Jazz Music Essay
End-of-Term Reflection Paper
In an essay of about 600 words, address the following:
It's worth noting that each of us brings our own conscious and unconscious assumptions into any given situation. This "classroom" experience is an especially relevant situation in that regard.
How has your study of jazz and the African American experience reinforced or challenged those assumptions of yours of which you were already aware?
How has your study of jazz and the African American experience brought to the surface--brought to light--any unconscious assumptions you may have brought with you into the classroom?
How do you feel about your study of jazz and the African American experience? How have your views about jazz been affected? How have your views about African American literature and African American experience been affected?
How do you view the intersections of jazz and African American experience? Drawing upon selected course materials, identify and articulate relationships and connections that you see between African American writings and the music and life experiences of African American jazz artists.
Describe the meaning and significance you have found in your study.
End-Of-Term Reflection Paper
Name:
Institution:
Introduction
Jazz is a music genre which originated in the United States from African-American communities of New Orleans. The establishment of jazz in the American society significantly contributed to cultural awakening which united and integrated both black and white people, and it also functioned as a catalyst for the civil rights movement in the twentieth century. Understanding the history of jazz music and jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong is key in comprehending how they inspired African Americans to gain pride in their black heritage. The jazz music also aided in growing the sense of black pride in different parts of the United States. For example, James Reese Europe who was a band leader that was honored in the city of New York and other cities across American encouraged fellow African Americans to follow his footsteps. This paper addresses issues related to assumptions of jazz music and how these assumptions have impacted the views about jazz music.
When I started the course, I already had my idea about jazz music. Concerning the jazz musicians, I would usually envision black men and women with hipster shades as well as fancy clothes playing trumpets and saxophone. Although this assumption was not entirely wrong, it absolutely misses the fact that there was no ordinary or typical jazz musician. The information which I have gained in this study has challenged this view because jazz music would be played or performed by a single man to an audience of one. This indicated that jazz music was not necessarily preserved for bands to perform for large crowds.
Additionally, I had a negative assumption about the jazz music that it was mainly associated with radical individuals who used music for their individual interests. However, this study enabled me to comprehend the origin of jazz music...