Jazz: An Introduction to America’s Art Form
ByJohnR.Murnane
Seecompanionsiteformusicandvideos,clickonthelinkbelow:https://murnanejazz.wordpress.com/
CongoSquareinLouisArmstrongPark,locatedatthecornerofRampartandBasinStreetsinNewOrleans,ishighlysymbolic.TheCityofNewOrleansParksandParkwayswebsiteexplains:
Inacityfamousforitsmusicaltraditions,perhapsnoothersinglelocationclaimsasmuchmusicalandculturalhistoryandimportanceasLouisArmstrong
Park.Locatedat701N.RampartStreetontheedgeoftheFrenchQuarter,theparkisdedicatedtooneoftheCity’smostcelebratednativesonsandtothetraditionofjazzintheCity.TheparkislocatedintheTreméneighborhood,birthplaceofmanyofNewOrleans'mostfamousjazzmusicians.
WithintheparkconfinesishistoricCongoSquare.FormerlyknownasPlacedeNegres,ittookitsnamefromthetraditionofslaveswhogatheredthereonSundays,theirdayoff,tosing,beatdrums,sellhomemadegoods,andcelebrate.
SlaveryandJazz“Slavessingmostwhentheyaremostunhappy.Thesongsoftheslaverepresentthesorrowsofhisheart;andheisrelievedbythem,onlyasanachingheartisrelievedbyitstears.”--FrederickDouglass
ThebirthofjazzwasintimatelyconnectedtothetragedyofAmericanslaveryandthestruggleofblackstomaintainasenseofhopeandidentity.
AccordingtotheTrans-AtlanticSlaveTradeDatabase,editedbyprofessorsDavidEltisandDavidRichardson,12.5millionAfricanswereshippedtotheNewWorldandroughly10millionsurvivedthedreadedMiddlePassage.NearlyhalfamillionwentontotheUnitedStates.Thepeculiarinstitutionwasheldtogetherbyforceandterror.
ThediaryofLouisianaplanternamedBennetBarrowsgivesaglimpseintothenightmareofslavery:
1836Dec.26.HouseJerry&IsraelchainedduringChristmasbadconduct-forayearandbetter-Israelbadconductduringcotton-pickingseason1837Sept.4....hadageneralwhippingfrolicOct.2.MorewhippingtodothisFallthanaltogetherinthreeyearsowingtomyD[amned]meanOverseerDec.31.rantwoofUncleBat'sNegroesofflastnight-formakingadisturbance-nopass-brokemyswordcaneoveroneoftheirskulls
1838
Jan.23.myHouseServantsJaneLavenia&E.Jimbrokeintomystoreroom-andhelpedthemselvesveryliberallytoeverything-Iwhipped[them]...worsethanIeverwhippedanyonebeforeSept.28.DennisandTom"Beauf"ranoffonWednesday-...ifIcanseeeitherofthemandhaveagunatthetimewillletthemhavethecontentsofit...
Formoreinformation,seeThayerWatkins,SanJose’StateUniversitysitecalledTheDiaryofBennetH.Barrow:http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/barrow.htm
Inadditiontobeatings,slaveslivedinsub-standardhousing—reekinginsummer,coldduringthewinter.Theyweresusceptibletomanydiseasesandcouldbesoldatanytime—husbands,wivesandtheirchildrenwereoftenseparated,soldtootherplantations,nevertoseeoneanotheragain.Twelvetofourteenhour-dayspickingcottonwasthenorm.
Howcouldanyonesurvivethisandmaintainasenseofidentityandhope?
Musichelped:
• CommunalmusicmakingwasanAfricantradition—slavescarrieditwiththemtotheNewWorld
• NegroSpiritualsgaveasenseofabetterlifeinthehereafter• Worksongsmadethetimepassduringlonghoursinthefields
Thesethreetraditionscarriedoverandarestillusedby
jazzmusicianstoday!
Listentosomesamplesofthistypeofmusicat:https://murnanejazz.wordpress.com/1-slavery-and-jazz/
NewOrleanstheBirthPlaceofJazzBrennan'sinNewOrleansisknownworldwideforfinecuisine.Jambalayaisonetherestaurant’sspecialties.
