
What is the difference between Dixieland jazz and ragtime jazz?
To illustrate: I’ve heard it said that ragtime is supposed to be played as written while Dixieland is supposed to be improvised. While it may be true that ragtime often is played as written while Dixieland often is improvised, this rule of thumb is not sufficient to distinguish the two.
What are the different types of Dixieland jazz band?
- Ragtime.
- Patriotic big-band marches like “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Sound Off.”
- Early blues, such as Wabash Blues and Basin Street Blues.
- Gospel music.
Which instruments were dominant in the Dixieland jazz style?
- Trumpet.
- Trombone.
- Cornet or other compact brass instruments.
What is the history of Dixieland jazz?
Quotations from Jazz Pioneers on the Early History of Jazz
- Sidney Bechet, "Treat It Gentle"
- Baby Dodds, "The Baby Dodds Story"
- Pops Foster, "Pops Foster: The Autobiography of a New Orleans Jazzman"

Who was one of the most famous Dixieland musicians?
Louis Armstrong's All-Stars was the band most popularly identified with Dixieland during the 1940s, although Armstrong's own influence during the 1920s was to move the music beyond the traditional New Orleans style.
Who started the first jazz band?
Others say jazz was born in 1895, the year Buddy Bolden started his first band. Still others say it happened in 1917, when Nick LaRocca and his Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded the first jazz record, "Livery Stable Blues." But Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton had his own theory.
Who was a famous Dixieland jazz musician?
Along with Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet was one of the first major jazz soloists and, like Armstrong, he was also a New Orleans native.
When did the Original Dixieland Jazz Band start?
1916Original Dixieland Jazz Band / Active fromThe Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) was a Dixieland Jazz band composed of white musicians in the early 1900s. Founded by Nick La Rocca in 1916, the group played their version of the New Orleans-style jazz made by Black combos, such as those led by Freddie Keppard and Joe “King” Oliver.
Who was the first real jazz musician?
Jelly Roll Morton became recognized as the first great jazz composer.
Who were the pioneers of Dixieland jazz?
This distinction is illustrated in the styles of the city's two most popular musicians, “Papa” Jack Laine and Buddy Bolden. Laine, a drummer who led bands in New Orleans from 1891, is often referred to as the father of white jazz.
Who are the founding fathers of jazz?
Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk-These three gents are credited with being the fathers of modern jazz, creating more sophisticated harmonies, solos and rhythms that had ever been previously dreamed of.
What city is recognized as the birthplace of Dixieland jazz?
New OrleansNew Orleans is well-known as the birthplace of American jazz but lesser-known is the Crescent City's connection to Dixieland Jazz - a uniquely NOLA mashup between traditional jazz and ragtime.
Who were the first jazz musicians?
10 Early Jazz Musiciansof 10. Scott Joplin (1868–1917) S Limbert/Flickr/Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic. ... of 10. Buddy Bolden (1877–1931) ... of 10. King Oliver (1885–1938) ... of 10. Nick LaRocca (1889–1961) ... of 10. Jelly Roll Morton (1890–1941) ... of 10. James P. ... of 10. Sidney Bechet (1897–1959) ... of 10. Louis Armstrong (1901–1971)More items...•
Where Did jazz first begin?
New OrleansJazz developed in the United States in the very early part of the 20th century. New Orleans, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, played a key role in this development.
Who made jazz popular?
We start with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong – the latter considered by many casual fans to be the 'founder' of jazz itself – and go through to musicians (like Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett) whose influence was felt well into the 21st Century.
Who was the first white jazz musician?
Cornet player Bix Beiderbecke was the first white jazz master. Born in Iowa, far away from any major source of black music, he was also the first major musician to learn about jazz from records, not first hand.
What episode of Journey to Jazz and Human Rights does Alana Bridgewater talk about the music?
As Alana Bridgewater narrates in the second episode of The Journey to Jazz and Human Rights, music made popular in nightclubs and ballrooms by African-American musicians became a big business, but only when that music was sanitized for a white audience, with white players. “That’s where the money was. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band is pure ...
What is the song "Livery Stable Blues" about?
The song marked the beginning of the growing explosion of interest in jazz.
How many sides did the original Dixieland Five have?
Victor invited the band back into the recording studio, and over the next two years, they recorded 25 sides for Victor as “The Original Dixieland Five.”. The group toured briefly before disbanding again.
Why was the Minstrel song advertised with black caricatures?
According to Dinerstein, as mentioned in the episode, “it was advertised with Black caricatures sort of in the minstrel tradition” in order to portray the fact that it was “Black” music performed by white musicians.
Who was the original Dixieland Jazz Band?
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) was a Dixieland Jazz band composed of white musicians in the early 1900s. Founded by Nick La Rocca in 1916, the group played their version of the New Orleans-style jazz made by Black combos, such as those led by Freddie Keppard and Joe “King” Oliver. The five young white players were amateurs who hailed ...
