Blues and Jazz and the Evolution of Blacks in American Analytical Essay by Top Papers

The paper discusses how most individuals listen to music and focus on it from the perspective of how it makes them feel at a given time and place or point in their lives. The paper describes how memories of songs echo in the mind in a manner that brings up joyous memories or sad reflections and the music becomes a personal experience. The paper asserts, however, that all too often, music is not viewed by how it has shaped a culture or a specific society. Yet, the paper discusses how there are those that argue that to completely comprehend the African American culture of today, one must also understand the roots of blues and jazz and how these forms of music served to liberalize this population and promote a cathartic means of dealing with oppression. This paper investigates the concept that jazz and blues supported the evolution of African Americans into the mainstream American culture and that because of the liberalizing effects of jazz and the cathartic qualities of the blues music gave those of the Black culture a voice in society.