Faddis Topics in Jazz Notes

Goal of the class:

Be able to give a lecture on jazz with historical context
Attempt to trace jazz back to the start of slavery and entrance of Africans to the
Americas
Come to know the timeline of important innovators and musicians on Piano, Bass,
Guitar, Drums, Tenor, Alto, Trumpet

Jazz Musicians and historic figures discussed in class:

King Oliver: Trumpet player who was a mentor to Armstrong. turned down the gig
at the cotton club opening the door for Duke Ellingtons band to have a regular gig in
NYC
Buddy Bolden First Major jazz figure
Freddie Keppard: offered the first jazz recording opportunity, but he refused for fear
of other musicians stealing his music
James Reese First introduced European audiences to aspects of the jazz style with
his composition Europe, and WW1 era brass band.
Bix Beiderbeck and Eddie Lang had the first interracial band
W.C. Handy Father of the Blues, Wrote St. Louis Blues
Bunk Johnson Taught Louis Armstrong how to play trumpet
James P. Johnson Wrote the Charleston
Earl Hines Played in the Trumpet Style, this piano style came after stride
Don Redman Bandleader, composer, and arranger who codified the orchestration
of the Big Band, wrote for Fletcher Henderson, Benny Carter, and others
Various Hot Five and Seven members Lil Hardin on piano, Kid Ory on trombone,
Johnny Dodds on Clarinet, Johnny St. Cyr on banjo and guitar, Lonnie Johnson on
guitar, Earl Hines piano, Babby Dodds drums
Huddie Leadbetter Became known as Leadbelly, began singing blues in prisons
The Hellfighters black band taken over to Europe in WW1, performed James
Reeses Europe
The Chicago Gang - ?
Race Records Recordings made explicitly for sale to African American audiences.
Blues singers who sang on race records include:
Ma Rainey
Bessie Smith
Josephine Baker
Topics and Individuals discussed

French and Spanish, catholic countries, allowed slaves to have and use drums - English and
protestant countries were much more concerned with converting slaves to Christianity,
and attempted to suppress African religious and spiritual traditions as much as possible.

Slaves preserved musical traditions from Africa through Field Hollers. Field Hollers were a
way of expressing feelings in the very restricted environment. Music was a way to express
pain and emotion generally despite the dire circumstances.

Music and African religious traditions were actively preserved when possible, although it
was seldom possible.

After the end of slavery, some African-influenced music and spiritual traditions were
transferred into Christian church services that helped build community

African Americans would secretly perform Cake Walks a practice of imitating and making
fun of whites. One of the few ways African Americans had to express emotion

After the Civil War, battlefield instruments were readily available and beagn to be adopted
by newly free African Americans. They were also used during dances and musical events in
Congo Square.

While marching bands lost mass-appeal at the turn of the 20th century, New Orleans
embraced the format.

Gutbucket musicians and Middle Class Creole musicians were forced to interact in New
Orleans and this blending helped spawn jazz. Music came to have a deep social function,
during funerals, weddings, life events

The Volstead Act instated prohibition and gave control over bars (speakeasies) and liquor-
selling establishments to the mob and organized crime

Juneteenth date after which Texas slaves we released, 2 years after the emancipation
proclamation

Look up dates that slaves arrived in the united states

Racists considered a single drop of African blood black.

Al Capone ruled Chicago in the 1920s and helped underground liquor and entertainment
thrive under his bloody mob operation. Performing in Chicago required mob permission.
Musicians moved to Chicago to escape the racist south.

Vaudeville helped spread jazz nationally.

Jazz Age A rebellious time for America, more sexual, social, and entretainment liberties
were taken

Willie The Lion Smith - ?

Harlem Renaissance A period of intellectual and artistic flowering in the African

American community of Harlem in the 1920s

Karnofsky Family Jewish family that financially and emotionally supported Armstrong
during his early years, bought him his first cornet.