Blog #5

                Before attending this class, I never knew that there was a variety of jazz types and that they each had their specific hometowns. Honestly (and quite naively), I assumed that modern jazz (specifically what I have heard on the radio) originated from New Orleans and this jazz traveled to Chicago and New York and the rest of the United States. I had not realized that jazz evolved over the years from various types to the modern jazz heard and enjoyed today. Also, I never recognized the racial turmoil that black jazz musicians faced during the development of modern jazz. Even though the Civil Rights Movement began to occur around the rise of jazz, I never connected the two. Moreover, I would have never have associated jazz to sex and drugs and prostitution and coolness as I know rock and roll was during its rise. Because I always thought jazz was how it sounded on the radio, I thought it was humorous to hear it linked to rebellious nature and social vices. After attending this class, however, I acquired the knowledge of the history of jazz and what happened during its emergence as well as concepts, specifically dissonance, that have a newfound meaning to me than what they had before.

Thanks to this class, I am aware of the various, vital locations jazz arose, specifically New Orleans, Chicago, New York, and Kansas City. I also know of the multiple types of jazz including the stride piano and the focus on improvisation and “Swing” and “Bebop”. I learned of New Orleans’ metropolitan culture and its Latin slave code that allowed slaves to perform music and dance in Congo Square. Here, in New Orleans, was the beginning of the “syncretism” or “blending together of cultural elements that previously existed separately” that allowed jazz to emerge (Gioia 5). I then learned of Chicago and the age of the soloist. Chicago was an economically stable that had a “vibrant local jazz scene” in which plenty of jazz clubs and dance halls emerged but yet was divided racially as a separate black community attempted its own economy (Gioia 76). While improvisation reigned supreme in Chicago, New York introduced the stride piano in Harlem which was also divided; there were the Harlem Renaissance literature intellectuals of the high culture and the low culture jazz musicians and rent parties. “Swing” emerged and consumed the nation with its big bands and dance tunes. Its position in the “mainstream of popular culture” lasted until after World War II (Professor Stewart). The “Swing” opposite, “Bebop”, then emerged which became the modern form of jazz. The emphasis of “Bebop” was of improvisation and the fact that the musician was an artist not an entertainer, unlike “Swing” musicians. Out of “Bebop” and its individualistic expression came flamboyant and eccentric characters like Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. Monk was known for his unconventional playing and sound, though, as Professor Stewart stated in lecture, he “embodied the beauty of dissonance.”

Being a musician I am knowledgeable in the concepts of improvisation and call and response and blues and even dissonance; however, I learned to avoid dissonance as it was not pleasing to the ear or conventional. Through this course though, I have witnessed the true beauty of dissonance and its even truer expressional importance. Monk truly was an eccentric and gifted individual. He mastered a sound that is often displeasing and unsatisfying and molded it into something personal, unique, and beautiful. After this class I will never judge something because I am not accustomed to it and because it is different, but rather I will see the beauty behind its individuality and uniqueness. In a world surrounded by media and popular culture, a little eccentricity is something that is invaluable and priceless. 

Blog #4: Thelonious Monk

           Although named after a ferocious battle in the Spanish-American War, San Juan Hill retained its name due to its “reputation for violence” (Kelley 16). Famous between 1900 and 1917 for its race riots, San Juan Hill was the culturally diverse and vicious community that Thelonious Monk was raised (Kelley 17). He refers to this violence when he speaks of “fighting the ofays” and even having to “fight each other” because “every block [was] a different town” and that “it was mean all over” (Kelley 19). The fighting was not limited to just whites and blacks as well, there were conflicts between the different blacks too. By the time his family arrived in San Juan Hill, its “reputation as a violent community was as strong as ever” (Kelley 19). Although it was an arduous setting to live in, San Juan Hill contributed significantly to Monk’s musical style and racial outlook and developed a man who was tolerant and eccentric.

