Diffusion and Syncretism: The Modern Jazz Tradition

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Volume 566, p. 25-36

Abstract

Analyzes the musical syncretism involved in the development of a modern jazz tradition in the US in the first half of the 20th century. It is shown how a professional ethos among popular musicians during this period guided their reinterpretation & reinvention of folk, popular, & classical music practices in the creation of a jazz tradition. It is argued that this ethos led them, in their low-status positions as popular musicians, to affirm their legitimacy through the creation of a high-art aesthetic. In general, analysis shows how the social context in the diffusion of jazz practices affected the transformation of these practices in value & form. 13 References. Adapted from the source document.