Jazz Talking

Perhaps the most interesting thing I've done recently was to give a speech at the opening of the new Jazz Library at the Cultural University. This is the school where people go to be trained in the performing arts. The library was initiated with the donation of 98 Jazz CDs, and I will be violating international copyright law by donating duplicates of the few Jazz CDs that I brought with me. It's interesting to consider that my donation will add about 10% to the collection. Also, it will add valuable depth to the collection: most if not all of their works are very traditional and mine is more progressive and modern. One of the major attractions about living in Mongolia is that where else can a more or less 'Ordinary Joe' like me become the keynote speaker AND a major donor?

Below is a transcript of my speech and discography.

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I'd like to start by saying that I'm not a jazz expert, but rather a jazz and blues fan. I've been listening to Jazz for about 15 years, and I feel like I have just begun on a life-long path of learning.

Jazz is widely considered to be an American art form, but roots are in African music brought to America by slaves. For it's early history, together with blues, it was considered by the white music establishment to be "race music" of the Negro American culture.

** John Lee Hooker, Drifter

This division of music along racial lines may be shocking today, but it was the unfortunate truth of the times. Separation created an environment that allowed Jazz to grow and flourish without the influence of main-stream majority music.

As an art form, Jazz is very young. It has a history of only about 100 years. The music gained popularity throughout the early part of the 20th century. During the 1940's, 50s and 60s, it spread across the world with an expatriate movement. Many nations have a treasured Jazz heritage including France, Russia, Cuba, and Brazil. Latin Jazz is a very unique and broad topic that needs a different speaker: I don't have much knowledge of it!

** Barrio Santiago (from the compilation album "Viva Flamenco")

How is Jazz different from other forms of western music? This is a both an easy and hard question. There are 5 main areas that identify Jazz as a unique art form: Rhythm, chording, vocal styling, experimentation, and influences.

Rhythm:

Western music traditionally has a rigid and, forgive me, unimaginative rhythm structure. Think about classical music: it is generally set in one tempo with a uniform beat. The emphasis is often on the first beat and 4 beats per measure, with a Waltz being a strong example of this. In Jazz, rhythm is the foundation for all the different styles, and each style is marked by a distinct rhythmic pattern. Rhythm is raised from simple time keeping to a creative element that stands on it's own merit. By varying the emphasized beat, this creates what Jazz musicians call "Swing" or "Groove" -- many of the Jazz terms relate to rhythm.

** Art Blakey, Night In Tunisia

** Mark Isham, Back Seat Driving

Chord Progression:

Rock music, while beloved to me and many people of my generation, is not known for clever or inspired use of chords, typically using a 3-chord, 12-bar blues progression. The opposite is true in Jazz: if rhythm is the foundation, chords are the main beams holding up the house of Jazz. The use of varied chord changes sets the emotional mood for each composition. One of the strengths of Jazz is to convey a mood, and the chord choices are the basis of this.

** Mark Isham, Bird Alone
** Art Blakey, Social Call

Vocal Stylings:

So far, we've just discussed and had examples of the instrumental music of Jazz. An idea that is almost unique to Jazz is that the voice is an instrument which can be used not only to convey a story through words, but also emotion through tone, and musical aspects such as melody and rhythm WITHOUT or SEPARATE from the meaning of words.

** Kurt Elling, Delores Dream
** Soul Coughing, Casiotone Nation

Experimentation:

The greatest strength of Jazz is the willingness to experiment with the genre. The desire to create new and creative compositions has driven Jazz to grow at an explosive rate. There is a broad stylistic division that is known as "Inside and Outside" styles. Inside means compositions that use melodious and standard chord changes and rhythm patterns. Outside means that creativeness has pushed the modes and combinations beyond or past what is considered normal composition. Additionally, instruments are often experimented with. The use of electronic instruments to create interesting soundscapes and even the use of non-musical instruments is possible. ** Tom Waits, What's He Building In There?
** Mark Isham, Nightmare on Main Street

Influences

Jazz, being a very free-spirited art form, is open to borrowing elements from other musical genres and incorporating it into it's own language. Allowing influences broadens the cross-cultural appeal of Jazz. Incorporating influences makes the musical form grow by expanding the creative thought process of the artists. Influences can be found in every culture across the world as well as every sub culture within one's own culture.

** Tom Waits, Everything Goes To Hell
** Beastie Boys, Flute Loop

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NOTICE: all contents copyright Alan Lapp 2003