            Monk alludes to the miscellany of San Juan Hill when he asserts that “you [can] go to the next block and you’re in another country” (Kelley 19). San Juan Hill had a diversity of people that with it came a “diversity of cultures” (Kelley 18). There were whites (mostly “Irish, Germans, and Italians”) who lived along the avenues, and the blacks (mostly from the “South or the Caribbean”), who lived on the other streets (Kelley 18). Furthermore, a “fairly large youth population” was present in the neighborhood in which “virtually every kid became a kind of cultural hybrid” due to San Juan Hill’s ethnic atmosphere (Kelley 18, 23). In addition to the variety of influences, Monk learned piano from his mother whom taught him a “few hymns she had learned by ear” and his father’s piano rolls and later an “Austrian-born Jew”, Simon Wolf, who trained him in the classical European style of piano. Moreover, he also learned from the many jazz musicians that lived in his community. Ultimately, the constant battling and conflicts between the differing cultures and overall incompatible races dwelling in the neighborhood of San Juan Hill can coherently be heard, reflected through Monk’s musical style; his music has a scattered and striking sense with much dissonance and complexity. As Professor Stewart states, Monk “embodied the beauty of dissonance.” Monk was raised in a strongly dissonant community and that dissonance can be heard through his music where he also released his frustrations relating to the racial tensions he experienced.

            Through his music, Monk found a vent for his frustrations with the racism and issues in his neighborhood and New York. Though haunted by the “daily violence young people endured” in San Juan Hill, when spoken to about “Black Power” and “whites calling [blacks] ‘boys’”, Monk almost dismisses the statements, as if he accepts the way of society  and its racial discrimination as it is natural in America. Growing up in San Juan Hill, he had seen racial conflicts between whites and whites, whites and blacks, and blacks and blacks. He was raised in an environment of racial tensions and so accepts it as a way of life; however, as Professor Stewart states, he “adopted and became adopted by a young generation of blacks and whites who were rebelling against the strictures of American society.” Although he “refused to respond by becoming more race conscious”, Monk indirectly spoke his frustrations through his music. He was able to transcend above the racial conflicts and move beyond them.

            While Monk was able to accept the racial tensions of his community and release it through his music, he was unable to avoid the racial injustice of American society altogether. Specifically in Delaware in 1958 when he was wrongfully arrested, Monk was pummeled by cops while “he lay handcuffed” and the police unconstitutionally searched Nica and Rouse (without a search warrant and did not read Nica her rights) and arrested them for “possession of narcotics” (Kelley 254). The owners refused to serve him and so called the police, though Monk was simply just ill. Ultimately, Monk attempted to avoid the conflicts of racism, but the racism found him instead.

Blog #3: Race During the Swing Era

            During the 1930s, jazz became less of a creative art form and more of an economic game. Specifically, this game was a competition between white musicians and black musicians, each fighting for the “financial rewards and cultural respect for mastery of this art form” as Professor Stewart asserts in his “Swing Change” PowerPoint. This competition led to race becoming more explicit in this “Swing Era”.

Jazz music discovered its position in the “mainstream of popular culture” and became an “economic boondoggle” (Professor Stewart). In the previous years, the most talented jazz musician was the most successful; however, during the 1930s, being talented was not enough; a strong acumen in business was equally as pivotal. This was partially due to the fact that the Great Depression was occurring at this time and so economic stability was commonly sought after; however, also was the fact that white musicians and black musicians were equally prevalent and so to be more successful than an opposing musician, one required this business knowledge to be publicly advertised. As a result, the musician would become more popular than others and become more successful as well. This led to race becoming more explicit because, in the past, blacks relied heavily on their talent to be successful, but now they needed to conform to a more business outlook (in which the white musicians had more knowledge) rather than relying solely on talent and creativity. Race was not as important now.

Duke Ellington is a strong example of a black musician who converted to a more business approach by “hiring an agent to mainstream his music” (Professor Stewart). Like Duke Ellington, black musicians became open to “criticism and comments by those who represent[ed] the white audience” that became the majority of listeners (Professor Stewart). This is because, previously, both white and black musicians lacked a high culture of respect as Professor Stewart claims. Black jazz musicians were not considered a part of the Harlem Renaissance by the intellectuals while white musicians were criticized for playing music with black origins. However, the high culture for white and black musicians arrived when Benny Goodman played the Carnegie Hall in 1938 with his black band mates. This “social miscegenation” that Professor Stewart refers to was an integrating factor of jazz into the high culture of whites and blacks, bringing about more racial acceptance.

