Music, Blues And Ragtime - 1337 Words

â€Å"Jazz is the first true art form to come from the soil of America†, Winton Marsalis made this claim in the film Jazz by Ken Burns. Jazz would be born here in America after the fall of slavery. The interactions between previously enslaved peoples and the rest of society gave the breeding ground for a mixture of cultures and music styles. The city which was most clearly known for the mixing of cultures after the Civil war was New Orleans. In New Orleans the primary cultures and ethnicities seen included: Caucasians, Africans, Caribbean people, and Creoles, i.e. multiracial Africans. Within the mixing of cultures came the mixing of music styles as well. Two of the styles of music which added to the development and birth of jazz were the blues and ragtime. I argue that Jazz as a genre was a coalition between two popular forms of music, blues and ragtime. These two genres created jazz together through their origins, musical characteristics, and large number of performers. Ragtime’s origins can be seen as a major reason towards its development of jazz. Ragtime is an art form which came from, â€Å"African spirituals, minstrel songs and marches† (Jazz film). The African Spirituals were songs of the former slaves created to sing during religious ceremonies and sometimes as work songs (History). The minstrel songs were a popular form of entertainment by which white actors would dress up in black-face and demean the African people, yet this popular form of entertainment brought many songsShow MoreRelatedThe Ragtime And The Blues1184 Words   |  5 PagesBoth ragtime and the blues were essential and influential in their contributions to the development of jazz. Together, they served as the primary predecessors to the later, more complicated genre. Key elements from each brand are incorporated and mixed to create jazz. Without the creative geniuses of ragtime such as Scott Jopin and James Reese Europe and Blues propagators W.C. Hady and Robert Johnson, the distinctive genre of jazz would not have emerged. Ragtime and blues are both unique in theirRead MoreEssay on Ragtime and Blues Influence on Jazz1377 Words   |  6 PagesAra Cho Ethno 50A 803-672-412 October 14, 2011 Seeing Ragtime and Blues as Parents of Jazz Jazz is a music genre that has complex characteristics and history of development and thus many musicians and scholars face troubles in defining what jazz is. In general, jazz is believed to have born in New Orleans. Jazz developed for the pleasure of the social dancers. According to the â€Å"Understanding Jazz: What Is Jazz?† of John F. Kennedy center for the Performing Arts, Jazz was created mainlyRead MoreThe City Of New Orleans1471 Words   |  6 Pages In the city of New Orleans emerged one of the most influential music genres in the history of the United States of America. At the time, New Orleans was known for being a blending pot of people or rather, a location where people from all over the world came together in one place. This city served as a key seaport in the U.S. allowing for goods to be imported and exported. The purpose of this city was not only strategic to the growth of the country, but also allowed for the incredible mixing ofRead MoreThe Ragtime Vs. Th e Blues1616 Words   |  7 Pages ¬Ragtime vs. The Blues In the city of New Orleans emerged one of the most influential music genres in U.S. history. At the time, New Orleans was known for being a melting pot of people or rather, a region where people from all over the world came together in one place. This city served as a key seaport in the U.S. allowing for goods to be imported and exported. The purpose of this city was not only strategic to the growth of the country, but also, the atmosphere allowed for the incredible mixingRead More Ragtime Essay examples850 Words   |  4 Pages Ragtime was a very influential part of the development of jazz. Ragtime became very popular in the late 1800’s. Ragtime’s distinct style set it apart from the other genres. Syncopation is what defines this art form. This is when the loud accents fall in between the beats. Anything that is syncopated is basically ragtime. One of the most important ragtime composers was Scott Joplin. Like all great artists, Joplin did not restrict himself to this favored art form. Both before the advent of ragtimeRead MoreRagtime And Blues : The History And Their Influence On Jazz1581 Words   |  7 PagesRagtime and Blues: The History and Their Influence on Jazz In the city of New Orleans, from parades to clubs and from weddings to funerals, one element usually remained constant throughout all these events: the music that permeated the air. At most of these occasions, a band often performed as entertainment, providing many opportunities for musicians in the area to work. By the early 20th century, due to various factors such as mix of ethnicities and cultures with syncopated musical styles influencedRead MoreAnalysis Of Scott Joplin s Maple Leaf Rag 858 Words   |  4 Pageswas a composer and pianist of ragtime who was born in the late 1860s near the border of Texas. He learned to play the piano as a young adult and started to travel with his amazing talent while he was young. He is known as the king of ragtime during his generation. He is famous for writing 44 ragtime pieces during his lifetime. He wrote one ballet and two operas as well, and one of his pieces called â€Å"Maple Leaf Rag†, eventually was one of the most well-k nown ragtime pieces of the time. Joplin movedRead MoreHistory and Legacy of Jazz Music Essay1001 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom gospel hymns, blues, and ragtime, yet was completely different in its own way. The sound, with its new techniques that gave it a raw uniqueness, was able to capture Americas curiousness, and make many fall head over heels for the new infectious sound. It drew in people from any age, race, and social status. This new genre was called jazz, and it became so popular that an era was named after it. Jazz is a blend of African American spiritual folk songs and faster upbeat Ragtime that uses a varietyRead MoreEssay on History of African American Music1267 Words   |  6 PagesYasmin Gonzalez Mrs. Herrera Junior English 1 March 2012 History of African American Music â€Å"In less than a minute, the death wail went up out of every cabin in the Quarters, and Brother Ezekial began the death chant: Soon one morning, Death come knocking at my door†¦. Oh, my lord, What shall I do† (Walker 17)? Death was common for slaves. They routinely died from disease, beatings and accidents on the plantation, and they expressed their sorrow in the form of song. â€Å"I see death around the cornerRead MoreThe Music Of Jazz Music1353 Words   |  6 PagesTo define jazz music, one must scroll through the lexicon of words associated with the sound of jazz to come up with a description of the art form. Words such as smooth, cool, nice, swinging, and jazzy describe the art form. However, because of the vague definition of its sound, there is no one true definition of the art form. Jazz is an art form that cannot be restrained. Jazz is like watching Michael Jordan go up for an ordinary slam dunk, but in midair, he changes his mind to do something completely