1、 .PAGE38 / NUMPAGES38爵士樂二十世紀美國社會文化的一面鏡子Jazza Mirror of American Society and Culture in the 20th CenturyAbstractJazz originates from New Orleans of southern America at the end of 19th century, and is characterized by a strong but flexible rhythmic understructure with solo and ensemble improvisations

2、on basic tunes and chord patterns and, more recently, a highly sophisticated harmonic idiom. In the 1920s-1990s, Jazz develops very fast, and in different periods Jazz has different characteristics. As a musical form of America, Jazz reflects the situation of American society and culture. In the 192

3、0s, Jazz gets its first-step development and brings together elements from Africa and Europe. Jazz is a kind of pure American black music because in this period the United States monopolizes this art. In the 1960s-1970s, Jazz gets new development; some fresh elements are introduced into Jazz, which

4、reveals that America artists do not monopolize the scene and Jazz is spread to the world quietly. Jazzs sad and strong rhythm and disappointing lyrics reveals a confusing American society and Americans contradictory feelings after the Second World War. In the 1980s-1990s, it seems that each European

5、 country has its own style in Jazz for different cultural backgrounds. The melting-pot social and cultural environment brings about Jazzs multi-elemental development. In turn, the multi-elemental development of Jazz demonstrates the coexistence and co-development of different cultures and ideas in A

6、merica.Key WordsAmerica society; jazz; culture; reflection 摘要爵士樂是19世紀末起源于南美新奧爾良的一種音樂形式。它以強勁而靈活的旋律為構(gòu)架，在節(jié)奏與和音形式的基礎(chǔ)上配合個人和集體的一種即興表演。越到后來，爵士樂的風格越復(fù)雜，諧和。20世紀20年代到90年代，爵士樂發(fā)展得很快，并且在不同的時期有著不同的特點。作為美國的一種音樂形式，爵士樂反映了美國社會文化不同時期的情況。20世紀20年代時，爵士樂得到了初步的發(fā)展。爵士樂將非洲與歐洲的元素相結(jié)合，并融合成為新的文化，顯示出了美國特有的音樂表現(xiàn)特色。爵士樂是一種純的美國黑人音樂，因為在這

7、個時期美國獨占了這項藝術(shù)。在20世紀60，70年代，爵士樂有了新的發(fā)展，一些新的音樂元素融入到了爵士樂。這些融合是美國社會發(fā)展的結(jié)果，它顯示了此時的美國已不在獨占爵士樂這個舞臺，爵士樂正在悄悄的走向世界。在這二十年里，爵士樂時而憂傷時而強勁的旋律以與令人絕望的歌詞揭露了二戰(zhàn)后動蕩的美國社會和美國人矛盾的心情。到20世紀80，90年代時，幾乎每個歐洲國家因為文化的差異都有了各自的爵士樂風格。美國社會與文化的多元發(fā)展帶來了爵士樂的多元化，爵士樂的多元發(fā)展則展現(xiàn)了不同的文化與思想在美國的共存與發(fā)展。關(guān)鍵詞美國社會；爵士樂；文化；反映IntroductionJazz is a treasure of

8、American culture which originated from New Orleans of southern America at the end of 19th century. Compared to other music forms, it is a unique music form characterized by improvisational performance and changeable rhythm. In terms of the way of performance, Jazz isnt only performed by solo but als

9、o by a group of people. And there is a great variety of musical instruments involved in the performance, like clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, and trombone and so on. In playing Jazz, the percussion instruments are also an important part, such as drum, double bass, and the piano. The entire musical ins

10、truments work together as if there is a party of sounds. Then the player makes an improvisational dealing with the timbre, cadence of the musical instruments. However, this is not enough; Jazz emphasizes more on players distinctive performance than Jazz itself. As a special music form, it also reque

11、sts players to put their own musical mind and emotions into the performance. Only the sound from heart can make Jazz fantastic. Especially, its changeable rhythm always brings listeners into another world, and sometimes it is so wild like a strong howling, sometimes it is very soft as a weak patient

