{"id":21,"date":"2023-12-08T13:35:56","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T13:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/?page_id=21"},"modified":"2023-12-11T23:23:52","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T23:23:52","slug":"a-new-tune-perspectives-on-jazz-in-the-modern-day","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Tune: Perspectives on Jazz in the Modern Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Jour-Capstone_mixdown-2.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the heart of a bustling city, a jazz street performer captures passersby&#8217;s attention with his saxophone&#8217;s soulful melodies. His dancing fingers and puffed cheeks let loose a cascade of notes interweaving with car horns and chatter in the distance. He\u2019s performing jazz, a genre that has not only endured but thrived for over a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jazz emerged in the late 1800s and early 1900s and has since evolved into a diverse and ever-changing genre. It has produced legendary musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane, whose works have left a mark on music worldwide. But jazz, like any art form, is not immune to the test of time. Though it was widely popular prior to World War II, University of Southern California Musicology professor Nathaniel Sloan says it declined in relevance soon after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFollowing World War II, new musical styles that are influenced by jazz but sound very different start to become popular. As these new styles become popular, jazz starts to change. It becomes a little more complex. Styles like bebop start to arise. These styles have fast tempo, complicated chord changes and angular melodies. It\u2019s not as accessible,\u201d Sloan said. \u201cIn the 1960s and 70s, free jazz emerges. It\u2019s noisy and raucous and hard to follow. It pushes the audience of jazz even further into the margins. There\u2019s been a real change in the role of jazz from something that is this popular form of mainstream music to something that is more complex and refined.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, more various sub-genres developed, each diverging significantly from the roots of jazz. Some musicians enthusiastically embrace the shifts in the art form. To USC senior and jazz vocalist Margaret Neuberger, \u201cJazz is whatever you want it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople are gatekeeping and just being like, \u2018That\u2019s not jazz anymore,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cI think jazz has been and is continuing to evolve. I think that just like how ragtime and swing all evolved into jazz, jazz is going to have new classifications, and it already does. I\u2019m excited to see where jazz is going. I really enjoy the artists and band who have taken jazz and incorporated it in a subtle way to make it super digestible for new audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Margaret Neuberger Jazz Performance\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OG2zy5lIhaY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Senior Margaret Neuberger performing live with jazz saxophonist Bob Reynolds, a member of the Grammy-winning jazz band Snarky Puppy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, traditionalists in the community are concerned about the genre\u2019s core elements of swing and improvisation. As the musical landscape continues to diversify, there is a tendency to categorize a wide array of styles under the umbrella term of jazz, which some musicians fear will blur the lines and dilute the genre\u2019s authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat they want to call jazz is mostly just instrumental R&amp;B. The misconception is you don\u2019t hear vocals on the track, so it\u2019s jazz, and that\u2019s not true,\u201d said jazz pianist and composer Knick Smith. \u201cPeople have their own feelings pertaining to the music. It\u2019s an art form to me. Simplicity can be created. I\u2019m not against it one hundred percent, but you know, to me, I feel like it does not belong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/knicksmith.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/knicksmith.jpg 750w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/knicksmith-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Knick&#8221; Smith has toured with numerous artists such as Stanley Clarke, Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah and Kenny Garrett.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Amidst these contrasting viewpoints within the jazz community, percussionist Munyungo Jackson questions the need for labels at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe word jazz is such an open subject. It\u2019s crazy, it\u2019s very wide. They now have a thing called smooth jazz. I don\u2019t even know why they call it smooth jazz because it has a big fat backbeat in it, and they\u2019re almost making it like R&amp;B,\u201d he said. \u201cMusic is so wide, and so spread out, I don\u2019t know why they have certain classifications for music, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though jazz musicians may continue to disagree on what is jazz and what isn\u2019t, there is a unanimous consensus regarding acknowledging jazz as a highly advantageous genre to study. Sloan attributes its advantages to the art of improvisation, a cornerstone of jazz performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMiles Davis would instruct his collaborators, when you play what is a \u2018wrong note,\u2019 use that opportunity to see where that wrong note can take you in your improvisation. That way of thinking about music allows what you may see as a mistake to become a source of opportunity and creativity,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you are trying to do things the right way, you may not see other creative possibilities that might arise when you allow yourself to experiment and fail. That aspect of improvisation, being open to the possibility that arises from apparent mistakes, is something that can be really helpful in one\u2019s creative practice, in one\u2019s work life and in one\u2019s personal life as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jazz&#8217;s creative nature separates itself from the boundaries of traditional music structures. Smith also agrees with the benefits of the inherent creativity within the genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe importance of it is it\u2019s really great as far as your creativity goes,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe more you learn, the better you expand what you\u2019re trying to do. There\u2019s no limitation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Knick Smith and the Band Performance\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xQnvfG-yzrc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Knick Smith Band performing at LACMA Jazz Night in front of the Urban Light display.