Jazz: A Short History, Part 1

It has been said that jazz is the only true American Classical music. It can trace its beginnings to the African rhythmic traditions brought over by the enslaved being merged with the European musical influences that came from the slave owners. As time progressed, new musical ideas emerged. The slave workers began to use western instruments, especially the simple guitar from which they began to deliver a style of music that projected the melancholy mood they experienced. Thus, we started to hear the first “blue notes” which would become the foundation of most jazz pieces from that day on. Later additions to the toolbox would be call and response vocals, polyrhythms, swing and complex chords, all being used in the aforementioned improvisation.
In the following narrative I will refer to black musicians and white musicians. The black reference, especially, is used out of respect for the originators of such a wonderful musical development.
As the 20th century dawned, the music that we now know of as Jazz had already begun to take shape, maybe 10 to 20 years earlier, as the musicians of the day merged all of the acquired influences into one whole new genre. Although, apparently, mostly centred on New Orleans there is evidence that improvised music had begun to appear elsewhere in such locations as Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee as well as some urban districts such as Baltimore, St Louis and Oklahoma City. At this stage, the music was still regarded as being ragtime regardless of how it was performed, either as solo piano or by some form of band.
However, regardless of there being many centres for its birth, New Orleans was probably the most important from the historic point of view. In the local red light district, known as Storyvillle, the local “sporting houses” employed piano masters or bands to help keep their clientele entertained. These establishments aside, the whole town was awash with music which by now seemed to have become an essential part of everyday life. The leading musicians of the day achieved great prestige with each one gathering his own following of fans. Trumpet or cornet players were the most favoured and were often considered to be the main man of any band.
The earliest off these players to have been identified was Buddy Bolden and he favoured the cornet. He was born in 1877 and was regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of ragtime music, or "jass", which later came to be known as jazz. His band was active between 1900 and 1907, and instead of imitating other cornet players, he played the music he heard, by ear and adapted it to his horn and in so doing, he created an original fusion of all of the local musical influences of the day. In rearranging the music, he also appears to have defined the “classic” line up that later became the staple of post war revivalist trad bands, but do not think that saxophones were never involved. He was known for his powerful, loud, wide open playing style but was never recorded and died in an asylum. He did however inspire a next generation of players, including King Oliver, Freddie Keppard and Bunk Johnson.
Bolden was superseded by Freddie Keppard, who in turn was replaced by King Oliver but so far none of these players had visited a recording studio. Unlike the parallel development of ragtime which, headed by Scott Joplin, had been recorded on piano rolls years earlier.
In 1917, Storyville was closed down as an area of legalised prostitution and this saw the end of New Orleans as the leading jazz city with many more musicians moving away to other new locations such as Chicago, New York, Dallas and Memphis.
With all of these skilful black musicians spreading the message of their music around the country it is sorry irony that the first recording of it was made in 1917 by The Original Dixieland Jass Band. This was a five piece band of enthusiastic white musicians who, despite their musical limitations deserve to be remembered for their important part in jazz history.
It would be another six years before the eminent black musicians of the day entered a recording studio and were able to present a much truer picture of their music to a wider audience.

The 1920s dawned with the development of jazz enjoying greater impetus, although it was 1923 before any jazz of significance was recorded. Now in Chicago, King Oliver opened his first performance at The Lincoln Gardens and introduced Chicago to real New Orleans jazz. Soon after, Oliver invited into his band, a young man whom he had been mentoring for some time. A second cornet voice having been added, this young musician was Louis Armstrong and one of the first tunes to be recorded by the new line up was Dippermouth Blues. It is a full on blues infused jazz piece with a fine contribution by Louis Armstrong and thus the jazz era had truly begun. As you read through various authors’ work, you will find reference to Jelly Roll Morton’s claim that he “invented” jazz. Nothing could be further from the truth because jazz wasn’t invented. It grew gradually from what had gone before. Morton himself was indeed a fine piano player and composer.

