Assignment: Was the life of a jazz musician during the 1920s good, bad, or a mixed bag? Write a research paper that argues one of these points of view.
Paper:
Following World War I, many African American musicians moved from New Orleans to Chicago because of racial tensions in New Orleans ("A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927 - New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)"). They were"fleeing... [the] oppressive caste system [in the South] in order to find a place where they could freely express their talents". ("The Rise And Fall Of Jim Crow . Jim Crow Stories . The Harlem Renaissance | PBS"). They "migrated from New Orleans to major northern cities such as Chicago and New York, leading to a wider dispersal of jazz" ("The Jazz Age."). The 1920s was an incredibly exciting time for musicians of color. In New York City, this time period was known as the Harlem Renaissance, "... a literary and intellectual flowering that fostered a new black cultural identity ." (Rowen and Brunner). During this time, society experienced many social changes, including women winning the right to vote, Prohibition, and of course the emergence of jazz music. Once jazz musicians moved, they found job opportunities to be more plentiful. Some even found fame. New technology, such as the radio, helped them increase their fanbase by making music more available to the general public at a wide variety of income levels. Many musicians, such as Lillian Hardin-Armstrong, Louis Armstrong, Lt. James Reese Europe, Bessie Smith, and Jelly Roll Morton accomplished their dreams of performing and being famous. However, life for musicians was not always easy. Despite their newfound success, black musicians still faced prejudice and exploitation. Moreover, they were not immune to alcohol, which was easily available at the speakeasies in which they performed. Furthermore, even though women had just won the right to vote, life could often be difficult for female musicians. "Largely credited to African Americans employing new musical techniques along with traditional African traditions, jazz soon expanded to America's white middle class." ("The Jazz Age.") The job opportunities were also plentiful. Fame was one of the best parts of being a musician. Bix Beiderbecke, a cornetist, died at age 28 due to his alcoholism (Johnson). 1920s jazz musicians lived a life that was difficult, yet also rewarding as a result of the fame associated with their careers, the job opportunities, and the emergence of new technology. They were often seen as objects that were put in bands just for show.
The Prohibition Era started when alcohol officially became illegal in America on January 16th, 1920. While the point of Prohibition was to reduce poverty and crime, the opposite happened. People drank even more than before, and alcohol-related deaths increased among musicians as well as others. However, there was one good thing that came out of Prohibition: jazz music. Prohibition turned saloons into speakeasies. Speakeasies were clubs that required a password to get in. These clubs created a lot of jobs for jazz musicians.
Being a musician in the 1920s was great, seeing as there were a multitude of job opportunities available for both performers and those who wanted to work behind-the-scenes. Speakeasies became popular and started popping up all over the place due to Prohibition. This was great news for musicians, as various opportunities in dance halls, ballrooms, and small cabarets were created for them (Tyle). A few musicians even toured the world.
One of the best aspects of being a musician in the 1920s was the fame involved. Perhaps the most well known is Louis Armstrong, who sang "What a Wonderful World." Armstrong, who was discovered by King Oliver, another famous musician of the time, became "the greatest jazz musician of his era and eventually one of the biggest stars in the world" (Alexander). Lillian Hardin-Armstrong, who was his second wife, was also very famous and successful at the time. She worked as a Swing vocalist and appeared in several Broadway shows. Artists were also often praised highly by their fans. Lt. James Reese Europe was referred to by many as "The Jazz King" ("Jazz Roots"). In addition, many famous musicians such as Bessie Smith, were looked up to as role models and inspirations ("The Jazz Age"). Fame was something that many people desired because they wanted to live a high-class lifestyle. In conclusion, one of the main reasons why life was so excellent for musicians in the 1920s was that there was a great deal of fame involved.
In addition to the countless job opportunities, musicians also became successful as a result of the increasing popularity of new recording and broadcasting technology. Due to the fact that Americans were now "more urbanized, affluent, and entertainment-oriented than ever before" ("A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927 - New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)"), more people bought radios. Therefore, radios became a major source of entertainment in the U.S. "Between 1923 and 1930, 60 percent of American families purchased radios. Families gathered around their radios for night-time entertainment. As radio ownership increased, so did the number of radio stations." ("Radio In The 1920s") This made it much easier for musicians to become well known. Now, they could increase their audience and fanbase. It also helped them to sell and advertise their music. Plus, since many musicians were black and experienced racism, the radio made it easier for them because it was impossible to see skin color through the radio. In addition to the radio becoming popular, movie soundtracks also helped musicians to further advance their careers. By the late 1920s, sound was added to movies, creating a new way to sell sheet music and phonograph records. It also gave songwriters more job opportunities. In conclusion, life was good for a jazz musician in the 1920s since the new technology helped them to increase their fan base, sell their music, and find a job.
In conclusion, the life of a jazz musician in the 1920s was excellent. There was tons of fame involved, a plethora of new technology that helped them to become famous, and a bunch of job opportunities for them. The 1920s was a truly enjoyable period of time, especially for musicians. Being famous was enjoyable. The new technology was extremely helpful. Also, there was a great deal of job opportunities. The 1920s was great for musicians!
