JAZZ NOTES

   Jazz music has been called an American art form. It is America's contribution to the arts.

Properly defined, jazz is a musical tradition and style of music that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in Black communities throughout the Southern United States.

In fact, jazz is a major contribution of American Black men and women to contemporary culture. In a preliminary description, jazz could be called a Black musical idiom.

JAZZ NOTES will explore the history of this music and it's role in helping to create the Black community.

                                  

"After emancipation...all those people...needed the music more than ever...trying to find out from the music what they were supposed to do...
They learned it wasn't just white people the music had to reach to, nor even their own people, but straight out to life..."                                                                                                                                  -Sidney Bechet***


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***Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) was born in New Orleans, LA. He was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist.