I created a course on jazz history that I've taught over the last 15 years to small groups of adults. I took it on as a project when I was trying to create a new life when I stopped the daily grind and had time to spare. The research was so much fun! And seeing how people reacted to Louis and his story was gratifying. "I never knew..." was the common response. I put all the material of samples and photos on to video, and taught it online during the lockdown. The online space turned out to be the perfect medium, and a great use of Zoom.
You are very generous to offer such good stuff to your questioner!
At risk of pissing off any PC gatekeepers out there I will now offer the real and true story of how jazz got started in America. According to jazz great / drummer, Arthur Rondinelli, aka "Spider" Rondinelli, (may he rest in peace with Jimmy Carter et al), when the slaves came to America from Africa, they brought their records with them. Voila! Jazz was invented in America! Oh, get over it! I can hear you all scrambling for the exits, screaming for Spider, (and my) heads! It's funny. Or, it's meant to be. And the blues, and jazz, and musicians in general, are all irreverent, twisted individuals who attempt to see what's funny in the unthinkable. I will also mention that for several decades, EVERY musician; male, female, black, white, green, gay, straight, came through the school of Spider Rondinelli. Spider saw only one color, one gender, one genre - music. If you were the color of music, Spider took you under his wing and made you better, shine brighter. He was mad, crazy, unorthodox. He wasn't a great drummer, yet he managed to be greater than the greatest because he was jazz lifestyle and mindset personified, the heart and soul of jazz walking around on two legs. But I digress. Now you know how jazz got started in America. Spread the word! smiles and love, alki
That's an excellent breakdown of a big topic, Su!
I created a course on jazz history that I've taught over the last 15 years to small groups of adults. I took it on as a project when I was trying to create a new life when I stopped the daily grind and had time to spare. The research was so much fun! And seeing how people reacted to Louis and his story was gratifying. "I never knew..." was the common response. I put all the material of samples and photos on to video, and taught it online during the lockdown. The online space turned out to be the perfect medium, and a great use of Zoom.
You are very generous to offer such good stuff to your questioner!
Oh, Louis Armstrong, we could talk about him nonstop for days!
Europe may have survived World War I, but he ended up dying because one of his musicians went mad and cut him up!
That's absolutely true.
At risk of pissing off any PC gatekeepers out there I will now offer the real and true story of how jazz got started in America. According to jazz great / drummer, Arthur Rondinelli, aka "Spider" Rondinelli, (may he rest in peace with Jimmy Carter et al), when the slaves came to America from Africa, they brought their records with them. Voila! Jazz was invented in America! Oh, get over it! I can hear you all scrambling for the exits, screaming for Spider, (and my) heads! It's funny. Or, it's meant to be. And the blues, and jazz, and musicians in general, are all irreverent, twisted individuals who attempt to see what's funny in the unthinkable. I will also mention that for several decades, EVERY musician; male, female, black, white, green, gay, straight, came through the school of Spider Rondinelli. Spider saw only one color, one gender, one genre - music. If you were the color of music, Spider took you under his wing and made you better, shine brighter. He was mad, crazy, unorthodox. He wasn't a great drummer, yet he managed to be greater than the greatest because he was jazz lifestyle and mindset personified, the heart and soul of jazz walking around on two legs. But I digress. Now you know how jazz got started in America. Spread the word! smiles and love, alki
I’m grateful for this essay: it has opened several doors for me. I never heard of James Reese Europe but will learn about him now.
“A blues band plays three chords in front of a thousand people.
A jazz band plays a thousand chords in front of three people.”
(And rock bands play for hundreds of thousands and pop bands play for millions?)
And so people still wonder about true love.)
For a contemporary example, many times John Lee Hooker didn't go to the IV chord when he played the blues.
As for the blues being a precursor to jazz; a Dizzy said of Louis Armstrong, "No him, no me."
Right?
Very interesting, although technicaly challenging for "naive" people like me. Thank you dear.