to create their unique musical culture. It is known that jazz has spread around the world from the USA, and its classical direction was born in New Orleans, where on February 26, 1917 Original Dixieland Jazz Band produced the first jazz record. In the early 20th century, musical ensembles, which were performing original improvisations of blues, ragtime, and European songs, appeared. They played various instruments including trumpet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, tuba, double bass, drums, and piano.

Jazz has several unique features that distinguish it from other musical genres: rhythm, swing, the imitation of human speech, a kind of dialog between instruments; particular vocal tonally similar to the conversation. The music of this style has a large number of sub-genres, which to some extent are rather different from each other, for example swing, bebop, fusion, post-bop, cool, mainstream, hard bop, and stride. The names of prominent jazz masters are world-famous: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Those Goodman, Glen Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, and others. Jazz has become a significant part of the music industry, spreading all over the world. The popularity of jazz melodies led to the creation of a vast number of bands, as well as to the emergence of new trends in this genre of music. Today, there are more than 30 styles inspired by jazz. The most popular of them are blues, soul, ragtime, swing, jazz-rock, and symphonic jazz.

Concert Review

On August 6, 2015, I attended the concert of Australian worship band Hillsong United. It was an unforgettable experience of touching, sincere, and pure music. This Christian band was created by close friends as a part of the Youth Ministry of Hillsong Church, Powerhouse Youth, which was led by youth pastors Phil and Lucinda Dooley. They played at the youth meetings their songs and covers for famous compositions. In the late 1990s, the Powerhouse Ministry has grown and divided into two groups: Powerhouse (18-25 years), headed by Reuben Morgan, and Wildlife (12-17 years), who were trained by the music pastor Russell Fragar. In the summer of 1997 after participating in a youth summer camp, every month, they organized the so-called United Nights. In 1998, they recorded their first album One. Their first two albums were awarded the golden status in Australia. In 2007, they produced their first studio album All of the Above.

The group visited with tours several countries. Hillsong United gained their popularity with the release of the album Zion in 2013 due to the single Oceans. In 2014, they won five awards of GMA Dove Awards, including long-awaited awards in the two categories. The album Empires, (2015) has an incredible success among band sympathizers. In 2015, the film Hillsong  Let Hope Rise the story of the formation and development of this musical group will be released. Among the best songs of Hillsong United are A Million Suns, Love Is War, Stay and Wait, King of Heaven, Hosanna, Heartbeats, Mercy Mercy, Prince Of Peace, Oceans, Relentless, and others. Hillsong United band uses guitar, keys, percussion, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, programming, sampling, and drums in their performances.

Introduction

Jazz is not just music; it is a way of life, a way of thinking, and the way of being. Initially associated with African-American communities, providing an outlet for their thoughts, feelings, and artistic expression, Jazz became a worldwide phenomenon as one of the most fast-growing and popularized musical genres in the world.¹ It was a beautiful flower born of the harsh conditions of black American reality. At the same time, the lack of structure and framework in its creation led to a variety of techniques and philosophies of performance. It is said that a jazz song is never played the same way twice, as it relies on improvisation and self-expression of the performer.² The structure, choices of instruments, accompaniment, and tempo was deeply connected with the cultural and racial roots of the musicians as well as their personalities and the availability of tools. Such a great amount of variety made jazz very hard to structure based on the conventional frameworks of music.

Jazz fusion followed the traditions of classical jazz music in terms of creativity but greatly expanded the variety of techniques and instruments incorporated into it. The creation of fusion is associated with the name of Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime band.³ His music incorporated the instruments and approaches of other genres, such as groove, smooth jazz, jazz-rock, and many others. The usage of synthesizers, electric guitars, and other instruments not associated with jazz was what set it apart and made it famous. While some critics initially claimed jazz fusion to be a parody of what true jazz stood for, Miles Davis proved to be the closest to the heart and soul of jazz, as he was not afraid to dare and experiment. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the differences between fusion and other types of jazz in relation to Miles Davis and his work.

Short Biography of Miles Davis

Miles Davis was born in Illinois in 1926. Having received a relatively good education by the standards of his time, Davis was sent to study at the Juilliard School in New York City.⁴ However, from a relatively young age, the young man knew his life was meant to be connected to music. For four years, between 1944 and 1948, he worked with Charlie Parker as a part of his quintet. Ever an innovator, the man was instrumental to the development of cool jazz, hard bop, and, later, fusion. His most significant albums, chronologically, are as follows:⁵

• Round About Midnight (1957);
• Milestones (1958);
• Kind of Blue (1959);
• Sketches of Spain (1960);
• ESP (1965);
• Miles Smiles (1967);
• Bitches Brew (1970).

Bitches Brew signified the beginning of Davis experiments with jazz, which lead to the formation of an entirely new style in jazz called fusion, which emphasized creativity and a lack of boundaries. Other albums instrumental to the subject will be further discussed in the paper. In 1975, Miles Davis had to take a 5-year break in his career due to poor health. His return to the stage in the 1980s with albums titled The Man with the Horn and Tutu earned the musician much criticism despite being a commercial success.⁶ The star of Miles Davis ended in 1991 when he succumbed to pneumonia.

Definitions of Jazz

Before talking about jazz fusion, it is necessary to identify what constitutes conventional jazz. As it was already said, due to numerous varieties and an emphasis on improvisation, musical science has a hard time distilling the core concept of classic jazz. ⁷ Although several definitions were provided by different sources, the collective identification of the musical genre highlights the following traits:⁸

• The presence of swing and blue notes, which are characterized by a changing pattern in the rhythm of the musical framework, as well as notes played at a different pitch from the rest of the sounds in a line;
• Call-and-response techniques, which include rhetorical questions and lines that the singer immediately supplies a response to;
• Polyrhythms  a changing pattern of rhythms that seem similar but are slightly different from one another;
• Standard instruments: Saxophones, pianos, trumpets, guitars, and vocals. Other instruments may include the trombone, clarinet, and keyboards.
• Heavy emphasis on improvisation.

Due to the historical influences behind the development of jazz, the musical style was not fit for being played on the large stage.⁹ The people who have first discovered jazz were black Americans with no classic or traditional musical education, which is the main reason behind improvisation at the core of the style  most did not know how to write notes.¹⁰ Thus, the main idea behind jazz was to demonstrate the thoughts of the feelings of the musician in the heat of the moment, focusing on whatever story he or she wanted to tell right now. Fusion jazz borrowed the aspect of creativity from classic jazz, as outlined above. This applied specifically to Miles Davis music  it was said that his songs were never like the others and that he could come up with unique combinations in a matter of moments and make it work somehow.

Predecessors of Fusion Music: Smooth Jazz

Smooth jazz is considered one of the predecessors and a source of major inspiration for Miles Davis in his creation and development of fusion. However, this relationship between the styles is a controversial one. Smooth jazz was the first commercialized style of jazz to hit the radio.¹¹ As such, it was restricted in several important ways. The contract between the radio stations and the musicians relied on predicting customer preferences and ensuring that listeners got what they wanted. In addition, the limitations of the 1970s radio broadcasting technology placed its own limitations on the scope of swing available to be achieved by the musicians.¹² While classic jazz made it well into vinyl due to the capacity of private record players, the same level of sound quality was unachievable by smaller car radios. Smooth jazz featured a softer and more melodious tune, which was easier to transmit and replicate. At the same time, it limited creativity and placed the performers into certain borders, which were considered unacceptable for some classic and even fusion jazz performers.

What smooth jazz brought into the fold that was later utilized by Miles Davis with great success was its use of electric instruments.¹³ With jazz has become a popular and recognizable form of musical expression, the performers were no longer restricted to classic instruments, thus seeing the addition of synthesizers and electric bass guitars. This not only expanded the variety of musical tunes available to the performers but also made it more replicable for radios and even large concerts  electric instruments could be amplified, something classical instruments could not achieve.

