The Story of JazzThe Story of Jazz

The BeginningThe Beginning If someone wishes to If someone wishes to

understand the history of understand the history of American music, they American music, they must start in a famous must start in a famous city on the gulf coast of city on the gulf coast of Louisiana.  The city is Louisiana.  The city is New Orleans.  It is one of New Orleans.  It is one of the oldest cities in the the oldest cities in the United States and is United States and is known for having a very known for having a very diverse, multicultural diverse, multicultural heritage.  It is also, and heritage.  It is also, and most importantly for our most importantly for our purposes, the birthplace purposes, the birthplace of jazz.  of jazz. 

JazzJazz Jazz, a form of music that Jazz, a form of music that

is exclusively American, is exclusively American, is an interesting art is an interesting art form.  It is both the form.  It is both the result of many result of many ingredients coming ingredients coming together, and the together, and the starting point for a starting point for a century of musical century of musical exploration.  Jazz can be exploration.  Jazz can be traced back to slave traced back to slave songs and marching songs and marching band music.  It’s story band music.  It’s story can be followed to the can be followed to the beginning of rock and beginning of rock and roll music, as well as roll music, as well as R&B (rhythm and blues).  R&B (rhythm and blues). 

The Sources of the Music The Sources of the Music No one invented Jazz.  It No one invented Jazz.  It

happened the same way happened the same way that foods, languages, that foods, languages, stories, and clothing stories, and clothing styles come to be.  styles come to be.  Groups of people came Groups of people came together under many together under many different circumstances, different circumstances, for many different for many different reasons, and they reasons, and they brought their culture brought their culture with them.  Like with them.  Like everything else in everything else in culture, music blends, culture, music blends, taking on some of the taking on some of the characteristics of all of characteristics of all of the separate parts.  the separate parts. 

A MetaphorA MetaphorGumboGumbo

The pot is what gumbo is madeThe pot is what gumbo is madein.  The Pot is New Orleans.in.  The Pot is New Orleans.Gumbo is a Creole dish, kind of likeGumbo is a Creole dish, kind of likesoup, which is popular in thesoup, which is popular in thesouthern United States.  It has southern United States.  It has

manymanyingredients and can be made manyingredients and can be made manydifferent ways. Gumbo is like jazzdifferent ways. Gumbo is like jazzmusic.  We will be using gumbo as amusic.  We will be using gumbo as ametaphor (or a comparison of twometaphor (or a comparison of twoseemingly different things) to helpseemingly different things) to helpunderstand how ingredients cameunderstand how ingredients cametogether to form Jazz.    together to form Jazz.    

Part 1Part 1The Mixing of IngredientsThe Mixing of Ingredients

Jazz all started as a Jazz all started as a result of the great result of the great mix of people coming mix of people coming to live in New to live in New Orleans in the 1700s Orleans in the 1700s and 1800s. Those and 1800s. Those people brought with people brought with them the ingredients them the ingredients that were to become that were to become Jazz. They came from Jazz. They came from all over the world. all over the world.

European Culture and European Culture and The Military MarchThe Military March

Europeans came, Europeans came, bringing their bringing their European European cultureculture. Their culture . Their culture included folk music and included folk music and classical music. One classical music. One important example of important example of European music that was European music that was to influence jazz was the to influence jazz was the Military marchMilitary march. These . These marches were intended marches were intended to keep soldiers marching to keep soldiers marching in step with each other. in step with each other. This music had been This music had been around in Europe for around in Europe for centuries. centuries.

African Culture and African Culture and SyncopationSyncopation

The Europeans also The Europeans also brought Africans to brought Africans to New Orleans as slaves. New Orleans as slaves. The slaves introduced The slaves introduced African cultureAfrican culture to to New Orleans. Their New Orleans. Their culture included music culture included music that was full of complex that was full of complex rhythms. These rhythms. These rhythms contained rhythms contained something called something called SyncopationSyncopation, or louder , or louder notes played off of the notes played off of the beat of the music. It beat of the music. It was not found as often was not found as often in European music. in European music.

Part 1 - TermsPart 1 - Terms European CultureEuropean Culture – The languages, music, – The languages, music,

food, and ideas that the Europeans brought food, and ideas that the Europeans brought with them when they settled in America.with them when they settled in America.

Military MarchesMilitary Marches – Steady music used by – Steady music used by military bands to keep soldiers marching military bands to keep soldiers marching together.together.

African CultureAfrican Culture – The languages, music, food, – The languages, music, food, and ideas that the Africans brought with them and ideas that the Africans brought with them when they were brought to America.when they were brought to America.

SyncopationSyncopation – When accented or loud notes – When accented or loud notes are played off the beat of the music instead of are played off the beat of the music instead of on the beat.on the beat.

