Jazz Music- The Roots Of Our Everyday Life Essays (667 words)

Jazz Music- The Roots Of Our Everyday Life What is Jazz? According to the dictionary, jazz is defined as, ?A kind of syncopated, highly rhythmic music originated by Southern blacks in the late 19th century? (?Jazz? 232). But, everyone should at least agree that jazz is the mother of all music, and is referred to as the only art form originating in the United States (?History 101? 2). America was home to immigrants from all over Europe and beyond who wished to build a new life, or just needed to escape from the old. These people, often thought of as second-class, brought their culture with them to America, expressed it musically, and changed the music world as we know it today. Most early jazz was played in small marching bands or by solo pianists. Besides ragtime and marches, the repertoire included hymns, spirituals, and blues. The bands played this music at picnics, weddings, parades, and funerals. Characteristically, the bands played hymns on the way to funerals and lively marches on the way back. Although blues and ragtime had arisen independently of jazz, and continued to exist alongside it, these genres influenced the style and forms of jazz and provided important vehicles for jazz improvisation. Around the turn of the 20th century, the earliest fully documented jazz style emerged, centered in New Orleans, Louisiana. This city is often called the ?cradle of jazz? (?History 101? 3). In this style, the trumpet carried the melody, the clarinet played showy countermelodies, and the trombone played rhythmic slides and sounded the root notes of chords or simple harmony. Below this basic trio, the tuba or string bass provided a bass line and drums the rhythmic accompaniment. New Orleans jazz was just the beginning of an entire sweep across the county. The first true virtuoso soloist of jazz was Louis Armstrong. He was a dazzling improviser, technically, emotionally, and intellectually. He changed the format of jazz by bringing the soloist to the forefront, and in his recording groups, the ?Hot Five? and the ?Hot Seven? (Porter 2), demonstrated that jazz improvisation could go far beyond simply ornamenting the melody. He became the first well known male jazz singer, and also set standards for all later jazz singers, by creating scat singing: singing meaningless syllables instead of words, not unlike instrumental improvisation. During the 1920s, large groups of jazz musicians began to play together, forming the big bands that became so popular in the 1930s and early 1940s, (the swing era). The development of the big band can be majorly credited to the achievement of Duke Ellington and his revolutionary song, ?It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing? (?Jazz Music? 54). This soon became the new word for music played with a happy, relaxed beat. A new style also started in the early 1940's when a group of musicians started experimenting with more complicated chord patterns and melodic ideas. This group included trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, and pianists Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell. This new approach became known as bebop, or bop. Most bop musicians had exceptional techniques that enabled them to play long, dazzling phrases with many notes. In the 1940's and 1950's, jazz began to lose its reputation as a ?lowdown? music, and gained acceptance among intellectuals and college students. Jazz concerts became popular. Duke Ellington and other big band leaders gave many concerts, and a group of improvising musicians made a series of nationwide tours called ?Jazz at the Philharmonic? (?Jazz Music? 56). Jazz music was revolutionary and is still changing and improving, even today. The music world today would not be the same without the influence of these amazing and breathtaking musicians. Bibliography ?History 101.? Jazz Central: The true home of jazz. Jul. 1998. 1-4. ?Jazz.? Webster's New World Dictionary. Cleveland, OH: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1989. 232. ?Jazz Music.? The World Book Encyclopedia. 1974 ed. Porter, Lewis. ?Jazz.? The 1998 Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Aug. 1997. 1-12. Music

