Jazz Timeline Origins Players Cultures Styles Characteristics Origins Players Cultures Styles Characteristics

What is Jazz? "Man, if you gotta ask you'll never know" - Louis Armstrong Objectifies United States Culture Synthesizes African and European Culture First evident in New Orleans "Man, if you gotta ask you'll never know" - Louis Armstrong Objectifies United States Culture Synthesizes African and European Culture First evident in New Orleans

An Academic Definition: Jazz is a genre of American music that originated in New Orleans circa 1900 characterized by strong, prominent meter, improvisation, distinctive tone colors & performance techniques, and dotted or syncopated rhythmic patterns. But Jazz is so much more than that! Jazz is a genre of American music that originated in New Orleans circa 1900 characterized by strong, prominent meter, improvisation, distinctive tone colors & performance techniques, and dotted or syncopated rhythmic patterns. But Jazz is so much more than that!

1600s The story begins some four hundred years ago when the English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch competed for control of the Atlantic slave trade. It's estimated that by 1860, more than 10 million Africans had been captured and transported to the Americas. This human atrocity ravaged populations primarily in regions we now call Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. They were transported mostly to the Caribbean Islands and Spanish colonies in Central and South America. Only an estimated 6 percent of these victims of slavery were traded in British North America. Far from homogeneous, they were diverse in linguistic, ethnic, and spiritual heritages. This diversity was reflected in their rich musical traditions.

Atlantic Slave Trade: Volume and Destination

1700s Slavery took a slightly different cultural turn in the French-dominated city of New Orleans, founded in Here, free colored people called Creoles co- existed with whites and slaves. Creoles were the racially mixed children of French slave masters and enslaved African women. These biracial children were given more privileges than black children. They were often educated in the finest schools, trained as musicians, and allowed access to white society. According to custom, many French slave owners would free their slaves—and, especially their Creole children--immediately prior to their own death

With freedom, Creoles were able to achieve opportunities in society and wealth that approximated the status and rights of white people. However, when the Spanish took over New Orleans in 1764, Creoles lost their social and economic status, a change that forced them to look for work. Many became traveling musicians, a phenomenon that would evolve into the Southern minstrel show. These Creole musicians and their descendants became the primary inventors of early jazz.

MinstrelShow Started around the 1830’sStarted around the 1830’s American entertainment consisting of comic skitsAmerican entertainment consisting of comic skits and variety acts, dancing and music Performed by white people in “black face” and blackPerformed by white people in “black face” and black people in black face after the Civil War. Lampooned black people in disparaging ways Lampooned black people in disparaging ways By the turn of the century, Vaudeville replaced Minstrel By the turn of the century, Vaudeville replaced MinstrelShows

1800’s Racial segregation was a harsh reality in 19th century America. It led to universal double standards, where America. It led to universal double standards, where virtually all conditions and opportunities for blacks were inferior to those of white people. were inferior to those of white people. Though African Americans were no longer enduring slavery, they were still subjected to abusive and cruel slavery, they were still subjected to abusive and cruel treatment of a largely racist culture.

The 1871 concert tour of The Jubilee Singers of Fisk University marks an historic threshold in the University marks an historic threshold in the development of American music. development of American music.

The Jubilee Singers toured the US and Europe, performing traditional work songs and spirituals in their regular choir repertoire. They provided white audiences in both continents with their very first exposure to the lives and music of black Americans. The music was extremely popular and people called the song form of a spiritual, “a jubilee”.

Meanwhile, in the 1890's, the earliest forms of jazz began to emerge in New Orleans

Creole musicians were combining the elements of West African work songs, slave spirituals, minstrel and vaudeville shows, and rural blues expression with the European brass band instruments and harmonies.

RAGTIME ORIGINS: Ragtime developed in African American communities throughout the southern parts of the country. Bands would combine the structure of marches with black songs and dances such as the cakewalk.

Scott Joplin “King of Ragtime” 1867 – 1917