Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom.
– Charlie Parker, legendary jazz saxophonist
Introduction
If you listen to music, you would have definitely encountered jazz sometime in your life, whether it be in the form of rock, R&B, hip-hop, or pop music. Perhaps you were even in the Jazz Band at school. By itself, jazz is a peculiar genre of music. It must follow a general composition, but you are free to improvise (otherwise known as making stuff up on the spot). This is what gives jazz its freelancing and upbeat melody characteristics.
However, the true origins of jazz music are far from free. In fact, jazz music was born in the early stages of African-American slavery in the United States. Although that may seem contradictory at first, you will see that there are other factors in play as you dive deeper into the history of jazz. Understanding the dark background of jazz is crucial to appreciating music as we know it today. Reflecting on these events also ties in with Black History Month, where we honour the Black community that has helped shape our world.
Early History Of Jazz
The creation of jazz initially began during the rise of slavery from 1790 to 1860. American slave owners used inhumane ways to control the slaves, making the conditions that they lived in extremely harsh. African-American slaves were forced to develop coping mechanisms due to the oppression they experienced and their terrible quality of life. Music, along with spirituality, were effective outlets for these slaves. Without any resources, they developed ways to use their bodies and voices to produce music. Two defining types of music arose from slavery — field hollers and work songs. Field hollers were encrypted information communicated with rhymes during their labour. Work songs were steady beats to make their work less tedious. From here, this music formed spirituals (religious folk songs), which in turn, led to the blues. The blues are a genre of music that laid the foundation to jazz.
Other Information About Jazz
New Orleans is recognized as the official birthplace of jazz music, but as stated earlier, jazz actually started with slaves in the fields. It was also the result of merging African cultures with European cultures in America. African music characterized the rhythm, blues, and expression of jazz, while the harmony and jazz instruments stemmed from European music.
Impacts On Our World
Jazz has its influence everywhere in our world, from modern music genres to poetry. In fact, you will find remnants of jazz hidden in the elements that create your favourite song. Pop, rock, hip-hop, and freestyle rap are all similar in the composition and rhythm of jazz. Surprisingly, jazz is even found in literature — more specifically, in poetry. The two forms of art rose to prominence together in the 1900s, and as a result, jazz poetry was born. In the world of fashion, jazz music inspired the drop-waist dress and the bob hairstyle. Women were affected in other ways as well, such as being able to find jobs in the music industry while still being “accepted” in society. The same goes for black musicians. Jazz also lifted the status of black culture due to its booming popularity.
Benefits Of Jazz
Believe it or not, jazz is actually extremely beneficial for your mental health. Experts have found that jazz reduces your stress level while improving your memory. Physically engaging with jazz stimulates many areas of your brain. Connecting this back to the history of jazz, these melodies were effective for the oppressed slaves to cope, both mentally and emotionally. Thus, jazz music is a great way to get you through hard times and keep you motivated!
Conclusion
To conclude, although jazz music originated from a cruel and deeply traumatic situation, it has had tremendous impacts on our modern world. Jazz has certainly impacted the lives and livelihoods of many around the globe. As February is Black History Month, we should take this time to cherish, honour, and appreciate jazz music while also understanding the dark road that led us to these energetic tunes.