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The structure of jazz as a genre emphasizes collaboration and creation. Sloan says jazz has a unique trait of \u201chelping you connect to people in new and surprising ways.\u201d Jazz acts not just as a performance but also as a form of communication and bonding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat is remarkable about jazz is that you can sit down with other jazz musicians and, without speaking a word, start to play together and have a conversation that takes place solely through notes and rhythms without any actual verbiage or words,\u201d Sloan said. \u201cEven if you\u2019re not on the stage playing the music, if you\u2019re an audience member listening and watching that, it can be really inspiring and really invigorating. The ability in jazz to have a conversation without words is a really powerful way to relate to one another as humans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neuberger believes the interactions between musicians in jazz teach a great way to approach life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you go up to a jazz trio and ask, \u2018Hey, do you know this tune?\u2019 Being able to do that with three people, we can all speak four different languages and just read it down and make something really, really beautiful,\u201d she said. \u201cApproaching people with an open mind and letting yourself step into situations where you let things be out of your control. It\u2019s just so cool. At the end of the day, we\u2019re just making music, hanging out and it sounds good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jazz enthusiast Annette Mack believes every jazz performance is a special and unique form of expression and communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe musicians put a piece of themselves every time they play. They expose their being to you. Jazz is a glimpse into society\u2019s soul,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG-0568-1-1140x855.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Bing Theatre is a proscenium house which hosts many performances from the USC Thornton School of Music<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite its celebrated status, jazz grapples with many challenges within the contemporary musical landscape. Neuberger says that a prominent issue in jazz is that \u201cit\u2019s super male-dominated.\u201d She believes there is a lot of room for the genre to improve in terms of gender diversity and attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEven at USC, the junior year of jazz undergraduates, there\u2019s only one girl in the entire class. She\u2019s a vocalist. The sophomore year, same thing. Only one girl, and she\u2019s a vocalist,\u201d Neuberger said. \u201cI think it\u2019s really important to empower women and people of color to get back into the genre instead of shying away. There is a kind of culture within jazz. It\u2019s amazing, and it\u2019s freeing, but some people forget that it\u2019s for everyone. I\u2019m not here to be stressed or feel uncomfortable in a room with 20 men where I\u2019m the only woman. I\u2019m not here for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson-819x1024.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-40\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson-819x1024.webp 819w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson-240x300.webp 240w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson-768x960.webp 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson-1229x1536.webp 1229w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson-1638x2048.webp 1638w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/munyungo-jackson.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Darryl Munyungo Jackson is a four-time Grammy winner who has played on albums with Keb&#8217; Mo&#8217;, Dianne Reeves, Kenny Loggins, Stevie Wonder and Sting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Another challenge of Jazz is one faced by educators. Similar to the debate between musicians between preserving the core of jazz or accepting the various changes in the genre, educators have to balance the duality of the rules of jazz while encouraging the creativity that fostered the genre in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the challenges that educators face in teaching jazz is the tension between jazz being a creative form of music that arose organically from primarily Black urban communities in the early 1900s as an expression of joy and sometimes political disenfranchisement and sometimes a referendum on the social issues facing the country and sometimes just as a form of really fun dance music. Versus today, jazz is being treated as a complex art form with a host of rules and traditions and stylistic norms,\u201d Sloan said. \u201cThe question facing a lot of jazz educators is how do you communicate the intricacies of this musical tradition with a level of respect and integrity while also acknowledging that those rules are meant to be broken?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite jazz being a constantly evolving genre with many challenges, Jackson believes one thing is certain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJazz is not going anywhere. I mean, jazz is not going to stop. We played jazz tonight and people loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the heart of a bustling city, a jazz street performer captures passersby&#8217;s attention with his saxophone&#8217;s soulful melodies. His dancing fingers and puffed cheeks let loose a cascade of notes interweaving with car horns and chatter in the distance. He\u2019s performing jazz, a genre that has not only endured but thrived for over a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21\/revisions\/41"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2023\/larrydin\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}