Dialogue in The History of Jazz

Coming into The History of Jazz, I really had no real concept of what jazz was, nor what its history included. The things I associated jazz with were trumpets, elevator music, old-people concerts, and an overall old-fashioned vibe. The only jazz music I could really recall were famous pieces in movies or TV, and a little bit that my dad used to listen to, although I could not tell you the style nor the artist. On top of that, I had no clue whatsoever about the history of jazz and how it started. I assumed that it was just a type of music that began because someone simply started to play it one day. I also thought that there were only specific instruments, that did not vary, that were used to create the music. I could name Miles Davis as a jazz player, and not a single other person.

            This class transformed my knowledge and understanding of jazz. I heard it, learned about it, and even experienced it a tiny bit through DeeDee Bridgewater. The class definitely changed by assumptions about jazz and its history. I no longer view jazz as “elevator music,” and instead can appreciate it for all of the influences and culture that molded it into its many forms and types. I have learned that jazz stemmed from African roots and is built upon the foundations of African music, dance, and art (African Art in Motion). Now I know that there was a progression of different types of jazz, from its origination as New Orleans jazz up to in Chicago and New York jazz and over to Kansas City jazz, as well as the many cities and styles it hit along the way (Class Lectures 1/22/13 through 3/7/13). I also know many more key players from jazz’s history, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and more (History of Jazz, Gioia). Additionally, I no longer view jazz as “old-fashioned.” Rather, I have come to appreciate its history and all of the trials and tribulations that came along with innovative black musicians creating a new style of music during tough times of segregation, discrimination, and racism, which proved to be incredibly hard, as I learned in this course (Class Lectures 1/22/13 through 3/7/13). However, it was a battle fought hard and fought well—because jazz as we know it today, and as I have learned about through this class, is a beautiful, interesting, and inspiring art form.

            Before taking this class, I thought of the term dialogue or “dialogic” simply as a conversation between two people. However, my definition of this concept has changed drastically throughout my participation in this class. Professor Stewart introduced the concept of dialogue very early in the quarter. In fact, in notes I took during the very first class, he gave the meaning of “dialogic” without actually using the word by explaining that there was a connection between the music the musician played and how it was shaped by the audience (Class Lecture 1/8/13). This is the new definition of dialogic that I came to know and understand as the class progressed. Spanning this course, we have discussed the dialogue between musician and audience, between a location such as the Cotton Club and the musician, between the community and the performers, and even through learning a little about the Bakhtin Theory of the Novel (which is the idea of dialogue between the reader and writer through a novel) (Class Lecture 2/5/15). I learned how dialogue is a give-and-take; how each side contributes and influences the other. My new definition of dialogue is a lot deeper than my previous idea of it—I did not consider that it could represent such a connection between two things. After taking this class, I now see dialogue as a relationship, versus a conversation. In fact, I have learned so much throughout this course that I think I definitely deserve a 16 on this blog!