Jazz Festivals » African Slaves

The Origin of Jazz Music

admin2 — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:35:16 +0000

Most people believe that Jazz music was first heard during the period known as the “Jazz Age” of the 1920’s. The truth is that the origin of Jazz was much earlier. In fact it’s roots can be traced to a period between 1850 and 1900 when African slaves and freed people began to experiment with European music.

The music of central and western Africa is filled with intricate rhythms and improvisation played on percussive instruments. When the early African American people incorporated these rhythms into American spirituals, hymns and hillbilly tunes the roots were planted for new forms of music that would eventually lead to the Jazz phenomena. However this new improvisational style of music wouldn’t be a given name until around 1915 when it was first referred to as “Jass” or “Jassing”.

The first instruments used to play this new style of music were more commonly part of military marching or dance bands. Percussion, brass, woodwind and string instruments were taken up by the African Americans. Without formal training the new musicians were free to interpret and play in their own style. The new music lacked formal structure and collaborative improvisation became a key feature of the new sound. African rhythms and improvisation were combined with European instruments and American tunes. As Jazz developed, long improvised solo performances would also become part of many music pieces.

The first style of music to be classed as Jazz was called Dixieland and it was performed from around the turn of the century in the Southern states of America. New Orleans would become the first home of this new sound. Dixieland itself had it’s roots in the Ragtime music played at the end of the nineteenth century. In fact many Dixieland bands and orchestras would include Ragtime music in their repertoire.

Jazz music would become a form that gives musicians freedom to experiment with sounds. New harmonies and rhythms could be added to music on the fly, adding originality to each performance. It can be described as “music from the heart”. Each instrument and performer adding their individual brilliance to a collective performance. Put it all together, and that’s what they call Jazz!

By: Steven Cousley

African Music

admin2 — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:42:07 +0000

The music of Africa is arguably the most influential music in the history of the world. But it did not originate in a vacuum. The truth is that different regions of Africa were influenced by a number of foreign musical traditions. For example, many nations in North Africa can trace their musical lineage back to the Greeks and Romans who once ruled the area. Later there was also a substantial Middle Eastern influence on their music.

Other parts of the African continent were similarly affected by foreign music. Parts of East Africa and the offshore islands were influenced by Arabic music and Indian music. While Southern, Central and West Africa had been influenced by the music of North America and Western Europe. Other African music can be attributed to specific dance forms such as the rumba and salsa, which were founded by African slaves who settled in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this article we will be exploring the different kinds of African music and where it originated.

North Africa

The music of North Africa was strongly influenced by the music of ancient Egypt and the early Arabs. Although it is one of the least popular forms of contemporary African music, it is historically significant and merits examination by all those interested in traditional music.

Sub-Saharan Music

No music is more purely African than music that originated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Though many regions were influenced by other nations, Sub-Saharan music remains quintessentially African. Because writing and reading came late to parts of Africa, this music was developed as a form of communication. In time, it became an exciting, communal way to celebrate and mark the major milestones in a person’s life. For example, there are literally hundreds of African songs that celebrate marriage, childbirth or even hunting parties.

Music is also played to ward off noxious spirits and to pay homage to deceased ancestors. African music of this type is almost always accompanied by a specific dance or ceremony. It is often performed by professional musicians who have experience with ceremonial music.

Because music from Sub-Saharan Africa focused on communal singing, it was one of the earliest to emphasize the use of harmony and structured singing. These singing methods ranged from simple rhythmic structures to incredibly complex and elaborate structures based on improvisation and variation.

Instruments

Though stringed instruments, bells, flutes and even xylophones were all used in traditional African music, there is nothing more important than the basic African hand drum. In fact, there are literally dozens of drums that are played on different occasions. A few of the most popular drums that are used in a traditional African musical include: bougarabou, tama talking drums, djembe, water drums and a many different kinds of ngoma drum that are played in parts of Central and Southern Africa.

These drums are almost always accompanied by singers or choruses who often keep time with rattles, shakers, woodsticks, bells or by simply clapping their hands’ or stumping their feet.

By: Frank Mar

Tips to Learn Jazz Music

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:10:43 +0000

There would barely be any human being on earth who doesn’t like music. God has been veritably benevolent for his creations like this. One form of musical art originated in African American cultures is jazz, a lively music with ultimate rhythms. It was formed when some African slaves experimented to contrast folk music with American music. Unlike other music, jazz requires immense interpretation by those who want to learn to play jazz music. The tremendous variety comes in jazz music because of the fact that its rhythm has a forward momentum, commonly referred as “swing”. The musical assembly affiliated with jazz music is big band jazz music.

Jazz has gained so much of importance that people want to learn this music, specifically practice jazz piano, guitars and jazz bass lines. To learn jazz music one needs to follow certain things which will be beneficial for becoming a true music lover. Those who want to learn jazz music must adopt the habit of listening. Do the researches for the type of music you like i.e. old musicians such as Art Tatum, Count Basic etc or some new musicians and try to listen what you like as much as you can. Listening to the solo musicians will give the clear idea of the notes, for beginners this is the good option. For those who want learn to play jazz piano, they must get themselves familiar with all the 12 scales and when you get comfortable with them, learn pentatonic scale for the key you like the most. This will help them like wonders if they are dedicated. Have a start with playing very small notes and basic stuff.

