History of Jazz Midterm
History of Jazz Midterm
1.)
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader who has been one of the most influential musicians in jazz. The Duke has released countless albums and songs, but not many know of his triumph as a musical theatre composer. Duke Ellington’s 1941 Jump For Joy was the first theatre show to openly discard the African- American stereotypes which prevailed in the arts at the time. In fact Jump for Joy openly discussed these stereotypes and praised African- American stereotypes. Ellington composed all of the songs in the musical and his own orchestra played during the show in the pit.
The title song “Jump For Joy” uses coded language as a way to inspire social thought. The theme of the song was an explicit statement of social justice that “pulled no punches”. In the words of Jazz Historian Graham Lock, What Jump for Joy made particularly clear was the contempt that blacks felt for various white representations of blackness, not least the figure of Uncle Tom and the notion that blacks belonged – and were happy – in the South (Lock 1999:95) The song opens with a joyous celebration of the end of the Jim Crow laws, (Fare thee well land of cotton {Farewell south!} Cotton isle is out of style {The land of cotton, basically slavery, is no longer needed.}. The song then goes onto to say Honey chile Jump for Joy. Ellington had said that one of the inspirations for creating this show was the lack of authenticity in other artistic depictions of African Americans. Therefore ‘Honey Chile Jump for Joy’ is showing the most authentic way a “colored” person would speak. The next section says to not be worried about leaving the south (Don’t you grieve little Eve) because all of the plantation owners have been killed (All the hounds I do believe have been killed). Ain’t ‘cha thrilled? Jump for Joy {Aren’t you happy? Jump for Joy!!} The song then switch’s gears and begins to take a jab at Hollywood for its depiction of
1.)
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader who has been one of the most influential musicians in jazz. The Duke has released countless albums and songs, but not many know of his triumph as a musical theatre composer. Duke Ellington’s 1941 Jump For Joy was the first theatre show to openly discard the African- American stereotypes which prevailed in the arts at the time. In fact Jump for Joy openly discussed these stereotypes and praised African- American stereotypes. Ellington composed all of the songs in the musical and his own orchestra played during the show in the pit.
The title song “Jump For Joy” uses coded language as a way to inspire social thought. The theme of the song was an explicit statement of social justice that “pulled no punches”. In the words of Jazz Historian Graham Lock, What Jump for Joy made particularly clear was the contempt that blacks felt for various white representations of blackness, not least the figure of Uncle Tom and the notion that blacks belonged – and were happy – in the South (Lock 1999:95) The song opens with a joyous celebration of the end of the Jim Crow laws, (Fare thee well land of cotton {Farewell south!} Cotton isle is out of style {The land of cotton, basically slavery, is no longer needed.}. The song then goes onto to say Honey chile Jump for Joy. Ellington had said that one of the inspirations for creating this show was the lack of authenticity in other artistic depictions of African Americans. Therefore ‘Honey Chile Jump for Joy’ is showing the most authentic way a “colored” person would speak. The next section says to not be worried about leaving the south (Don’t you grieve little Eve) because all of the plantation owners have been killed (All the hounds I do believe have been killed). Ain’t ‘cha thrilled? Jump for Joy {Aren’t you happy? Jump for Joy!!} The song then switch’s gears and begins to take a jab at Hollywood for its depiction of