12、. In addition, Jazz is also a free music form in which there is no certain rule, rhythm, or way of performance. Because of the characters mentioned above, it develops very fast in America and later sweeps the whole world.Jazz brings together elements from Africa and Europe, and then made them an exp

13、ression of music unique to America. And in the 20th century, it develops very fast and followed the development of American society. However, in different periods, Jazz has different characteristics, especially in the 1920s, 1960s, 197os, 1980s and 1990s. In these periods, Jazz replaces some popular

14、 music forms to be Americas mainstream popular music. To some extent, Jazzs development witnesses the progress of American society and culture. In other words, its development may reflect the development of American society and culture. In this paper, three periods are taken as a clue to demonstrate

15、 the reflection function of Jazz. In the 1920s, Jazz gets its first-step development in America; it differs from other music and injects new blood for American music. Jazz is a kind of pure American music because in this period the United States monopolizes this art. Its popularity is not contingent

16、, and the wild rhythm and improvisational ways of playing are its advantages. These advantages bring many listeners for it in which people can throw away all social conventions, rules and indulge themselves completely. Through it, disappointment and resistance are brought to players. The mood reflec

17、ts peoples attitude towards life after the First World War. And, Louis Armstrong, the king of Jazz, expresses the depressive mood in his songs like Lonesome Road, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Hotter than That, Snake Rag. Then in the following few years, jazz gets some new developments, and Swing

18、, Bebop, Cool Jazz and free Jazz appears one after another. And in the 1960s-1970s some fresh elements and new techniques are introduced into Jazz, making Jazz more powerful and advanced. Compared with Jazz in the 1920s, the requirement for players is improved. It changes the past playing ways of fo

19、llowing certain rhythm, tone and accompany. Improvisation and personality is the main feature in this period. Its wild or soft rhythm impresses the audience greatly. After World War, Americans lived a idle and scared life. Material spending becomes their only way of living, especially the young men

20、have no ambition and passion as the war has exhausted their energy and vigor. Accordingly, Jazz in this period is filled with decadence and indulgence. The musician Miles Davis expresses the mood best in his music In a Silent Way. Meanwhile, the sentimental rhythm in Jazz, wild and strong, can also

21、be the best demonstration. In the 1980s-1990s, with the development of American society, American musicians do not monopolize Jazz. It seems that each European country has its own style in Jazz for different cultural backgrounds. Jazz of this period is not a pure American music but a multi-elemental

22、 music of the whole world. In fact, this big change is just the result of the influence of pluralism in the society, and Jazzs multi-elemental development is just the reflection of the multicultural development of American society and culture.I. Jazz a Mirror of American Society and Culturein the 20

23、th CenturyJazz has different characteristics in different periods, especially in the 20th century, and always serves as a mirror of American society and culture. In order to demonstrate the reflecting feature of Jazz, three big periods of 20th century are taken as a clue.A. Jazz in the 1920s In the

24、1920s, Jazz gets its first-step development, and brings elements from Africa and Europe, which are fused, together with Jazz, into a new music, an expression unique to America In this period, Jazz is a kind of pure American black music and the United States monopolizes this art. Jazzs wild rhythms,

25、corrupted lyrics expose the decadence and dark life of Americans, and truly reflect American society and culture.Jazz has a connection to the essence of America in a much more fundamental way. It is an expression of the African roots of American culture, the treasure of American culture, a musical m

26、edium that exemplifies the culture of the Africans whose culture came to dominate much of what is American. Actually, in many aspects Americas roots are in Africa. In fact, this is a factor for Jazzs first transmission to America. Ralph Ellison perceptively describes the transformation of separate A

27、frican and European cultures are at the hand of the slaves:“the dancing of those slaves who, looking through the windows of a plantation manor house from the yard, imitated the steps so gravely performed by the masters within and then added to them their own special flair, burlesquing the white folk