When did the ODJB break up?
After losing and replacing some band members after the First World War, the band broke up in the late 1920s, and its originators went their separate ways.
What was the first jazz band?
The first jazz group to ever record, Original Dixieland Jazz Band made history in 1917. They were not the first group to ever play jazz ( Buddy Bolden had preceded them by 22 years!), nor was this White quintet necessarily the best band of the time, but during 1917-1923 (particularly in their earliest years) they did a great deal to popularize jazz.
Who replaced Stein in the band?
With Tony Sbarbaro replacing Stein and Larry Shields taking over for Nunez, the band was booked at Resenweber's restaurant in New York in early 1917. Their exuberant music (which stuck exclusively to ensembles with the only solos being short breaks) caused a major sensation.
Who was the trombonist for the band Ragas?
The group (with J. Russel Robinson taking the place of Ragas, who died in the 1919 flu epidemic, and trombonist Emile Christian filling in for Edwards) visited London during 1919-1920 and they once again caused quite a stir, introducing jazz to Europe.
What is the original Dixieland band?
Red Hot Bands. Jazz Films. Jazz Essays. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, who billed themselves “The Creators of Jazz”, have long been been dismissed as the White guys who copied African-American music, and called it their own. There is a lot of truth to that statement, but on the other hand, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s recordings still hold ...
Where did the Dixie Jass band move to?
At the beginning of the following year the band ditched Stein and moved to New York where, ...
Where did the Dixieland Jazz Band play?
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band went on to record and play in London, producing 20 tracks for Columbia, including another big hit, Soudan. They returned to America in July of 1920.
When did the Dixieland Jazz Band record for Columbia?
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band had recorded for Columbia in January 1917, but the session was unsuccessful and the band had to come back and re-record the songs, thus the release of the Columbia sides did not come about until after the amazing success of the Victor records.
When did the band La Rocca break up?
The group broke up in 1925 after La Rocca suffered a nervous breakdown. The surviving members briefly re-formed in 1936 and recorded some sides for Victor. In 1940 the band re-formed yet again, but this time without La Rocca and recorded six sides for Bluebird and played up until 1940.
When was the first jazz record released?
However unfair and indicative of the racism of the era, the record “Livery Stable Blues”, coupled with “Dixie Jass Band One Step” became the first Jazz record ever released on February 26, 1917 for the Victor Talking Machine Company. It was wildly successful.
Where did the band Stein go to?
At the beginning of the following year the band ditched Stein and moved to New York where, on the recommendation of Al Jolson, they landed a gig at Reisenweber’s Café on Columbus Circle and 58th Street, a fashionable restaurant and night-spot.
What is the original name of the Dixieland Jass Band?
Originally called the Original Dixieland Jass Band, the ODJB later changed the antiquated (and arguably derogatory) “Jass” in their name to the more modern “Jazz”, helping to popularise the word.
What was the first jazz recording?
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band. The 1917 version of “Livery Stable Blues” by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band is generally considered to be the first ever jazz recording. This has been the subject of much discussion: it is worth noting that a group of white New Orleans natives were given the opportunity to document their music before a number ...
What is the style of jazz played in the 1920s?
The style that was played during this period is now known as Dixieland jazz, or sometimes New Orleans music, traditional jazz or vintage jazz. The heyday of this idiom occurred during the 1920s, first in New Orleans and then Chicago, although there have been various revivals of the style since then and it retains a dedicated following.
What was Louis Armstrong known for?
Louis Armstrong would later go on to become an all-round entertainer, best known for 1960s vocal hits like “Hello Dolly” and “What a Wonderful World”. But decades before that the trumpeter left his mark as one of the most stunning improvising soloists the jazz world has ever known.
What instruments are used in Dixieland?
The exact lineup of Dixieland jazz bands will vary, but they typically include a frontline of trumpet (or cornet), clarinet and trombone, plus a rhythm section. Unlike in later styles of jazz, the instrumentation is likely to be entirely acoustic.
Who is the key player in Dixieland Jazz?
Whilst Louis Armstrong may be the key artist connected to this joyous music, there are many more legendary names to learn about….
Who was the most influential composer of the 1920s?
Cornetist Bix Beiderbecke was another hugely influential stylist of the 1920s, with an approach that makes for an interesting comparison with that of Louis Armstrong. While Armstrong’s playing was bold and bluesy, Bix was lyrical and somewhat introspective, largely sticking to the horn’s middle register.
A Brief Look at History
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (hereafter mentioned as ODJB) was the first to declare their band as strictly jazz or jass as it was known back then.
Style of Music
Many experts say that LaRocca and Sbarbaro’s Sicilian background and musical preference contributed to their unique style of jazz. Combined with regional African-American music, the music gained a life of its own, and was unlike the common styles of music that people were used to, back in the day.
Later History
After their first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company, ODJB recorded for Aeolian-Vocalion as well as Columbia records before they came back to Victor in 1917. During this time, Trombonist Edwin Edwards was recruited for the First World War and was thus replaced.
Reunion
The band came back together in 1936 for a reunion performance as “The Original Dixieland Five”, performing for over two years and providing the Victor Company with 25 sides. It was after they had toured a bit that the band disbanded once more.
Influence
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band used their station in the industry to make jazz a recognized genre of music, influencing such artists as Louis Armstrong among others.
What style of music did Dixieland use?
For example, in the 1950s a style called "Progressive Dixieland" sought to blend polyphonic improvisation with bebop -style rhythm.
Why did the Dixieland revival happen?
The Dixieland revival renewed the audience for musicians who had continued to play in traditional jazz styles and revived the careers of New Orleans musicians who had become lost in the shuffle of musical styles that had occurred over the preceding years. Younger black musicians largely shunned the revival, largely because of a distaste for tailoring their music to what they saw as nostalgia entertainment for white audiences with whom they did not share such nostalgia. The Jim Crow associations of the name "Dixieland" also did little to attract younger black musicians to the revival.
What is Chicago style music?
"Chicago style" is often applied to the sound of Chicagoans such as Jimmy McPartland, Eddie Condon, Muggsy Spanier, and Bud Freeman. The rhythm sections of these bands substitute the string bass for the tuba and the guitar for the banjo. Musically, the Chicagoans play in more of a swing-style 4-to-the-bar manner. The New Orleanian preference for an ensemble sound is deemphasized in favor of solos. Chicago-style Dixieland also differs from its southern origin by being faster paced, resembling the hustle-bustle of city life. Chicago-style bands play a wide variety of tunes, including most of those of the more traditional bands plus many of the Great American Songbook selections from the 1930s by George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. Non-Chicagoans such as Pee Wee Russell and Bobby Hackett are often thought of as playing in this style. This modernized style came to be called Nicksieland, after Nick's Greenwich Village night club, where it was popular, though the term was not limited to that club.
What is the happiest music?
Arguably the happiest of all music is Dixieland jazz. The sound of several horns all improvising together on fairly simple chord changes with definite roles for each instrument but a large amount of freedom, cannot help but sound consistently joyful.
What is the name of the magazine that covers jazz?
There are several active periodicals devoted to traditional jazz: the Jazz Rambler, a quarterly newsletter distributed by San Diego's America's Finest City Dixieland Jazz Society, The Syncopated Times, which covers traditional jazz, ragtime, and swing; "Just Jazz" and "The Jazz Rag" in the UK, and, to an extent, Jazz Journal, an online-only publication based in Europe covering a variety of jazz styles.
What is jazz based on?
List of jazz venues. jazz standards. jazz (word) Dixieland, sometimes referred to as traditional jazz, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. The 1917 recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band (which shortly thereafter changed the spelling ...
What is Dixieland jazz?
Dixieland, sometimes referred to as traditional jazz, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century.
How did Sooy ensure that all the instruments would be heard?
Sooy ensured that all the instruments would be heard by placing them at different distances from the recording horn. The least easily heard of these instruments was the piano of Henry Ragas, but the plaintive melodic line of his playing can be clearly heard in the piano breaks of his composition Bluin’ the Blues.
How did Henry Ragas die?
On tour. In 1919, the little band sailed for London to bring jazz to the old world. Tragically, pianist Henry Ragas died from flu during the worldwide epidemic before the band made it to the UK.
Who were the original Dixieland Jazz Band?
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) consisted of five white musicians from New Orleans: Nick LaRocca on cornet ; Eddie Edwards on trombone ; Larry Shields on clar inet; Henry Ragas on piano and Tony Sbarbaro on drums. They composed, played and recorded all the early Dixieland standards including Tiger Rag, Clarinet Marmalade, Sensation Rag, ...
Where did the band play in London?
The band was a sensation in London, opening and becoming the resident band at the New Hammersmith Palais de Danse and appearing at Rector’s Club and the Palladium. The late Marquess of Donegall told me that he and Edward Prince of Wales arranged for them to play at Windsor Castle for George V, who was not amused.
When did the first jazz record come out?
The first ever jazz record was released on March 5th, 1917. They returned to New York in July 1920 and continued playing and recording until they split up in 1925. They were silent for more than a decade but reformed in 1936.
Who were the original members of the band in 1943?
This was their final appearance apart from a recreation in 1943 with only two of the original line up surviving: Eddie Edwards and Tony Sbarbaro. Despite the crude methods employed, the original 1917-1918 recordings remain electrifying thanks to the technical genius of the recording engineer Charles Sooy.
