Jazz is a Four Letter Word | The Breakdown with Dara Starr Tucker

Jazz is one of the most misused words in the English language. We're taking a look at the word's sordid history, and the attempts by Black American Musicians to properly tell the story of how this music came to be.
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[janelleherrera]

Thank you for this video!! I am a Hispanic sax player who went to college for “jazz studies” but ended up dropping out because I was disappointed with the program . I couldn’t justify giving my money to an establishment where there was no real care for the true history of the music in all of its pain and triumphs. It felt like a dissection of the music through a western classical theory lens. My teacher wasn’t necessarily bad but it just rubbed me wrong that he’s profited so much off of black culture without giving back through his position of power as an educator. I myself still have a lot to learn and I’m really proud to be educating myself through the wonderful books some of these legends have left behind. Every ounce of knowledge makes me feel more proud to play, and more confident that I’m treating the music with the full respect and care it deserves. Thank you again for your educational content ❤

[paulgavinmusic]

It’s insane that this video doesn’t have thousands of views. Excellent work 🙏🏾

[mimiandy]

Oooh, thank you for this video, Miss Dara! I am not a huge fan of jazz music, but you were able to convey the same opinions that I have about the commodification of Black American culture.
"A shadow" is such an appropriate descriptor of how Black-American culture has been seen by a lot of people.

[peteirie]

insightful and factual, truth comes in many forms, thank you

[margaretthomas]

Shelton Brooks is referred to as a Jazz originator, he goes back to somewhere around 1909, perhaps before, during the ragtime era, The fabricated, out of context and non reality depicted in the 1946 Jolson Story, where Jolson goes to a club where Jazz Is playing in New Orleans, and says this is the THING, is based on Brooks writing songs for him in the Dockstader minstrels around then. The Jazz combo in the Jolson Story is actually Matty Melnick and Milton Delugg combo, but black musicians are shown playing, and it sounds a bigger production than a combo. The whole movie music was Morris Stollof, 30 or so piece orchestra. I have never found in any cast, or production information any refs to the black musicians, or actors, or both. There should be! There is various on line about Shelton Brooks, including a few you tubes.

[margaretthomas]

What did those who first played it in New Orleans clubs call it?

[bobdavis]

Very educational, Ms. Tucker; makes me listen and watch intently! My father was a big "Dixieland jazz" fan and I'm glad to learn more about the Black origins of musical forms that ended up whitewashed. At just before the three minute mark, Kool Moe Dee's middle name is misspelled; if you want to correct that and let me know you did, you can delete this comment and I'd rewrite it without the notification.