Jazz Essays (654 words) - African-American Music, Blues, Jazz

Jazz As the United States entered the 1920s it was not as unified as one might think. Not one, but two societies existed. The Black society, whose ancestors had been oppressed throughout the ages, and the White society, the oppressors of these men and women. After emancipation the Whites no longer needed the Blacks, but were forced to live with them. The Blacks despised the Whites, but even so they became more like them in every way. Even though these two races had grown so similar over the past century and a half, they were still greatly diversified. One aspect of this great diversity was the difference in music trends. The White society was still in love with the European classical music. The Blacks on the other hand had created something all their own. Jazz, Blues, and Ragtime originated in New Orleans in the 19th century, but by the 1920s it had become famous throughout America. The Whites tried to suppress the Blacks with new laws, but the power of this strengthened race was too grea t. The Negro music of the 20th century had a huge affect on Black and White relations, and helped to bring the two societies together. When the slaves first came to the colonies they brought nothing with them, that is, except their music. They sang their songs while at work in the fields. This original music is called the old blues. The blues became the symbol of the new American race, and the home of this music was New Orleans. New Orleans had been a melting pot of culture ever since emancipation had freed the slaves, but more was being mixed than just culture. Music from the Blacks was blending with the Whites music, and creating an entirely different form of music, which had never been seen before. This early form of Jazz began to be heard in the North and was developed further with the help of technical devices. Blues music had become more than just a symbol of the slaves, now it was becoming a symbol of America. The reason for this was because jazz and blues could be played by anyone from the whitest white to the blackest black. By this time White Americans could be heard playing the true jazz and blues. The tr ue jazz was music played by the black man, because it was his music. Even white jazz players were beginning to be famous. Artists such as Paul White man and O.D.J.B. were whites who began to play jazz. Music played by these people was really the first jazz that northerners were exposed to, and because of this black northerners began to think of jazz as a white dilution of blues. Jazz music used the same instruments as ragtime did except for the piano. The piano was not brought into the picture until later. In 1921 the first Black jazz band broke onto the national scene. This band contained many of the greats such as Joe Oliver and Louis Armstrong. They offered a smoother type of jazz compared to the sloppy jazz of the early White groups. Bibliography {\rtf\ansi\deff0\deftab720{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss MS Sans Serif;}{\f1\froman\fcharset2 Symbol;}{\f2\fswiss\fprq2 System;}{\f3\froman Times New Roman;}{\f4\froman Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl; \red0\green0\blue0;} \ftnrstcont\ftnbj\ftnrstpg\aftnnar\ftnstart0\viewkind1 \deflang1033 \pard \plain\f3\fs28\b\qc Works Cited\plain\f3\fs24\par \ql\par \par \pard\li720\fi-720\sl480\slmult1\plain\f3\fs24 {\field{\*\fldinst HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PageManagerHTMLMediator.qst?action=openPageViewer&docId=62348191}{\fldrslt Gioia, Ted. \ul The History of Jazz\plain\f3\fs24 . New York: Oxford University Press US, 1997.}}\plain\f3\fs24 \plain \par \pard\plain\f3\fs24 \par \pard\li720\fi-720\sl480\slmult1\plain\f3\fs24 {\field{\*\fldinst HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PageManagerHTMLMediator.qst?action=openPageViewer&docId=65306057}{\fldrslt Kubik, Gerhard. \ul Africa and the Blues\plain\f3\fs24 . Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 1999.}}\plain\f3\fs24 \plain \par \pard\plain\f3\fs24 \par \pard\li720\fi-720\sl480\slmult1\plain\f3\fs24 {\field{\*\fldinst HYPERLINK http://www.questia.com/PageManagerHTMLMediator.qst?action=openPageViewer&docId=5879810}{\fldrslt Panish, Jon. \ul The Color of Jazz : Race and Representation in Postwar American Cul ture\plain\f3\fs24 . Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 1997.}}\plain\f3\fs24 \plain \par \pard\plain\f3\fs24 \par } Music Essays

6 Reasons Youre Having Problems Concentrating

6 Reasons You're Having Problems Concentrating There are many reasons why your mind might wander. Some of the most common factors are non-medical and can be treated by making small changes in your routine. 1. Fatigue Fatigue from sleep deprivation is the most common cause of an inability to concentrate on one topic for a long time. Many studies have shown that people are not getting enough sleep, and sleep deprivation have serious physical, emotional, and cognitive effects. The first step in attempting to solve your concentration problem is finding a way to get at least eight hours of sleep every night. This isnt easy to do. We have busy lives and develop habits that make it difficult to get to sleep early enough. However, if you have a severe concentration problem, you may need to make some sacrifices to find a solution. Try getting plenty of sleep and see if you get results. 2. Anxiety Anxiety can cause the inability to concentrate too. Are you worried about something? If so, you might need to isolate your source of anxiety and confront it head-on. We deal with many pressures from our peers, and this social force can become quite damaging in extremes. Are you dealing with pressure? If so, it may be time to change your life to eliminate some of the stressors. Is your schedule too heavy? Are you involved in a toxic friendship? Is something else bothering you? If you are dealing with some pressure that might lead you down a dangerous path, it might be time to get a second opinion from someone. You can talk to a parent, a doctor, a guidance counselor, a co-worker, or a teacher. Depending on the situation, your emergency contact might be different. Find people you trust and let them know that youre dealing with anxiety and would like some support. 3. Excitement Excitement is related to anxiety, but a little more fun! There are lots of things that come along from time to time that grab our attention and make us daydream. This can be a big problem when weve got to pay attention to something! Make the conscious decision to set aside your daydreams until after class. 4. Love A big distraction is a physical attraction or being in  love. Are you having a difficult time concentrating because you cant get someone out of your head? If so, you need to find a way to discipline yourself. It is sometimes helpful to establish healthy routines in your habits by setting up parameters both inside and outside your head. Outwardly, you can establish a physical space and a concentration time. Inwardly, you can set rules about thoughts that are and are not permissible during concentration time. 5. Diet and Caffeine Your diet and, for those who drink coffee, consumption of caffeine, are other potential problems when it comes to concentration. Your body is just like a machine in some ways. Just like an automobile, a body needs clean fuel to keep it running well. Different people are affected in different ways from foods and chemicals-and sometimes those effects can be unexpected. For example, it may surprise you to know that some studies have linked low-fat diet with symptoms of depression! And depression can affect your concentration. Caffeine is another potential trouble-maker when it comes to diet and moods. Caffeine consumption can cause insomnia, headaches, dizziness, and nervousness. These symptoms are sure to affect your concentration. 6. Boredom Boredom is another big culprit when it comes to staying focused on your studies. Boredom stems from doing something that lacks meaning and motivation. What can you do? Every time you prepare to enter a study environment, take a moment for a reality check. What do you need to accomplish? Why? Concentrate on a goal for the next hour and think of a way to reward yourself for reaching that goal.