Exploring the intricate and historically significant music genre of jazz poses a difficult challenge for musicians and scholars due to its complex nature. Jazz is thought to have emerged in New Orleans, where it was specifically crafted for the pleasure of social dancers. John F.’s renowned publication, “Understanding Jazz: What Is Jazz?” offers valuable insights into this particular genre.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts recognizes that Jazz is a genre mainly developed by Afro-Americans, incorporating components from both European and Afro-American cultures. Additionally, jazz is distinguished by its emphasis on significant aspects like swing-feel, syncopation, and improvisation. The extensive range of cultural influences and musical elements crucial to jazz can be traced back to its transformation from prevalent popular music styles in the 1800s. Although different musical genres may have influenced jazz’s development, it is widely acknowledged that ragtime and blues were the defining genres during its early years.
Ragtime and Blues share similarities as they both served as precursors to Jazz during the same era. Nevertheless, these two music genres also exhibit several distinctions regarding their origins, whether instrumental or vocal, and the specific musical techniques they emphasize. Consequently, while both ragtime and blues played crucial roles in the evolution of jazz, they exerted divergent influences on the genre. Nonetheless, a significant commonality between ragtime and blues lies in their importance to the development of jazz as well as their prevalence in the late 1800s.
According to Ted Gioia in his book The History of Jazz, he states that ragtime music is just as important as the blues and could even be more influential as a predecessor to early jazz (pp. 20). Conversely, LeRoi Johns and Imamu Baraka argue in Blues People: Negro Music in White America that blues is the foundation of all legitimate jazz (pp. 17). While opinions may vary on which music style holds greater importance, it is indisputable that both ragtime and blues played crucial roles in the evolution of jazz.
Although ragtime and blues both had some African influence, they have significant differences in style. Firstly, their origins differ: ragtime is more strongly influenced by European music style, while blues heavily embodies African music style.
According to Durk Sutro’s book Jazz for Dummies, ragtime music was influenced by both European and African styles. Sutro explains that ragtime was composed rather than improvised, with carefully crafted melodies and harmonies that could sound similar to European music. However, there were also African influences in ragtime, particularly in its rhythm and the use of African banjo music, as discussed during the lecture. In fact, the rhythm of ragtime was influenced by the footwork of black dancers, who used their heels to create drum-like sounds. Similarly, the rhythm of ragtime was compared to that of black church singers, who were able to adapt the rhythms of Christian hymns so extensively that even white Christians could not recognize them (Tirro, pp. 7).
Blues originated from work songs of African American slaves and is considered a native American music, according to Jones and Baraka. In their book “Jazz – A History,” Tirro explores the connection between the background and characteristics of blues. He emphasizes the significance of innuendo and double meanings in blues lyrics
The practice of using double-entendre, intentional ambiguity through words with two meanings, in the lyrics of the blues can be traced back to the pre-abolition era when slaves needed a secret communication system while still in earshot of their masters. This practice, which was also prevalent in the African literary tradition, was smoothly integrated into the blues. Therefore, it is evident that blues is more closely associated with African American music compared to ragtime. Considering their respective background influences, it is reasonable to identify other differences between ragtime and blues.
James Haskin, in Black Music In America, explains that ragtime was predominantly controlled by piano and many European classical musicians adopted this syncopated style of piano playing, which eventually became known as ragtime. This genre of music greatly thrilled Scott Joplin, who not only possessed exceptional pianist skills but also ranked among the most significant and popular composers in this field. Published in 1899 and played on the piano, Joplin’s renowned composition “Maple Leaf Rag” holds a prominent place within the genre. Conversely, blues originated from African American work songs and primarily focused on vocals, setting it apart from the piano-dominated nature of ragtime.
The blues genre is often characterized by its focus on themes of injustice, frustration, and suffering. According to Tirro (pp. 48), blues serves as a means for individuals to express their personal feelings and bring attention to their hardships and misfortunes within the community. This is why blues music is typically sung in an upbeat rhythm, as a way to mask the underlying sadness with laughter. William Christopher Handy, a prominent blues musician, was deeply influenced by the songs he would hear African American laborers singing while they worked along the Tennessee River during his childhood (Haskins, pp. 2).
W. C. Handy was highly successful when he played “Georgia Camp,” a piece that incorporated black work songs. In addition, he developed a technique for transcribing the way in which black folk singers altered the third and seventh notes of the musical scale, often referred to as “slurring” or “breaking.” These specific notes he was able to notate showcased the distinctive tones of blues music. Notably, ragtime and blues had varying impacts on the development of jazz. The most significant influence of ragtime on jazz appears to be the incorporation of syncopation into the musical style.
According to Ken Rattenbury, the defining characteristic of ragtime and an essential element of jazz is syncopation. Rattenbury states that ragtime’s unique syncopation has evolved from piano solos to encompass county blues and jazz (pp. 55). Blues also features some syncopation, but improvisation is its most important component. In blues, the unpredictable placement of beats is achieved through improvisational stretching of syllables for musical reasons (Tirro, pp. 54).
Frank Tirro suggests that both ragtime and blues incorporated syncopation into their music, although they did so in different ways. In the blues genre, syncopation was often improvised (pp. 54). This improvisational use of syncopation likely influenced jazz heavily, along with the presence of syncopation in ragtime music. Additionally, beyond their musical elements, it is likely that both ragtime and blues played a significant role in shaping jazz by acting as a connection between African and European-influenced American music traditions. Ultimately, jazz emerged as a fusion of ragtime, blues, and various musical styles from Europe and Africa.
Both ragtime and blues are considered crucial in the development of Jazz, similar to how parents are essential for a child’s arrival. Although their roles were equally important, ragtime and blues had distinct impacts on Jazz’s evolution, just as a child learns different things from their mother and father. It is important to note that while a child inherits traits from their parents, they ultimately become a unique individual instead of simply being a combination of their parents.
Works Cited
- Gioia, Ted. The History of Jazz. New York: Oxford UP, 2011.
- Haskins, James. Black Music in America: a History through Its People. 1st ed. New York: Harper Trophy, 1993.
- Rattenbury, Ken. Duke Ellington, Jazz Composer. London: Yale UP, 1993.
- Sutro, Dirk. Jazz for Dummies. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub. , 2006.
- Tirro, Frank. Jazz: a History. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1993.
- “Understanding Jazz: What Is Jazz? ” The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy Center. Web. 14 Oct. 2011.
