Book contents
- Jazz and American Culture
- Cambridge Themes in American Literature and Culture
- Jazz and American Culture
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I Elements of Sound and Style
- Part II Aesthetic Movements
- Part III Cultural Contexts
- 9 Jazz Slang, Jazz Speak
- 10 Jazz Cool
- 11 The Institutionalization of Jazz
- 12 Jazz Abroad
- Part IV Literary Genres
- Part V Images and Screens
- Bibliography
- Index
9 - Jazz Slang, Jazz Speak
from Part III - Cultural Contexts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 November 2023
- Jazz and American Culture
- Cambridge Themes in American Literature and Culture
- Jazz and American Culture
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I Elements of Sound and Style
- Part II Aesthetic Movements
- Part III Cultural Contexts
- 9 Jazz Slang, Jazz Speak
- 10 Jazz Cool
- 11 The Institutionalization of Jazz
- 12 Jazz Abroad
- Part IV Literary Genres
- Part V Images and Screens
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This essay investigates the slang that emerged from jazz scenes during the twentieth century. A music history characterized by continual stylistic change and innovation is echoed in a corresponding ‘slanguage’ created by jazz musicians. Jazz slang permeates American culture and reflects the experience of Black musicians who created new worlds within language itself. Jazz slang has provided a venue for protesting white supremacy, exploring artistic playfulness, and expressing the energy of improvisation. This essay engages the reasons for jazz slang’s creation, scholarly and societal perceptions of the language, as well as some of the major conditions contributing to its dissemination.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Jazz and American Culture , pp. 145 - 158Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023