The Jazz Age

Jazz music was extremely popular in the 1920's. It began in African-American communities in the Southern United States. The birth of jazz music was often attributed to African American but later on, it expanded and modified to become socially acceptable to middle-class white Americans. This movement was also known as the “Jazz Age.” The Jazz Age was a movement that took place during the 1920s, or the Roaring Twenties, where which jazz music and dance emerged with the introduction of typical radio and the end of the war. Jazz was being played everywhere, including dance halls and speakeasies. This type of music was 'new' and loved by many young generations. It was a way for young people to express their emotions from the strict law of the society. However, older generations saw Jazz as being immoral and threatening to old values in culture. Jazz music was the most influential aspect in American history. The phonograph record became the primary instrument of playing jazz music. Some famous jazz musicians include Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was the most influential jazz musician in history. He provided his music with his “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” group recordings. He performed in front of white and black audiences. He was also the first Jazz soloist that gained influence as a trumpeter.