The Early Days of Jazz

Get in touch! Welcome to episode five in the American Song podcast. The early days of jazz were full of exploration, invention, and creativity. It was a time of fluid exchanges in the music world between blacks and whites, even if it was only seldom happening anywhere else. Jazz rose up from Congo Square in New Orleans, which was a culturally rich gumbo of sounds, rhythms and movement produced by people whose origins were from far away places. Spanish, French, English, African and Native Americans all contributed to this musical feast to create an art that could only have happened here. In this episode, you'll learn about some of the earliest jazz musicians who made a lasting impact, influencing and shaping the music for many decades to come. You'll also hear and experience some of those great early songs, as well as hear directly from a few of the musicians that made the music possible. As they say in New Orleans, ""Laissez les bon temps rouler!" Let the good times roll! Track List Duke Ellington Remembers Jelly Roll Morton Rembers St. James Infirmary - Buddy Bolden Jelly Roll Morton & His Red Hot Peppers - Dr. Jazz James P. Bolden - You've Got to Be Modernistic Archie Shepp Remembers Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet - Strange Fruit Rockin' Chair - Bix Biederbecke Louis Armstrong Remembers Bix Biederbecke St. Louis Blues - the Paul Whiteman Orchestra Basin Street Blues - Louis Armstrong When You're Young the Whole World Smiles With You - Louis Armstrong