Jazz and the Soapbox Term Paper by Grahamdubya

In this article, the writer discusses that one of the grand impetuses behind the very birth of jazz was to send a statement; a political message. The writer maintains that essentially, jazz was invented as a musical soapbox. The writer points out that not everyone has the same take on the genre, as with most art forms, and that even the artists themselves disagree as to the particulars of whether their music carries an intentional message or not. The writer points out that the fact remains, however, that jazz is one of the first instances of popular music that conveys some sort of social message. The writer concludes that jazz artists have been consistent, progressive voices for change in the U.S. and while at times, the white establishment has drowned them out, jazz as a vehicle for uplift, and as a cultural expression of black identity, remains strong to this day.