Early Jazz

Ragtime

Why did people listen to ragtime? They listen so they can dance to it.

Ragtime was the “pop” music of turn-of-the-century (previous one) America. Sheet music sales of ragtime outsold all other types until 1910. It originated as music for the solo piano, but by the early 1900’s, it was performed by bands and orchestra. It became a national and international craze, though old people typically hated it.

Musically, ragtime features a strong 2/4 beat. The rhythms are characteristically “ragged,” with many syncopated rhythms. The left hand typically plays straight bass while the right hand plays a melody. Ragtime, unlike most jazz, is not improvised.

Scott Joplin- Song The Entertainer. He was the most famous composer of ragtime. He aspired to be a successful composer of opera, a dream that was never realized.

Dixieland

Where is “Dixieland” and why is it called that? Dixieland is another name for New Orleans. It’s called that because many people in New Orleans are French, so it said “dix” on the back of the $10 bill (French for “ten”).

A Dixieland combo has a frontline and a backline. The frontline is usually comprised of wind instruments playing polyphonically. The other name for the backline is the rhythm section.

Buddy Bolden- NO SONG. He was a barber and trumpet player who is reputed to be the first real jazz player.

Jelly Roll Morton- Black Bottom Stomp. He was a pianist who was the first great jazz composer.

King Oliver- Song Dippermouth Blues. He was a trumpet player who led the Creole Jazz Band and invented the plunger mute. He also performed the first recorded improvised jazz solo.

Louis Armstrong- Songs West End Blues and Hello Dolly. He was the greatest of all jazz players. Ever. He played trumpet and sang, creating and innovating with both. He got his start playing in the Creole Jazz Band. He popularized swing, which became a craze in the 30’s. He also popularized scat singing, which is singing on nonsense syllables. His incredibly successful career spanned five decades and influenced nearly every jazz musician who followed him.

Bix Beiderbecke- Song Riverboat Shuffle. He was a Chicago Dixieland (?) cornet player who established the tradition of making space for soloists. The fact that he was white set him apart and inspired many other players.