The Development of Jazz and Blues in American Music

Origins of Jazz and Blues in African-American Culture

The roots of jazz and blues, which have become synonymous with American music, lie in New Orleans and spread out across America and the world from the traditional African-American slave music that traveled here from Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. Historians point to the "Congo Square" area of New Orleans as a place where slaves gathered and created music in the early 19th century, and that this was really the birth of jazz and the blues in America (Gioia). Another writer notes, "Whatever the real influence of African music on jazz and blues, however, it is certainly true that neither genre would exist if black slaves had not been forced across the Atlantic to America" (Knight 14). Many experts also believe jazz and the blues are two of the first musical forms to truly represent the new country of America, and spread music that has become synonymous with American identity around the world.

Influential Artists and Advocates

Some of the more recognizable blues artists include Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charlie Patton, Son House, T-Model Ford, Howlin' Wolf, BB King, Muddy Waters, and Leadbelly (Gioia). Many jazz musicians have influenced the music and become famous in their own right as well. Early musicians include Scott Joplin, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others. Jazz continues to evolve today, with smooth jazz gaining in popularity, and modern influential artists include Wynton Marsalis and Kenny G. Advocates included many black and white writers of the time, such as Richard Wright and Langston Hughes, who recognized the importance of the music and helped spread interest in it around the world.

Jazz, Blues, and the Roaring Twenties

If jazz and the blues define an era, it is the Roaring Twenties, when jazz really grew in popularity and seemed to fit the rebellious, party atmosphere of the time. Jazz and the blues were music for the young generation, and were shunned by the older generation raised on classical works. The Roaring Twenties was a time when young people began to rebel against authority. They drank, smoked, danced "scandalous" dances, and listened to music their parents felt was immoral. Jazz and the blues have evolved since then and remain popular, though not nearly as dominant as they were during that period. They defined young society of the day and evolved into another wildly popular genre — swing — that defined the World War II generation of young people.

Role of Jazz in 20th-Century Music

Jazz plays an incredibly important role in 20th-century music because it became so popular and evolved out of African-American native music, blended with spirituals, folk music, and gospel. It was the first truly "American" form of music, and it has influenced countless musicians since it first gained popularity. A clue to how important it is can be seen in how popular the genre still remains. Many types of music evolve and then die away or transform into alternative forms. However, jazz and the blues continue to be popular, and have influenced everything from swing music in the 1940s to rock and country in the 1950s and beyond. Jazz is important because it is an entirely new kind of music, and because it remains so popular and ever-changing today.

Conclusion: A Uniquely American Legacy

Jazz evolved from the roots of slavery and African-American longing for their lost culture in Africa. It combines many different genres, from gospel to folk music, and spawned many spin-offs, most notably the blues. It is still a vitally important musical genre, and it continues to evolve into various forms, such as smooth jazz. Uniquely American, it is a melting pot of melodies, harmonies, and most of all rhythms. It has spread around the world, and it seems it will continue to influence many forms of music for decades to come.