Predecessors of Fusion Music: Rock Jazz

If smooth jazz was one of the first jazz styles to use electric instruments, rock jazz was what took those instruments to their maximum potential. The terms are often used interchangeably with fusion because, at times, it is very hard to make a distinction. Rock jazz is characterized by energetic and wild use of the instruments to add the fire that smooth jazz, allegedly, did not have in it.¹⁴ While classic jazz was known for its complexity and creativity, rock provided the sheer force of the sound to the composition, thus creating something new and electrifying.

The relationship between rock jazz, fusion, and Miles Davis is complex. Some researchers argue that the creation of fusion should be attributed to Larry Coryell and The Free Spirits band, though arguably, Miles Davis was who gave the style more notoriety. Fusion borrowed the style of instrument use from rock jazz, sometimes fall into the style when performing. Black Satin and Bitches Brew are examples of Daviss electrical phase, sharing a resemblance to psychedelic rock.¹⁵ The songs have an electrical feel to them provided by the use of guitars and synthesizers to create vibrations similar to those of an electrical current, sparking and crackling, mixed with hums of electrical appliances. The ancestry of fusions relation to rock jazz is visible in these examples.

Enter Miles Davis: The Game Changer

Miles Davis is possibly one of the most recognizable individuals in the history of jazz, as he and his group managed to almost singlehandedly define the boundaries of a style that officially had no boundaries to begin with. Jazz fusion is defined by the complete freedom of improvisation, so much so that it could be argued to be the next logical evolutionary step for the development of the musical style. The primary requirement for it, as defined by Davis life of creativity, was the capacity and willingness to experiment. As it is possible to see through the history of his musical exploration, the man was constantly influenced by other ideas, flows, and styles of performance.

Davis evolution of fusion jazz can be split into several stages. The first step of his transformation of jazz involves the development of his quintets.¹⁶ Namely, the second quintet had some of the greatest performers in the genre, who would later become stars in their own right. His views and visions for jazz were, at some point, shared by the likes of Herbie Hancock (master piano player) and Wayne Shorter, most famous for his performance with the saxophone. The culmination of his work during 1968-1969 happened with albums titled Filles de Killamanjaro and In a Silent Way, which set the stage for the future evolution of the style, as chord-based jazz was replaced with a modal approach and the use of electric guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers.

Bitches Brew, an album released in spring 1970, constituted Davis magnum opus, his greatest work that he is most commonly remembered for.¹⁷ It saw the shift from merely electrical jazz-rock style to something completely new, as jazz was fused in equal measure with psych-rock and rock-pop-funk direction, characterized by free-flowing grooves, modal improvisation, and lasting and impressive record jams. The composition titled Miles Runs the Voodoo Down became a staple of fusion jazz style during that period.¹⁸

The third period, which was much longer in comparison to the other two, involved deep experimentation and venturing beyond the boundaries of the styles that initially formed fusion, such as smooth, groove, and rock jazz. The most famous examples of such include the 1970s Tribute to Jack Johnson as well as the 1974s Get up With It.¹⁹ The former was colored by the amazing performance of Sonny Sharrock, which added the kinetic emphasis of solo performances and riffs to the funk-rock base of the jazz performance  a trend that was followed by On the Corner, released in 1972.²⁰ The latter, however, was experimentation not only in terms of instruments used but was also a test of the listeners endurance, as some compositions featured long solo performances, the culmination of which was He Loved Him Madly, featuring an organ performance that lasted over 30 minutes. Rated X, released in 1974, was revolutionary in its use of an atonal composition as well as the mix of electronic music with noise, which was innovative at the time.

Finally, Daviss work managed to overcome the primary limitation of classic jazz, which presented itself as music performed for a small audience. His most famous examples of live concerts included Live-Evil as well as the mournful composition titled Little Church.²¹ These examples demonstrated that large audiences could be held captive not just by the bombastic and powerful tunes of his funk-rock jazz music but also by the relatively quiet and emotional dirges dedicated to meaningful and traumatic events in ones life.

Evaluation of Miles Davis Concept of Fusion

Davis reaffirms the main idea of jazz being music with no borders. Subverting the expectations of musical critics, the audience, the producers, and even his own was the primary selling point behind all of his compositions.²² Anything that was considered a canon in other genres was willfully disregarded in favor of artistic expression and the demands of the composition. Based on the descriptions of the stages of Daviss evolution of work, several important distinctions must be made that becomes the framework of fusion as a style:²³

• Duration of composition: Arbitrary. As illustrated by He Loved Him Madly, there is no set timeframe for any one individual piece. It can be as long or as short as the performer wants it to be. Such an approach contradicts the tenets of smooth and rock jazz music, which typically fell under 7 minutes in duration, in order to accommodate the switching preferences of radio listeners.
• Choice of instruments: Arbitrary. While Davis did not specifically deny the classic instruments used in conventional jazz (the trumpet being his favorite), he did not shun other tools, should they suit his purpose. This is demonstrated by the use of electric guitars, the organ, and even white noise as a means of creating a compelling composition.
• Construction of the composition. Whereas classic jazz, smooth, and rock were defined by either one or several modalities, fusion is not hard-pressed to follow any of them. Bitches Brew was a classic example of psychedelic-influenced jazz, whereas Little Church was very close to conventional jazz, while He Loved Him Madly, both in the duration and the choice of instruments, borrowed from the traditions of the church and classical music.
• Emphasis on creativity. Fusion possessed something that smooth did not have, and that is the emphasis on self-expression and creativity matched only by jazz at its grassroots but much greater in scope and purpose. Davis never felt the need to be constricted by the conventions of the market. Subversion of expectations was key, as many fans and critics characterized Davis as an unpredictable artist, with no one tune being the same as the other.

Based on these observations, an important conclusion could be made: classifying as a mere substyle of jazz would oversimplify both the scope and the impact of what Miles Davis managed to create. Not only did he directly influence the evolution of music, but he also allowed jazz to transcend its initial limitations. From a codified musical style, fusion and jazz and generally became a musical tradition or an approach to generating music.²⁴ It became a framework and a philosophy for a number of great musicians that came after. Whereas nearly all other musical style sought to find a balance between artistic self-expression and a specific codified way of generating music that would fall into the matrix of social and artistic expectations, Davis demonstrated the true meaning behind the music, that being a means of pure, unadulterated self-expression, which cannot fit into anyone or even several modalities existing in human history.

This is the reason why the majority of jazz researchers had such a hard time classifying fusion as a style of its own. Due to the multimodality of expression used in its conception and the blatant disregard for any borders, every song can stand on its own as an example of its own sub-genre, so to speak. Instead, they can be united under the larger framework of a musical tradition or a musical approach. This would allow evaluating Miles Davis performance in terms of its scope and intent rather than quantitative measurements.

Conclusions

The relationship between fusion and jazz is much more complex than that of a core style and a simple subset. Instead, fusion grew to be its own tradition, incorporating not just specific bits and pieces of different practices within itself, but nurturing its own philosophy of controlled chaos, giving the practitioner unlimited freedom of expression. Revolutionary both in the musical and socio-political ways, fusion was not restricted to any particular idea, rhythm, modality, or instrument. Neither was it affected by the background of the performer, like jazz, in general, moved from being a traditional and cultural heritage of African Americans and pushed past the stereotypes, with men and women of different colors becoming able to express themselves through fusion.

Miles Davis was the one whose genius and talent made such a notion happen. He showed the world that it was possible to amalgamate nearly any instrument and any style with jazz and create beautiful masterpieces on the fly without being constrained by the concerns of audience expectations, budgets, and adaptations to the radio. His golden years, which lasted from 1968 to 1975, were rich with numerous compositions, each standing as unique examples in their own right. Unfortunately, the light that was Miles Davis to the world of jazz burned bright, but brief, like depression and drug abuse, forced him to put aside the trumpet and led to his death in 1991. Nevertheless, he would be forever remembered as the father of fusion and the progenitor of evolution in jazz.

