investigation into jazz :: essays research papers

Written investigation into the contexts and musical influences on the jazz style.Summary of HND seminar on memorial of Jazz. On the 10th March, we were given a seminar by the HND students on The Development of Jazz Music and Dance. My aim in this written investigation is to summarise the data given to me.Development through African musicThe earliest form of Jazz, began in African music. While most West African culture was erased when concourse were transported into slavery, some core possession and spirit based beliefs remained. People began to develop rhythms by using polyrhythmic drums, dance and clapping. This was carried from the work place to the Christian church service House. Church began to become more of a music lesson, than a spiritual, calm place to pray. This was the earliest sign of Gospel churches. The rhythms developed here became seen by westbound listeners as syncopation.Development of the Blues.Blues lyrics are simple rhyming couplets. The first line is repea ted followed by a second to complete the three lines of poetry. The fib is always about a subject upon which the performer has strong feelings. This is the example we were givenwhile youre livin in your mankindsion You dont know what hard times meanwhile youre livin in your mansion you dont know what hard times meanPoor workin mans wife is stravin your wife is livin is like a queen. We were also given another example which was Natural Blues by Moby.Merging of cultures.By the force out of the civil was in 1865, the abolition of slavery meant that many cutting musicians earned their living by playing music. The musicians would play European tunes adding their own rhythms and melodies. Tunes were therefore jazzed or ragged. The merging of black and white music traditions began the birth of jazz.New Orleans is considered to be the birth place of jazz. The French section of the city housed black creoles originally from the West Indies, were influenced by the European rule. The bla ck creoles were trained in European music and often played in chamber ensembles and so on. The American part of the city housed newly freed American Blacks who were greatly disadvantaged and generally uneducated. To occupy themselves they would play the music of gospel, blues and worked on songs played passed on by ear. A new racial segregation law introduced in 1894, forced Creoles and American Blacks to live together in one section of the city.