Brennan’sCreoleJambalaya
fromRalphBrennan’sNewOrleansSeafoodCookbook
For6servings
Ingredients
1tablespoonunsaltedbutter(or2tablespoonsifporkandsausageareverylean)4ouncesAndouillesausage*,slicedinto¼-inchrounds4ouncespickedpork**orham,cutinto¼cubes
1mediumyellowonion,chopped1bunchgreenonions,chopped,whiteandgreenpartsseparated1mediumgreensweetpepper,chopped2cans(10ozsize)crushedplumtomatoes¼cupcannedtomatopuree2clovesgarlic,minced1wholebayleaf1teaspoontablesalt½teaspoongroundblackpepper¼teaspoongroundcayenne¼teaspoondrythymeleaves4quartschickenstock1tablespoonLouisianapeppersauce2cupslong-grainwhiterice,uncooked1poundrawmediumshrimp,peeled
JambalayaisagreatmetaphorforNewOrleansandforjazz.Thecity,themusicandthefoodallhaveauniqueflavor.A glance at a map helps explain why New Orleans has been a meeting place for so many different types of people.
NewOrleansdidnotbecomepartoftheUnitedStatesuntil1803whenPresidentThomasJeffersonsignedtheLouisianaPurchase.Priortothat,theareawasunderSpanishcontrolandlaterFrench.It’slocationattheterminusoftheMississippiRiverandontheGulfofMexico,madeitthenumber#1tradingportintheAmericanSouth;hereexportsofcottonandwheatwereexchangedformanufacturedgoodsandslaves.Tradeledtoavibrantculturalexchange—theJambalayaeffect!
ForamoreindebthistoryofNewOrleans,see
“ThePeopleAndCultureofNewOrleans”ByArnoldR.HirschandJosephLogsdonDepartmentofHistory,UniversityofNewOrleansat
http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/history/people.html
ThismixofculturescanbeheardinthemusicofNewOrleans.Listenat
https://murnanejazz.wordpress.com/2-new-orleans/
JazzGoesMainstreamTheGreatMigrationofblacksfromtheSouth,particularlytofindworkinwartimeindustryduringtheFirstandSecondWorldWars,spreadtheNewOrleanssoundtoKansasCity,St.Louis,Chicago,L.A.,NewYorkandothercitiesthroughouttheUnitedStates.
FormoreontheGreatMigration,see“BlackMecca,”atThirdSightHistory,RollinsCollege.http://social.rollins.edu/wpsites/thirdsight/2013/11/15/black-mecca/
TheGreatMigrationcoincidedwiththegrowthofradioandtherecordingindustry.Jazzenjoyeditswidestappealasaresult.Infact,jazzhelpeddefinedthemoodofthetimes—fromtheRoaring20s,theGreatDepressiontothewaryears.
Let’ssamplejazzfromthe1920s,30sand40s.https://murnanejazz.wordpress.com/3-jazz-goes-mainstream/
FromBe-BoptoCool
Be-BoporBopemergedafterWorldWarTwo;itwasdevelopedduringafter-hoursjamsessionsinNewYorkclubssuchasMinton’sPlayhouse.Improvisationwasemphasizedaswellasanewapproachtoharmony—similartotheapproachofImpressionism,Be-Bopmusiciansbegantoaddnotestotraditionalchordpatterscreatingamorecomplexmusicaltexture.MusicianssuchasCharlieChristianpioneeredthenew
approachtoharmony.ButCharlieParkerandDizzyGillespie(BirdandDiz)werethefirstfull-fledgedBe-Bopmusicians.Theytookstandardsongs—likeGeorgeGershwin’s“IGotRhythm”–andplayednewmelodiesoverthemandalteredsomeofthechordstoallowformorepossibilities.Thesere-workingsoffamiliarsongsprovidedaplatformforsoloistswithlightening-fasttechniquetoshowcasetheirskills.CharlieParkerremainsunsurpassedonthealtosaxophone—thespeedandfluidityofhisplayingwastrulyamazing.Heinspiredgenerationsofjazzmusicians.