Part 2Part 2The Minstrel SongThe Minstrel Song

The blend of the European The blend of the European and African cultures resulted and African cultures resulted in tension, injustice, and later in tension, injustice, and later on, a bit of an understanding on, a bit of an understanding of each other. New forms of of each other. New forms of art that would not have art that would not have existed otherwise were born existed otherwise were born as both peoples found ways to as both peoples found ways to make living together possible. make living together possible. One example is the One example is the Minstrel Minstrel song,song, a type of humorous a type of humorous song in which people of song in which people of European and African European and African heritage can laugh at each heritage can laugh at each other and begin to define who other and begin to define who they are in relation to each they are in relation to each other. other.

Video – Minstrel Songs (3 Video – Minstrel Songs (3 min.)min.)

Click on video to play.

Camptown Races Camptown Races Steven Foster (1850)Steven Foster (1850)

De Camptown ladies sing dis song De Camptown ladies sing dis song

Doo-dah! doo-dah!Doo-dah! doo-dah! De Camp-town race-track five miles long De Camp-town race-track five miles long

Oh! doo-dah day!Oh! doo-dah day! I come down dah wid my hat caved in I come down dah wid my hat caved in

Doo-dah! doo-dah!Doo-dah! doo-dah! I go back home wid a pocket full of tin I go back home wid a pocket full of tin

Oh! doo-dah day!Oh! doo-dah day!

Gwine to run all night!Gwine to run all night!Gwine to run all day!Gwine to run all day!

I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag Somebody bet on de bay.Somebody bet on de bay.

RagtimeRagtime Their different Their different

musical styles musical styles blended as well. blended as well. European military European military marches, if marches, if combined with a combined with a bit of syncopation bit of syncopation from African from African rhythms, can easily rhythms, can easily become become RagtimeRagtime. .

Listen: “Maple Leaf Rag”, written by Scott Joplin

WorksongsWorksongs Over many years in Over many years in

America, slaves created America, slaves created their own styles of their own styles of music to help them music to help them cope with injustice they cope with injustice they had to face. One style had to face. One style came from the rhythm came from the rhythm of their work, simply of their work, simply called called WorksongsWorksongs. . This music was a This music was a rhythmic chanting type rhythmic chanting type of music used to help of music used to help pass the time and keep pass the time and keep slaves working at the slaves working at the same speed. same speed.

““Cotton Needs Plowing” Cotton Needs Plowing” Listen Listen

SpiritualsSpirituals The second kind of The second kind of

music came from music came from the Christian the Christian religion that many religion that many slaves adopted in slaves adopted in America. These America. These types of songs are types of songs are called called SpiritualsSpirituals. . They were meant to They were meant to be sung only in be sung only in church.church.

““Battle Ax” Battle Ax” Listen Listen

The BluesThe Blues The last and maybe the most The last and maybe the most

important style for the important style for the creation of jazz is a type of creation of jazz is a type of music that the descendants of music that the descendants of slaves used to express and slaves used to express and release their frustration with release their frustration with their hardships in life. This their hardships in life. This music is called the music is called the BluesBlues. . Blues music consists of Blues music consists of repeating sections that are 12-repeating sections that are 12-measures long, having lyrics measures long, having lyrics in which the first line repeats in which the first line repeats twice while the second line twice while the second line rhymes with it. Listen to rhymes with it. Listen to Bessie Smith sing “Backwater Bessie Smith sing “Backwater blues” about a time when it blues” about a time when it rained so much there was a rained so much there was a flood in her town. flood in her town.

Backwater Blues (Bessie Backwater Blues (Bessie Smith)Smith)

When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door There's been enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she want to go There's been enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she want to go Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond I packed all my clothes, throwed them in and they rowed me along I packed all my clothes, throwed them in and they rowed me along When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill Then looked down on the house where I used to live Then looked down on the house where I used to live Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go 'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more 'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more Mmm, I can't move no more Mmm, I can't move no more There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go

Listen

Part 2 TermsPart 2 Terms Minstrel SongsMinstrel Songs – Early American songs – Early American songs

from the 1800s that represented and from the 1800s that represented and blended both African and European culture.blended both African and European culture.

RagtimeRagtime – type of music created by making – type of music created by making marches syncopated. marches syncopated.

Work songsWork songs – Music sung by slaves while – Music sung by slaves while working to keep the rhythm and pass the working to keep the rhythm and pass the time.time.

SpiritualsSpirituals – Religious music sung by – Religious music sung by African Americans in the southern churches. African Americans in the southern churches.

The BluesThe Blues – A style of music sung by slaves – A style of music sung by slaves and descendants of slaves to express their and descendants of slaves to express their feelings of sadness and frustration.feelings of sadness and frustration.

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Jazz Gumbo Ingredients ChartFrom Europe From Africa From America

Jazz Gumbo

European culture

Military Marches

Minstrel Songs

Ragtime

African Culture

Syncopation

Spirituals

The Blues

Work songs

Jazz Gumbo Ingredients ChartFrom Europe From Africa From America

Jazz Gumbo