Why Jazz music is appreciated all over the world for a month?

Mahima Choudhary

Who knew that a mix of African and European music would pave its way to this extent where it will be celebrated for an entire month all across the globe! Be it jazz music, dance or art it gets celebrated through a certain kind of event organised by jazz lovers. And this month is infamously known as JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH.

1. Many historians consider Buddy Bolden as the father of jazz music. This kind of music is a lot more lively and upbeat than blues’ beats. In India it arrived around 1920s when western jazz performers performed in cities like Mumbai and Kolkata. This call-and-response method, complex chords, syncopation and rhythms.

   

2. Jazz instruments include Trumpet, Saxophone, Cello, Drum, French Horn, Piano, Flute and Jazz Guitar etc. And of course, a jazz music performance would require a good number of artists to give you the feel of authentic jazz music.
3. Along with jazz music, jazz painting also got famous with time. Jazz painting art mainly depicted the lives of black Americans. In the 20th century black Americans were considered ‘others’ by native Americans. At that time jazz music was in its growing phase. It gave several artists a chance to showcase their creativity and since this form of music had its origin in African style of music. The paintings were also largely influenced by the black’s culture and rituals.

   

4. This year Philadelphia is going to host “Philly Celebrates Jazz” for the jazz art lovers. There will be 100+ events to participate and enjoy all over the month. This weekend, April 8, transgender artist and cultural organizer Sweet Corey-Bey hosts a Clarkthe Park gathering, Jazz Genealogy, Spring Sounds and Vinyl Swap, with everything from a listening session for the local jazz classic, “Sounds of Liberation: Unreleased 1973” to a live show from Philly’s Shugsline ensemble.
5. Jazz appreciation month was first celebrated in 2001 by John Edward Hasse. Jazz is America’s most powerful contribution to the world in terms of art. And this appreciation month gives us a chance to represent this art and culture.

   

6. “Jazz Appreciation Month” is an extension of “Jazz Awareness Month” created by the Louisiana jazz federation.
7. Jazz Awareness Month came into existence in the 1980s in New Orleans.
8. Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation was the first organisation that sponsored the first “Jazz appreciation month”.
9. In America and Canada Schools, Organisations and trusts organise free musical concerts and events to celebrate JAM.
10. Louis Armstrong and Buddy Bolden are some of the most popular artists of jazz community.
11. In the year of 2018, the JAM featured Norman Granz as an artist to celebrate the theme “Jazz and Justice”.

Jazz music has propagated its presence into every corner of the world. The peppy and upbeat music never fails to make the masses groove on their feet. It basically started out as pop music but now it has its own place and identity in the music and art industry. Jazz music shares more commonalities with Indian music than one can think of. Famous Sitar player Ravi Shankar popularised Indian music in the west and influenced many jazz artists to incorporate Indian rhythms into their music and art. He himself was influenced by Carnatic music. The Maha Vishnu orchestra and Shakti Orchestra included popular artists like Tabla Vaadak Zakir Hussain and violinist L. Shankar etc. It is one of the most hybrid forms of music which incorporated cultures of Europe, Africa, India and America.Guitarist John McLaughlin and Saxophonist John Coltrane were heavily influenced by the Indian form of music.

Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Chet Baker are some of the most famous artists in the world of JAZZ. Who transcended their music to become jazz icons.