Jazz Age: Chicago & New York 1920's

Question 1

Jazz age

Answer 1

After WWI, “end of American Innocence”, new outlook emerged

Question 2

Migration

Answer 2

Between 195-1920 wartime jobs in North encouraged African Americans to leave South, musicians from New Orleans joined

Question 3

Urbanization and Musical Infrastructure

Answer 3

Chicago southside and New York Harlem developed infrastructure provided guidance and institutional support 
- booking agencies
- theatres
- nightclubs
- music critics
- sheet music companies
- trade unions
- trade schools
Provided profits and social impact

Question 4

Politics

Answer 4

Jazz was a tool in the fight against segregation and racist attitudes; unfolded concurrently with civil rights
Marcus garvey black nationalism

Question 5

Professionalization

Answer 5

Musicians had to be accomplished players able to read and write music; NYC Bway and Tin Pan Alley

storyville closed in 1917; gave opportunity for musicians in speakeasies dancehalls and most importantly recording

Question 6

Chicago

Answer 6

Segregated
southside- vital black community broad avenues, spacious homes and yards, parks and schools- better life
commercial blocks and intersections called “ the Stroll” had movie theaters music halls chicken shacks and dance halls most featured music

Question 7

Chicago

Answer 7

became major center for New Orleans Style
competitive world of cabaret
musicians wore tuxedos symbolizing sophisticated urban style in racial pride; exemplified WEB Dubois called talented tenth
blk musicians held in high regard

Question 8

Chicago

Answer 8

During prohibition speakeasies controlled by white gangsters; alcohol and music spaces called blk and tan
hot jazz underwent changes in Chicago

Question 9

Louis Armstrong

Answer 9

• most prominent New Orleans musician to seek professional opportunities
• Major figure in jazz and American Culture
• Transformed N.O ensemble into soloist art
• Jazz first great improviser
• Promoted swing; new rhythmic groove
• Left Chicago for NY and joined Fletcher Henderson
• Grinning on stage put white audience at ease
• used scatting( nonsense) to mimic trumpet playing
• best improvising soloist in jazz

Question 10

Chicagoans

Answer 10

Aspiring musicians played in frat parties , restaurants, soda shops- created network called gangs

Question 11

Chicago- small group musical style

Answer 11

• Combined soloing with polyphonic melodies
• trombone replaced by tenor saxophone
• tuba replaced by string bass
• hot music NO style small group

Question 12

Bix Beiderbecke

Answer 12

• the white Louis Armstrong
• played cornet and piano
• Died young of alcoholism
• Guiding spirit of white chicagoans
• Cool calm pretty notes shy politeness

Question 13

Dance orchestras

Answer 13

• popular attractions in theatres, cabarets, ballrooms
• comported w/blk public expectations of professionalism and dignified presentation
• highly arranged music, no improv, added European techniques
• for polite dancing called sweet bands - carrol Dickinson and Erskine tates vendome orchestras

Question 14

New York

Answer 14

• Entertainment business infrastructure
• The Jazz Mecca
• Borrowed from many kinds of music
  including
• big bands
• rag time
• pop music
• vaudeville
  etc
  Dance orchestras larger 12 musicians
• segregated

Question 15

Paul Whiteman

Answer 15

• Proclaimed King of jazz
• first pop superstar
• Jazz blended with classical music
• Sweet style
• large orchestra
• Make a lady of Jazz

Question 16

Fletcher Henderson

Answer 16

• studied piano and European classical music
• Primary influence on big band development
• African American Bandleader
• Lead famous white Roseland Ballroom
• 1924 added Louis Armstrong

Question 17

Antiphony/riffs

Answer 17

• Brass and reed sections play off each other in alteration

- riffs in brass and reeds accompany solos

Question 18

Harlem

Answer 18

• Promised land for African Americans in 1920s
• Harlem reinassance flowering of blk culture and intellectual life : community pride
• For working class reinassance was invisible
• Jazz flourished bc gangsters hired jazz musicians; mostly solo piano players
• Piano battleground
• Piano symbol of middle class aspiration into white culture
• rent parties blk piano players challenged eachother in “stride” piano playing ; left hand strides right hand played syncopated melody and improv

Question 19

Art Tatum

Answer 19

• greatest jazz pianist

- raised the bar for other pianist