B14 Blog #2

New York: Hot & Cold

         Compared to Chicago in the 1920’s New York was more important to the development of jazz. Chicago is in fact, significant to jazz through its mass migration of African Americans and development of jazz through its innovation of influences from New Orleans. However, New York proved to be essential to the continued developments of jazz influenced by both major cities and the music that originated from New York. Harlem was also the next step for prospering Blacks still seeking opportunity in the North, “As such, Harlem in this era symbolized a coming of age for all African Americans”, (Gioia, 93). In addition, New York’s capitalization of jazz is responsible for the exposure of African American music as a desirable element of their culture, and passing on the torch of jazz to create styles such as Swing.

       In accordance with the dialogic theory, which argues that community plays a role in the musician’s art, the two Harlems created two distinctive styles of New York Jazz. The hot and cold styles of jazz were between “the Harlem of literary aspirations and the Harlem of Jazz and Blues” (Gioia, 95). The Harlem renaissance co-existed among the less talked about impoverished Harlem of lower-middle class African Americans. Tension between the two Harlems also existed as the upper-middle class African-Americans looked down upon the lower-middle class and their interest in jazz. The lower-class Harlem provided the struggle needed to make quality music, “but the Harlem of rent parties and underground economies created music” (Gioia, 94). Lack of financial stability, and rent parties allowed for the popularization of piano, and development of Harlem jazz styles from ragtime and popular trends in music. Central to the styles of Harlem jazz is the stride piano. The piano acted as a distinctive feature for music in Harlem and separates New York from other places such as Chicago and New Orleans. The piano also holds significant metaphoric meaning for Harlem. According to Gioia, “The instrument represented conflicting possibilities- a pathway for assimilating a traditional highbrow culture, a calling card of lowbrow nightlife, a symbol of middle-class prosperity, or quite simply a means of making a living”, (96). This is said because stride piano players insisted on maintaining a middle ground, neither highbrow nor lowbrow (Gioia). By keeping a middle ground the stride piano bridged the two Harlems together. Stride piano also gives way to the other cultural factors affecting the style of jazz in Harlem. European culture contributed the piano to jazz in the 1920’s. The tradition of classical piano in New York made it a breeding ground for piano players.

      James P. Johnson, Fats Walter, and Duke Ellington are among some of the most influential Harlem jazz musicians. Johnson is accredited with being the first to make a transition for ragtime to jazz. He also is documented creating music before New Orleans jazz was created or recorded (Stewart, 2013, February 5). Johnson is said to have great influence on Ellington and other greats. Johnson is the most important to Harlem jazz in the 1920’s because he was the first to do it and he did not go on through out his career unaccredited, he influenced other great musicians and without him jazz in New York may have not existed.

            Harlem’s unique influences and factors that were significant in creating hot and cold jazz proves once again, “jazz flourishes on diversity”, (Stewart, 2013, February 5).