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Jazz Culture emerged at the turn of the century as a rebellious response against an already established cultural norm based on that of European society and aimed to act as a catalyst for the formation of future subcultures. This Jazz Age began the process of breaking already existent cultural barriers in order to pave the way for the emergence of various other modernistic subcultures. One can argue that the genre’s unique emergence, multicultural background, and musical characteristics, all contributed to the formation of a primitive American identity which directly led to the emergence of a new modernistic American subculture that still characterizes America today. Because of its innovative characteristics, the early jazz movement was critical in helping to define America by providing a means of cultural liberation to the youth. After each decade, the understanding of, and the attitudes towards jazz have changed depending on national events, the biases of the public, the self-presentation of the artist, and even international conflicts. During a period when Americans were not able to define what it meant to be an American because of the lingering European influences, the Jazz subculture emerged and provided a means for cultural liberation from the overwhelming constrains of European values and tradition.

Jazz

“What is jazz?” is an extremely difficult question to answer because the meaning is not stable, nor will it ever be. It can be characterized as a combination of European classical music, American blues, and South American lyrics. Syncopation is its rhythmic principle and it is characterized as having a placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they would not normally occur. It is a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm.

Primitive Elements

“Jazz possessed a primitive vitality lacking in the high culture of Europe and North America.” In this context, primitive signifies the antonym of discipline, order, and rationality; essentially the opposite of civilized. This vitality however, was embraced by the youth culture of the period.

American Identity Influences Jazz Culture

Racism in the early 20s played a role in the development of the genre’s style and unique characteristics. Specifically, segregation of the New Orleans districts allowed musicians to develop the genre, free from an overbearing outside influence. Because the areas where jazz developed were closely associated with crime, immorality, provocative dance, and daring sexuality, jazz eventually became associated with these as well. “It was a multicultural protest against the segregated conditions of the late Nineteenth century New Orleans that effectively captured the struggles of urban African Americans, who were growing weary of being treated like second class citizens.” Because of this, it fostered an environment that encouraged rapid musical fusion and evolution within the span of a few years. The development of Storyville however had one of the most lasting impacts on the way that this new emerging culture was perceived for decades. Jazz did not develop in Storyville, but it was closely associated with it because many of the early performing jazz bands played in Storyville and used the environment as a place to mature the genre of music. Because of this, the jazz culture in general was associated with corrupt morals and came to be seen as a rebellious and anti-cultural movement. Throughout the history of jazz, its practitioners were treated consistently as low caste defilers of the clean and sacred classical music of both the white and the black societies they inhabited.

A surviving building from Storyville.

Emergence of an Alternative Culture

During its emergence in the early 1920s, the jazz culture was seen as a cultural post-war revolt. It embodied an alternative lifestyle and was embraced in response to opposing cultural opinions. The Jazz age, “Countered Victorian values with non-conformity, heavy drinking, nighttime leisure, and sexual activity.” The followers of this subculture celebrated the frank and rebellious spirit of jazz. The emergence of this culture as a whole symbolized the evolving culture and lifestyle of the era and signified that America had not yet truly found itself. Before being exposed to this countercultural movement, Americans still, knowingly or not, defined themselves and lived by the European values and traditions of the past. America was becoming modernized and provided the perfect environment for the emergence of this movement. In need of a refuge “White youngsters spoke about jazz as if it were a new religion just come from Jerusalem,” claimed Eddie Condon, an early jazz musician. It provided one of the most influential cultural changes of the twentieth century because it introduced the concepts of leisure and affluence to a youth culture that was eager to adopt any subculture that went against the mainstream.

