Chapter 3 Lecture Slides for Gridley, Concise Guide to Jazz

The Origins of Jazz Chapter 3 Beginnings Originated from brass band and ragtime piano styles of the 1800s 1890s: Jazz began to be recognized as a style of its own Pre-jazz styles Ragtime Provided jazz repertory Popularized syncopated rhythms Blues Provided jazz repertory Experimented with pitch bend Popularized rhythmic displacement African American Music in the New World New styles showing African influence Children’s games African American church music Work songs Field hollers Undiluted African music performed in public Social clubs Mardi Gras Caribbean traditions carried Latin/African American influences New Orleans Early history 1718: France began building New Orleans 1719: 147 black slaves were brought to the city 1722: Free blacks in the city as well 1763: France gave the territory of Louisiana to Spain 1801: Spain gave Louisiana back to France 1803: United States purchases the territory Class Structure in New Orleans The Negroes Lived in racially mixed, poor neighborhoods -- uptown New Orleans Worked as house servants and unskilled laborers Children generally did not receive high-quality musical training The Creoles of Color Lived downtown in the area today known as the French Quarter Mostly well-educated and successful Spoke French Owned slaves Children received high quality musical instruction Maintained a resident symphony orchestra The Blues Black folk music that began in early 1800s Began in America by African slaves Originated as an unaccompanied vocal style (field hollers) Eventually a standard rhyme scheme and a progression of accompaniment chords was adopted The Blues tradition gave to jazz three elements: Flexible tone quality and pitch of notes A form and standard set of harmony for improvisation Songs for improvisation Eventually Blues became a major part of popular music in America and provided one of the roots for rock and roll Brass Bands Live music was in great demand in pre-radio/recording days A band was present at almost every social activity! Included brass instruments, bass drum, cymbal, snare drum, and at times, clarinet and saxophone The Civil War introduced many new regimental bands which performed at military ceremonies and patriotic concerts Ragtime Ragtime refers to a kind of written piano music that first appeared in the late 1890s Scott Joplin (1868 - 1917) By the end of the 1800s, ragtime was very popular Incorporated a great deal of syncopation Ragtime does not qualify as a jazz style because it lacked swing feeling Combining Influences 1890s: There were bands in almost every small town and settlement in southern Louisiana Several influences present: March music The music of brass bands and musicians such as John Phillip Sousa Ragtime music Mexican bands The Party Atmosphere New Orleans was an ideal setting for the birth of jazz It was a center of commerce Mississippi River It maintained a party atmosphere Numerous taverns and dance halls Generated tremendous work for musicians Created a demand for live music and the constant need for fresh material The Beginnings of Jazz Jazz music began by stretching, blending, and continuously revising older styles Jazz music grew out of many kinds of music played for dancing Jazz music is marked by a major increase in improvisation Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master subtitle style * * * The Origins of Jazz Chapter 3 Beginnings Originated from brass band and ragtime piano styles of the 1800s 1890s: Jazz began to be recognized as a style of its own Pre-jazz styles Ragtime Provided jazz repertory Popularized syncopated rhythms Blues Provided jazz repertory Experimented with pitch bend Popularized rhythmic displacement African American Music in the New World New styles showing African influence Children’s games African American church music Work songs Field hollers Undiluted African music performed in public Social clubs Mardi Gras Caribbean traditions carried Latin/African American influences New Orleans Early history 1718: France began building New Orleans 1719: 147 black slaves were brought to the city 1722: Free blacks in the city as well 1763: France gave the territory of Louisiana to Spain 1801: Spain gave Louisiana back to France 1803: United States purchases the territory Class Structure in New Orleans The Negroes Lived in racially mixed, poor neighborhoods -- uptown New Orleans Worked as house servants and unskilled laborers Children generally did not receive high-quality musical training The Creoles of Color Lived downtown in the area today known as the French Quarter Mostly well-educated and successful Spoke French Owned slaves Children received high quality musical instruction Maintained a resident symphony orchestra The Blues Black folk music that began in early 1800s Began in America by African slaves Originated as an unaccompanied vocal style (field hollers) Eventually a standard rhyme scheme and a progression of accompaniment chords was adopted The Blues tradition gave to jazz three elements: Flexible tone quality and pitch of notes A form and standard set of harmony for improvisation Songs for improvisation Eventually Blues became a major part of popular music in America and provided one of the roots for rock and roll Brass Bands Live music was in great demand in pre-radio/recording days A band was present at almost every social activity! Included brass instruments, bass drum, cymbal, snare drum, and at times, clarinet and saxophone The Civil War introduced many new regimental bands which performed at military ceremonies and patriotic concerts Ragtime Ragtime refers to a kind of written piano music that first appeared in the late 1890s Scott Joplin (1868 - 1917) By the end of the 1800s, ragtime was very popular Incorporated a great deal of syncopation Ragtime does not qualify as a jazz style because it lacked swing feeling Combining Influences 1890s: There were bands in almost every small town and settlement in southern Louisiana Several influences present: March music The music of brass bands and musicians such as John Phillip Sousa Ragtime music Mexican bands The Party Atmosphere New Orleans was an ideal setting for the birth of jazz It was a center of commerce Mississippi River It maintained a party atmosphere Numerous taverns and dance halls Generated tremendous work for musicians Created a demand for live music and the constant need for fresh material The Beginnings of Jazz Jazz music began by stretching, blending, and continuously revising older styles Jazz music grew out of many kinds of music played for dancing Jazz music is marked by a major increase in improvisation