Image Source: https://www.hf.uio.no/ilos/english/research/news-and-events/news/2020/Everyone-digging-their-jazz-was-not
Let the emotion flow through you...
As the sweet melody of the brass instruments flow through you, and the round bum bum of the double bass tickles the back of your cerebellum, you feel a mixed sense of joyous melancholy in your frontal lobe: the essence of jazz/blues of the 1940s. These songs sound sweet and uplifting to the untrained ear, but listen closely, and generations of oppression and depression will flow through you. The struggles of an entire race become apparent, and you feel in tandem with their hopes and desires, as well as their insecurities and anxiety. This genre of music was designed to release the pent up emotions developed from decades of denial of recognition as a full human being. It was a way to escape the harsh realities and lose oneself in music and joy. Give yourself up to the joyous swing of Duke Ellington. Join Miles Davis on his journey of trumpet melodies. Imagine the withered hands of Thelonious Monk flying across the piano to tell you a story. Dance a slow waltz to the sweet and slow saxophone of John Coltrane.
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Background |
Jazz. The origins:
The Jazz Age began in the 1920s, originating from New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a very complex genre with many aspects such as swing, bent, blues, and call-and-response. You will never find the same sound no matter which Jazz artist you listen to as each player has their own distinct style. Jazz can express an oxymoron of emotions: joy and suffering, adding to the complexity. For African Americans, it was used as a way to express one's individual creativity, as well as a voice for the overall community.
Image source: www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chords/intro-to-jazz/ |
Miles Davis (above) was born on May 26th, 1926 in East St. Louis, Missouri to a middle-class family. He started his music career after convincing his parents to go to the prestigious arts school, Juilliard, and joining the band of Charlie Parker. It wasn't long before his sound became developed enough to be independent, and after recording with independent music labels for a bit, he signed with Columbia Records and was thrust into the limelight. He did not disappoint, pushing the boundaries of jazz and pioneering the sound for decades until his death on September 28th, 1991.
Image source: https://beardedgentlemenmusic.com/2016/11/28/miles-davis-freedom-jazz-dance-bootleg-series/ |
Jazz: The GreatsThere were many very notable jazz players, especially in The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. Some of these include but are not limited to:
Thelonious Monk (left) was born on October 10th, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, but moved to New York City when he was four to live most of his life. Monk started his music career by dropping out of high school and touring with "Texas Warhorse", then forming his own quartet. At point, he even recorded with Miles Davis in 1954. He would continue to play his unique style of jazz with classical piano until his eventual retirement and death in the 1970s, and February 17, 1982, respectfully. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelonious_Monk |
John Coltrane (left) was born on September 23rd, 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina. From a teen, he was very talented with the alto sax, and began his music career after his service in the Navy in 1943. He studied at the Granoff School of Music, and began recording. He worked with Duke Ellington briefly, but was fired due to a drug dependency. He made a rebound in the 1950s and started working with Miles Davis, but he was fired again due to his dependency on heroin. He finally got rid of his addiction and started work with Thelonious Monk (small world, huh?). He then made his debut on Atlantic Records, and would continue writing material until his death on July 17th, 1967.
Image source: https://www.biography.com/musician/john-coltrane
Image source: https://www.biography.com/musician/john-coltrane
Duke Ellington (right) was born on April 29th, 1899 to a middle-class neighborhood in Washington, D.C. He began his music career by playing in Broadway nightclubs as a bandleader, and would over time create many bands consisting of players with unique sounds. He would record music with these bands until his death on May 24th, 1974.
Image source: https://www.biography.com/musician/duke-ellington