Black Studies 4 Post (Chicago Jazz

Which city was more important to jazz in the 1920s--Chicago or New York? What role did the particular social, economic, and racial conditions of that city play in creating the cultural conditions for jazz to triumph in that city?  Was there a Chicago or New York style of jazz (depending on which of the two cities you choose)? If so, what was it, who played it, and what distinguished it from other styles?  Whose (band or individual) art best represents the culture and community of the city you choose?  Why?  Please provide references. 


Both New York and Chicago were incredibly important to jazz during the 1920's. Although New York played a heavy role in late 1920's jazz music, I would argue that Chicago played a more influential role in the 1920's jazz era. Many New Orleans artists found greater opportunities in Chicago than they did in their hometown of New Orleans. This caused a migration of talented musicians to Chicago. One of these artists was Jelly Roll Morton. Another artist, Louis Armstrong, moved from New York to Chicago to advance his career. Louis Armstrong and his wife and fellow pianist Lil Hardin moved from New York to Chicago and Armstrong was signed with a record label in 1925 (Gioia 57). However, what was so unique about Armstrong's music in Chicago? Louis Armstrong's "role in transforming the focus of jazz from the ensemble to the soloist" is one of the major unique aspects of Armstrong's contribution to jazz music (Gioia 57). "To gauge his true impact, one must go back and compare his solo work with what came before," states Gioia (58). In fact, the "lead line" that Armstrong dominates in his Chicago recordings are well known and are much different from his earlier work (59). Armstrong took a risk by moving to Chicago. The music industry was very competitive and had multiple incoming artists that were trying to work their way to the top. When Armstrong was given his chance to shine- he sure did. "Armstrong's new conception of jazz, with its emphasis on the soloist, demanded a [hard-swinging foundation]" (60).  The fact is that an "untrained" listener is so used to solos now that if they were listening to an early Armstrong recording, they might not understand how groundbreaking his work was. Armstrong's solos and the emphasis that he placed on the soloist are legendary and are a well known piece of the Chicago 1920 jazz era.