Bibliography

Davis, Miles, and Quincy Troupe. Miles. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1990.

Early, Gerald Lyn. Miles Davis and American culture. St. Louis, MO: Missouri History Museum, 2001.

Fellezs, Kevin. Birds of Fire: Jazz, Rock, Funk, and the creation of Fusion. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2011.

Gabbard, Krin. Jazz among the Discourses. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1995.

Martin, Henry, and Keith Waters. Jazz: The first 100 years. New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2011.

West, Aaron J. Caught between jazz and pop: The contested origins, criticism, erformance practice, and reception of smooth jazz. Denton, TX: University of North Texas, 2008.

Footnotes

1. Gerald Lyn Early, Miles Davis and American culture (St. Louis, MO: Missouri History Museum, 2001), 21-25.
2. Henry Martin and Keith Waters, Jazz: The first 100 years, (New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2011), 41-45.
3. Martin and Waters, 48.
4. Miles Davis and Quincy Troupe, Miles (New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1990), 40-73.
5. Miles and Troupe, 40-73
6. Miles and Troupe, 40-73
7. Krin Gabbard, Jazz among the Discourses (Durham, NC: Duke University Press), 33-60.
8. Gabbard, 54.
9. Aaron J. West, Caught between jazz and pop: The contested origins, criticism, performance practice, and reception of smooth jazz (Denton, TX: University of North Texas, 2008), 41.
10. West, 112-123.
11. West, 112-123.
12. West, 112-123.
13. Kevin Fellezs, Birds of Fire: Jazz, Rock, Funk, and the creation of Fusion, (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2011) 55-88.
14. Fellezs, 94.
15. Fellezs, 101.
16. Early, 34-122.
17. Early, 34-122.
18. Early, 34-122.
19. Early, 34-122.
20. Early, 34-122.
21. Early, 34-122.
22. Fellezs, 151.
23. Fellezs, 130-150.
24. Fellezs, 153.

Jazz is an American musical art that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities as there was the connection of African and European music traditions. With the emaciation of slaves, there were new opportunities that were cared to African Americans in that they were allowed to have free education but they were not given opportunities in that same manner as the whites. The black musicians provided low-class entertainment at dances, minstrel shows, and vaudeville and this led to a nation of many bands. The black pianist played their music in bars and other places where they thought they could benefit from their music. During ragtime, there appeared many African American singers, and the appearance of New Orleans music then affect resulted in early jazz.

This is because early jazz players played in brothels and bars of the red light district and other places meaning that as this music came up then they were not able to play in such places. Most of the instruments that were used in marching bands and dance bands became the basic instruments of jazz. Other small bands were self-taught African Americans and many of whom came funeral procession tradition of New Orleans played a role in the development and dissemination of early jazz and this effect paved the way through to other black communities that were in the south. With the freedom of blacks then jazz music completely changed and there was the introduction of blues in the country. (Balliett, 1983)

This meant that the early jazz music was no longer in existence simply because many singers were African Americans and due to changes that were made then they were able to know their rights and come up to be responsible people in whatever work they had to undertake. This meant that whites did not like this but the fact is that with freedom then blacks were able to carry out activities just in that same manner as the whites. What blacks faced was changed as with the civil rights movement then they could be allowed to form institutions that could assist them in carrying out activities that could lead to the change of their lives completely. in the mid-sixties, jazz music had reached its zenith and there was free music that was beginning to associate with cultural freedom and the free jazz that was sung had information how blacks felt about their current situation in that during this time of freedom then they had their rights just in the same manner as whites. Free jazz musicians had made moves in the thematic structure of music in that the songs that were sung were framed in a way that they were able to give melody and this meant that the black freedom had changed to jazz music.

This meant that there was a need for separation of jazz music that was sung in old times so that they could have a composition that could fit them. In other words, the organizations that were formed had revolutionary effects and at the same time, it was able to bring other changes in the black freedom. This meant that the whites couldnt interfere with blacks bearing in mind that it was something that required changes so that it could fit in the African American culture. What organizations and institutions made in jazz music what that they assisted the blacks to get freedom and this meant that blacks were free to employment and education but with these organizations, there were many cases of black people who were murder this was a negative part of organizations and institutions that were formed. This meant that even though the organizations were good to some point there is also a bad part where many had lost their lives as they fought for their freedom. (Balliett, 1983)

The association of the advancement of creative musicians inc. has been an inspirational leader within the cultural community since the 1960s. The organization is a collection of musicians and composers who are dedicated to nurturing, performing, and recording serious and original music. The organization was formed so that it can meet the emergent needs to expose and showcase their original compositions and to create an outlet for the development and performance of their music. One mission of this organization has been to provide an atmosphere that would be conducive to the development of its member artists and to continue the organizations legacy of providing leadership and vision for the development of creative music.

This organization at first used African music to have a unique description of direction and it pays homage to diverse styles of expression within the body of black music in the US and this experience was extended from the ancient music of Africa to the music of the future. This organization has been viewed as the leading edge in public concerts that are featuring some of the musicians so that they can have performances based on their original creative music. The organization takes pride in developing new generations of talent through offering a free music training program that is conducted by members of city youth and the organizations school of music. It has the provision of moral standards to members through the provision of capacities as performers, artists, teachers, and role models. (Carlson, 1983)

The purpose of this organization was to ensure that blacks receive their freedom and have their rights respected in the same manner as whites. This meant that there was a need for organizations that could lead to the advancement of the black cries so that changes that were expected could be reached. This meant that organizations that were formed were targeting freedom and at the same time, it enabled African music in exists in international countries. This meant that the organization had many roles that it was supposed to play so that musicians and also the black freedom could be maintained and at the same time there was a need for changes that could result in this freedom. Therefore with this organization and other institutions then it can be clear that what blacks had been in a fight for was received and that was black freedom. Liberation was defined as an act that was done by black people so that they could have their rights. This meant that blacks had many actions that had to be done so that they could have their rights respected and one of the actions that were done is to have a spokesman that could lead to fighting for their rights. The songs that were sung were targeted at ensuring that blacks were free and ready to get their freedom. This showed that with the things that took place in the US concerning the African American group there was a need for liberty so that they could have access to education without discrimination has access to employment and health care. (Ben, 1983)

This meant that human action was required so that they could have changes that could lead to their freedom. In other words, what they termed liberation was to be based on the freedom to education, employment, and rights been that they were not given their rights but they were forced to fight for them as they needed to have their children have access to education and still have their women getting jobs just like white women. But with this liberation, there was still the problem of lack of equity in that there was no equality in income distribution. This meant that even if the black women had access to education and employment the payment was very different in that they were seen to be people who could not bring changes that were expected in changing the economy even if they had education and qualifications that were the same as those of whites. This meant that gender inequality was very much pronounced and therefore they saw the need to have liberation. In liberation, they also needed freedom been that they were blacks in that they needed freedom so that they could have access to their needs. Therefore generally liberation was the target of the discrimination that was done to blacks by whites and lack of representation in the government was still in their fight.