Noteveryonewashappywiththefast-paced,hard-hittingsound.MilesDavis—whoappearedwithBirdandDizinattheageof19—soontookjazzinanotherdirection.Heexperimentedwiththe“cool”soundin
thelate1940sand50s.His1959album,KindofBlue(thebestsellingjazzalbumofalltime)featuredfewerandsimplerchordprogressions,aformcalledmodaljazz.Chordsarewrittenaslettersabovethenotes,suchaC,foraC-majorchord(C–majorconsistsofthenotesC,EandG,playinganyofthesethreenoteswhilethechordisbeingstruckwillsound“right”).Chordsprovidetheharmonyorharmonicstructure.CharlieParker’ssongshadconstantchordchanges,whichforcedParkertoplaydifferentnotestomatch-upwiththechords.Parkercouldmorethankeepupwithveryrapidchordchanges.Milessloweditdownandsimplified–thisledtodifferentsoundingsolosbythemusiciansinhisband.Bysimplifying,soloistsliketenorsaxophonegreatJohnColtranecouldtryoutnewideaswhilesoloingoverthesimplifiedchordpatternsandstructuresfoundthroughouttheKindofBluealbum.Miles,ColtraneandtheotherplayersontheKindofBluerecordingsessioninspireddecadesofemulationandmusicalexploration.
Let’slistentotheshiftfromBe-BoptoCool
https://murnanejazz.wordpress.com/4-be-bop/
FromFreeJazztoFusionKindofBluewasnottheonlybreakthroughalbumof1959.OrnetteColeman’sTheShapeofJazztoComeappearedthatsameyear,afollow-uptohis1958releaseofSomethingElse!Colemanbecamethemostrecognizedpioneeroffreejazz,acontroversialapproachthathasbeenhotlydebatedeversince.Itthrewoutmostoftherulesofharmonyandtempo—theemphasiswasoncreatinginthe
moment,improvisationonoverdrive.Itoftenhadanatonalandchaoticquality.BigBandtrumpeterRubyBraffsaid“itsoundslikeutterconfusionandmadness.I’veneverheardanythingsodisjointedandmixed-upandcrazyinmylife.”QuincyJonesquipped,“Ifthat’sliberty,boy,they’remakinganassoutofAbrahamLincoln.”SupporterslikenittoaJacksonPollackpaintingandotherworksofabstractexpressionism.
Jazzunderwentagreatdealofexperimentationduringthe1960sand70s.InadditiontoFreeJazz,JohnColtraneandMilesDavisdevelopedwhatlaterbecameknownasJazzFusion.
JazzFusionorJazz-Rockisexactlywhatitsoundslike—amixtureofjazzwithrockandrollmusic—typifiedbygroupssuchasSpyraGyraandtheWeatherReport.
Quotesre:freejazzandinformationonOrnetteColemanfromIainAnderson’sinterestingbookThisIsOurMusic:FreeJazz,theSixties,andAmericanCulture,UniversityofPennsylvaniaPress,2007.JacksonPollackpaintingsat:http://artphoto.riostro.com/2013/06/jackson-pollock.html
ListenheretoFreeJazzandFusionhttps://murnanejazz.wordpress.com/5-free-jazz-to-fusion/
Inadditiontotheworksnotedabove,generalstudiesofjazzinclude:GeoffreyC.WardandKenBurns,Jazz:AHistoryofAmerica’sMusic(NewYork:AlfredA.Knof,2000)LorenSchoenberg,TheNPRCuriosListener’sGuidetoJazz(NewYork:TheBerkleyPublishingGroup,2002)BobYurochko,AShortHistoryofJazz(Chicago:Nelson-HallPublishers,1993)OnMilesDavis,seeIanCarr,MilesDavis:TheDefinitiveBiography(NewYork:ThunderMouth’sPress,1998)andMilesDaviswithQuincyTroupe,Miles:TheAutobiography(NewYork:Simon&Schuster,1989)ForarticlesI’vewrittenaboutjazzsee“TheArabRootsofMilesDavis’SketchesofSpain,”AllAboutJazz(May17,2009)Clickhere“ParisBlues:ExpatriateAmericanJazzMusiciansandtheCityofLights,”JazzTimes(July,2009)Clickhere“TowardanInclusiveNarrative:JazzandthePowerofBorrowingAcrossCultures,”JazzTimes(July,2009)Clickhere