Jazz investigation – New Orleans Style
From around the 1900’s to 1917 jazz music was created and developed in
numerous American cities; The main type being New Orleans style (also
known as Dixieland) This type of music being the home of many different
and important jazz musicians such as Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton, Louis
Armstrong and Joseph “the king” Oliver.
New Orleans style could be played by trained musicians who could read
musical notation, but for most it was played by ear with the musicians
solely relying on improvisation, with no need for knowledge of notation.
This type of music swept the world much like the coming of new discoveries
and technology in the early 20th century. The music could be heard at
picnics, parades, political meetings, dance halls and offcourse concerts at places such as
such as pubs, brothels, and many other areas where these musicians could
play as loud, or as brilliantly as they desired. Some African American musicians of this unique and original style of jazz even played at funeral processions.
One new Orleans style musician said “You’d march to the
graveyard playing very solemn and very slow, then on the way back all hell
would break loose! …we didn’t know what sheet music was. Just 6 or 7 pieces, half a dozen men pounding it all out together, each in his own way
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... class music. Jazz was the music of the bars and club, having come from the simple blues, and ragtime pieces of New Orleans, to ... personalities, and always brilliant musicians, so improvisation still played a large part in the swing bands. The language of jazz has had mass ... and long, fast running violin solos are very similar in style to the long improvised solos from the clarinet in 'Concerto ...
and yet somehow fitting in alright with the others”
For many, this was the true meaning of New Orleans style music.
The history of new Orleans style, (also referred to as “Dixieland”) is a huge part of music today. “Dixieland” being the earliest style of jazz music, has influenced so many musicians and composers with a love for this style to create more, therefore creating styles like “bebop” (the newest style of jazz) and so on. Blues, ragtime and local brass bands came together sometime between the turn of the century & 1917 in Louisiana; New Orleans and created this “Dixieland” music. Why is this style music called such a strange name? New Orleans style got the name “Dixieland” the huge popularity of the hit records of “The original Dixieland Jazz Band” in 1917. Louis Armstrong was one of the musicians That was also identified as being “Dixieland” even though his musical influence was from all jazz music in general. As New Orleans Jazz became more popular, it spread like fire from the north side of New Orleans, to places like Chicago, Kansas, New York city, and across California.
New Orleans style is a type of “Jazz” music. Almost any song or composition can be “jazzed” up by a New Orleans beat. it’s a kind of music for dancing, not just sitting and listening; Although this is what jazz music became past the 1950’s and onwards (Became also listening music).
Its rhythm fast with a swinging, syncopated and stomping beat that would make anyone want to dance! The melody was mostly freely improvised. Before the 1880’s for example music mostly relied on the melody to create the music, with everything else depicting their roles from this. But the melody eventually was improvised at some point to “Jazz” things up. This is perhaps the essence that could have started this “trend”.
Some bands played “ensemble style” which had no solos, with different instruments almost taking turns of varying and jazzing up the melody (traditional jazz band set up can be viewed below) while all the other musicians played together (no solos).
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This kind of “ensemble” playing was used in Dixieland music, but with each and every instrument “jazzing up” its own part and fitting in together. The harmonising of New Orleans style music would be basically improvised or constructed by the clarinet and the trombone (clarinet harmonising above the melody, Trombone punctuating the melody from below).
New Orleans style jazz is also heard in “Brass bands”. This is the kind of New Orleans style that we hear at “Mardi Gras street Parades” nowadays. The musicians to this New Orleans style brass band would use wind instruments, snare drums, bass, all of which are carried by hand through the parade. A traditional jazz band would consist of…
The front line:
Cornet: instrument which carries the melody (which later on was replaced by the “trumpet“)
Clarinet: instrument which harmonizes above the melody .
Trombone: instrument which punctuates the melody from below
The rhythm section:
Drums: keeps a steady beat.
Bass: instrument in which it holds the sound together.
Guitar: provides the music with chord structure. (which later was replaced by the “Banjo“ and even “Piano“)
In every style of music there is artists that have contributed to the style and have influenced it with there on interpretations of the music and compositions. This musician was called “Stachelmouth” by his friends and other musicians because of his giant and wide grin, which was later shortened to “Sachmo”. This nickname belonged to Louis Armstrong, who is possibly one of the greatest Jazz musicians of all time, and has certainly influenced all. He was mostly referred to the style “Dixieland” music, but certainly was influenced himself by all Jazz in general. When Louis Armstrong was 12 years old and celebrating the new years of 1913 he fired a borrowed pistol into the air to celebrate the coming of the new year. He was arrested by a police officer and sent to the “New Orleans Coloured Waifs home”. If it wasn’t for this Louis Armstrong may have never become the musician he was today, as this is where he fell under the influence of Peter Davis; The homes musical instructor. Peter Davis recognized talent in the young Louis Armstrong and taught him singing, percussion and the cornet. Offcourse this sounds pretty “amazing” and “convenient” so far, but Louis Daniel Armstrong had a hard life as a young child. Born in New Orleans on august the 4th 1901, Louis Armstrong grew up in a rough, troublesome town and neighbourhood which was populated with crime and dangerous people. Louis Armstrong’s father was a labourer and abandoned him and his mother shortly after his birth. Louis Armstrong’s mother was also a part time prostitute.
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Songs nowadays are more appreciated because of their catchiness and irresistible rhythm. No matter how much these songs are loved by the generation now, there’s no denying that all of these music ‘magic’ dates back from no other than Louis Armstrong, a significant figure not only in the jazz music industry, but on the whole music industry during the 1920s. Despite focusing on jazz as his main ...
The young Louis Armstrong was extremely poor. The only way for him to earn money for a living was stealing (which he never resorted to) or to sing on the streets for change. Louis was released from the boys home at age 14, and his incarceration made Louis Armstrong determined to fight against this poverty. Louis worked anywhere he could where he could make an honest living and provide himself with food. During the night he would sneak around to bars, etc and listen to the Dixieland jazz that was beginning to boom during this time. His favourite musician being Joe “the king” Oliver. Joe Took a liking to the young black boy Louis Armstrong and became his mentor, just like Peter Davis had done for him a few years before hand. He became like a father to Louis, giving him actual first real cornet and teaching him to use it properly and skilfully.
By the tender age of 17 Louis and his cornet sat amongst several of many different bands that played New Orleans style music. Louis Armstrong left a mark on the society of New Orleans Jazz by his amazing technical abilities, his quick inventive mind for music and his spontaneity, His cornet and trumpet playing, as well as his husky singing voice and original song “What a wonderful world” which we can constantly hear musicians now-a-days do covers of and still thought of as a “classic“ song. He also influenced the world of jazz (especially Dixieland) with his husky, gravely and unique voice, it was a sound that made people stop and listen to in awe. This sound unlike any other, truly complimented the true essence of what new Orleans style music is all about: originality. As he said himself, “If it hadn’t been for Jazz, there wouldn’t be no rock and roll.” – Louis Armstrong.
