Definition 1913 in jazz refers to a specific year within the formative period of the musical genre, predating its widespread recognition as "jazz" and the first commercial recordings. During this time, the musical elements that would coalesce into jazz were actively developing, primarily in New Orleans, Louisiana, characterized by the fusion of ragtime, blues, spirituals, and brass band traditions.
Overview In 1913, what would later be termed jazz was a vibrant, evolving musical practice largely confined to specific urban centers, most notably New Orleans. The music of this era was an unrecorded oral tradition, making its exact characteristics and terminology subject to historical reconstruction based on later accounts and recordings of musicians active at the time. The term "jazz" itself, or its earlier spelling "jass," was beginning to appear in American slang and print around this period, though it was not yet widely applied to music. Instead, musicians played various forms of popular, dance, and marching band music that incorporated syncopation, improvisation, and blues tonalities. These early forms were foundational, laying the groundwork for the genre's explosion in popularity following the Great Migration and the first jazz recordings later in the decade.
Etymology/Origin The origin of jazz as a distinct musical genre is generally traced to the African American communities of New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1913, this music was a synthesis of diverse cultural influences, including West African rhythmic concepts, European harmony and instrumentation, and the distinct American forms of ragtime, blues, and spirituals. The word "jazz" or "jass" is believed to have originated in American slang, possibly with connotations of vigor, energy, or sexual activity, before it became associated with music. While the exact etymology remains debated, its initial appearance in print, often in non-musical contexts, began around 1913-1915, particularly on the West Coast, prior to its firm establishment as the name for the emerging musical style by the late 1910s. Consequently, musicians in 1913 were not consciously playing "jazz" but rather various popular styles that would later be retrospectively categorized under this evolving term.
Characteristics The music that would evolve into jazz in 1913 possessed several key characteristics:
- Syncopation: Rhythms were heavily syncopated, derived from ragtime and African American dance traditions, contributing to a strong, propulsive feel.
- Improvisation: While not yet formalized into the sophisticated soloing of later eras, collective improvisation, where multiple instruments embellished a melody simultaneously, was a crucial element.
- Blues Inflection: Melodic and harmonic elements of the blues, including blue notes and a focus on expressiveness, were present.
- Instrumentation: Common ensembles included brass bands (cornet, trombone, clarinet, tuba, drums) and small string ensembles (violin, guitar, bass, mandolin), often combined. Piano and banjo were also prominent.
- Functional Music: Much of this music served social functions, such as accompanying parades, funerals, dances, and entertainments in venues like Storyville, New Orleans' red-light district.
- Oral Tradition: The music was primarily learned and transmitted by ear, passed down from musician to musician in live performance settings, as recording technology had not yet captured the genre.
Related Topics
- Early Jazz: The broader period encompassing the origins and initial development of jazz before its national and international popularization.
- New Orleans Jazz: The specific style and regional scene identified as the birthplace of jazz.
- Ragtime: A precursor genre that greatly influenced jazz's rhythmic characteristics.
- Blues: A foundational genre providing melodic, harmonic, and expressive elements to jazz.
- Storyville: The New Orleans red-light district where many early jazz musicians gained experience and developed their craft.
- Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet: Prominent musicians active in New Orleans during this era, whose early work contributed significantly to the development of jazz, though their most recognized recordings would come later.
- Original Dixieland Jass Band (ODJB): Though formed later and making the first jazz recordings in 1917, the ODJB's success was instrumental in popularizing the term "jass" or "jazz" and the genre itself, building upon the foundations laid in earlier years like 1913.