Shaped by Stereotypes

Jazz has always been a music of integration, but it symbolized revolt wherever it became established. Because of the circumstances under which it emerged, jazz was “associated with the African performer who operated outside civilization and in opposition to it.” Even though jazz became an American musical genre, it was viewed as an expression of African rather than American cultural experience. Much of the early criticism of jazz was based on the close connection many of its enthusiasts made between the music and its African roots. In the early twentieth century, a series of Louisiana state laws and racially motivated assaults transformed the fluid social culture into a rigid and segregated city. A series of laws, specifically the Jim Crow laws, was enacted that attempted to control every aspect of a slaves life, “including his or her religious practices, marriage, and ownership of weapons.” Even though the effects of these laws were eventually lessened after the emancipation, some effects still lingered . This eventually ended up having a significant impact on the evolution jazz music. During the early emergence of the jazz subculture, New Orleans was segregated. Because of this, it fostered an environment that encouraged rapid musical fusion and evolution within the span of a few years.

Negative Reactions/Consequences

The vast majority of America reacted to the emergence of the Jazz Culture negatively. Jazz was stereotyped as a savage, seditious, and a sexually deviant assault on European values and the existing class system.

1. It was a symbol of the violation of tradition and morality with its irreverent and suggestive sounds.
2. It was condemned by conservatives as the downfall of America’s white youth.
3. “The waves upon waves of musical slush that invaded descent parlors and set the young people of this generation imitating the drivel of morons.” –Henry Ford
4. It became associated with vile surroundings, filthy words, unmentionable dances, and obscene plays.

Jazz Movement Facilitated the Assimilation of Cultures and Defined the Decade

Before the 1920s, “racial purity” was stressed throughout society. During the jazz age however, black musicians grew in popularity. The negative reaction to its emergence could therefore be attributed to the idea that the American public saw the emergence of this movement as a threat to their already established way of life. “Battles between “wet” and “dry,” rural and urban, Anglo-Saxon and ethnic, conservative and radical Americans defined 1920s culture.” Jazz was on the frontlines of this battle, drawing the furious opposition of anti-urban conservatives who knew a bold innovation when they saw one.

Jazz Age Followers and Musicians

Many of those who found jazz and blues stimulating and attractive in the 20s and 30s did so because these musical forms seemed to promise them greater freedom of expression, both artistically and personally. Because the increase in black urbanization led to an increased sense of community, black communities saw jazz as an expression of their hopes and a symbol of their unity and therefore readily adopted the style. Most known and famous jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Elliot do not represent the population. The majority of early jazz musicians suffered constant and increased levels of discrimination from fearful whites. This movement however was central in the movement towards justice.

Jazz Subculture

Reflects American Identity

1. Reflects the tendency to rebel.
2. Reflects the search for individuality.
3. Reflects racist tendencies.

Shapes American Culture

Jazz was the first art innovation originating in America to be accepted seriously in Europe and the was the only original American music not based on European models. Because black Americans kept alive, “something which underlies a great deal of America—our independence, our carelessness, our frankness, and gaiety,’ they helped to set America apart from other countries after the war, specifically those in Europe. This movement was a primary step in becoming a more individualized nation because it exemplified the attempt to leave behind the classical European definition in search of a more accurate one. Without this musical form, America would not have had a creative way to distinguish itself from the rest of Europe.

The jazz culture simultaneously reflects and continues to shape American culture. If this countercultural revolution had not occurred, America would probably not be perceived in the same way that it is today. After observing that it is possible for a racially and culturally inferior subculture to emerge and over the course of a few decades change the definition of America, one can conclude that this movement had more to do with defining America than many would think. The jazz culture was one of the first true American subcultures to break all kinds of barriers and open the doors for the emergence of similar movements in the future. It defied racial limitations and provided a new lifestyle that was adopted by the many Americans who were searching for a refuge from a European influenced society and its traditions. Many of the characteristics of today’s society can be seen when observing the jazz culture. The success of this movement demonstrates to the many Americans unsatisfied with the current state of the country that it is possible to change the definition of America through cultural rebellion, because after all, that is precisely what the jazz movement was. It symbolized revolt wherever it became established. Culture and jazz helped to define one another, because by looking at the characteristics of jazz and reversing them, one could understand culture. In addition, its emergence symbolized integration. Yes, it did promote racism at times, but once it was finally accepted it represented a small shift towards the equal treatment of all races. This movement symbolized the beginning of a new and unique American culture and created the traditions and lifestyle, which were later adopted by the majority of Americans.