Jazz Music- The Roots Of Our Everyday Life Essays - Jazz Genres

Jazz Music- The Roots Of Our Everyday Life What is Jazz? According to the dictionary, jazz is defined as, A kind of syncopated, highly rhythmic music originated by Southern blacks in the late 19th century (Jazz 232). But, everyone should at least agree that jazz is the mother of all music, and is referred to as the only art form originating in the United States (History 101 2). America was home to immigrants from all over Europe and beyond who wished to build a new life, or just needed to escape from the old. These people, often thought of as second-class, brought their culture with them to America, expressed it musically, and changed the music world as we know it today. Most early jazz was played in small marching bands or by solo pianists. Besides ragtime and marches, the repertoire included hymns, spirituals, and blues. The bands played this music at picnics, weddings, parades, and funerals. Characteristically, the bands played hymns on the way to funerals and lively marches on the way back. Although blues and ragtime had arisen independently of jazz, and continued to exist alongside it, these genres influenced the style and forms of jazz and provided important vehicles for jazz improvisation. Around the turn of the 20th century, the earliest fully documented jazz style emerged, centered in New Orleans, Louisiana. This city is often called the cradle of jazz (History 101 3). In this style, the trumpet carried the melody, the clarinet played showy countermelodies, and the trombone played rhythmic slides and sounded the root notes of chords or simple harmony. Below this basic trio, the tuba or string bass provided a bass line and drums the rhythmic accompaniment. New Orleans jazz was just the beginning of an entire sweep across the county. The first true virtuoso soloist of jazz was Louis Armstrong. He was a dazzling improviser, technically, emotionally, and intellectually. He changed the format of jazz by bringing the soloist to the forefront, and in his recording groups, the Hot Five and the Hot Seven (Porter 2), demonstrated that jazz improvisation could go far beyond simply ornamenting the melody. He became the first well known male jazz singer, and also set standards for all later jazz singers, by creating scat singing: singing meaningless syllables instead of words, not unlike instrumental improvisation. During the 1920s, large groups of jazz musicians began to play together, forming the big bands that became so popular in the 1930s and early 1940s, (the swing era). The development of the big band can be majorly credited to the achievement of Duke Ellington and his revolutionary song, It Dont Mean a Thing If It Aint Got That Swing (Jazz Music 54). This soon became the new word for music played with a happy, relaxed beat. A new style also started in the early 1940s when a group of musicians started experimenting with more complicated chord patterns and melodic ideas. This group included trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, and pianists Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. This new approach became known as bebop, or bop. Most bop musicians had exceptional techniques that enabled them to play long, dazzling phrases with many notes. In the 1940s and 1950s, jazz began to lose its reputation as a lowdown music, and gained acceptance among intellectuals and college students. Jazz concerts became popular. Duke Ellington and other big band leaders gave many concerts, and a group of improvising musicians made a series of nationwide tours called Jazz at the Philharmonic (Jazz Music 56). Jazz music was revolutionary and is still changing and improving, even today. The music world today would not be the same without the influence of these amazing and breathtaking musicians. Music Essays

32 Famous Basketball Quotes

32 Famous Basketball Quotes Some say it is just another ball game. However, basketball enthusiasts swear that the game is the purpose of life. While both views are extreme, you cannot help being intrigued by the genuine fanaticism of the fans. Read these famous basketball quotes. Maybe, in these famous basketball quotes, you will find the purpose of life. You can read inspirational basketball quotes to take you forward in the game of life. Jason Kidd A lot of late nights in the gym, a lot of early mornings, especially when your friends are going out, youre going to the gym, those are the sacrifices that you have to make if you want to be an NBA basketball player. Magic Johnson Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates. Elgin Baylor Coaching is easy. Winning is the hard part. Michael Jordan Even when Im old and grey, I wont be able to play it, but Ill still love the game. Obstacles dont have to stop you. If you run into a wall, dont turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace. Ive missed more than 9000 shots in my career. Ive lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times, Ive been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. Ive failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. I would tell players to relax and never think about whats at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, youve lost your focus. Wilt Chamberlain Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath. Kobe Bryant Everything negative pressure, challenges are all an opportunity for me to rise. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Great players are willing to give up their own personal achievement for the achievement of the group. It enhances everybody. I can accept failure, but I cant accept not trying. I think someone should explain to the child that its ok to make mistakes. Thats how we learn. When we compete, we make mistakes. Ive had enough success for two lifetimes, my success is talent put together with hard work and luck. Dennis Rodman I couldnt care less if the guy Im guarding has HIV. Im going to slam him anyway. Julius Erving I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, and big feet, the way that Im built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting sport for me to play. If you dont do whats best for your body, youre the one who comes up on the short end. Larry Bird Once you are labeled the best you want to stay up there, and you cant do it by loafing around. If I dont keep changing, Im history. Push yourself again and again. Dont give an inch until the final buzzer sounds. Ive got a theory that if you give 100 percent all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end. Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. Its being able to take it as well as dish it out. Thats the only way youre going to get respect from the players. James Naismith The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play Drop the Handkerchief. Jerry West You cant get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good. Charles Barkley If you are afraid of failure you dont deserve to be successful! Elgin Baylor If you look up the definition of greatness in the dictionary, it will say Michael Jordan. Isiah Thomas If you want consistency, then you perform. This is a performance job. You get paid to perform. Your money is guaranteed, but your minutes are not. My greatest gift that I have in life is basketball. Pete Maravich Love never fails. Character never quits. And with patience and persistence, dreams do come true. Shaquille ONeal Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just Gods way to say nobodys perfect. Kevin Johnson No matter what you say, you can have as many receivers as you want; there are enough balls to go around.