The more you will practice; more you will sound like the things written in front of you while practicing, without knowing them. At last, improvisation is the key for learning the music, after learning one instrument it will be easy a lot to learn another. You should know what you want. Finding out how to play necessary chords at what time and how to sound the strings of the rhythm will make you master of the art.

By: Akhila Choudhary

Enjoy Big Band Jazz Music

admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:22:20 +0000

Jazz enjoys a universal popularity. This form of music emerged in the beginning of the 20th century in the African- American community of the United States of America. The repetitive patterns of ‘call’ and ‘response’ define the jazz music. The various types of rhythm patterns that are prevalent in the jazz music are reggae, blues and the swing patterns.

A kind of musical assembly associated with the jazz music is known as the big band jazz music. This sort of ensemble can also be called as jazz band, jazz orchestra, jazz ensemble and dance band. However there is one primary difference between the big band jazz music and the other forms of jazz music. While the most of the jazz combos are highly improvised or and created spontaneously, the music that is played in the big bands jazz music is often arranged and prepared from before. In this form of music, the notations are notated on the sheet music in advance.

Started as an experimental form by the African slaves the jazz music attempted at combining the African folk culture with the American form of music. The most attractive fact about the jazz music that draws so many musicians to this form of music is its wide periphery that offers you to experiment with this musical pattern. The warm sound of jazz music also creates positive vibes in the mind of the listeners.

Nowadays, more and more people are getting attracted towards learning jazz music, particularly jazz guitar playing. If you wish to learn to play jazz guitar getting the apt guitar that has a distinctive jazz sound is very important. Of course jazz can be played on any kind of guitar, but the guitar with ‘f’ holes in its body, piezoelectric pickup and arched top are what gives a distinctive sound quality to the jazz music. In fact these guitar types give the warm and expressive feeling to the jazz music that this form of music is normally associated with.

To learn to play jazz guitar you need to listen to jazz music a lot. You have to have real passion fro this kind of music. Taking professional training or following online lessons can also help you to learn to play jazz music properly.

By: Akhila Choudhary

Great Jazz Pianists and Their Contributions to Music

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:05:49 +0000

Some of the greatest piano players in history became known for their proficiency in jazz. Technicality and a heavy reliance upon the ability of the musician to improvise makes jazz piano one of the hardest styles to learn. That does NOT mean, however, that it can’t be learned, but to get to the highest rungs a pianist must have lots of talent, a great ear, and the ability to improvise.

The birth of jazz music in the early 1900s was a significant period in musical history. Many of those who are considered among the greatest jazz pianists of all times were pioneers of the genre during this period. Jazz evolved from musical styles that African slaves brought to America. Therefore, its inception can largely be attributed to the early African-American community. African-American pianists, such as Scott Joplin and Ernest Hogan, are considered to be among the fathers of ragtime music. Although the ragtime era only lasted a few years, it was a precursor to, and contemporary of, the jazz era.

Many of the earliest and greatest jazz pianists were African American. For this reason, jazz music had something of a hurdle to overcome. While many embraced jazz as a new and exciting genre, others didn’t. The emancipation of African slaves was still a fresh memory, and many people still carried strong attitudes of racism.

Jazz’s public image changed slowly over the first two or three decades of the 20th century. Great African-American jazz pianists of the early to mid 1900s were instrumental in helping transform the perception of jazz. African-American artists like Erroll Garner, Theoloius Monk, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Oscar Peterson brought a level of class to the genre that was undeniable. In fact, the Count Basie orchestra was pivotal to the jazz culture of New York for half a century. Noteworthy musicians in and of themselves, they also provided back-up for critically acclaimed singers like Billie Holliday and Big Joe Turner.

Count Basie’s association with Ella Fitzgerald is both historically and musically significant. The 1963 album the two made together is remembered by critics as possibly the greatest recording of her career. Count Basie also made recordings with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. These match-ups lent even more credibility to jazz as a distinct genre.

The evolution of jazz saw many changes over the ensuing decades. More branches and sub-genres developed. In fact, jazz music fell out of favor with the public for several years in the 1980s. There was controversy within the musical community over the fusing of so many different types of music with jazz. Some purists viewed it as “watering down” the art form. Other musicians and fans see jazz music as a culmination of many types of music and view blending it with rock as simply another variation generally known as “fusion”.

Contemporary jazz artists have brought jazz back around into public favor in the 21st century. Today’s great jazz pianists, like Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr. and Norah Jones bear living proof of this by number of albums sold. While some write off their work as “pop” jazz, many believe they are instrumental in keeping jazz alive in the new millennium.

By: Duane Shinn

Play Jazz Guitar

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:40:31 +0000

Jazz guitar music is based on various guitarists’ attempts to experiment with the form used to express musical ideas. Jazz began with the African slaves combining the song and dance forms they found in America with the musical traditions they carried with them from their homeland. Since then jazz musicians of every nationality have developed certain methods of taking a musical idiom and turning it into jazz by interpreting the music using jazz chord substitution and improvising techniques.

