THE
BIRTHPLACE OF JAZZ!
Jazz . . . the sound
that put New Orleans on the map, musically speaking!
It's a distinctive sound--not big band swing, with horns creating harmony.
Nor is it modern jazz or "bebop," the post-World War II style that relies
on speeding tempos and virtuosic soloing. And it's not "pop" music,
the form of music from the pre-rock 'n roll days.
New Orleans jazz is
a style of music. Almost any song can be "jazzed" up with
a New Orleans beat. Jazz is music for dancing,
not listening, even though that is what modern jazz became in the 1950s and
beyond.
New Orleans Jazz has a swinging, stomping, syncopated beat that makes you
want to
dance! It also has a simple melodic quality that sounds dated to some
today.
New Orleans Jazz is also heard in brass bands, the kind we hear in our Mardi
Gras
street parades. They rely on wind instruments and separate bass and snare
drums, all of which can be carried by the
musicians.
| The
Traditional Jazz Band consist of a front line and a rhythm section: |
The front line consists of
Cornet--carries the melody (later
replaced by trumpet)
Clarinet--harmonizes above the
melody
Trombone--punctuates the melody from below |
The rhythm section consists of
Drums--keeps a steady
beat
Bass--holds the
sound
together
Guitar--provides chord structure (later replaced by banjo
and/or piano |
What sets jazz apart from the music that preceded
it
is
the way the musicians
improvised--it was a vehicle for personal
expression for both the
musicians
and the dancers.
In 1976, jazz historian Al Rose wrote a definition of New Orleans-style jazz
which was eventually adopted by the city government: "Jazz is
two
or more musical voices improvising collectively in two-four or four-four
time on any known melody and 'syncopating.' " The Louisiana State Museum at the Old U.S. Mint gives this
definition: "New Orleans jazz is a performance art based on the musical elements
of
syncopation, improvisation, blues scale, call-and-response, rhythm, tone
color, harmony, and
interpretation."
Jazz is played in historic places,
like
Preservation Hall -- showcase of "traditional" New Orleans jazz -- and
many other clubs, such as Snug Harbor and other nearby clubs or just on the
street. The National Park Service has an office to explain and demonstrate the
complex nature of jazz and, of course, numerous souvenirs of jazz can be bought.
Created by Ingolf Vogeler on 1 June 1996; last
updated on
09 March 2005.
