Jazz Music Through the Ages

Although the dictionary describes jazz as an AmericanOne of jazz music's' greatest composers, George
musical art form which originated in African AmericanGershwin took the world by storm with his beautiful
communities, there are no words to describe the"Rhapsody in Blue." All over the country, jazz music
sound jazz has carried through the ages.was looked at in different lights, ranging from
The invisible line of racial segregation in the earlyenlightening to immoral. Swing clubs were born and
1900's made it hard for newly freed AfricanAmerica's youth put their feet to work with the new
Americans to find work. Black citizens were forced tohip collective sound of jazz.
take jobs as entertainers in bars, brothels, dancesDixieLand, BeBop and Cool Jazz emerged in the
and clubs. As fate would have it though, jazz music1940's and 1950's. The sweet melodies of Miles Davis
was born from the new sound of ragtime musiclit up the room and took jazz music to a whole new
these musicians came up with. The sound caught onlevel. Never disappointing, jazz kept up its reputation
like a wild fire and intrigued the likes of Scott Joplinand produced a whole new genre of music including
and Claude Debussy.Latin Jazz and Soul Jazz in the 1960's and 1970's.
Jazz aficionados mostly attribute the city of NewThe last 2 decades have brought about many
Orleans to the music's roots. Through music played atexciting yet straightforward forms of jazz. This
local brothels as well as the sounds of marchingbeloved music art form has inspired many a singer
bands in funeral processions, jazz caught its intriguingand songwriter. To hear a jazz song is to see inside
beat.an artists' soul. The richly diverse takes on jazz
In the 1920's and 1930's, the Jazz Age made itsthroughout the last century have helped to shape
grand entrance. A man with a voice of gold namednot only a culture but a way of life.
Louis Armstrong formed his band during this time.