28、s and then going on to force the steps into choreography uniquely their own. The whites, looking out at the activity in the yard, thought that they were being flattered by imitation and were amused by the incongruity of tattered blacks dancing courtly steps, while missing completely the fact that be

29、fore their eyes a European cultural form was becoming Americanized, undergoing a metamorphosis through the mocking activity of a people partially sprung from America.” (Townsend 78)Out of this fusion of African elements comes an idea that Americans believe central to their identity, namely tolerance

30、. Both cultures come to realize each others value. In the heart of Americans, diversity is their strength. Americans learn every day that other cultures and peoples may make valuable contributions to their way of life. This great fusion makes Jazz a distinctly American music. Jazz reflects two contr

31、adictory facets of American life. On the one hand the band features a soloist who is an individual at the extreme. On the other hand it is a team effort, where every musician is completely immersed in what these groups does together, listening to each of other players and building on their contribut

32、ions to create the music whole. In the same sense, American life is also a combination of teamwork and individualism, a combination of individual brilliance with the ability to work with others. In a word, Jazz, as an important part of American culture, is based on real peoples and things, and is th

33、e music from life. Through it, something more about America is known to the world.In the 1920s, Jazz gets its primary development, and this distinctly American music quickly finds its way to the whole America. Its wild rhythm, improvisational performing and changeable tone give listeners a fresh fee

34、ling, and it abandons traditional music forms and outdated performing ways to separate itself with other music. In this period, Ragtime, Dixieland as a branch of New Orleans impresses every American and the young man indulge them in it completely. Jazzs every note makes them crazy, and then the word

35、 “JAZZMAD” comes into being in America. Its rhythm sometimes sounds like howling for escaping the tightened rope and sometimes is so grave like a weak patient. The changeable rhythm seems to expose the contradictory sides of their inner heart. Louis Armstrong, the king of Jazz, expresses the sad moo

36、d in his songs, like Lonesome Road, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Hotter than That, Snake Rag and etc. For example, in the song of Hotter than that, Louis repeats the word hotter hotter, hotter, hotter; hotter than hell, hotter than hell, when the sun goes down, cold day in hell”and points the pe

37、oples life is as evil as the hell and their inner hearts are contradictory under the war. And, another song On the Sunny Side of the Street is filled with beautiful things, and Louis repeats the sentence on the sunny side of the street to express the yearning for a happy and peaceful life. As for th

38、e band feature, it is solo, and it requests players to put their own heart and find their playing styles in jazz. Improvisation and particularity are the main characters. As the saying goes, art is from life; as a music form, Jazz connects with the real social life of Americans. In this period, Amer

39、ica has experienced the First World War, and the domestic situation is unstable. The whole society is under the shadow of fear and disappointment. The war, especially for those who has witnessed it firsthand, is brutal and represents a profound failure of western civilization. The young people try t

40、o do everything to escape responsibilities, because after the First World War, there is a general prosperity in America, and they are tired of politics, economics, restrictions and international responsibilities. They are angry with the consequences of the war and likened it to what the poet Ezra po

41、und called “an old bitch had gone in the teeth.a botched civilization” ( Townsend 68). In 1920, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his novel this Side of Paradise, describes the wild, rebellious young men and women after the First World War, and he makes a true portrait of the very young people with their new

42、ways of dressing, their disregard of manners and propriety. And in his another novel All the Sad Young Men, he makes a beautiful metaphor of the country which seems to be blind and deaf to everything. And the very man for this sentence is Gatsby, the hero of novel The Great Gatsby; he isnt only a re

43、presentative character of materialism but also a devout follower of American Dream. In this novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals the corruption that wealth causes and the unworthiness of Gatsbys goal, much in the way the writer sees the American dream crumbling in the 1920s, as Americas powerful optim

44、ism vitality and individualism become subordinated to the moral pursuit of wealth. Then in Ernest Hemingways full-length novel The Sun also rises, he also dramatizes the sense of lost direction for this generation after the war. The young mens energies are exhausted by the war and destroyed by the w

