Syncopation

Premiering in 1997, the musical Ragtime, written by the trio of Terrence McNally (Book/Script), Stephen Flaherty (Music), and Lynn Ahrens (Lyrics) was something along the lines of a smash hit. Featuring a star studded cast, with such luminaries as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, and Audra McDonald, the musical won four Tony Awards and was nominated for 14, including Best Musical. The musical is based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1974 novel Ragtime, a work of historical fiction that has various…

He was the first to write down his music supporting that claim. “There is no doubt that Morton had isolated a music not covered by the blues or ragtime and that he applied a swinging syncopation to a variety of music, including ragtime, opera, and French and Spanish songs and dances.” (www.redhotjazz.com) It was also said he introduced the two- bar break in scat singing, that was also used for improvisation. Jazz music often has a four-four…

Introduction Jazz music is regarded as a genre whose roots are traced from the communities of African-American ascent in the New Orleans. The development of jazz is associated with ragtime, blues and band music from the European military in the 19th and 20th centuries. Also, it is composed of blue notes, polyrhythms, improvisation, and response vocals. Different cultures such as the Latin culture in the USA have been added in the jazz music genre leading to the development of variations…

genre for African Americans to utilize as their outlet to make a debut in the music world as well as a way to deal with oppression during their times. Google defines jazz as “a type of music of black American origin characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm, emerging at the beginning of the 20th century” Although in our contemporary society jazz singers aspire to relay their message, not just oppression, but leave their universal themes throughout…

The 1920s is commonly known as “The Roaring Twenties” because of the economic boom following World War I. This decade is also marked by a clash between conservatives trying to preserve the values and beliefs of prior years and liberals wanting to see change made in society. Although having saw minor conservative triumphs like the revival of the Ku Klux Klan, the 1920s were predominantly liberal and innovative in areas regarding women and technology. Granted, with the resurgence of the Ku Klux…

There is little argument when it comes to the vast influence and incredible genius of the works of Led Zeppelin. Their 1995 induction bibliography in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame cited them “as influential” during the 1970s as the Beatles during the 1960s. However, when it comes to their classification as a musical genre, there is much debate, not only from fans or their music, but from the band members themselves. In this discourse, I will examine whether or not the band can be labeled as…

During the Jazz Age, jazz music, primarily dominated by African Americans before 1920, began to gain popularity among whites and transformed into an important aspect of American culture. The increased popularity of jazz music among black and white audiences allowed for the breaking of social barriers between blacks and whites, more opportunities for African American musicians, and a more accepting attitude towards African American musicians. Music has always played an essential part in African…

Sinatra’s Impact and Controversies As an award-winning singer and actor, Frank Sinatra held a show business career for more than fifty years. In those fifty years, he sang with bands, as a solo artist, and even acted in many films. One of which he won a supporting actor Oscar. “Frank Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century, forging a career as an award-winning singer and film actor” (“Frank” 1). While Frank Sinatra was one of the most important and most influential…

Music has influenced all regions in different aspects of life, contributing in the making of history. A genre of music that is considered to be the basic foundation of all genres ranging from the old days to the twenty first century is the blues. When you think of the blues, you tend to think about personal adversity. A common theme in the genre of blues is that people talk about problems they are having, any feeling of regret they may have, and feelings of betrayal. However, the blues is also…

Through improvisation and virtuosic playing, musicians were able to combine both traditional melodic phrases and new chord progressions that led to the emergence of jazz music. Bebop and cool jazz incorporated fast tempos from African American cultures with European harmonies in order to create new music, representing the existing ethnic diversity in the US. The sociocultural environment of Harlem allowed for African American musicians to gather and produce bebop music by drawing from their folk…