How does one appreciate Jazz?

Jazz really has its roots in gospel, and in the blues, which were definitively African-American inventions. Most, if not all, early jazz players were African American.

First of all, the term "gospel" didn't become a standard term for a style of black praise music until well into the 20th century, and the so-called "father of gospel music," Thomas Dorsey, wasn't born until 1899. It would have been difficult for him to have been an influence on the musicians who first created jazz at say, age one, don't you think?

Second, confining the origins of jazz to the blues and Negro spirituals (the historical name for pre-jazz black religious music) is cherry picking at best. Ragtime, another acknowledged influence which was at first a piano style which was later adapted to groups, is said to be a mix of march music a-la John Phillip Sousa with syncopation. Scott Joplin, the best-known of the ragtime pianists/composers, was schooled in European music by Julius Weiss, a German-Jewish immigrant who taught Joplin piano, sight reading, solfeggio, and harmony. The Tio family of New Orleans had emigrated from Mexico in 1885 and were classically trained reed players who not only performed in local and national bands but also taught most of the next generation of jazz clarinetists from New Orleans, teaching established "classical" technique and reading. Jelly Roll Morton was of Spanish, French, and African decent and did not consider himself "negro." He was apparently quite well versed in all the popular styles of music in New Orleans of the day, which included French quadrilles and light operatic pieces.

Aside from the multiple stories of early creole jazz musicians (read mixed race) it's well documented through the earliest recordings of jazz that white musicians were contemporaneous with black ones during the time of the music's development.

Another factor which must be addressed in order to have an honest debate about the subject of jazz is when does "influence" become "theft?" Why is it OK to say that white musicians "imitated," "copied," or "stole from" black musicians but ignore the facts that the diatonic scale, harmony, music notation, musical form, time signatures, instrumental pedagogy and so many other established elements of jazz are European?

/r/Jazz Thread Parent