Exploring Jazz- Form Of Music Essay Sample

Music- A form of art which is not governed by any external factor. It has an intrinsic appeal to itself that makes it fluid. Music does not know any language or boundaries. It touches heart and soul. The impact that it leaves is sometimes everlasting. It has the ability to control your mind and body, moods, actions and thinking. Music is practiced like a religion worldwide. There is a diversity of utilities that music fulfils. It is recreation for some people, few take it as a time pass, others consider it as their bread and some people just worship it. Jazz has only had around a hundred years of existence, but has shifted its shape, form and structure several times.
Adding to this, musical stimuli also facilitates the reformation of gray cells in brain. Scientists have conducted research on this and concluded that the human mind responds to musical sounds much faster than actions. It has a sedative effect on mind and plays an important role in calming it down. At some or the other point, it has affected in a positive sense and played a significant role in everyone’s life.
All said than done, music can be the best companion in all times and all occasions. It is aesthetic entertaining, therapeutic, and gives life to objects and refreshes the surroundings. Music is the perfect expression that can be given to someone’s feelings and the best representation of a culture. It has intrigued the interests and curiosities of people across every corner of the world. On a personal level, music gives a broad dimension to one’s character and forms a deep connection with the people around. Music is a form of art which is very versatile and has expanded multiple folds over the years.
Jazz is one of the music genres which comes in the league of most popular forms of music. It has been influential and trend setting. Inspired by rag-time music, it captured nation’s attention with its ability of unleashing self-expression. It came into being in early 20th century in US and is considered to be the best represent the country as it is partially planned and somewhat spontaneous. However, it is believed that it has African and European influence too. It is one of the most outstanding contribution by the United States of America in the world of music.
Musicians call it a perfect blend of African and European sensibilities with a tinge of Spanish music rhythm. But from its inception to the recent development, American popular music has been its source of deriving elements. As proposed by Travis Jackson, Jazz comprises various traits such as improvising, swing, group interaction, individual voice development and openness to different musical prospects. It originated as a source of entertainment and a musical form that gives relaxation to mind by helping it escape the stress in day-to-day life.
There have been many claims of inventing Jazz, but on the contrary it was born in several places almost concurrently. However, New Orleans is considered to be its seed bed, and as the fastest growing city in south. It had extensive scope and opportunities for musicians who earned their living out of it, in brothels, bars and marching bands. At that time, recording industry had just come into picture and it facilitated jazz’s dissemination and promotion to a great extent.
For some years, Jazz was considered to be a distinct subset of black music. People believed that it reflected the time period of century, when the lives of blacks witnessed profound changes. Unlike the gospel singers, black musicians who played this music, earned a living out of it. It was originated from the black working class, who could afford to spend on entertainment and were willing to listen to a kind of music which was different from countryside music.
The analysis of pieces of individual pieces of music in its premature years, indicated that the music was not meant for white or brown people. For the white capitalists, who were on the dominant side at that time, it was looked upon as a means of earning money. During that time, it only belonged to poor and was not having a respectable status in the majority of middle class strata. Only a small number of people from middle class had a disproportionate contribution to the development of Jazz in its early days.
Improvisation defined the core of Jazz, because it was inspired from the earlier forms of music which were influential. It also entailed the chord voicing characteristic of Blues. Blues was a flexible and loose folk that was popular in the earlier years of 20th century. It was later standardized as 12 bars. Together, Jazz and Blues constitute the America’s most significant cultural movements and give a powerful voice to the American music community. It is also believed that it shares some characteristics with hip hop music. There were many elements of different music genres that influenced Jazz and gave it a characteristic flavor, blues has always been an integral part of Jazz.
Till date, it continues to have the same influence on the music. As it gained momentum and intrigued the interest of massive number of musicians, The American dialect honored it with the title of “Word of 20th century.” Having defined a distinctive statement of creativity and style, it has united people across multiple races, regions and boundaries.
Over the period of time, Jazz had evolved with various styles. The foremost was New Orleans Jazz that was introduced in the first decade of 20th century. This was followed by swing, city Jazz from Kansas and Gypsy Jazz in 1930s and 1940s. Then came bebop in 1940s. The other renowned variations in Jazz were cool Jazz, Afro-Cuban, West coast, Indo jazz, cyber jazz, soul jazz, fusion, Latin jazz etc. Jazz did not originate as a result of having chosen a particular tune. It is believed to be born as an ideal that was produced in mind and driven by inspiration and passion.
Even the decade of 1930s, when Great Depression had affected the United States, jazz music continued to hold its roots firmly and was resilient. At time too, around 60,000 bands and 200,000 jazz professionals existed. In the 1980s, jazz composers emerged as innovators and jazz was apparently reincarnated and again rose its status to the most enduring form of music from being a paradox. The audience following Jazz, was now much larger and diverse, with respect to both social status and geographical boundaries.
In the following years, it took some time for general public to accept Jazz and hit the masses. One of the prime reasons was the cultural origin of this musical form, and also because it came across as something that was of low on social status and did not encourage high morality quotient. However, after a few years, when it was not limited to being only black’s music, it became the legitimate entertainment source. Benny Goodman initiated this practice by playing radically mixed groups whole performing in the concerts that held in Carnegie Hall.
In the meanwhile, many other distinctive styles had evolved by the musicians of the younger age groups. Their emphasis was on single line of melody rather than following the New Orleans style, which had now become old and conventional. Bix Beiderbecke who was a pianist and corniest introduced the Chicago style music and developed some more complex melody lines. Jazz had now reached to the parts of Kansas City, Los Angeles, and New York.
One of the major challenges that Jazz music has always been facing, is its quest for finding and incorporating something new and fresh. It emphasizes that each player should focus on individual style and voice. It is because the music gives scope for individual and collective self-expression. Also, it has endeavored to firmly place its roots and move beyond the boundaries that it had set previously. The development in music has been a collective effort, where musicians have been competing and learning from each other. There has always been a drive of exploration the makes it a distinctive category of music.
Coming back to jazz’s roots as a form of dance music, as it has been more commonly referred to. It has been able to merge the flavors of techno, country, house, drum, bass along with jungle music and created innumerous distinct forms. The artists who earned a living from playing jazz music did not receive their worth. For years, their condition was worse and they suffered a lot. Inspite of so many hardships that they faced, they never let the spirit of music down. Jazz music has always promised to grow progressively and attain heights in the world of music