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. . . And All That Jazz Martin Otts We recently celebrated “Jazz Appreciation Month”. Jazz is a uniquely American musical form that has existed for almost a century and has gone from merely being the music of an emerging nation to a music that is composed, improvised, and played internationally. Jazz origins lie in musical influences from American Popular music, Blues, Classical, African music, and other musical genres. Likewise it has spread its musical influence globally to cross-pollinate other musical genres, even that of Classical music. Jazz is music of spontaneous composition that is improvised as it is played, a music of the moment determined by the players mood and the cerebral image currently resident in the players mind. There are a minimum of musical rules to obey and a logical chord progression to follow. Within this bare framework the music is created while it is played, being about spontaneous musical creation free of as many constraints as can be shed, a celebration of the musical emotion du jour cerebrally expressed. Philosophically, Jazz differs from other improvisatory musical styles, such as Blues, in that it is much more a cerebral exposition of feeling versus a purely emotional one. Jazz, like Classical music, requires an active and vigorous mental interaction on the part of the listener to fully enjoy it. Jazz has many sub-genres with Dixieland, Big Band, Bebop, Swing, Fusion, Classicism, and European being some. Jazz sometimes claims the musical genres of Ragtime and Boogie as part of its oeuvre although this can be logically argued otherwise, especially since these two music types predate Jazz. As Jazz developed over the years, it has subsumed earlier musical traditions and styles while creating new ones. Irrespective of the sub-genre, Jazz always remains unmistakable, easily identified, but hard to describe qualitatively. Regardless of your musical tastes, there probably is a Jazz genre that will interest you. At Hickory Public Library, many CDs, videos, and books on a wide range of Jazz musicians and genres are available. There is certain to be something in this collection area that you will aurally or visually appreciate. Below are some Jazz print resources that will serve as a good introduction to the subject. All Music Guide To Jazz: The Best Cds, Albums & Tapes Michael Erlewine Brass Bands And New Orleans Jazz William J. Schafer Goin' To Kansas City Nathan W. Pearson Jazz: A History Of America's Music Geoffrey C. Ward Jazz Portraits: The Lives And Music Of The Jazz Masters Len Lyons Jazz: The First Century John Edward Hasse Jazz: The Rough Guide Ian Carr Jazz Veterans: A Portrait Gallery Chip Deffaa Louis Armstrong's New Orleans Thomas Brothers The Making Of Jazz: A Comprehensive History James Lincoln Collier The Swing Era: The Development Of Jazz, 1930-1945 Gunther Schuller What Jazz Is: An Insider's Guide To Understanding And Listening To Jazz Jonny King Who's Who Of Jazz! Storyville To Swing Street Chilton, John |
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