Overview
The history of jazz rightly begins in the city of New Orleans. In this section, we will learn about great New Orleans jazz musicians and their early recordings in Chicago. In the process, will also learn about the emerging Chicago jazz scene and some of the artists from that area who helped develop early jazz musical styles. Finally, we will do a short overview of early jazz in New York.
Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to do the following:
- Define collective improvisation
- Identify early jazz musicians and their contribution to jazz music
- Appreciate the significance of Dixieland jazz
- Recognize the impact Chicago had for musicians of early jazz
- Recognize the growing importance of New York for further developments in jazz
- Define chord substitutions
Toward Swing
When you listen to Fats Waller's Handful of Keys ♫, notice how it swings! Jazz had steadily been moving in this direction, due in large part to Louis Armstrong's influence. Armstrong had spent the better part of the year 1925 in New York playing in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra before returning to Chicago. His rhythmic innovations were catching on. Soon everyone in jazz would be swinging — all over the country! Through it all, New York would remain the jazz capital. We'll begin our examination of the emergence of swing there.
Alicia Keys covered Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" for the 2013 movie The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan.