            The fundamental source of advertisement (for the musicians) and entertainment (for the public) during this time was the radio. One of the most significant aspects of the radio was the fact that it was racially unsegregated, meaning that the listener could not decipher between the differences of a white band and a black band. As a result, the only substantial importance was the sound of the music, not the race of the musicians. Consequently, white and black musicians were equal; they received identical praise regarding respect and popularity. This similar representation through the radio caused race to be more explicit since race was not an issue on the radio. White musicians earned their acclaim when it was deserved as well as black musicians; race no longer affected such opinions, though critics, being majority white, were more critical toward black musicians. Race was more explicit as both were being critiqued by whites and blacks alike though, because of the radio, race was not as defining as the ability of the musician. Also, the criticism of the audience was simply constructive for musicians to favour to their audience’s desires.

            In essence, race became more explicit in the 1930s because it became more obsolete. Jazz became more of an economic pathway as opposed to its previous creative form which caused the more knowledgeable business musician to become popular and successful; race was not an issue. Also, the radio allowed blacks to cross a segregated obstacle, further causing racial difference to become less important. Moreover, the majority white audiences offered criticism so that musicians (white and black alike) could improve. 

Blog#2: Chicago or New York?

           Chicago? Or New York? Just which city was more important to jazz in the 1920s? In contrast to the New York style of jazz, jazz in Chicago became almost a revolution; it became a way of life. Gioia states that, during Chicago’s jazz emergence, “almost anything in fashion would, sooner or later, be classified as jazz” and that no matter how jazz was defined before, whether it was “black jazz, white jazz, hot jazz, sweet jazz, New Orleans jazz, Dixieland jazz”, it would all fuse together and become “Chicago jazz” (77,75).

Chicago jazz focused on improvisation and the creative skills of a musician which allowed for soloists to arise and prosper, such as Louis Armstrong. Armstrong’s virtuoso abilities were unmatched and paved the way for the future of Chicago jazz and jazz in the world as a form of individualistic expression. Rather than weaving lines together, Chicago jazz players would often “battle for supremacy” giving this style of jazz a certain “restless energy” as it diverged from the New Orleans style of jazz that combined blues and ragtime (Gioia 75). In opposition to New York’s primary emphasis on the piano, Chicago jazz concentrated on the brass instruments such as the trumpet and saxophone. Techniques used in Chicago jazz such as the drummer’s “bomb” and ensemble’s “break” both provided the soloist space to accentuate his improvisation and separate from the group and speak through his instrument. Furthermore, distinct to Chicago jazz from New York jazz is the emotional and relatable qualities it expressed; Chicago jazz connected to the audience. It is noted that Louis Armstrong “captured the imagination of both jazz devotees and the general public” which is central to Chicago jazz; there’s a connection to the individual soul of the audience (Gioia 66). Bakhtin suggests that, “the third party is a constitutive aspect of the whole utterance, who, under deeper analysis, can be revealed in it.” In Chicago jazz, the targeted audience is key and jazz musicians had to adapt to the “changing demands of audiences” (Gioia 77). The audience, or third party that Bakhtin is referring to, is fundamental to the Chicago style of jazz.

The audience of Chicago jazz consisted of all races and all classes. In New York, jazz was primarily enjoyed by the lower class blacks and ignored by the Harlem Renaissance intellectuals; in Chicago, however, jazz was a unifying aspect for all citizens of Chicago. A middle class black community emerged from the economic prosperity that Chicago experienced (during its industrial expansion) which created a more balanced society. People of all races began to enjoy more social and recreational activities, dance being one of the most prominent. Jazz, symbolizing individualistic expression and encompassing a vital aliveness and “get-down” quality, was influenced by this increasing popularity of dance and became a pivotal aspect for the dance scene in accordance to its responsive nature. For jazz musicians, Chicago offered a “vibrant local jazz scene” and represented “financial security” due to the everlasting demand for music to dance to and to listen (Gioia 76).

