Szatmary, Jazz: Race and Social Change 1e

Rather than a compendium of jazz artists or a guide to jazz musical theory, David Szatmary’s Jazz: Race and Social Change (1870–2019) explains jazz through the struggles for racial and gender equality, major demographic upheavals, technological advances, economic turmoil, music-business practices and political struggles and wars.  It explains why jazz developed by pinpointing the social conditions surrounding it and, in the process, also addresses when and how jazz changed and who served as major proponents of its many styles. This book takes an expansive view of the music.  It includes such somewhat disparate genres as ragtime, orchestral jazz, the New Orleans style, crooners, big bands, bebop, soul jazz, free jazz, fusion and hip-hop jazz.  During the past 125 years, jazz has evolved tremendously amid civil rights movements, the pursuit of gender equality, disruptive mass migrations of peoples, startling technological innovations, tumultuous financial booms and busts and political battles.  Most likely, it will continue to change with the times to challenge and entertain us for years to come.