ディキシーランド・ジャズ

(7) New Orleans Jazz
Jazz, which was played by the blacks in New Orleans in early period, is generally called New Orleans Jazz. However, it had two trends. One was the blacks' favorite and was more like a brass band's impromptu and strong music; another was elegant chamber orchestra type music for Creoles, the whites. New Orleans Jazz is origin of music so called Jazz today.

(8) Creole Jazz

Mix of the French and the black is called “Creole” because this place was under French Government. Despite the fact that there had been slavery, Creoles were distinguished from the blacks; in addition, they were equally ranked in the prospertized classes with other white people. However, these Creoles were regarded as mere black people after abolition of slavery; thus, in the United States, these blacks changed their social status and had been segregated since emancipation.

People call melodies of Creole “Creole Tune” and their Jazz “Creole Jazz.”

Since the time Creole and the blacks had been considered one group of black people, Jazz became unique. In contrast, Creole’s music was more European like, smart music even before.

(9) Dixieland Jazz
In contrast to Creole Jazz, the white people initiated Jazz copying the blacks. They created New Orleans style Jazz leaded by three wind instruments; trumpets, trombones and clarinets. It has been called Dixieland Jazz. Once Dixieland Jazz went out, but it came back at the end of 1939 to 1940. The reason was that small band cost less than big band to be managed, so it gained popularity.

(10) Dixieland
New Orleans, as you see, is named after a French city. Orlean is countryside sitting on slightly South from Paris. While French governed New Orleans, central bank printed “DIX” with French on $10 bill. Therefore, people started to call New Orleans “Dixieland”, then the name covers to indicate most Southern area by now.

(11) From New Orleans to Chicago

At abolition of public prostitution in 1917, Storyville where many prostitutes were sitting on declined. Consequently, many musicians lost their job, and they moved to Chicago via North bound along Mississippi River. In this way, Jazz prospered much more in Chicago.

1920’s were Al Capone’s days, so Mafia made Jazzmen to play at underground bars that Mafia took operated in back.

Landladies of prostitute loved Jazz at first, then Mafia gave patronage. Nevertheless Jazz grew in unrespectable environment, well behaved people have gradually accepted it.

[translated by Mariko Ukawa]