45、ar. It is this life style that gives the decade of the 1920s such nickname as “The Jazz Age”. So, Jazz of this period is just the embodiment of corruption, fear, and disappointment of Americans and demonstrates the real face of American society in the 1920s.B. Jazz in the 1960s-1970sJazz in this two

46、 decades are merged with some fresh elements and gradually develops to a multi-elemental music. Jazzs new development witnesses the development of American society and culture. In the two decades, America develops very fast and becomes the strongest country of the world. Because of immigration, new

47、cultures, new ideas are brought to America, which brings about multiculturalism of America.In the 1960s-1970s, Jazz continues to explore its way to every corner of America and even the whole world. Since 1920s, different forms of Jazz, such as Swing, Bebop, and Cool Jazz appear one after another. In

48、 the 1960s, free Jazz appears and begins to be popular. The great musician Coleman changes the past ways of composing music according to certain rhythm, accompany and harmony. Jazz requests improvisator to give vein to all their energies and passion. Jazz of this period puts more emphasis on improvi

49、sation and offers more space to players. And rocks instruments, volumes, and styles are introduced into Jazz, and fusing Jazz sprouts at the narrow space of Jazz and rock. In 1965, the fusing Jazz becomes a member of Jazz family. Its earliest and famous fusing experiments are done in the recording o

50、f musician Miles Davis “In a silent way”. This kind of music style provides the original art with new appreciative points of view. And in the 1970s, Jazz and blues grow up in America together and they both convene finally at a fusion. This is another great fusion in Jazz. The fusion injects Jazz wit

51、h new blood. After the fusion, Jazzs tone is still agile, sometimes it is loud and sonorous; sometimes it is bold and unrestrained. In terms of the performance, solo is not the only way, instead, team efforts also become the band features. At this time, American artists do not monopolize the scene a

52、nd Jazz is spread to the world quietly.The development of Jazz has a close connection with the progress of the society. America is a country of immigrants, and every year thousands of immigrants, with their different cultures and traditions, come here to fulfill their “America Dream”. Immigration ha

53、s plainly brought huge benefits to America. These new cultures interact with American culture, and this multicultural state of American society is just Americas particularity and advantage. Although America doesnt monopoly the art of Jazz, Jazz is still the treasure of American culture. However, Jaz

54、z of this period does not sound as sweet as the promises of American Dream. In Jazz, the sound of emptiness and corruption is echoed. After the Second World War, a buying spree becomes a central feature of American postwar life. People vie with each other to buy all kinds of consume goods. Materiali

55、sm is felt and practiced everywhere. Meanwhile, the influence of the war continues to exist and patriotism refuses to tolerate dissents. The cold war and international confrontation limit the freedom of social dissidents whose criticism of government policies might be labeled as communist propaganda

56、. Opposition to strict social conformity leads to the appearance of “the Beat Generation”. The musician Miles Davis expresses the mood best in his music “In a Silent Way. silent partner, silent regrets, silent movie, on silent wings, my silent undoing, silent Angel, silent nation, silent prayer, my

57、silent love, colliding I mind.” all these silent things demonstrate the players inner contradiction, struggle, disappointment for American society and rules. Obviously, Jazz in the two decades is the embodiment of the depressive life of American people.C. Jazz in the 1980s-1990sIn the 1980s-1990s, w

58、ith the help of internet, Jazz sweeps over the whole world, and nearly every country has its own style of Jazz. Jazzs multi-elemental development becomes the main trend.In the two decades, Jazz has caught on to the audience like wildfire. What once was a pure American genre now is seeping into other

59、 countries. Other genres, such as bluegrass, metal, country, and southern blues have spliced them into Jazz. Within the two decades, it seems that each European country has its own style in Jazz for different cultural backgrounds. Jazz can be found in US, UK, France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Holland,

60、 Belgium, Poland, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Hong Kong, and so on. As a matter of fact, the music of the two decades is called music of modern creation. New technology, various electronic instruments, and advanced recording equipment almost exhaust Jazzs fusion completely in style. And in th