Development of Jazz Music after World War 1

After World War 1, many new activities and new technology emerged into a new era called the roaring 20s. One of these new subjects that emerged was a new form of music called jazz. Jazz was, and still is, a very popular branch of music that made people get in the groove of whatever kind of jazz they were listening to. Jazz branched off into different kinds of jazz, like Blues, Swing, Gypsy, and many others. Many artists came around to give jazz a place in their home. Such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and many more. Jazz created a niche all over the country during the twenties and still has a place here today.

Jazz really too a rise in the 20s after World War 1. The Great Depression in 1929 did take away lots of jazz’s popularity but it came back when the stock market came back in line. Jazz took many forms in its age. Blues was a more soft, or slow jazz. Gypsy music is inspired by swing music in its acoustic style. Swing music is used the most in jazz. Blues music was used to define some sort of sadness or depression. Blues has a funny background coming from a phrase “the blue devils”, which was said in the early 17th century. Blues is also another word for “drunk”. Swing music is a branch of jazz with a specific rhythm different from other styles of jazz. With fixed beats and and a big group of around 16 players, those who are listening to it could maybe shake the house if they dance hard enough. Gypsy is a style of jazz that’s inspired by swing music in its rhythm. It’s even known as “Minor Swing”. It’s a slow version, one could say, of swing. It’s almost like swing and blues.

In music, there are different beats to every song or style of music. In swing, the beats to every note are different than in other song. There are whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and so on. As notes get smaller, or shorter in beat, the ore there are. In a regular music staff, there are 4 beats per measure. One whole note, two half notes, four quarter notes, and so on. Now if one were to get “complex”, there are what are called triplets. So if one takes one measure, (so four beats), there would be six quarter triplet notes. Now if we say that there are three triplets in one beat, and put two triplets together and leave one left, you get the swing rhythm.

Louis Armstrong was one of the most iconic jazz artists in the United States. He started playing the cornet when he dropped out of school in fifth grade to get a job to afford a cornet. To add to this story, he was arrested and put in jail for boys his age. He was then under the guardianship of Peter Davis to learn how to play the cornet. He learned well and fast enough to where he could play on Mississippi Boats. Armstrong became well known and was encouraged by famous jazz artists Joe Oliver to join his and in Chicago He married the pianists, who told Armstrong to leave the band to work on his own. After a year of no success in New York, he moved back to Chicago and started making records of his own in 1925. He was still popular even after the Great Depression and kept setting a place jazz up to 1970. He died a year later in his sleep on July, 6. Armstrong was so important in Jazz history because of how much he had a passion for music, more specifically jazz music. People today still remember who he is but to know how he got around his life, is incredible.

As many people know who Louis Armstrong was, they don’t remember who contributed to his work. King Oliver, or Joseph Oliver, was a cornetist who was very popular who he contributed with. Oliver was born on a plantation and then, when he was old enough, he moved to Chicago to become popular as a cornetist. He called for Louis Armstong to join his band to be a second cornetist. Oliver in his older age, developed dental problems, and was turned down because of new jazz styles, he died while he was a poolroom marker. Though he didn’t make a definition for jazz in his time, he still is known for his contribution with famous jazz artists.

Jazz was probably the music of the century in the 1920s, but it’s not music without instruments. There are a variety of instruments all around the world, but every different one has its own style of music. In jazz, there are few instruments that are very well known. Trumpets, trombones, tubas, saxophones, and even a double bass contribute to make the perfect jazz band. The most iconic instruments are probably trumpets and saxophones.

The trumpet is a brass instrument that is known for its way growls and swings in jazz. It has three valves which are used to press down to make different notes. Trumpets have a three octave range, which make for many different cords as well as styles of play. Who knew that only three buttons could so many different notes.

The saxophone is a woodwind reed instrument that is most well known in jazz music. It has a lot more keys than a trumpet but makes it great for a jazz style instrument. Reed instruments are different than brass instruments in the sound that they make. Reeds have more of a vibration sound while brass has more of a buzzing sound.

For a reed instruments to hit the notes they need, the lips on the reed need to tighten for a smaller point for air to pass through. When a brass instrument is played, the lips form a small hole for air to pass through. The smaller that hole is, if one can control it, the higher the player can hit a note. Saxophones can play more fast swing jazz, while trumpets can play a slow swing, or blues.

Jazz in the 1920s was very popular and very iconic during the time. People changed the way they dressed, the way they lived, even the way they danced. Jazz had a variety of styles, which made for many styles of dance. People loved how jazz was the music of the roaring 20s. Today, jazz still has a place in the US, and more than likely will still have a place here. Jazz is even featured in futuristic movies such as Star Wars. Artists like Louis Armstrong and King Oliver created a definition for jazz and made place here because of their long life experience with jazz. Jazz has, is, and will always have a place here and thanks to long lived artists, people can still enjoy jazz as they know it today.

References

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsvfptdFXf4
• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/blues-music-history_b_2399330
• https://www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/1920s-music.html
• https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/a-culture-of-change/
• http://www.sortiesjazznights.com/2/Left_menu/jazzstyles
• https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/biography/
• https://www.britannica.com/art/cornet
• https://www.britannica.com/art/swing-music