AACM was revolutionary because it had its main target made to blacks so that they could have their freedom in that same manner as whites. During the history of jazz music then there was productivity and fame that resulted and this meant that the organization that had to be formed was to bring changes to black freedom. This is what took place because at the time when they had a spokesperson then these people saw the need for their rights and they come up so that they could have their rights been known in the country. The musicians were mainly in this organization and the songs that were sung were the target of freedom for blacks. This meant that the organization was revolutionary as it could be seen that the changes that took place after the formation of this organization were able to assure blacks that freedom was necessary and saw the need to have their freedom in place. The organization had to strive for its success been that people needed freedom so that it had to do was to ensure that jazz musicians were ready to make changes that could lead to black peoples freedom. ( Ben,1983)

This organization was formed in the middle of the 1960s when there were cries of black power, cries of unjustness, cries of grieving for black leaders lost to the guns of white supremacists, and the cry of riots. After the signing of the emancipation proclamation, the blacks fused their wish to end racism and they had a leader who spoke on their behalf and claimed that the black population was sick and tired. This meant that they were ready for action but due to the failure of martin blacks realized that it was their time to make a change in their lives and a rash of the organization was formed to further their cause. Four organizations were formed to be instrumental in the black revolt and included, NAACP, SNCC, SCLC, and CORE. The NAACP was able to fight racism in that it had anti-racism courts, the SNCC began its efforts by staging sit-ins in places like restaurants so that they can have the right discussion made that was based on the need to have freedom just like other people in the country. This organization was linked to politics because it had most of its members been saxophone players who joined CORE so that they can have fought against racism in employment, housing, and education policies. At this time then blacks began to have riots in protest against racism and took some cities like San Francisco to their knees. (Anthony, 1978)

The Panthers gained their infamy by openly brandishing rifles and pistols and followed the members of the police department to ensure that blacks were not disturbed. The action of these panthers arose due to murders that were done to blacks and this meant that there was a need to have security for blacks as they fought for their rights. Members of the art ensemble of Chicago who were a famous group in AACM became renowned for their stage costumes. These groups wore African robes and face paint and made use of the instruments that were able to create a texture to their music. During this time then an African campaign was launched across America that insisted that blacks were ready to separate from conventions of whites and the need for African liberation which led the Americans to pay attention to the political changes of Africans and listened to the teachings that were from African scholars. At this time the western world had a focus on technology, industry, and science and the simplicity of life of African tribes was welcoming and attractive. The formation of this organization of jazz musicians had puzzled looks as jazz was focused on individual virtuosity and fame.

This organization laid its roots when well-respected jazz musicians of Chicago formed a rehearsal band that was called experimental band which had several players but it later divided due to disputes that come their way. At first jazz music had no meaning but with the introduction of this organization then changes were made that led to the use of words like Chicago politics and in this, they had other things that were put in places like socialism and communism.

Jazz music had played a role in ensuring that the blacks had their freedom, this is. From the history of this music then it can be seen that with the formation of organizations the blacks were able to see the need for freedom and this worked because they were encouraged and were ready to participate so that they could have their freedom. AACM organization that was formed gave the African Americans a way through to have their cries stopped and they saw the only way that could stop this cry was to have freedom and liberation. This meant that this jazz music was in link with the fight for black peoples freedom so that they could have access to their needs in the same way as the whites. Therefore the organizations that were formed showed that blacks were tired and therefore they were ready to have the freedom that was with their other parties. Even if the jazz musicians faced many challenges they were able to come up with songs that showed that blacks were safe and had freedom. The link of this jazz music to politics came in because the organization that was formed had its main members been musicians therefore they had to ensure that they fight for black peoples freedom and this is what was done. (Anthony, 1978)

Conclusion

Jazz music was changed even though it reached the target that was intended by the blacks in that they had to ensure that freedom was in existence in that it had to result from them blacks been ready to have their leaders and at the same time have changes that were required. In fact with this music then it can be seen that many black people had their way through many challenges.

Reference

Anthony, P. (1978): pick up the guns. New York: black panthers report.

Ben, R. (1983): live in jazz show case. New York: rhapsody films.

Balliett, T. (1983): effects of jazz music. New York: oxford up.

Carlson, W. (1983): black awakening of the 1960s. Cambridge: Harvard up.

I virtually attended Nate Smiths jazz concert held at the Vienne Ancient Roman Theatre in Vienne, France. The performing musicians included Nate Smith (drums), Brad Allen Williams (guitar), Jaleel Shaw (alto+soprano saxophones), and Jon Cowherd (fender Rhodes, piano) (Culturebox, 2022). The band played eleven pieces, including Street Lamp, Collision, Pages, and other compositions.

Street Lamp is a composition that lasts for eight minutes and seeks to capture Smiths experience traveling through his neighborhood on a bicycle, thus explaining its swirly but calm mood. The piece represents the cool jazz style due to its overall lighter tone compared to traditional jazz and quite a relaxed tempo. Regarding my overall impressions, I perceive the piece as a soothing and extraordinary composition; a guitar solo in the middle is my favorite part of it.

The next piece is called Collision; it is a 6-minute composition with strong drum parts that quickly become replaced with the calming sounds of the guitar. In terms of style, it meets the definition of cool jazz, which is evident from the unusual combination of its elements and the songs overall light mood that is rather relaxed. As for my impressions, the piece, aside from being musically complex, represents rapid changes in moods and tempo, thus being extremely emotional. My favorite section of it is the drum introduction that opens the piece and sets the tempo for the first, slower part of it.

The third piece is Pages, which is a 5-minute song. The song represents the cool jazz style due to its overall soft sound, various melodic lines played together, and the relaxed tempo. As for impressions, I would describe the piece as an ideal representation of modern jazz and the styles internal variety. My favorite section is a piano solo in the middle of the piece; this section offers more variety to the previously introduced melody and makes the piece a bit more dynamic for some time.

Reference

Culturebox. (2022). Nate Smith @ Jazz à Vienne 2022 [Video]. YouTube. Web.

Introduction

Jazz music is commonly thought of as naturally arising from the plantations of the South as black people gained their freedom and turned their sorrowful songs into celebration. However, this isnt exactly how jazz got its start. It is true that jazz came into being as a musical genre around the beginning of the 20^th century, around the time that former slaves were beginning to find a voice of their own within the European cities of the South.

As black musicians began incorporating the musical instruments of the Europeans into their music, they began discovering all kinds of new sounds and combinations that had a distinct means of communicating all its own. Bringing jazz to the mainstream public, though, would require more than a few groups of Southern black people getting together with some jumping music. Mainstreaming the jazz sounds would take the establishment of popular night spots that featured this type of music, such as the famous Mintons Playhouse in Harlem, New York, where jazz and its variations created a hot spot for the revival of black art and culture that would take place in this region we now refer to as the Harlem Renaissance.

Main body

As World War II swung into high gear, so did the advancement of a new type of music scene in America, known popularly as jazz. There were several reasons for this development including the drafting of many of the musicians required to man the big bands that had been popular until this time and the imposition of entertainment taxes to use the grand halls and caberets on a population that couldnt really afford additional costs (Jazz History, 2005).

People seeking entertainment after long hours working in the factories had little choice but to visit the smaller clubs and byways of cities such as New York, where young musicians, working to expand upon the improvisational styles of the swing era just passed, began working out new music using fewer band members, again constrained by the size of the performance space and the availability of players. It was this environment that contributed to clubs such as Mintons Playhouse, often cited as the birthplace of jazz, achieving their popularity and thus contributing to the distribution and popularization of its preferred musical style.

Mintons Playhouse was started in the dining room of the Hotel Cecil by retired saxophone player Henry Minton (Goelet, 2002). In an effort to ensure his fellow musicians felt at home at the new club, Minton hired Teddy Hill to manage the place. Hills band included many stars of the swing era, some of which were known as nonconformists. Of this first house band, drummer Kenny Clarke, trumpeter Joe Guy and pianist Thelonious Monk stood out as innovators of the new music and contributed to the clubs popularity among other jazz musicians. Clarke is attributed with the technique known as dropping bombs, a repertoire of accents on the snare and bass drums and tom-toms (Goelet, 2002).

The timekeeping function of the drums had already been moved to the high-hat cymbals by Jo Jones, but Clarke moved it again to the large cymbal. Joe Guy had a penchant for battling with other trumpeters that made him the perfect jam-session host (Goelet, 2002). Monk became known for having a fine ear and a completely open mind (Goelet, 2002). According to Amiri Baraka (2003), Monks contributions to the popularity of Mintons included his bold harmonies that often stimulated his fellow musicians.