From here on, the music expanded with ever greater momentum. The northern bands were still in the grip of ragtime with its own musical limitations but they were soon introduced to the new looser style by the New Orleans bands and emerging reed players such as Sidney Bechet and Jimmy Noone. Both men started with the clarinet but introduced the serious use of the saxophone. Of the two, Bechet was the first to produce serious jazz on the saxophone, his choice being the soprano. His earliest recordings also date from 1923.
In 1924, Louis Armstrong joined a band led by Fletcher Henderson in New York. Here was an untrained young musician thrust into the company of academically trained musicians while he himself could not read music. Nevertheless, he rose to the occasion and updated the band’s image by extending the collective concept of New Orleans jazz into a solo art. By adopting this change, he moved the music away from the ensemble style and onto the path of that of the solo performer. Eventually, we will find that whilst this move could be viewed as irreversible, both styles would eventually co-exist.
Soon other New Orleans players were being absorbed into the larger bands that were now appearing in larger venues such as the Savoy Ballroom and Cotton Club in New York’s Harlem. This is where we first encounter such leaders as Duke Ellington and Luis Russell. These bands appealed to a new breed of listener who had tired of the old New Orleans style but eschewed the more sophisticated style of the larger showbands.
Meanwhile, there was now emerging a new and independent group of white musicians who were drawn to this new black jazz and wished to be a part of it, but not merely produce a copy of it. This led to a totally different and individual style altogether. The main name to consider here is Bix Beiderbecke, a cornet and piano player whose music generally displayed lyricism and understatement in direct comparison to the more passionate style coming from the New Orleans players. He teamed up with a young saxophonist named Frankie Trumbauer and formed a small band called the Wolverines. Unfortunately, Bix died from pneumonia aged only 28 so the real potential of his individuality was never to be realised.
Many other white musicians took the New Orleans sound and slowly honed it into their own styles of performance and created what we now refer to as the Chicago style of Dixieland jazz. Such players were Eddie Condon, Bud Freeman and Gene Krupa. Condon was a guitar player of some skill but his real contribution was as promoter of jazz concerts and jam sessions which he continued to do until he died in the 1970s. Bud Freeman was a member of a group of young white musicians from the West Side of Chicago who had attended the Austin High School and were known as The Austin High School Gang. They rose to prominence as pioneers of the Chicago Style in the 1920s. His main instrument was the tenor saxophone which was still in its jazz infancy. This was also the time of the appearance of the musical arrangers many of whom were producing a style that appeared to water down the original exuberance of the early New Orleans material.

Do not think that the music was purely a male domain. There were a few female musicians, the most prominent being Lil Hardin. She played piano with King Oliver and later with Louis Armstrong, and was also married to him for a while. However, it is in the realms of vocal jazz that the women really held their own. The most significant of them was Ma Rainey who was widely regarded as the mother of the blues. Her history is well documented elsewhere, but she comes across as a strong woman who did not suffer fools gladly. She was also a major influence for those ladies who came after her.

As the 1920s segued into the beginning of the 1930s, America was well and truly locked into the period of prohibition but the worst was just starting; the great depression. Towards the end of the twenties, the forces of law and order increased their activities against the mobsters, which then affected how musicians were able to find work. The big bands that were still working, continued to reflect the music influences from the New Orleans era so most musicians had to take their chance on the road or find alternative work. Later in the decade, as circumstances improved, a new younger audience viewed the old style as old hat. Romanticism replaced the strident optimism of 1920s jazz and heralded such players as Coleman Hawkins, playing tenor saxophone and pianist Earl Hines. As the decade progressed, many jazzmen found it necessary to sign into the big bands with little opportunity for solo performances. The bands of Fletcher Henderson and King Oliver were on the wane, but eventually new leaders came along. These bands, such as Benny Goodman, still played music including arrangements by Fletcher Henderson, who by now had virtually left the music business. It was Goodman who brought Henderson back into the fold by buying his arrangements book. Duke Ellington managed to set a balance to the more orderly approach by following a wilder style, albeit tamed down from his earlier work. He also provided more opportunities for his soloists.
For some time, jazz was mainly based around New York and Chicago and tended to follow a more conservative path.
However, far away in Kansas, a band led by Bennie Moten was taken over by his pianist, name of Count Basie. Basie and his band eventually arrived in the east and introduced to local audiences to such outstanding artists as Lester Young, playing tenor saxophone and trombonist Dicky Wells. The performances presented returned the music to the exuberance of earlier times and from the middle thirties, jazz was able to make its voice heard again with small groups emerging again, often as part of a big band performance as exemplified by Benny Goodman. His small bands introduced players like Teddy Wilson, on piano, Lionel Hampton playing vibraphone and Charlie Christian on guitar. This was the first time that black musicians had been formally introduced into the all white band scene. There were the usual complaints, but Goodman stuck with them and their careers flourished. By now the swing era was in full flow to the extent that on January 16th 1938, Benny Goodman performed at Carnegie Hall, a concert hall hitherto reserved for the most serious classical music. This was followed by two Spirituals to Swing concerts, again organised by John Hammond, an influential jazz critic. The first was on December 23rd 1938, followed by the second on December 24th 1939. This was quite a turning point for many older performers because Hammond made it his job to find them and bring them back to the stage. From Wikipedia, I have copied a full list of the performers from each concert, which is added as an appendix.

John Hammond also discovered Billie Holiday, a singer who eventually was to transform jazz singing with her performances with Teddy Wilson and Lester Young.
There also appeared piano soloists, the most significant being Art Tatum. He was blind and emerged as an outstanding jazz player with an advanced stride style of playing that astonished both jazz and classical pianists. Another piano player was Fats Waller, another fine stride player, who became a popular entertainer with a series of fine jazz and novelty vocal recordings. And so, as 1939 came to an end, Europe was descending into war but for America, it was business as usual for two more years.