Paper:
The Life of a Musician in the 1920s
Following World War I, many African American musicians moved from New Orleans to Chicago because of racial tensions in New Orleans ("A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927 - New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)"). They were"fleeing... [the] oppressive caste system [in the South] in order to find a place where they could freely express their talents". ("The Rise And Fall Of Jim Crow . Jim Crow Stories . The Harlem Renaissance | PBS"). They "migrated from New Orleans to major northern cities such as Chicago and New York, leading to a wider dispersal of jazz" ("The Jazz Age."). The 1920s was an incredibly exciting time for musicians of color. In New York City, this time period was known as the Harlem Renaissance, "... a literary and intellectual flowering that fostered a new black cultural identity ." (Rowen and Brunner). During this time, society experienced many social changes, including women winning the right to vote, Prohibition, and of course the emergence of jazz music. Once jazz musicians moved, they found job opportunities to be more plentiful. Some even found fame. New technology, such as the radio, helped them increase their fanbase by making music more available to the general public at a wide variety of income levels. Many musicians, such as Lillian Hardin-Armstrong, Louis Armstrong, Lt. James Reese Europe, Bessie Smith, and Jelly Roll Morton accomplished their dreams of performing and being famous. However, life for musicians was not always easy. Despite their newfound success, black musicians still faced prejudice and exploitation. Moreover, they were not immune to alcohol, which was easily available at the speakeasies in which they performed. Furthermore, even though women had just won the right to vote, life could often be difficult for female musicians. "Largely credited to African Americans employing new musical techniques along with traditional African traditions, jazz soon expanded to America's white middle class." ("The Jazz Age.") The job opportunities were also plentiful. Fame was one of the best parts of being a musician. Bix Beiderbecke, a cornetist, died at age 28 due to his alcoholism (Johnson). 1920s jazz musicians lived a life that was difficult, yet also rewarding as a result of the fame associated with their careers, the job opportunities, and the emergence of new technology. They were often seen as objects that were put in bands just for show.
The Prohibition Era started when alcohol officially became illegal in America on January 16th, 1920. While the point of Prohibition was to reduce poverty and crime, the opposite happened. People drank even more than before, and alcohol-related deaths increased among musicians as well as others. However, there was one good thing that came out of Prohibition: jazz music. Prohibition turned saloons into speakeasies. Speakeasies were clubs that required a password to get in. These clubs created a lot of jobs for jazz musicians.
Being a musician in the 1920s was great, seeing as there were a multitude of job opportunities available for both performers and those who wanted to work behind-the-scenes. Speakeasies became popular and started popping up all over the place due to Prohibition. This was great news for musicians, as various opportunities in dance halls, ballrooms, and small cabarets were created for them (Tyle). A few musicians even toured the world.
One of the best aspects of being a musician in the 1920s was the fame involved. Perhaps the most well known is Louis Armstrong, who sang "What a Wonderful World." Armstrong, who was discovered by King Oliver, another famous musician of the time, became "the greatest jazz musician of his era and eventually one of the biggest stars in the world" (Alexander). Lillian Hardin-Armstrong, who was his second wife, was also very famous and successful at the time. She worked as a Swing vocalist and appeared in several Broadway shows. Artists were also often praised highly by their fans. Lt. James Reese Europe was referred to by many as "The Jazz King" ("Jazz Roots"). In addition, many famous musicians such as Bessie Smith, were looked up to as role models and inspirations ("The Jazz Age"). Fame was something that many people desired because they wanted to live a high-class lifestyle. In conclusion, one of the main reasons why life was so excellent for musicians in the 1920s was that there was a great deal of fame involved.
In addition to the countless job opportunities, musicians also became successful as a result of the increasing popularity of new recording and broadcasting technology. Due to the fact that Americans were now "more urbanized, affluent, and entertainment-oriented than ever before" ("A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927 - New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)"), more people bought radios. Therefore, radios became a major source of entertainment in the U.S. "Between 1923 and 1930, 60 percent of American families purchased radios. Families gathered around their radios for night-time entertainment. As radio ownership increased, so did the number of radio stations." ("Radio In The 1920s") This made it much easier for musicians to become well known. Now, they could increase their audience and fanbase. It also helped them to sell and advertise their music. Plus, since many musicians were black and experienced racism, the radio made it easier for them because it was impossible to see skin color through the radio. In addition to the radio becoming popular, movie soundtracks also helped musicians to further advance their careers. By the late 1920s, sound was added to movies, creating a new way to sell sheet music and phonograph records. It also gave songwriters more job opportunities. In conclusion, life was good for a jazz musician in the 1920s since the new technology helped them to increase their fan base, sell their music, and find a job.
In conclusion, the life of a jazz musician in the 1920s was excellent. There was tons of fame involved, a plethora of new technology that helped them to become famous, and a bunch of job opportunities for them. The 1920s was a truly enjoyable period of time, especially for musicians. Being famous was enjoyable. The new technology was extremely helpful. Also, there was a great deal of job opportunities. The 1920s was great for musicians!