DANIEL MCCLOUD

“Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around,” — Miles Davis

Following the end of the Civil War, as Black music continued to evolve, transitioning from the spirituals, blues, and gospel music, a new, freer, unencumbered genre of music began to emerge. Widely considered to have started in the city of New Orleans between 1910 and 1915, Jazz music was unique in that, by nature, it is an ever-changing, ever-evolving matrix of sound and improvisation.
New Orleans became a culturally diverse melting pot, with descendants of enslaved people from the Caribbean, Creoles (people of mixed European and African heritage), and others of European descent all living nearby. This collective of individuals brought various musical influences, including West African folk music, spirituals, ragtime, and the sound of the marching band. The Jazz music genre has given birth to numerous sub-genres, including Bebop, Hard Bop, Cool Jazz, and Free Jazz, to name a few. For many, Jazz is viewed as a cool, relaxed, and laid-back style of music. Limiting Jazz in that manner is a disservice to the complexities of Jazz and the artist who breathed life into the music.
Contrary to what some might think, Jazz music was instrumental in the fight for social justice, like many other genres of Black music. Although in many ways more different than other forms of music, Jazz had one commonality with the music that preceded it. Like other music, Jazz would eventually find itself as a resistance medium.
Songs such as Charles Mingus’s 1959 “Fables of Faubus” protested the segregationist views of Arkansas governor, Orval Faubus. The same Faubus is most famously known for using the Arkansas National Guard to block the pathway of the Little Rock Nine as they innocently sought to desegregate Little Rock’s Central High School.
Other songs, such as Alabama by John Coltrane, were recorded in 1963, shortly after the bombing at the 16th Street Baptist Church. The piece is described as sorrowful, tragic, and resilient. Like other Jazz artists, Coltrane was keenly aware of his role and desire to serve as a catalyst for social change. In a 1967 interview, Coltrane stated, “I know that there are bad forces. I know that there are forces out here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world, but I want to be the opposite force. I want to be the force that is truly for good.”
Other prominent Jazz figures who sought justice through their music included Count Basie, who worked with noted African American author and scholar Richard Wright on a piece called King Joe (The Joe Louis Blues). The 1941 composition paid tribute to the legendary fighter Joe Louis, who was recognized and hailed as a pillar in his African American community. World-renowned artist, entertainer, and activist Paul Robeson appeared as the vocalist on this piece.
So powerful was the influence of Jazz music that the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was said to have expressed its power, stating that “Much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music. It strengthened us with its sweet rhythms when courage began to fail. It has calmed us with its rich harmonies when spirits were down.”
For perspective, I listened to the abovementioned songs, viewing them from the context of my research for their meaning. Coltrane’s, “Alabama,” was indeed haunting. Slow and subtle with a hint of sorrow, then building to a wave of anger directed toward those who committed the heinous crime. Mingus’s Fables of Faubus had a sound that can only be described as sneaky or mischievous, with a hint of chaos. I guess this may have adequately expressed the atmosphere during that time. The song was initially released in 1959 as an instrumental. However, it was later released in 1960 with lyrics, which that at the time would certainly lead to what Civil Rights trailblazer John Lewis would refer to as “good trouble.”
Jazz music is an original American art form that has stood the test of time. In its many renditions, this music has caused people to feel a certain way. Similar to the Blues, spirituals, and gospel music. Jazz can stir things up in a person’s heart, mind, and soul. And isn’t that the goal of any art form? To feel something so deeply as to cause an awakening that leads to change. Such is the enduring legacy of Jazz.