The trademark of the jazz guitar player is that he is inventing new music all the time. When people learn to play musical instruments it is usually with the aim of playing the songs or instrumentals of a famous musician. In jazz the aim is to build new music using other musical genres or the works of composers from outside jazz. A jazz guitarist with a number of years’ experience will have developed his own ways of improvising over a song or instrumental piece. Quite often his improvisation will be based on the techniques of using the notes in the chord he is playing to provide the material for his solo, or to simply use the notes he finds in the melody.

Whichever approach the jazz guitar player uses he will always depart from the melodic structure of the musical work he is improvising over and use melodic figures or “licks” which he has made up or learned from other guitarists. A lick is a combination of notes which can be used in improvising over music in any key. A lick is like a very short tune or fraction of a melody. Listen carefully to a jazz guitar solo. Try imitating some of the licks that you hear. You do not need to play them exactly, just imitate them and see how they fit with other licks to carry the solo to its ending.

Other jazz guitar techniques are the substitution of chords using other chords with more interest or color, the use of walking bass to add interest or changing the rhythm of a song. You can find examples of all these jazz guitar techniques by listening to the music of jazz guitar players like Charlie Christian, one of the pioneers of jazz guitar, Charlie Byrd, an exponent of latin jazz guitar who developed a genre of his own using classical guitar techniques to play jazz, or Wes Montgomery, a guitar player who ventured into many fields of music.

Anybody wanting to learn to play jazz guitar will be wondering what guitars give you that distinctive jazz sound. Of course you can play jazz on any guitar but when musicians think of a “jazz guitar” they usually have in mind a guitar with “f” holes in the body, an arched top and a piezoelectric pickup. This gives that warm, expressive jazz feel that people associate with jazz guitar and is expressed so well in the work of Wes Montgomery. Epiphone is the brand name most jazz fans associate with this kind of guitar but they are also made by D’Angelico, Gibson and others.

To learn to play jazz guitar, even in a comparatively superficial sense entails listening to alot of jazz guitar music. As you listen you need to analyze what jazz guitarists do and what you, as a musician, WANT to do. Maybe you do not want to learn jazz as a genre but just to play in the style of a certain jazz guitar player. This will cut your work load considerably as you can find tabs for the work of many jazz guitar players on the internet.

By: Ricky Sharples

How Jazz Got Started

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:41:21 +0000

Though many associate the birth of jazz music with the city of New Orleans, its origin may be a bit more ambiguous. Like many other musical forms, jazz evolved over a period of years. Many believe its evolution took place over decades. It’s widely agreed, however, that jazz music as we know it today was born in the southern United States. It is also accepted that it developed from a variety of different influences, culminating in a style that became its own genre.

Jazz’s major influence probably came from African slaves brought to the United States in the 1800s. In fact, African music influenced many styles of music, including rock and roll. The form that evolved into jazz consisted specifically of call-and-response singing, syncopation and improvisation. Ragtime, which may be considered a precursor to modern jazz, drew upon many of these elements.

Ragtime music originated after the emancipation of African slaves. The newfound freedom of slaves was bittersweet. Though freedom was deserved and appreciated, there were few job opportunities for freed slaves. Many had no means of self-support, and some simply stayed on with their former owners. Others supported themselves through musical performance. Often, this meant performing in dubious locations, like brothels and minstrel shows.

It was these types of venues that gave rise to ragtime, which enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the late 19th and early 20th century. Talented ragtime musicians like Scott Joplin were generally recognized much later for their contributions to modern jazz.

Though ragtime only graced the music scene for a few years, it influenced what would become referred to in 1915 as jazz music. While the actual origin of the term is uncertain, the name stuck. Cities like New Orleans have since become synonymous with jazz. This is not necessarily because it originated there, but because its musicians have added a distinct flavor to jazz music. Dixieland jazz bands still largely dominate the musical culture of New Orleans. Thanks to modern artists like Louis Armstrong, Winton Marsalis and Miles Davis, Dixieland-style jazz continues to enjoy mainstream popularity.

Once jazz music became labeled as such, more variations developed. Swing was one of those, which saw its height in the 1930s. Swing greats like Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller are still covered by today’s musicians. Although swing isn’t the genre it once was, it still has a big following today.

Because of its early association with brothels and speakeasies, jazz music had a stigma to overcome in its early years of development. Eventually, jazz became an accepted art form. Today jazz is embraced and taught as its own branch of music.

Jazz music is most distinguished from other musical forms for its reliance upon improvisation. The best jazz musicians have gained notoriety for their ability to play without the aid of written music.

They are able to make up music on the spot and off-the-cuff. It’s entirely possible for a song to be different every time it’s performed. This may be one reason that jazz fans believe that the most talented of the world’s musicians are not classical musicians, but purveyors of jazz.

By: Duane Shinn

Great Jazz Pianists and Their Contributions to Music

admin — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:31:41 +0000

How Jazz Got Started

admin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 07:57:45 +0000