The Jazz Age Essay

Flappers were not in fact only concerned with standing out and being noticed. They were not simply fashion and image-driven, selfish women, but were strong, self-willed, independent young feminist citizens who were fighting passionately for their right to stable equality amidst a prominently male-driven world. These women pushed aggressively for their social, professional, and sexual freedom which they felt were hard-earned and well overdue. Many flappers wished to pursue positions in careers which would otherwise be deemed unacceptable for the average women of the time. They hoped that by breaking away from social normality's that they could eventually obtain equality in all important aspects of life while hopefully also allowing them entry into many professional fields which would normally be unaccessible to women.

What was the Jazz Age in America? Also known as the Roaring Twenties’, it was when American ways were beginning to modernize. Before the stock market had crashed and the Great Depression started, culture was booming in America. Dance was changing rapidly and new styles of dances were being created. Women began to wear shorter clothes, cut their hair, and some even had jobs, while the Flapper girls gave other young women an outlook of freedom. People began to go see films and movie stars became famous worldwide. During the Jazz Age, American culture was changing and Americans were becoming more finically affluent.

Jazz      Jazz is a type of music developed by black Americans about 1900      and possessing an identifiable history and describable stylistic evolution. It is rooted in the mingled musical traditions of American blacks. More black musicians saw jazz for the first time a profession. Since its beginnings jazz has branched out into so many styles that no single description fits all of them with total accuracy. Performers of jazz improvise within the conventions of their chosen style.

The 1920’s are commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties. Many factors during the time played significant roles in earning the decade this name. Economic conditions and developments in the arts and entertainment were some of the most impacting among these factors. Economic conditions and developments in the arts and entertainment helped create the reputation of the 1920’s as the Roaring Twenties. Economic conditions gave people a feeling of economic prosperity. They also allowed people to buy a lot of things on credit. Developments in the arts and entertainment created a culture of free expression by granting women the ability to express their opinions more clearly than they were able to in years prior and encouraging jazz and dancing.

The Jazz Age was a period of radical behavior and care free living. This new music structure started the crazy decade that would change American life. “In the US during the 1920s, jazz was far more than a new musical style or genre”. A Focus on culture, fashion, and mostly freedom became huge. “The Jazz Age became a touchstone for a wide range of social and cultural issues.”1 Also the freedom during the period allowed for many different ethnicities, including African Americans, to gain freedom within society. This new music

The birth of jazz music is often credited to African Americans, though it didn’t take long to expanded to America's white middle class. Jazz, therefore, was characterised by a meshing of African American traditions and ideals with white middle class societies. Big cities like New York and Chicago were

The Roaring Twenties were a time of wild enjoyment, loud music and booming economy. In 1920, for the first time in American history, more

music alike ( Windfield 240). A lot of musicians were involved, from Louis Armstrong to Duke Ellington. The Jazz movement affected United States history and the future music industry in a variety of ways.

Although the roaring twenties are usually thought of as a time of universal prosperity, the reality is that unless one was Caucasian and well-to-do, society tended to shun the outliers (women, minorities, etc), propelling them out of political affairs and social scenes. Women rebelled, becoming increasingly promiscuous as the decade wore on. In 1920, it would have been unheard of to show an ankle, sport a bob haircut, or darken one’s eyes with what seemed like paint. By 1928, the younger generation was revealed as socially progressive, engaging in previously unthinkable behavior such as smoking, drinking in bars, and sex. Flappers became prevalent, with their flouncy skirts and short hair adorned with a jeweled headband. The decade earned its second nickname, “The Jazz Age”, from the incredible musical talents that emerged out of Harlem and other areas of the United States, leading to a less “restrained” entertainment.

Flapper by Joshua Zeitz is a book that tells an epic story about the American women during the time of the 1920’s. For a better understanding, a flapper would typically be a young girl who blurred the gender roles by taking on a more masculine lifestyle. They wore their hair short, drank and smoked frequently, and explored their sexuality. With this behavior, it didn’t destroy their femininity; it just simply provided the society’s perception of what a woman should and should not be.

The flapper subculture originated in the 1920’s in the United States. The flapper way of life was looked down upon until popularized in movies and literature, such as the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Often seen in women Halloween costumes and old movies, people do not often know the background of the subculture. This way of life was a reaction to the United States after World War I and the social and political change that came after it. The flapper way of dress was a response to the changing dynamics of men and women roles, something set in motion by World War I, the emergence of Jazz and Prohibition.

The Jazz Age was more than merely a musical revolution—“The Jazz Age denotes not only a period of early big band, but also the events and fashions of an era”. During this decade a number of modern developments were invented, which included an expanded telephone service, network radio, electric inventions, and records set in aviation. These modern developments had a profound effect on American culture, creating a rise in leisure, specifically mass leisure. Automobiles, movies, and the radio overtook the lives of Americans, becoming necessities and part of everyday routines. This period also marks the beginning of films with soundtracks, an audio component, marking the rise of the musical and giving the American people

The history of Jazz is interesting as seen in its origin, its most influential artists, and changes through the decades. I can relate to this topic a lot because I actually play drums and jazz was the very first thing I was taught. My dad played guitar and we would both jazz up together and actually writing music. I picked up playing Jazz pretty quick and started picking up a couple gigs here and there when I was young. Till this day I still play jazz at some local bars every once in a while. About two years ago I flew to New York with my drum teacher to go play a three-day jazz festival. Jazz has been a big part of my life and I always enjoy playing it and listening to it.

The Jazz Anecdotes by Bill Crow covers in detail about the History, definition, figures and in general in depth understanding of Jazz music. It's Impossible to describe and name all the figures in a two page short essay, but I'll do my best to fit as much as possible. According to the book: at first, the idea of pep and having a good time which was a Victorian morality against rebellion mentality shaped the idea of jazz. It became a rich and formal tradition of American music. Ragtime which was an African style of music and was played by piano influenced the creation of jazz by African American. The first group ever to play jazz were; Tom browns band from Dixie land in South in 1916. Their Idea was just Musical literacy, they couldn't

Ever since Jelly Roll Morton revolutionised jazz music in the early 1920’s, Piano has played a vital role in the development of Jazz music with greats such as Duke Ellington influencing jazz from the start of the swing era (Gioia, 2011). Jazz Pianists were often on the forefront of the ongoing development of jazz music. However, when the bebop era dawned, piano seemed to move into the background, with people like John Coltrane and Miles Davis leading the charge. However, this did not mean the piano disappeared, far from it; Jazz music is a genre that is in constant flux, driven by the players in the music. Often, the most famous jazz musicians were the most innovative and forward thinking players of their respective eras. Musicians hold jazz pedigree and genealogy in high regard, where playing with and learning from the masters that came before was almost a necessity. Some musicians learn from meticulously studying and transcribing solos and compositions performed by previous masters. Pianos ability to play melody and harmony together made it one of the most complex and diverse instruments in the world, especially in jazz music, being able to perform solo with rich musical timbres and complexity. Players such as Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk, whom are discussed in this paper, helped revolutionise jazz and bebop music in their own way, and are some of the best jazz pianists of all time, driving the genre of jazz forever forward (Solomon, 2013).