Quotes from Dracula, Bram Stokers Horror Classic

Quotes from 'Dracula,' Bram Stoker's Horror Classic Bram Stokers Dracula is a classic vampire tale. First published in 1897, the novel was influenced by a history of vampire myths and stories, but Stoker shaped all those fragmented tales to create a literary legend (that was just the start of what we know and understand about vampires in current literature). Even though stories like Polidoris The Vampire and Le Fanus Carmilla already existed at the time when Dracula was first published, Stokers noveland his literary imaginationhelped to spawn a new dimension in horror literature. Here are a few quotes from Bram Stokers Dracula. Quotes from Dracula I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool; if so my stay may be very interesting.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 1, Dracula Notes: The novel is written in the style of a journal, written by Jonathan Harker. Already, the author is playing upon preconceptions and superstitions, and leading us to expect something interesting, although what that might mean is not immediately clear. How does superstition figure into our perception (and fear) of vampires? Was this a customary incident in the life of a solicitors clerk sent out to explain the purchase of a London estate to a foreigner?- Bram Stoker, Chapter 2, Dracula Notes: Jonathan Harker is an everyman, a simple clerk who goes out to do a job and finds himself in the midst of a very-unexpected experienceforeign to his understanding. Hes a stranger in a strange land. As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me... a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 2, DraculaWhen the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a sort of demonaic fury, and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away, and his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe that it was ever there.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 2, DraculaThe fair girl went on her knees and bent over me, fairly gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal... I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the super-sensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 3, DraculaI bent over him, and tried to find any sign of life, but in va in.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 4, Dracula But, oh, Mina, I love him; I love him; I love him!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 5, DraculaOh Lucy, I cannot be angry with you, nor can I be angry with my friend whose happiness is yours; but I must only wait on hopeless and work. Work! work!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 6, DraculaThe man was simply fastened by his hands, tied one over the other, to a spoke of the wheel. Between the inner hand and the wood was a crucifix.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 7, Draculaa man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale... I crept behind It, and gave It my knife; but the knife went through It, empty as the air.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 7, Draculathere, on our favourite seat, the silver light of the moon struck a half-reclining figure, snowy white... something dark stood behind the seat where the white figure shone, and bent over it. What it was, whether man or beast, I could not tell.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 8, DraculaBetween me and the moonlight flitted a great bat, coming and going in great, whirling circles.- Bram Stoker, Chapte r 8, Dracula I dont want to talk to you: you dont count now; the Master is at hand.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 8, DraculaI am here to do Your bidding, Master. I am Your slave...- Bram Stoker, Chapter 8, Draculait will be for her sake, and I must not hesitate to ask, or you to act.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 9, DraculaAll over! all over! He has deserted me.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 9, DraculaThe whole bed would have been drenched to a scarlet with the blood the girl must have lost...- Bram Stoker, Chapter 10, DraculaNo man knows till he experiences it, what it is like to feel his own life-blood drawn away into the woman he loves.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 10, DraculaThe blood is the life!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 11, DraculaIf that were all, I would stop here where we are now, and let her fade away into peace...- Bram Stoker, Chapter 12, DraculaNot so! Alas! Not so. It is only the beginning!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 12, DraculaHe was very pale, and his eyes seemed bulging out as, half in terror and half in amazement, he gazed at a tall, thin man, with a beaky nose and black moustache and pointed beard...- Bram Stoker, Chapter 13, Dracula Mein Gott! Mein Gott! So soon! So soon!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 14, DraculaThey were made by Miss Lucy!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 14, DraculaIn trance she died, and in trance she is Un-Dead, too... There is no malign there, see, and so it make it hard that I must kill her in her sleep.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 15, DraculaI shall cut off her head and fill her mouth with garlic, and I shall drive a stake through her body.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 15, DraculaThe sweetness was turned to adamantine, heartless cruelty, and the purity to voluptuous wantonness.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 16, Dracula Study Guide Dracula ReviewDracula QuotesQuestions for Study and Discussion Here are a few more quotations from Bram Stokers Dracula. You will, I trust, Dr. Seward, do me the justice to bear in mind, later on, that I did what I could to convince you to-night.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 18, DraculaWith his left hand he held both Mrs Harkers hands, keeping them away with her arms at full tension; his right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom. Her white nightdress was smeared with blood, and a thin stream trickled down the mans bare breast, which was shown by his torn open dress.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 21, DraculaAs he placed the Wafer on Minas forehead, it had seared it - had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white hot metal.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 22, DraculaMy revenge has just begun! I spread it over centuries and time is on my side.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 23, Draculayou are but mortal woman. Time is now to be dreaded - since once he put that mark upon your throat.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 23, DraculaI on my part give up the uncertainty of eternal rest and go out i nto the dark where may be the blackest things that the world or the nether world holds!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 25, Dracula As I looked, the eyes saw the sinking sun, and the look of hate in them [the gypsies] turned to triumph. But, on the instant, came the sweep and flash of Jonathans great knife. I shrieked as I saw it shear through the throat; whilst at the same moment Mr Morriss bowie knife plunged in the heart.- Bram Stoker, Chapter 27, DraculaNow God be thanked that all has not been in vain! See! the snow is not more stainless than her forehead! The curse has passed away!- Bram Stoker, Chapter 27, Dracula Study Guide Dracula ReviewDracula QuotesDracula NovelQuestions for Study and Discussion