I. What Is Jazz?
The quest for the definition of the music called jazz is a complex proposition with an elusive goal. There has been controversy related to the derivation of a 'definition' or even the functionality of deriving a definition for jazz. Two camps of thought have emerged from this argument. There is the camp that is very up front about the need for a definition. The second camp uses comments and opinions from past and present jazz figures to present proof that a definition falls short of serving the music. I believe that there is a middle ground.
On the one hand, in order to talk specifically about a subject or in this case an idiom - in order to transfer knowledge in a communicative way - humans are forced to use labels. The history of this particular music and the commercial signposts for it has been the label jazz. To dispense with this label would in some ways erase any debate about it.
On the other hand, important figures such as Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus have, at one time or another, expressed the feeling of restriction of the jazz label, succinctly pointing to the very commercial aspects of the label and challenging them. They insist that this label does not fully express the music and, early on in it's history, the term was construed as negative. Since these figures have contributed so much to the foundation of the genre, their comments must hold some weight. So for the purposes of this essay, the label jazz might be thought of as transitory in nature, a label nonetheless, but one that is aware of the dynamic nature of the idiom and the arguments that are embued within its usage. This by no means implies that there are not idiomatic signposts in jazz recorded history.
Specifically, Jazz is a performance art in which physical and mental movement are actualized through virtuoso proficiency via an individual perspective about a collectively conscious tradition. This is an idiomatic primary definition that is not limited to music. Moving towards the musical, jazz can also be defined as a musical art form in which the individual artist must convey coherent musical ideas not only spontaneously but also incorporating a combination of traditional and esoteric constructs into all manner of performance. This requires a fluent command of general music theory, from both a melodic and harmonic standpoint as well as an understanding of the theory of complex rhythms and polyphony. It also requires a fluency in the history of world musics as a reference point as well as developing a dialog with certain organic relationships that have to do with Afro-Euro-Americanism.
The core meaning of jazz lies in its usage as onomonopia. The phrase 'to jazz something up...' aptly sums up the spiritual objective of jazz. But the specificity of jazz precedent requires those of us concerned with utilizing this idiom to its fullest functionality to attain the ends of jazz through continual study of the idiom, past and present. In attaining this command, the aspiring jazz performer must make the very basic rudiments of his instrument second nature. It is hoped that with these 'chops' the performer now has enough technical command over his instrument to be able to begin functioning in most any musical situation.
Stylistically, it would be limiting to describe jazz as revolving around one or another style or milieu. This would imply a static art form; one whose participants had settled on particular constraints to stylistic expression. But jazz's inherent linkage between real time physicality, social circumstances and music implies a limitless range of timbral and spatial possibilities. The true jazz musician has been exposed extensively to European classics; if not directly, tangential or referentially. The true jazz musician definitely knows about Africa. One who does not is being truly dillusional; blindly relying on derivativism while glibly content with ersatz prognostication. The true jazz musician is open to earth's tradition of sound and prepared to organize that sound into non-speculative aural complexes. And the true jazz artist is definitely a part of the American ethos, even if they live outside the United States. Democracy, our system of mediating human diversity while insuring global opportunity for human invention and potential, has affected the entire globe.
The "jazz tradition" doesn't have to be adhered to but then we must say that congruence or noncongruence with the tradition can't be put in the same boat as just plain, flat out noncontextual gibberish. We look at traditional study as our stylistic reference point rather than a philosophical dogma point. It forms our taste for jazz. In essence, the end result will hopefully be all these factors working as 'vocabulary words' for your use in whatever musical essay or verse you might be performing.
The jazz musician is always trying to link his soul and intellect with his horn. A non-musician has the same capacity for emotion as anyone else. But if you put an instrument in his hand and you have him play, the link between his emotions and his ability to convey "soulful" things on that instrument is at it's greatest length. So now, if he decides that he wants to become a jazz musician he will have to attain command over his instrument. That link will have to be greatly decreased. The dialectic primary basis for jazz is western european music. All instrumental implications come out of that tradition. The secondary basis for jazz is the American Negro's musical extentions to that tradition. Without an instrumentalist effectively combining these 2 elements as the basis for their imporvised extemporizations, their effectiveness as a 'jazz' performer lowers.
The direction of immination for these imporvised ideas is from the soul. The latter statement, I must carefully say, cannot not be taken as an axiom without some introspection and personal experience. How can I or any one tell a person how or when to play from their soul? But everyone does. So unlike those who would postulate that there is a such thing as soulless music, I contend that all music is full of human spirit or soul. It is then up to the performer to convey the non-speculative aspects of their chosen traditions and to set the appropriate context for their audience.