Music Research Paper: The Demise Of Jazz

Name: Professor’s Name: Course: Date: Music Research Paper Jazz music was born in America, and it is a true representation of what America and diversity truly stand for. Looking at what music has morphed up to become, one notices the influence of jazz music in almost all the genres of music. Hip hop borrows a lot from Jazz, blues also borrow from Jazz, and pop music also borrows greatly from jazz. In almost every piece of music being produced today, one notices or gets to hear a hint of jazz. Initially, jazz was mainly performed in bars and social gatherings. However, it grew to become a lot more popular than it had ever been expected. The initial starting point of jazz was New Orleans. New Orleans “a major port city, people from all over the world came together there, and as a result, musicians are exposed to a variety of music” (Variety). The different genres and cultures that met in New Orleans and blended together thus led to the birth of jazz. However, there are those who have disputed the story explaining the conception of jazz. But one thing that remains undisputed is jazz’s captivating and alluring rhythms that can easily get one to gyrate or nod in appreciation. However, so much has changed regarding jazz music. Currently, there are numerous discussions and a handful of concerned individuals who believe, and rightfully so, that jazz music is dying. But, why is this happening and what could be the reason behind the sad and slow demise of jazz music? Well, this article seeks to dig deeper and showcase that the demise of jazz is as a result of the loss of meaning that jazz music exemplified. Currently, jazz music carries a different meaning to music lovers, especially those from African American descent. The story of African Americans is widely known in the world. African Americans have always been marginalized, and the door to a normal American life was always shut. During the years of slavery, African Americans were not considered people but property. They had no identity, and nothing stood out for them. It was becoming incredibly essential for them to find their identity, discover their pattern of clothing, and find their way through music. While still in enslavement, the African Americans used to sing but their songs were mostly spiritual, and this is where the story of jazz started. African Americans sang everywhere and started to curve their path in the music industry. One thing that best captures the history of jazz music is improvisation which mainly explains how African Americans made music “on the fly.” “One thing that distinguishes jazz music is its focus on improvisation” (Verity). African Americans used to play their instruments especially their trumpets in certain playful modes that were “filled with energy that could only result from being composed on the spot.” Jazz was perfect for helping express the African Americans’ sorrows, aspirations, hopes, pains, and joys. It represented what was original to the African Americans as they were trying to find meaning and themselves after lacking an identity for years. Jazz music was the voice of the African Americans as it helped them to share their experiences while trying to fight social injustices. However, for the current generation of African Americans, jazz music appears to carry a different meaning. The current generation connects more with Hip Hop music more than they do with jazz. In some ways, though, jazz can be said to be thriving especially when one considers jazz education which “has exploded in colleges and universities in recent decades” (Boornazian). He continues to say that Jazz is also struggling especially when one considers album sales as well as how often jazz gets played in the radio stations. Flipping from one radio station to another, one notices that jazz music is not as popular as it once was. Its influence seems to have gone down as people are drawn more to the current music styles. However, jazz, especially to the African American community seems to have lost its original meaning. Currently, some consider it as a great addition to Hip Hop as many artists try to showcase their prowess by using certain styles and sounds of jazz. While in the past jazz was essential to the identity of African Americans, today, its importance has reduced. This can be attributed to the fact that the current generation is only connected to the events of the past by stories. Additionally, the current generation is still trying to f...