This house band with a penchant for musical exploration encouraged other musicians to stop by whenever they could to sit in to explore their musical ideas. Even before the bop sessions got under way, musicians who were working up the street at the Apollo would come by after their last show, or even between shows, and sit in with whoever was on the stand (Baraka, 2003). Since Monday nights were usually the musicians night off, these became the most popular night for talents of all calibers to join in on these open sessions.

For years, at the start of every workweek, jazz musicians from around the city would converge on Mintons in what Ralph Ellison called a continuing symposium of jazz (Feuer, 2005). Musicians that dropped in to play as often as they could included such big-name stars as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. It was through these sessions that jazz was given birth as musicians left the strict rules of the directors and the dance floor in order to explore new musical expressions that focused on emotion, energy, harmony and rhythm.

Up to this point in time, the early 1940s, musicians had little control over their own music as most of this was controlled by the band directors rather than the individuals. In the smaller setting of the clubs, musicians found the freedom to express their creativity in a way that gave birth to the new form of music. Its where be-bop was born and took off. The polished acts all went downtown, but the experiments took place here (Claire Haaga, president of Housing and Services Inc. cited in Feuer, 2005).

While Mintons is credited with the birth of jazz because of this free and explorative atmosphere, the truth is that this creativity was as true of Mintons as it was of other clubs. Its true modern jazz probably began to get popular there [Mintons], but some of these histories and articles put what happened over the course of ten years into one year. They put people all together in one time in one place. Ive seen practically everybody at Mintons, but they were just playing. They werent giving lectures (Thelonious Monk cited in Baraka, 2003).

Despite the interest in this new type of music among an increasingly educated and enthralled audience, it was several years before any of this type of music became mainstream, thanks to a recording ban that had been in effect (Baraka, 2003).

As time went by, though, the crowd at Mintons failed to continue to live up to its early excitement. By the 1960s, it was reported that most of the music being played there were little more than replica groups of the old days. These are groups that are now more socially acceptable, and make up the mainstream of jazz, for the uptown mainstream listener (Baraka, 2003). With the reduction in experimental music and adoption of mainstream music, Mintons lost some of its earlier appeal. Eventually, the club switched over to disco and then went out of business in the 1970s.

Through the years, several individuals have worked to re-open the club, but it wasnt until recently that anyone was successful. The first such attempt was made by Robert De Niro in 1996 in cooperation with Drew Neiporent and Melba Wilson, but the deal fell through and Wilson eventually opened Melbas. The next attempt was made in 1999 by Kevin Ingram, a Wall Street mogul, but legal issues prevented the project from moving forward. Getting caught trying to launder $2.2 million in a federal arms money sting gave him little time to devote to the project (Chris, 2006).

However, the Harlem Renaissance has renewed interest in bringing the old town back to life, especially sites such as Mintons, that retain such a rich history with the culture and the region. With the Jazz Museum just around the corner, Mintons was reopened by Earl Spain. Accenting its ties to the past, the new Mintons retains the wall mural painted in the days of the old Mintons, which depicts some of the stars of the early days, as well as continuing the Monday night jam session tradition. The reopening of Mintons is a truly special event, not only for jazz enthusiasts, but for Harlem as well. Harlems renaissance would not be complete without the comeback of this important cultural venue (Lawrence Oaks, Executive Director of HSI cited by Jazz News, 2005).

Conlusion

Although jazz music had achieved a strong popularity prior to the opening of Mintons, it was the establishment of such a place in the heart of New York that was capable of bringing the music to the masses that helped give jazz such a strong role in the later development of the area. Accompanying the race through the trials and tribulations of attempting to gain a sympathetic ear and a means of audible expression, jazz became the heart of the black movement, the cultural revival and the new energy leading into the Civil Rights era.

Free and easy yet structured and dependable, jazz offered a little bit of everything to anyone who simply wanted to lose themselves in the joy of the music for a while and thus began paving the way for other means of expression while the club provided a safe place for blacks and whites to join together in this celebration without fear or restriction. Mintons provided a place where the sounds of jazz could reach out to mainstream society and proclaim itself valid, giving an entire population a focal point and a source of strength. With its revival in recent years, it is hoped that Mintons can once again serve as a source of strength and direction as the area undergoes a second renaissance of art and cultural expression.

Works Cited

Baraka, Amiri. Mintons. The Blacklisted Journalist. (2003). Web.

Feuer, Alan. Where Lady Day Sleeps, A Jazz Tradition Awakes. New York Times. (2005). Web.

Goelet, Francis. Jazz. Recorded Anthology of American Music. (2002). New World Records. Web.

Chris. Be-Bop, Be-Drunk: Mintons House Set to Play Again. Harlem Fur. (2006.) Web.

Jazz History. Verve Music Group. (2005). Universal Studios.

Jazz News. The Reopening of Mintons Playhouse. (2005). Web.

Charlie Parker, known as Yardbird, is one of the most significant music innovators in the 20^th century because he brought bebop and influenced many musicians and the entire jazz movement. He became a famous figure in the mid-20^th century because he made jazz rely on virtuosic techniques, fast tempos, and sophisticated harmonies. Parker additionally contributed to the move away from big bands because he indicated that solos, trios, and quartets could create notable jazz melodies as well. Bloomdido is a fast-tempo melody that features a virtuous play of different instruments, including drums, saxophone, and piano.

Yardbird Suite is an example of bebop because of complex chord progressions and a perfect combination of drums and wind instruments. In Ornithology, the same characteristic features are present, and I would like to add that they create a harmonic structure of the melody. Anthropology probably has the fastest tempo of all jazz melodies, and instrumental virtuosity makes this composition even more notable. In Just Friends, Parkers saxophone is perfectly accompanied by piano and string instruments to create a medium-tempo melody with complex chord progressions and rapid chord changes.

Dizzy Gillespie revolutionized jazz in the 1940s since he was one of the bebop inventors. Furthermore, he actively relied on Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian rhythms, which made his music distinct and memorable. A Night in Tunisia includes such motifs and is characterized by a perfect harmony between a piano, drums, and wind instruments to create a fast tempo and high-pitch melody.

Bud Powell became famous in the 1940s when he demonstrated that a pianist could successfully play bebop. Un Poco Loco is a lively and fast-tempo melody where a piano plays a central role. It is bebop because chord progressions are complex, and their changes are rapid. In Tempus Fugit, a virtuous piano play proved the idea by VanHemert (2020) that bebop was more complex than swing because this style was for musicians, not listeners. Dance on the Infidels shows perfect harmony between a piano, drums, and wind instruments since different instruments make rapid chord changes notable and effective.

Thelonious Monk significantly influenced modern jazz because he contributed to the spread of bebop in the mid-20^th century. Round Midnight is the most recorded melody, which makes Monk a notable composer. This compositions style is angular because it relies on unusual intervals and rhythms. In Nutty, a piano, drums, and wind instruments are combined into a dissonant and complex harmony. Even though it seems that the musicians are off key, it was an intentional decision because Monk was famous for his playful and humorous music. Misterioso demonstrates that a dissonant harmony can become an advantage because Monks virtuous piano play makes it exciting to listen to this composition and expect what hooks will be used further. Trinkle, Tinkle is an evident example of bebop because a saxophone and a piano create complex chord progressions and rapid changes that rely on unusual rhythms.

Max Roach was a famous drummer, jazz composer, and pioneer of bebop. Cherokee has all the characteristic features of the bebop style. They include fast tempo, complex chord progressions, and rapid rhythm changes. Furthermore, the combination of drums, a piano, and wind instruments create harmony.

