Like America itself, music is similar to the political, economic, and cultural patchwork quilt of the nation’s existence. American music has incorporated various elements from everything to which it has been exposed. The melting pot concept of American culture is evident in the nation’s musical development. American music can be traced from the slaves of the west coast of Africa whose influence can still be heard in modern American music. ... 59) In an account from 1801, “In the intervals between their meals they (the slaves) are encouraged to divert themselves with music and dancing for which purpose such rude and uncouth instruments as are used in Africa, are collected for their departure. ... Slaves filled their lives with music.
Slaves not only filled their lives with vocal music, they were filled with instrumental music, such as the banjar (banjo). ...
In addition to the banjo, drums were a big part of early American instrumental music. ...
Along with the percussive drumming, chanting, and singing, there were many other developing facets of African-American Music. ... Negro Spirituals were one of the most controversial bodies of music in America’s cultural history. ... 214)
The Blues, the first “common-day-music” which originated as early as the beginning of the nineteenth century, was developed from traditions. ... Not only was the form different, but the way the music was presented changed. ... Aside from the way the music was performed, how it was presented also changed. ...
The next step in the American musical evolution was Ragtime. ... Ragtime was, in a very basic sense, a kind of syncopated music. ...
One of the key factors that made American jazz different from the music of other countries was the variety of rhythms. ...
Old New Orleans had many marching bands that played a loud, lively, rhythmic music. (Gioia, 32) This music was more intense on all levels than the orchestras in opera houses or concert halls. ... The lively, drum-time marching music of New Orleans became dancing music with a syncopated beat. ... In addition to this, New Orleans Jazz was known for featuring the horns in their musical pieces, in fact, horns became the main instrument of New Orleans Jazz and was called Dixieland music. Louis Armstrong was synonymous with Dixieland music. By the time Louis Armstrong arrived in Chicago, Dixieland music was called Jazz.
To Louis, or Louie, Jazz was not a “new” music. It was a familiar music, one to which he had grown up. The music of Buddy Bolden played in marching bands, the music he played on his little cigar-box, Jelly Roll Morton’s ragtime, the blues his mother hummed, the spirituals his grandmother sang in church, the drumbeats his great grandmother told him she heard in Congo Square, all of these sounds and songs came together for Louie, the way he and Fate Marable, Baby Dodds, and pops Foster played on the river boats. When Louie played in Chicago, nobody had ever heard this music before, but after Louie played it, it became known as Jazz.
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