Sources used and further reading:
These are all out of print but are available via the internet.

The Jazz Handbook by Barry McRae. Published 1987. ISBN 0 582 00092 0
The book is divided into decades with a brief history followed by entries about significant artists of that period.

Jazz by John Fordham. Published 1993. ISBN 0 7513 0050 0
Again, the book divided into decades with a yearly timeline to show events, followed by general history. The book then goes on to describe the instruments, the music and its structure and some significant biographies, followed by a section suggesting classic recordings.

Jazz, A History Of America’s Music by Ken Burns & Geoffrey C Ward. Published 2000. ISBN 0 679 44551 X
This is the book for a full depth read about the subject. Ken Burns is also famous for producing a TV series on the subject. It has been shown recently (2022) on a minor TV channel and may be available on DVD.

One more book that I have used is The New Grove Dictionary Of Jazz. I have a copy of the 1998 edition and copies are available on the internet at varying prices.

Suggested listening:

1 Livery Stable Blues: Original Dixieland Jazz Band
2 Salty Dog: Freddie Keppard, tpt.
3 Dippermouth Blues: King Oliver’ Creole Jazz Band, (with Louis Armstrong)
4 King Porter Stomp: Jelly Roll Morton, pno.
5 Out Of The Gallion: Sidney Bechet, clt. (with Mezz Mezzrow, clt.)
6 Apex Blues: Jimmy Noone, clt
7 Moten Stomp: Fletcher Henderson
8 Black And Tan Fantasy: Duke Ellington Orchestra
9 Louisiana Swing: Luis Russell Orchestra
10 Fidgety Feet: Bix Beiderbecke, cnt, with the Wolverines
11 In A Mist: Bix Beiderbecke, pno.
12 The Japanese Sandman: Frankie Trumbauer, C melody saxophone.
13 China Boy: McKenzie and (Eddie) Condon’s Chicagoans
14 Nobody’s Sweetheart: Bud Freeman’s Suma Cum Laude Orchestra
15 Boogie Me: Lil Hardin (Armstrong)
16 Countin’ The Blues: Ma Rainey (with Louis Armstrong)
17 Body And Soul: Coleman Hawkins
18 Deep Forest: Earl Hines
19 Moten Swing: Count Basie
20 Sing Sing Sing: Benny Goodman
21 Prelude To A Kiss: Teddy Wilson
22 Flying Home: Lionel Hampton
23 Solo Flight: Charlie Christian
24 My Man: Billie Holiday
25 Elegie: Art Tatum
26 Viper’s Drag: Fats Waller

If you would like to listen to this playlist on Spotify, go to: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7yrtPUHq4rJgyH8M46BJqO?si=9caa1f0915274d67

Appendix: Spirituals To Swing Performers

December 23, 1938
The Count Basie Orchestra
Ed Lewis, Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Shad Collins (trumpets); Dicky Wells, Dan Minor, Benny Morton (trombones); Earle Warren (alto sax); Herschel Evans, Lester Young (tenor sax, clarinet); Jack Washington (baritone sax, alto sax); Count Basie (piano); Freddie Green (guitar); Walter Page (bass); Jo Jones (drums)
Oran "Hot Lips" Page with the Count Basie Orchestra

Meade Lux Lewis

Albert Ammons

Pete Johnson

Joe Turner with Pete Johnson

Sister Rosetta Tharpe with Albert Ammons

Mitchell's Christian Singers
William Brown (1st tenor), Julius Davis (2nd tenor), Louis David (baritone), Sam Bryant (bass)

Big Bill Broonzy with Albert Ammons

Sonny Terry

James P. Johnson

Jimmy Rushing with the Count Basie Orchestra

The Kansas City Six:
Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Leonard Ware (electric guitar), Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones

The Golden Gate Quartet
Willie Johnson (1st bass), Henry Owens (1st tenor), William Langford (2nd tenor), Orlandus Wilson (2nd bass)

December 24, 1939
The Benny Goodman Sextet
Benny Goodman (clarinet), Charlie Christian (electric guitar), Lionel Hampton (vibes), Fletcher Henderson (piano), Arthur Bernstein (bass), Nick Fatool (drums)

James P. Johnson

Ida Cox with Shad Collins, Dicky Wells, Buddy Tate (tenor sax), James P. Johnson, Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones

Big Bill Broonzy with Albert Ammons

Sonny Terry with Bull City Red

The Kansas City Six:
Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Charlie Christian, Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones

Helen Humes with James P. Johnson and the Count Basie Orchestra
Ed Lewis, Harry Edison, Buck Clayton, Shad Collins, Dicky Wells, Dan Minor, Benny Morton, Earle Warren, Lester Young, Buddy Tate, Jack Washington, Count Basie, Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones