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The Advent of Jazz | |
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The advent of the Twentieth Century brought a new sound to the American music scene. It was the Afro American influenced syncopated melody played over a stuctured march tempo bass line known as Rag or Ragtime. The sound
was particularly popular among middle American Blacks who would often form small marching bands to perform these creations. The sound was not confined to New Orleans, but it was in that city that their existed a large
Spanish and French speaking Black population known as Creoles who had immigrated from the West Indies and and became American citizens as a result of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and statehood in 1812. These Blacks unlike their
American counterparts were free and became quite affluent rising to prominent positions in New Orleans society. They were educated and Creole musicians were more than likely Consrvatory trained in Paris. It would be the sounds of
Rag mixed with a touch of the Blues, Gospel and a later form known as Dixieland that would lay the foundation for Jazz. |
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