Overall, Chicago jazz was a “timeless style of performance”; people could play it, people could listen to it, people could watch it, people could dance to it, people could live by it (Gioia 74). Chicago jazz was simply not just the “music of a time and place” but, as previously stated, a way of life (Gioia 74). It was all due to Chicago being a center for individualistic expression and its social, economic, and racial conditions. In essence, Chicago was more important to jazz than New York in the 1920s.

Blog #1

New Orleans. Just what is it about this city that allowed jazz to emerge and flourish instead of in other American cities? History has shown that New Orleans had a near perfect assortment of qualities that permitted jazz to surface. The first of a multitude of contributions is the common fact that New Orleans was an ideal trade center. This port city is located in the southeastern part of Louisiana and is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent to the Mississippi River; New Orleans could trade with countries from around the world specifically from countries from the following areas: the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. It's orientation near the Mississippi River allowed goods and slaves to be traded throughout the rest of the United States which caused it to be a major slave port as well. Through the Mississippi River, jazz was allowed to traverse throughout the rest of the United States as easily as any sort of trade product, but first, jazz needed to be created. So what lead to the formation of jazz? New Orleans physical position on the map was not the only significance attributing to the origination of jazz; its cultural background and accumulation served as a fundamental foundation for composing jazz as a musical form. New Orleans' cosmopolitan atmosphere was a result of its history of ownership; New Orleans belonged to the French and then the Spanish and then returned to the French and, eventually, was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. As a result of its changing control, influences from each of the cultures were present during the development of jazz. New Orleans' black inhabitants were also diverse due to the presence of African slaves, as well as due to the Haitian Revolution which caused many blacks to travel from the Caribbean to New Orleans. This already present combination of differing traditions allowed the musicians of New Orleans to also fuse together the musical aspects of these opposing cultures. And so, New Orleans is one large melting pot. Besides the fact that it already has experience with unifying different cultures, how does this fact contribute to the development of jazz? One of the most important concepts that led to the creation of jazz is that the French brought with them Catholicism and after New Orleans became a part of the United States, it remained predominantly Catholic. This was critical because Catholicism's slave "code" or "laws" (Latin) contrasted those of the American's (English). Under the Latin way, slaves could marry and they could own property and they could purchase themselves and their masters could free them and intermarriage was legal, as opposed to the English way in which slaves had zero rights. This more lenient practice of slavery allowed the African culture to persist in New Orleans and caused the approval of slaves to gather in Congo Square on Sundays to play music and dance. Whites would also attend on Sundays to witness this gathering and here they were exposed to the African art of music while Africans were exposed to the European art of music. This is the point where Gioia states that the "Americanization of African music" began and the "Africanization of American music" also began (Gioia 5). This intermingling of traditions is known as "syncretism" or the "blending together of cultural elements that previously existed separately" (Gioia 5). Jazz was the result of this blending. More blending occurred with the approval of intermarriage in which a mixed-race population emerged, the Creole of Colour. This separate class is a physical fusion of the European and African cultures and further allowed the fusion of music because the Creoles disassociated themselves from the blacks; eventually, however, they were treated as blacks and so, after following the traditions of the Europeans, had to live as the blacks did, which caused a further mixture of the European style of music with the African style. One of the most significant African traditions to appear in jazz is energy or vital aliveness. Jazz, compared to the other musical forms of that time, had an emotion and feeling that caused physical motion with the body, common to African art. Some of the sources of New Orleans jazz cited by Gioia is Buddy Bolden (often considered the father of jazz), the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (an all white ensemble that made the first commercial recording of jazz), and Jelly Roll Morton (who explicitly stated he created jazz). While there is no source indicating who or which band is the sole inventor of jazz, it can be accepted that it was developed in New Orleans. Personally, I believe that the most important factor that led to jazz is slavery. Without slavery, there would not have been slaves coming to the Americas. Without slaves, African music may not have been exposed to European musicians and European music may not have been exposed to African musicians, permitting a fusion of the two forms and the emergence of jazz. New Orleans, being a major slave port and ideal cultural melting pot, brought together many different traditions and allowed these traditions (specifically music) to blend, creating jazz.