Posts Tagged ‘Jazz Musicians’
In the turn from the century about 1920, numerous artists made their mark by playing in the discreet underground nightclubs called “Speakeasies” which are high class, “Blind pig” lower class or “Smokeasy” for tobacco users. The United States once prohibited the sale of alcoholic drinks and smoking tobacco in clubs as a constitutional amendment. One could typically find an underground nightclub by the thresholds without an indication to indicate that there was such as establishment inside. Those dives also had a secret doorway that lead out to a passageway or alley just in case the police came to investigate. The police had the power to arrest everybody in the position attributable to the fact that they were broke the law by being there.
Although, thing were beginning to seek out for Jazz Music once the creation of the record player or phonograph was designed to play jazz albums. In addition, radio stations helped promote Jazz music, and made it favorite among the populace. Jazz Music became a music of class that earned the era a nick name called the “Jazz age”. The band leaders who became famous as Jazz musicians were Paul Whiteman, Ted Lewis, Harry Reser, Leo Reisman, Abe Lyman, Nat Shilkret, Earl Burnett, Ben Bernie, George Olson, Bob Haring, Vincent Lopez, Ben Salvin and a good many more. Paul Whiteman stated to be the king of Jazz music as a result of his popularity. He earned the title when he hired some white Jazz musicians with Bix Beiderbecke included to combine jazz with larger orchestrations.
Many people think that jazz is the music of the elite and well-established people. But, if you look into the roots of jazz, you will see the opposite. Jazz is an art of expression in the form of music. Jazz music is the fundamental music in human life.
Jazz tradition evolved from the lifestyle of black community in America who has been oppressed. Initially, the tradition began from the influence of tribal drums and gospel music, blues and field hollers (the shouts of cultivators). Its birth process has demonstrated that jazz was closely related to the life defense and expression of human life.
The interesting thing from jazz music was that the origin of the word “jazz” was derived from a vulgar term used for sexual acts. Most of rhythms in jazz were ever associated with the brothels and the women with an unfortunate reputation.
Then, in the journey of jazz, it eventually became an art form of jazz music, both in the specific composition and improvisation, which reflected the spontaneous melodies. Jazz musicians usually expressed their feelings that were uneasily explained because this music should be felt within the heart.
Herb Ellis like many other leading American jazz guitarists (including Charlie Christian, Eddie Durham, and Oscar Moore) was born in the southwestern part of the USA. The blues, with a touch of country music, are a distinctive feature of his jazz guitar music sound and his guitar playing technique. This is most certainly due to the environment in which Ellis was brought up. Herb Ellis first played the banjo, although it is claimed he played the harmonica at the age of four, and took up the guitar at the age of ten. While he was at high school he played alto horn in the school band. Ellis studied at the North Texas State College and helped start a jazz guitar music program there. He met and befriended many now well known jazz musicians while at this college including Jimmy Giuffre, Gene Roland, and Harry Babasin.