09 July 2010
Music of the 1920's
During the 1920s, or, as they were better known, the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age was at its apex. Specifically, the year 1923 was one of significant importance. In this year, artists such as Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Gracie Moore made their debuts, and famous speakeasies such as the Cotton Club and the House That Jack Built opened to the public. In the 1920s, music could be categorized into three distinct sub-genres of jazz: Ragtime, Blues, and Swing. Some of these genres are more well known than others, but each did its part to influence later generations of music.
The earliest music of this era was Ragtime. The first image that comes to mind when mentioning the 1920s is the flappers and speakeasies with the upbeat dance music that is characterized by the Ragtime sub-genre. Duke Ellington made his debut at the Kentucky Club in Manhattan, “...a gig that led to his opening the following year at the Cotton Club, where he gained national status.” (Shaw 135) Upon his arrival in Harlem, he exclaimed, “Why, it is just like the Arabian Nights!” (Shaw 59, Giddens and DeVeaux 115) This was probably because of the fantastical lights and sounds of the lively city. This age influenced musicians such as Miles Davis, who is widely known in Rhode Island for his “acclaimed appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival.” (Peretti 69) The most famous Ragtime composer was Scott Joplin, who was nominated for a Grammy for his score in the movie The Sting. (Giddens and DeVeaux 415) Louis Armstrong the trumpet player “shifted the music’s focus from collective improvisation to solo performance.” (Peretti 49) He began the era of improvisation, where “A jazz musician was evaluated on the basis of his or her improvisational skills.” (Peretti 115) This kind of music was frequently frowned upon by the government because of its close association with speakeasies, which were places to go during the Prohibition to purchase alcohol. However, a genre that was even more frowned upon than Ragtime was the style that followed it, known as Blues.
Blues music is known for its soul and the fact that the “...songs approach all great art in their simplicity and directness.” (Anderson 180) It is just the voices and the instruments. Some historians see it as “...a reflection of the Negro search for identity.” (Shaw 68) Most of the black musicians of the 1920’ were drawn to New York during the Harlem Renaissance, which caused a monumental increase in the amount of well known black jazz musicians. Significantly, women working on the Blues genre had the same opportunities as men, as opposed to Ragtime, in which women were objectified and viewed as “commodified sex objects” (Peretti 124). Ethel Waters, Sophie Tucker, Gilda Gray, and Bessie Smith all had successful careers as blues singers. Some of the most well-known music from this time period was created by these women, like Smith’s Blue Spirit Blues, Careless Love, and Backwater Blues. Contrariwise, while a few musicians were successful, others fell prey to racial discrimination. During the early 20s, the Ku Klux Klan experienced a revival and besides a few half-hearted attempts to create anti-lynching laws, the government did not make any efforts to terminate the issue. (Anderson 217) However, those musicians that were successful were highly triumphant, and the music of the era is undeniably under black influence. For example, the Black Bottom,the most popular dance of 1926, was “Undeniably of black origin,” and “became as emblematic of the era as the Charleston.” ( Shaw 170-171) This soulful, deep kind of music was entirely different from the type of music that directly followed it, known as Swing.
Swing was more popular in the 30s and 40s, but it’s origin was in the 20s along with Ragtime and Blues. This sort of music was often accompanied by lively dancing as is shown in the music video for Katy Perry’s Thinking of You. This is an example of how the music of the 1920s is still affecting modern day music. It was an attempt to “create stylish dance music that combined elements of jazz with lush instrumentation and pop songs.” (Giddens and DeVeaux 172) It was most popular smack in between The Depression and the Second World War, though the style of the music did not reflect any of the hardship or suffering that was occurring throughout the country. Instead, it acted as a counter-agent to work towards giving people hope for a better future. It was played often at dances for soldiers prior to departure for war. One of the most famous Swing composers was Artie Shaw, who constructed songs such as Star Dust and Nightmare. Swing songs were normally played by a full orchestra, adding to the boisterous, playful vibe they invoked. Swing music may have passed it’s peak but it has definitely left it’s mark on modern music.
However, the Jazz Age came to an end eventually, and the hopeful, up-beat music of the twenties and thirties became obsolete. However, it is still highly prevalent in modern day pop-culture. In my opinion, the most successful style was Blues because it made the most impact, but each provided something in the grand scheme of things. Music is an ever-changing entity, capricious as a feather on the wind, and so soon, Swing gave way to Rock, followed by Pop, and later still Rap and Techno, but Jazz still lives on in the hearts of the truly passionate.