The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-15

This word. so compact In form. vet
with a world OF suggestion held within
It's four letters. has hut recently been
admitted TO full membership in our
Language The events Uf the last two
YEARS have given 20 grrat ar introduce
ton and impetus to the little symbol
that ii has won It's way to almost
universal recognition by the sheer
force Of Its expressive quality. says
Howard Brockway in The Review.
Just what In jazz? In striving 70
answer this query. / cannot hope TO
initiate the admirable brcvity of the
word Jazz Is ordered and calculated
noise. 1t Is compound of qualities.
both rhythmic and 'melodie 1t seeks.
and with absolute success be ii said.
to sweep from our minds all simnltan-
eous consideration OF other things. and
TO focus our attention upon Its own
mad, whirIIng. involved self Herein
lies a large part Of its compelling
force and appeal.
The component elements of Jazz are
rhythem, melody. and certain modi-
cum Of contrapuntal inner voices. But
the greatest OF these is rhythm. The
right jazz band starts out to get you
and leaves nothing to chance II Is
fairly well established that only an
oyster can resist the appeal OF synco
pated rhythm when 1t is performed
with Hiasterful ahahdon--abandon
which absolutely controls dynamic
gradations and vital accents.
The howitzers Of the jazz bands
artillery are stationed in the traps >"
Under this heading we And all the in
struments OF percussion, such as the
. big drum, the snare drum. cymbais.
triangle, wooden blocks played upon
with drumsticks, xylophone. cowbells.
rattles, whistles for the production OF
various wierdt noises, and host o.
other implements, often the personal
conceptions OF Individual players of
the traps. The trombones may repre-
sent field guns, while the clarinets
ohoes, saxophones. alto horns, and
comets furnish the rapid-fire bat
teries The range being point-blank.
II is easy to see why the effect OF the
drum fire" Is complete.
The melody will always be borne
by sufficient instruments to insure it's
getting over" Then. in the inner
voices of the. band, will take place a
combination OF effects which adds
enormously TO the total drive of the
number Here are certain OF the con-
trapuntal features which are men
toned above They consist Of a va
riety of hilarious effects. produced by
trombones or saxophones. attained by
curious sliding from note to note.
This creates an extremely con1ical re-
suit. This characteristic and droll
porfamento has become SO well known
and 30 popular that II has achieved a
specific blues" n humorously
apt designation. A striking contrast
is made by ,he mournful coughing of
the trombones In 1lie midst OF the joy
Gus riot of the rest of the band.
Sharp rhythmic CALCULATIONS arise
over the whole tumult the traps
plays, SPREADS S.s array Of dazzling
accents. brought forth with absolute
virtuosity from his motley army of
noise producers. II almost seems, at
times, like case OF each for himself
and the devil take the hindmost."
But II is not so. and there Is definite
purpose and ordered means in 1t all
/ feel hat I need, perhaps. to Jus
tify my a,~'ement that jazz Is not
new in the W, 's In the summer of
1914, ! was visitlrT AT Celignv, on the
shore Of Lake Gesl n, with Ernest
schelling. On tie nit OF July 81
Chinese festival was hel' - Morges.
at Mr.. Paderewskis chateau a honor
Of his birthday. Mr.. Schellins nd /
mad arranged III the music Tor }"
fete OF the Dragon. He had fou
records OF native Siamese orchestraa
taken In Siam by the European Victor
Talking Machine company, az / reol-
leet. When first heard them
played. I was astounded. for there In
this Siamess music, in spite OF the
strange oriental idioms. from an occi-
dental's harmonic standpoint, was the
very essence of--iazz. The music
was like nothing that my ears had
ever heard, and uncouth to the point
OF absolute pninteiligibilify. But
there we're the insistent rhythm, the
demoniac energy. the fantastic riot OF
accents from the drums and other
percussion instruments. and humor-
Gus mood which made me laugh long
and loud, II seemed humorous TO me
] have often wondered what that
mood really weE--in Siamese. There is
no room for doubt when we hear our
own jazz! Whole hearted. boisterous|
rouGh. hQt the very soul ct kindly
OeSd hntSof ai1d cay G-froe uaerrtsnSnt