Charles Mingus was a prominent figure in American jazz during the 20^th century. He was a virtuoso pianist, accomplished bass player, and successful bandleader of multiple groups. Haitian Fight Song is a combination of a bass guitar, piano, drums, and wind instruments, which creates a medium-tempo melody with unusual rhythms. In Moanin, multiple instruments are used, but wind ones play a leading role. Saxophones and trumpets bring instrumental virtuosity, while rapid chord changes and fast tempo indicate that the melody is an example of bebop. Pithecanthropus Erectus is a medium-tempo melody that features a traditional set of jazz instruments. They are perfectly combined to create harmony and balance, which finally creates a mysterious feeling from listening to the composition. In Fables of Faubus, the combination of a bass guitar, piano, and wind instruments resulted in an attractive and exciting melody. Its characteristic features include a slow tempo, mainly low pitch, and unexpected rhythm changes. These qualities demonstrate that this melody combines the features of bebop and traditional jazz.

Dexter Gordon was the most famous and influential tenor saxophonist in the bebop movement, and he earned fame because of his virtuous play and excellent improvisation. Cheesecake relies on a traditional set of instruments, including a piano, saxophone, drums, and guitar. Fast tempo and complex chord progressions demonstrate that this melody is an example of bebop. Tangerine is a long composition where a saxophone plays a leading role. Gordons virtuous play and melodys fast tempo make it pleasant and existing. Harmony is additionally established because the saxophone is accompanied by drums and a piano. In Youve Changed, Gordon relied on the saxophone to create a slow-tempo melody. Further characteristic features include rhythmic changes and complex chord progressions. That is why it is interesting to listen to this composition and watch the harmony established by the use of multiple instruments.

Reference

VanHemert, J. (2020). Bebop: The jazz musicians rallying cry for equal rights. The Anchor. Web.

Major arts are structured, created, and developed in the context of a medium. The standards vary depending on the type of art. Music is one type of art that uses sound medium in its foundation, progression, and arrangement. All music types have specifications in which they are developed. Precise characteristics govern how particular genres of music are composed. These traits are used in differentiating the various varieties of music. Musical pieces are mainly defined by their origins and developmental backgrounds. Therefore, definitions are usually based on the culture and social context of the pieces music. Musical compositions are diverse and vary among communities. They contrast from stringently structured masterpieces to aleatoric types.

People use music for different purposes and methods. Cultural practices have shown that music can be a vital component of a way of life. Compositions and staging of melodies are designed for various reasons. Music can be developed for enjoyment, spiritual or ritual functions, or as a gratification produce for the public. Some composers of music do it for pleasure while others have intent of making money out of music. Whatever the reason for making music, it is imperative for the composer to appreciate the socio-cultural context of the preferred melody. Understanding the music history will ensure that an acceptable piece is developed. Audiences of a chosen music type have set criteria on what they expect.

All traditional groups and persons hold melodies as an integral feature of their lives. Music braves the intellect, inspires thoughts, conveys delight and pleasure, and acclaims courage to humans. There exists varied kinds of music some foreign others indigenous. Music has a social requirement in many traditions, community levels, age sets, and various units of a population. Specific music pieces can superlatively be figured out in a societal and customary background. Appreciating a tradition involves a level of knowing its melodies and their origins. This also applies in reverse; accepting music requires an understanding of its origin and framework. Understanding a piece of music involves having an awareness of its linked traditions and people. An official global principle for appraising music might not exist, however communities have their unique methods of assessing music and its learning. Learning music in terms of creative and inspired actions, development, figuring out the framework, and increasing suitable logical and decisive abilities are vital to humanity (Johnson, C.M. and Ilari, B 2002).

When people refer to jazz music approaches, they repeatedly end up with many classifications. Occasionally, they refer to locations where they can associate the music with. Some even use composers as means of recognizing certain jazz music. This assortment results in a disorder making it incompetent when differentiating bigger jazz repertory. Leonard Meyer asserts that style and style variation occur due to preferences used by musicians. The likings are controlled by the way of life position, conventions of the music, and psychology. Accordingly, this proves why musicians opt to replicate certain models of music and disregard some. Hildred Roach stresses that style is a typical method of composing or reciting music. It is integrated with a practice that links a system of process plus an exploitation of phrases.

However, if analysis of jazz music could depend on style alone, the outcome is bound to have biases. There are societal uncertainties, persistent disparities in descriptions, and finally influences by individual favoritism. With the aid of a sociolinguistic approach, stipulations and hypothetical representations can be formulated. The hypotheses can use limits to assist in differentiating the numerous variations of jazz music. The learning method recognizes restrictions on idiom classifications with references to opinionated, physical, and communal boundaries. It wraps up the investigations using more sociolinguistic doctrines that can be used in the learning of jazz music. Research of jazz hypothesis uses clear investigative apparatus similar to customary music hypotheses. Societal and recital aspects in jazz performances are used in the investigations (McGowan, J. 2002).

Masterpiece jazz is a combination of soaring sophisticated Western music and jazz melodies. It originated in the United States in the early 20^th century. The music is associated with American inner-city surroundings. It develops reflections of traditional, locality, racial and fiscal planes of the black Americans. By utilizing practical mechanisms of tune, synchronization, tempo and structure, the music induces an American uniqueness. Real masterpiece jazz music idioms are sourced from western idealistic customs, American blacks jazz, and American trendy music. Paul Whiteman invented the expression masterpiece jazz in the 1920s. The initial piece of masterpiece jazz was the composition Blue Monday. Later works were performed by various composers such as George Gershwin, Darius Milhaud, George Antheil, and Ferde Grofe.

The musical traits of masterpiece jazz illustrate the societal customs setting of America in the 1920s. Its distinctiveness can be linked to peoples relocation outlines. When musical phrases of dual customs lend traits to each other, musical acculturation takes place. Nevertheless, by 1970 music and customary characteristics were barely unstated in the scholarly spheres. Through music understanding of opinionated, societal, financial and artistic aspects understandings are made possible. It is in this regard that masterpiece jazz institutes a union with New York City.

Hiram K. Moderwell, a past devotee of masterpiece jazz, established that ragtime beats suggested the reverberations of New York City. This is due to the beats agitated activity and movement with fundamental musical development in the direction of an unclear destination. Other pieces with recognizable reverberation transpired in the era. Gershwin had a piece, Second Rhapsody, which induced a fascinating tempo of metaphors in building and money-making development. American melody has the reverberation of diverse backgrounds just as the nature of the country. Musicians, song poets, and directors of masterpiece jazz imitate their ways of life using beat, tune, synchronization, strict formation, and mechanization. Specifically, it freely merges the major exciting constituents of black jazz, trendy music of American, and eminent Western way of life melodious techniques (King, B. 2001).

It was on September 26 1898, Brooklyn, New York that George Gershwin was born. He began his profession at the age of 15 in Tin Pan Alley an area in New York City. At this center hopeful musicians and song poets could bring their works for production. The artists anticipated to get a small amount of cash for their melodies. Gershwin worked for the Jerome Remick organization as a tune plugger. This position enabled him to access numerous tunes. His capacity to predict superior and sensational tunes was made possible owing to his position. Sinbad melodic distributed by Al Jolson was his first major success song. On the other hand, Swanee boosted his compositions in front of the Broadway listeners often. The melody La La Lucille was written by Gershwin in 1919. It was an instant chartbuster. He later worked with instigator George White furnishing him with melodies for the George White Scandals run.

While at the Scandals, Gershwin compiled a short operetta referred to as Blue Monday. Paul Whiteman, a 1920s leading music crew head, was impressed. The principal specially asked Gershwins jazz masterpiece to be staged at Aeolian Hall together with a number of leading pieces. Composing the music had escaped Gershwins mind for a while. It was about twenty one days to the first staging of his music that he saw an announcement about the melody. In the remaining short period Gershwin wrote the tune which shaped his professional life. The melody promoted him to a height of prominence (Firestone, G. 2006).

