Charlie Parker
Music:
The music of United States changed significantly during the twentieth century, and each generation went on to develop its own music. These were all immensely popular, had strong rhythmic touch and were very different from the earlier forms which existed. These were used for dancing or just for the purpose of listening. When the twentieth century started it was the time for a variety called Ragtime. After the end of the First World War, Jazz had its origin and it influenced all other forms till it was affected by the stock market crash in 1929. This period was called the roaring twenties. Then it was time for a new form to emerge and this was in the music of the Big Bands and led at different stages by Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Jimmie Lunceford, Glen Gray and Chick Webb in the beginning. They were then followed by Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman and Benny Goodman. Among the whole lot of them, Benny Goodman became the most famous as the "King of Swing." (The Big Band Era, Or How America Came Out Of the Great Depression and Went On To Win World War II)
The music of swing was followed in the end of the 1940s by the forms called Rhythm and Blues. This form was originally developed by the Black musicians and was targeted to the Black audiences, but was later taken over by Elvis Presley as Rock and Roll around 1955. Throughout this entire period the development of music was being done by the Blacks, but the commercial benefits were being exploited by the White Americans. The mode of music called Rock and Roll by Presley was developed further by the Beatles in 1960 and innumerable other bands. The varieties were also introduced in this music and the varieties were given the name of acidic, metallic, hard and soft. This form of music became the biggest hit of the century and is still going on in different forms. The name of the music has changed now from Rock to Rap and now Hip Hop. This in short is the history of music in the twentieth century. (The Big Band Era, Or How America Came Out Of the Great Depression and Went On To Win World War II)
The origin of Jazz:
The beauty of Jazz is that it is a really American form of music and was formed during the ears from 1895 to 1917. The distinction of Jazz from other music of that time is not easy as the music was not recorded till about 1917, and even if some recordings of earlier periods exist, they would have very little acoustic value as the recording equipment of that time was highly limited, and to understand true Jazz, one would have had to hear it in person. Even there have been disputes as to the exact location where Jazz started as also the name of the group of people who started this form of music. Some writers say that Jazz has been formed from a number of different music forms that existed before Jazz like the Blues, Ragtime, Brass Band Music, Hymns and Spirituals, Minstrel music and work songs. (The origins of Jazz)
These types of music were very common in the United States and present in many of the cities there. Yet it is agreed by most experts that New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz. The reason for ascribing the birth of Jazz to New Orleans is that only New Orleans had a specific element required for the development of Jazz - the black Creole subculture. The Creoles are different from the other blacks in the United States as they had been free, speaking in French and Spanish and come to New Orleans from West Indies.
They had first lived under Spanish rule and then French rule in Louisiana. Then Louisiana became American when the territory was purchased in 1803 and further development took place when it became a state in 1812. (The origins of Jazz)
The Creoles were in the highest levels of the society at the time of purchase and practically throughout the 19th century. They were very important in the economic and culture of the city and lived along with the French speaking population in the French section of the city, east of Canal Street. There were a lot of musicians among them, and some of them were trained at the Conservatory in Paris. They played at the local Opera House and in the chamber meetings. The best bands in New Orleans were led by some of them....
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now