Lesson 4: Hot Jazz

Hot Jazz

Quickly, the original classic jazz evolved into what is known as hot jazz. Hot jazz is a form of jazz that emphasized improvisation. One of the differences between classic jazz and hot jazz is that with hot jazz, multiple musicians engage in improvisation at the same time, whereas in classic jazz, improvisation was typically limited to one instrument at a time. Most often, the simultaneous improvisation took place among the “frontline” instruments, such as the trombone, saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet. The term “hot” was applied to the music because the improvising instruments often built up to a crescendo around the melody, supported by the rhythm section of the band. The counterpoint that developed is not altogether unlike some of the classical counterpoint found in earlier centuries, although with a decidedly new flair.

The Jazz Age

In 1920, the United States banned the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcohol. While this might not seem to have anything to do with jazz, the age of Prohibition saw a huge increase in the popularity of jazz. With alcohol prohibited, individuals turned to illegal speakeasies, establishments that sold alcohol illegally. Speakeasies across the country became havens not only for those seeking alcohol, but also for jazz music. Both blues and jazz become industries, with recordings being made of popular musicians and then sold to consumers. More than 100 million records, from all genres, were sold in 1927 alone. This helped to increase the exposure of jazz, as individuals in areas without prominent jazz bands or clubs could buy and listen to the records of popular jazz performers.

The Twenties would also see the rise of many popular jazz musicians and bands. It was during this time that Louis Armstrong formed his famous band, Hot Five, for example. While New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz, the Jazz Age saw the spread of jazz to other cities and areas. Musicians in those cities began to put their own spin on jazz. For example, Chicago-style jazz increased the improvisation in the music and featured innovative harmonic pieces. Dance clubs also increased, giving individuals a place to go to socialize and enjoy music. Jazz and other traditionally African-American music began to be played more widely.

However, this surge in popularity for jazz was not an entirely positive one. Due to the association with speakeasies, jazz started to get a reputation as being immoral. The media and others argued that jazz was contributing to the loss of older values during the Roaring Twenties. For many people, jazz came to symbolize the negative aspects of these changes in society. In part, this may have been due to continuing racism at the time, since most jazz musicians were African American.

Swing and Big Band

With the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the beginning of the Great Depression, music was hard hit. Many individuals no longer had money to buy records or pay to go to clubs to hear music. The music industry came close to crashing. Many record companies went out of business and companies that made record players often turned to making radios in order to survive. Musicians were also hard hit. Many found themselves without a way to support themselves or their families. Buddy Bolden, who helped create jazz, died in poverty. There was not even enough money to hire the traditional marching band to lead his coffin to the potter’s field where he was buried.

However, this was not the end of jazz. In fact, during the 1930s, jazz became America’s popular music for a time. This came in the form of swing. Swing or swing jazz developed into a distinctive style of jazz by the mid-1930s. Swing featured a strong rhythm section which was fronted by the lead brass section. With medium to fast tempos, the music encouraged dancing. It also featured soloists who would improvise over the melody line that the other instruments played. The rhythm of swing was slightly different from classical jazz, as the rhythm was more evened out than syncopated.

In many ways, swing revitalized the music industry. Record sales again rose, with about 50 million records sold in 1939 alone. More mainstream bands took up the style and swing music could be heard on radios across the country. Many swing bands also traveled around the country, playing dance clubs and halls. The widespread appeal of swing at this time also meant that the music brought together various races of individuals as musicians and in the dance clubs.