Dylan Scallo
Mrs. Glaser
English 3 Honors
29 May 2015
Jazz comes in a variety of genres: dixieland, bebop, blues. Each genre contains its own unique quality that distinguishes itself from the rest, whether the difference is the steady beat of a drum, the focus on a pianist’s melody, or the fast tempo kept throughout a piece of music. The influx of jazz styles was welcomed by the people in the late twentieth century who appreciated a variety of music to choose from. The music reflects what was going on during the time period, which is why jazz continued to evolve into so many styles, but this acceptance was different for those in the early years of jazz. Jazz originated in New Orleans where improvising and solo performances were the heart …show more content…
As swing jazz grew in popularity in the 1930s the fast beat of hot bands, that was associated with traditional values, created a confrontation with modern jazzists who believed the slower tempo of sweet bands was the correct form of jazz. A new era of music began in 1917 when a style never heard before caught the attention of hundreds of Americans. The fast tempo with instruments ranging from string to brass was new concept to music in which Americans grew increasingly interested in. The era was known as Jazz and produced “music that was hotter and livelier than anything that had ever been recorded before, where no American had ever heard anything remotely like it.” (Ward and Burns 64) One of the leading figures of this movement was Original Dixieland Jazz Band who was iconic in creating tunes that were upbeat that caused the heart to start racing. One of the main reason behind the fast tempo was the growing class Americans who were entering a time period where earning and wealth was unprecedented. The Roaring Twenties “lived harder, faster …show more content…
Sweet bands took a modern approach to jazz by composing music that was less improvised and swing felt. Diverging from the fast, hard driving beat of traditional jazz, modern jazz “were the slow paced, often heart-felt songs.” ( Going into the Great Depression, Jazzists were forced to open up their horizons to a larger audience by introducing a more tamed sound. The mere difference of a violin was introduced into jazz for a more mature audience to take an interest in jazz, since many jazzists could not afford to lose any more profit than they had already during the Great Depression. Although hot bands still dominated swing jazz during the 1930s, sweet band’s style, better known as modern jazz, was becoming more prevalent in the scene of jazz, especially with big name artist like Duke Ellington, who was known for traditional jazz, incorporating it into his music. One of Duke Ellington’s best known song was “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” which was released in 1931. This piece includes the notorious use of brass soloist throughout the composition, but also includes the modern value of a violin. Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” was meant to converge the opposing views on jazz by showing that both styles compliment one another. As it is stated in the lyrics “it doesn’t matter if you play it hot or sweet, just give
Mrs. Glaser
English 3 Honors
29 May 2015
Jazz comes in a variety of genres: dixieland, bebop, blues. Each genre contains its own unique quality that distinguishes itself from the rest, whether the difference is the steady beat of a drum, the focus on a pianist’s melody, or the fast tempo kept throughout a piece of music. The influx of jazz styles was welcomed by the people in the late twentieth century who appreciated a variety of music to choose from. The music reflects what was going on during the time period, which is why jazz continued to evolve into so many styles, but this acceptance was different for those in the early years of jazz. Jazz originated in New Orleans where improvising and solo performances were the heart …show more content…
As swing jazz grew in popularity in the 1930s the fast beat of hot bands, that was associated with traditional values, created a confrontation with modern jazzists who believed the slower tempo of sweet bands was the correct form of jazz. A new era of music began in 1917 when a style never heard before caught the attention of hundreds of Americans. The fast tempo with instruments ranging from string to brass was new concept to music in which Americans grew increasingly interested in. The era was known as Jazz and produced “music that was hotter and livelier than anything that had ever been recorded before, where no American had ever heard anything remotely like it.” (Ward and Burns 64) One of the leading figures of this movement was Original Dixieland Jazz Band who was iconic in creating tunes that were upbeat that caused the heart to start racing. One of the main reason behind the fast tempo was the growing class Americans who were entering a time period where earning and wealth was unprecedented. The Roaring Twenties “lived harder, faster …show more content…
Sweet bands took a modern approach to jazz by composing music that was less improvised and swing felt. Diverging from the fast, hard driving beat of traditional jazz, modern jazz “were the slow paced, often heart-felt songs.” ( Going into the Great Depression, Jazzists were forced to open up their horizons to a larger audience by introducing a more tamed sound. The mere difference of a violin was introduced into jazz for a more mature audience to take an interest in jazz, since many jazzists could not afford to lose any more profit than they had already during the Great Depression. Although hot bands still dominated swing jazz during the 1930s, sweet band’s style, better known as modern jazz, was becoming more prevalent in the scene of jazz, especially with big name artist like Duke Ellington, who was known for traditional jazz, incorporating it into his music. One of Duke Ellington’s best known song was “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” which was released in 1931. This piece includes the notorious use of brass soloist throughout the composition, but also includes the modern value of a violin. Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing)” was meant to converge the opposing views on jazz by showing that both styles compliment one another. As it is stated in the lyrics “it doesn’t matter if you play it hot or sweet, just give