Ragtime and New Orleans jazz (frequently called "Dixieland Jazz") were popularized nationwide in the early decades of the twentieth century, the first forms of African music to cross over into white America. Pioneers like Scott Joplin- "The King of Ragtime", Jelly Roll Morton, Ma Rainey and W.C. Handy-"Father of the Blues", paved a road on which many others after them would travel. Ragtime composer, Scott Joplin (pictured to the left) was widely celebrated for this exciting new sound, making him one of the first African Africans to enjoy fame. The economy let a few middle class Americans with “leisure time”. Many families had pianos in their parlors, for entertainment and as a status symbol. Joplin’s sheet music was sold to many Americans (mostly women) who wanted to play it on their pianos in their homes. Ragtime’s new rhythms distinguished the new sounds of early jazz. The riverboats of the Mississippi River helped spread the music to Northern cities, as did the expanding train system. Besides increasing the mobility of America's population, these faster forms of mass transportation also moved musical and other cultural influences quickly across the country.
The 1930s & 1940s
After the stock market crash of 1929, the Great Depression created an era of severe economic suffering for many people. At the same time, the hardship of the times enabled the cultural power of African Americans to drive a small wedge into the wall of racism separating whites from blacks. It was the optimistic music of all black Big Bands that boosted the morale of white America and transformed American popular culture forever. Swing's popularity developed the music and launched the careers of many jazz musicians, both black and white, for decades to come. If you listen closely, you can especially hear it in the jazzy music that follows WW2.The economics and rationing of World War II caused the recording industry to stop during the war, but the jazz music transmitted across radio waves was essential to uplifting the American spirit both at home and overseas. During this time, many black jazz musicians traveled around the world, gaining exposure to new ethnic and cultural music traditions, adding to their notion of music of the day having more complexity and an impetus to push for change.