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