Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Jazz and Blues are one of the great culture clashes


the band heats up
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack.
Guitar player Carl Robinson jams on a traditional blues tune in the basement of Thymeless Restaurant during the Monday night blues jam in Downtown Modesto. This, and all the photos on this topic, were taken on May 22, 2006. This photo was taken with an open shutter to catch the colors and the motion, while still preserving the reflections off the instruments. Also, I think it accurately reflects the mood that night.
Jazz and blues are often referred to as the first original music form of North America, an argument I won't dispute. But it became possible because of the great American melting pot and the culture clash that it creates.
Jazz and blues are dominated mostly by European instruments, but rely heavily on African and Latin rhythms. The history of the music form can be traced to slaves in South, Central and North America who brought with them their traditional songs along with its traditional beats, and then blended that with Latin and European folk songs.
The music form later progressed into American bars and saloons where it was refined to what we know it as today.
Without the mix of cultures in the United States, Jazz and blues would have never been invented.

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