The partnership between Gershwin and Whiteman as musician with a rhymester started in 1924. The first piece created was Lady Be Good! this credited numerous hits. Irrespective of his good run on Broadway, Gershwin opted for his Rhapsody in Blue triumph. He included more melodies without accompanying piano such as Concerto in F of 1925, Preludes for piano of 1926 and An American in Paris. The later piece was composed following a tour of Paris by Gershwin. This melody is a verse that carries the audience to the avenues of Paris in the 1920s. In attempts to portray a practical description of the City of Lights, Georges tune required four vehicle hooting to reproduce the loud vehicle travels of Paris. He later left Broadway and moved with Ira to Hollywood. This switch did not weaken their melodies. Gershwins initial show was The King of Jazz marking melodies chosen by Paul Whiteman. The show incorporated Rhapsody in Blue as a characteristic melody and Bing Crosby as a top name. The two had continued success reflecting back to the Broadway times.

Gershwin thrived intensely in developing a fusion of jazz with conventional melody varieties. These mergers have stood the trials of periods which have passed. His compositions were respected as solemn for their generation and era. Currently the pieces appear as model pianos, bands, and composition writings. Nevertheless, in earlier stagings, Gershwins daring and novel compositions confused the New York reviewers. Analysts have viewed Gershwins efforts as a conduit linking Tin Pan Alley and the grand performance auditoriums of New York. Gershwin directed the performances using his exceptional composition techniques (Firestone 2006).

In 1926 Gershwin reflected on producing a complete opera featuring DuBose Heywards Porgy. This was a tale concerning black natives of Catfish Row in Charlestown, South Carolina. It was not until October 1933 that the Gershwin brothers in collaboration with Dubose Heyward got into an agreement with the Theatre Guild of New York. Gershwin achieved success in February 1934. He subsisted on in South Carolina writing and incorporating persuasions from Folly Island. From here the brothers were able to monitor the Gullahs, a secluded assembly residing on neighboring James Island. The Gullahs turned out to be models of the Catfish Row inhabitants. This was a joyful partnership as DuBose Heyward jotted down the lines while Ira Gershwin and Heyward compiled the words. He contributed lyrics for two other hits.

In the tenth month of 1935 at a major theatre in New York, contrast to a composition quarters, Porgy and Bess released their songs. The opera could not get back its venture capital and shut down despite having 124 shows. Nowadays, the project is admired as a major striking opera model ever written by an American lyricist. The apparent sway by Gershwin was from religious tunes, black diviners, and African-American jazz beats. Majorly, the manipulations permeate tales of affection, killings, and desire in a style unmatched in all recorded opera. Melodious and composition influences were seen in African-Americans emergence thanks to Gershwin. The inspiring splendor of his music gave immense dignity to the black countrymen. This was prepared in an exclusive American composition background echoing global humanity topics. Porgy and Bess is certainly Gershwins best melodious success. It is occasionally staged in opera domes universally and is revered as a twentieth century symphonic composition (Firestone, G. 2006).

The study of jazz music is unique as it has made a shift from casual to recognizable spheres of discovery. The spotlight has been on what has been passed on as opposed to how it was established. This attention transfer has influenced our perception of jazz compositions as a group. Most of the musical styles can be related using their past accounts. Mutual society beginnings and overlying neighborhoods were means that promoted the notion of historically coerced jazz assembles. Jazz practices have encountered numerous impediments. These barriers are useful in appreciating how to study jazz and how its histories were instituted. It was the original melody of the African inhabitants that were staged at the societal showgrounds. Prime inspiration to make official jazz studies was essential. Ascertaining validity to finally see jazz as part of a larger melody custom was crucial. Recognizing the probability of connecting the forms of spread to melodies being conveyed was important. The procedure through which jazz changed into a conventional constituent of music learning was through historical studies. Most studies originate from an exact acceptance of the jazz customs (Gatien, G. 2009).

The diverse perceptions of recitation ideas between melodies and theatre learners depict a unique study task. Learning music in the framework of its community and their way of life is revered by many scholars. A recital learning method inquires what a melody permits persons to engage in. This view visualizes music as a practice inside a broader communal and customary norm. The study design is slowly deviating from its primary focus, the acceptance of melody or its significance, to why the melody or its worth is so central to humanity and communities. The shifting enables learners to engage into deeper research of the origins of a melody (Madrid, L.A. 2009).

A foremost fault in criticizing black music is that it shreds the melodies, too honestly, of its communal and intellectual objective. The detractors try to describe jazz as a talent which has surfaced from no logical source of thinking. Communal and intellectual settings and a way of life that shaped Mozart are regarded as ordinary. The way of life and customs of the black people of America are significant, especially, when it comes to the music that emerged from the communities. It is impossible to comprehend their melodies apart from being aware of the outlook that created them. The values of blacks music are vital in appreciating the melodies. The beliefs are in part as a product of the communal nature of blacks in America. Detractors were usually unprofessional in their analysis. Their thoughts stood at their recognition of the music and nothing more. One has to be responsive to the values that created a music piece so as to give a detailed account of the melody. To completely grasp a jazz artistic composition, comprehensive listings of its communal perspectives are required.

Modern jazz, recently, has started to generate disorder and enthusiasm. Melodies such as Omette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor and many more have impressed audiences. The music has evolved due to the same reasons it did a couple of decades ago. Bop originated from a rejoinder by new artists towards the unproductiveness and regulations of Swing. The New Thing is the latest connotation of contemporary jazz. This is a response to the tough bop and pop-dance group.

In recent times, just two American dramatists have emerged. Eugene ONeill and Tennessee Williams who are weighty on the account of thoughts as Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker or Omette Coleman. However, a group of theatrical censure equally exists in America. This is made possible by the importation of ideas from Europe. Nevertheless, detractors of jazz music cannot be found in European customs or hypotheses. Black jazz music is essentially an American experience. Therefore, regulations for reviewing and artistic brilliance will rely on inhabitant familiarity of the fundamental values and indigenous way of life of jazz. Scholars have adequate time to commence their preparations (Baraka, A. 1960).

All in all, it is apparent that research on music has specifications which should be adhered to. Community settings and cultural backgrounds are paramount in the study of a communitys music. Investigators cannot study one aspect in the absence of the other. Most musical genres have traditions that show how they were created. Appreciating musical pieces require a wholesome study of the social and cultural context of the piece. This approach will ensure a comprehensive analysis of music of different genres.

Reference List

Baraka, A 1960, Jazz and the White Critic, Black Music, New York, Morrow.

Firestone, G 2006, George Gershwin, Bestofbroadyproductions.com. Web.

Gatien, G 2009, Action, Criticism & Theory for Music Education, Categories and Music Transmission, [Online], vol. 8, no. 2 pp. 94-119. Web.

Johnson, C M & Iiari, B 2002, International Journal of Music Education, Policy. Web.

King, B 2001, American symphonic jazz an excursion into the geography of music, La Scena Musicale.

Madrid, L A 2009, Why Music and Performance Studies? Why Now? An Introduction to the Special Issue, Transcultural Music Review, no. 13 ISSN 1697-0101. Web.

McGowan, J 2002, Understanding Jazz Styles Through Sociolinguistic Models, Discourses, vol. 4, no. 1. Web.

Introduction

Jazz is a music genre that is difficult to define. It is a type of music that heavily uses musical elements such as ragtime, blue notes, brass band tradition, European harmony, swung note, syncopation, polyrhythms, and improvisation (Baskerville, 2009). Jazz gets its appeal from the blend of different musical elements and the fact that different performers have different improvisation and personal interpretation. It spans over a period of 100 years and commonly associated with the African American community as the originators. This paper discusses the social influence of jazz music.

History

Jazz began somewhere in the late 19^th century. It was used to interpret West African and European cultures. But over the years, its style and composition have evolved with different performers coming up with their own improvisation and interpretation. Majority of the African slaves brought to America during the slave trade period came from West Africa. The slaves were largely from the region around the Congo River basin (Kofsky, 2008). They are known to have a strong musical tradition characterized with a single line melody. Their traditional folk songs were a reflection of their speech patterns with a counter metric structure of rhythms. The slaves used to organize dance and musical festivals every Sunday in New Orleans.

Church music among the African American community was also a strong contributor to the development of jazz. The black slaves used to play harmonic hymns in church and this style of music became a blend associated with the community. During the late 19^th century, many black people began to learn how to play European musical instrument. They learnt to play the violin among other instruments. In effect, they used their new skills to parody European music during their festivals (Gerard, 2008).

When slavery was abolished, new opportunities emerged for African Americans to be educated. Despite the strict segregation rules that prevented African Americans from getting employment, there were opportunities in the entertainment industry which obviously favored black musicians. Opportunities for performance were created in entertainment spots such as clubs and bars. The jazz age officially began from 1920s when alcohol and sales of illicit brews were banned in the US.

However, establishments that sold alcohol illegally sprung up around this time. These establishments were known to host jazz musicians and as a result, jazz was considered an immoral type of music associated with all vices in the society. The music began to receive bad reputation even in the media as media houses began to pick at it

Influence on society

During the early development stages of jazz music, black Americans found a lot of solace in their music. They used music to air their voices and to express themselves due to the discriminatory circumstances that surrounded their community.

Jazz music helped to create racial integration between African and white musician, a phenomenon that was difficult to see in the past. There was still widespread racial discrimination in the United States. However, jazz musicians were seen as equals. Jazz started out with blacks and received full acceptance among the whites. It was seen as a positive force for creating cohesion within the society. Musicians could name their albums and music using international connotations. For instance, one of the early and most celebrated jazz musicians named one of his albums India (Peretti, 2002).

There are also programs that train children to appreciate the history of the music and to learn the music. Jazz festivals held in the US and different parts of the world has given the music global recognition. Only recently, Kenya held an internal jazz festival where several international jazz artists shared the stage to entertain large crowds. Such events help the music to survive.

The recording music industry has played a huge role in promoting Jazz. They provided an opportunity for making it more marketable. However, the social discrimination against blacks affected the music. Many black musicians were forced to record music that appealed to whites for their music to sell. The discrimination also left many black musicians not to be credited for the creation of the music. Furthermore, there was also widespread discrimination within the industry. Recording, distribution, and marketing was mainly controlled by white people who financially exploited talented black musicians.

Jazz has become popular as a modern music style. Several television shows, movies, and music videos have shown performances of jazz. There are jazz radio shows in many popular radio stations. In addition, many young and vibrant people enjoy listening to jazz. Jazz concerts are usually filled to capacity and it is not surprising to see so many people turn up for jazz concerts. Jazz has also had a significant influence on the development of other musical genre such as afro fusion. A lot of performances of the African musical cues have elements of jazz.

Conclusion

Jazz, which started out as an African folk music, has had a fair share of both negative and positive influence to the society. It has been a force of racial integration, bringing together African Americans and whites not only in the US but also globally.

References

Baskerville, J. D. (2009). The impact of black nationalist ideology on American jazz music of the 1960s and 1970s. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press. Web.

Gerard, C. (2008). Jazz in black and white: Race, culture, and identity in the jazz community. Westport, CT: Praeger. Web.

Kofsky, F. (2008). Black music, white music: Illuminating the history and political economy of jazz. New York: Pathfinder. Web.

Peretti, B. W. (2002). The creation of jazz: Music, race, and culture in urban America. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Web.

Concert and Performers

This report will cover the performance by Wynton Marsalis and the ensemble at the Jazz in Marciac festival in 2009. Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, musician, and composer from New Orleans, Louisiana, with an impressive repertoire ranging from jazz to classical music. The musicians vision is based on the foundational principles of jazz: support of creativity, cooperation, sophistication, and persistent optimism in times of trouble (Biography).

At Jazz in Marciac, Marsalis was accompanied by Gordon (trombone, vocals), Goines (clarinet, saxophone), Wilber (clarinet, saxophone), Franc (soprano saxophone), Nimmer (piano), Enrique (bass), and Jackson (drums) (Wynton Marsalis). I have chosen this particular performance for my love of jazz and sincere interest in the 40-year traditions of Jazz in Marciac festival that never fails to attract renowned musicians.

Music and Musical Characteristics

Jazz is an incredibly diverse and complex musical genre that originates from the United States of America. The original performers of musical genres which later contributed to the emergence of jazz were slaves. Their striving for freedom and self-expression was what gave this genre the liberal character, rhythmical urgency, and space for improvisation. The performance by Marsalis and the ensemble has the key characteristics of jazz: syncopation keeps listeners at the edge of their seats, whereas swing creates a smooth forward momentum (Terefenko 20).

Style and Genre

The program consists of eight compositions:

1. The Sheik of Araby is a 1921 song by Illinois-born composer Ted Snyder and New York lyricist Harry Smith. The song has become part of popular culture and has undergone numerous notable recordings by accomplished musicians. The song is characterized by a playful tone and upbeat rhythm as it was written in response to a 1921 romantic adventure film, The Sheik.
2. Egyptian Fantasy is a 1949 song by American composer Sydney Bechet. Like Marsalis, Bechet was born in New Orleans, and by performing this bohemian, lush tune, Marsalis may be paying homage to his countryman.
3. Cake Walking Babies from Home is a 1925 popular song by Eva Taylor and Clarence Williams. The jazz vocabulary of this composition is incredibly rich, and the fast-paced music flow takes many unexpected turns before coming to an abrupt end.
4. Summertime is a 1945 aria by George Gershwin, which is recognized as one of the finest musical pieces to date as it masterfully combines jazz elements and African-American singing styles from the 1920s.
5. Promenade aux Champs Élysées was written by Sidney Bechet in 1949 following his emigration to Paris, which must have served as an inspiration for this moderate-tempo elegant composition.
6. Petit Fleur is the first song performed in minor in this program. The composition was written by Bechet in 1950 in Paris and is finely laced by lightweight piano and melancholic saxophone.
7. The Way I Ride is a 1945 fun, nonchalant, somewhat lazily paced composition by Wooden Joe Nicholas, another Louisiana-native.
8. Sweet Louisiana is a slow-paced but vibrant rendition of a 1945 composition by Bechet.

Musical Interpretation

What stood out to me about the program chosen by Marsalis and the ensemble was that the first half of it consisted of the compositions written in the 1920s, whereas the second half included songs from the 1940-1950 decade. In the history of jazz, these two decades bore a lot of significance and were marked by many prominent events and figures. The 1920s were the Jazz Age, and many classic jazz songs originate from that era.

It appears to me that in the first half of the concert, Marsalis and the ensemble adhered to the original way of performing, seeking to convey the critical characteristics of the epoch. The 1940s, on the other hand, broadened the audience of jazz, and musicians dared to experiment more than ever. In alignment with that tendency, Marsalis and the ensemble were more frivolous with rhythmic alterations and dissonance. Overall, the musicians played in tune and communicated the music as it was intended but with unexpected details.

Highlights of the Show and Final Impressions

All in all, the show by Marsalis at Jazz in Marciac was a captivating experience. Even though the entire performance was excellent, I deem it essential to point out a couple of the most enjoyable moments. In the second half of Sweet Louisiana, Gordon sets in with a temperamental solo on a trombone which strikes a listener with incredible versatility as it goes from breathy to almost guttural in its sound. Another highlight was Petit Fleur since the appearance of a song in minor was surprising given the lighthearted nature of other compositions. Its moody piano melody was akin to a breath of fresh air. I am convinced that jazz can attract listeners of all ages, genders, and walks of life, and I would encourage my family and friends to get familiar with Marsalis artistry.

Works Cited

Biography. Wynton, n.d. Web.

Terefenko, Dariusz. Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study. Routledge, 2014.

Wynton Marsalis  Jazz in Marciac 2009. YouTube, uploaded by Pavel Levin, 2012. Web.