The development of Blues and Jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The development of Blues and Jazz - Essay Example Like jazz, the blues originated in the Deep South and had its roots in folk and popular culture, namely African American spirituals, gospel music or folk ballads (Culture and Change: Black History in America). Ironically while the proverbial Jazz Age celebrated the material excess and splendor of the years of economic boom which preceded the Great Depression, jazz and the blues had their roots in the melancholy and suffering which typified the lives of African Americans in the plantation society of the Deep South. The sadness of these musical forms, though it speaks tacitly of the pain of separation and exploitation, does not diminish its aesthetic beauty. In fact, perhaps quite paradoxically, jazz speaks of sadness even as it embraces an extremely life-affirming spirit. Perhaps the most important characteristic of jazz is its emphasis on artistic freedom. Improvisation is the most central facet of this musical genre. Improvisation which is essentially the act of creating melodies an d lyrics in the flow of a performance debunks the very idea of the normative in creative expression. Improvisation is seen in the solo performances of the best known jazz artist, Louis Armstrong as well as in the â€Å"free jazz† styles of artists such as Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, and John Coltrane (ibid). The trajectory of jazz and the blues is many pronged. ... are many factors which imbue jazz with not merely artistic importance but also cultural and sociopolitical importance and an analysis of these is important to this discussion. Jazz was brought to the fore in the American society shortly after the end of World War I. It celebrated, thus, freedom, happiness and the hope for peace, all things that the annihilation of war destroys. Furthermore, the Jazz Age coincided with a crucially important literary and political movement in the U.S.A.-the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance, predominantly an African American movement emphasized the literary and intellectual achievements of blacks and called for social and political equality for the colored people of the country. Jazz and the blues and their multifarious manifestations, formed a major part of the movement. It was celebrated in its most immediate form, music, but its beats and themes were also incorporated in dancing and literature. Above all, by celebrating the folk roots of ja zz, the movement upheld black pride and the civic equality of all Americans. In terms of its beginnings, jazz is similar to the minstrels, ballads and spirituals which have existed in every society since time immemorial. These forms are what Mikhail Bakhtin characterizes as â€Å"low† or â€Å"carnival†; they do not adhere to normative strictures of the â€Å"high† arts and seek an audience that is usually not amongst the socially and economically privileged in society (Mikhail Bakhtin). Jazz is unique by the virtue of the fact that it transcends its folk roots to enter the popular imagination of not merely the U.S.A. but many European nations as well. In fact, in the 1940s when jazz had already enjoyed a decade of dizzy popularity, jazz musicians were willing to explore in other directions

U.S involvement in Colombia Drug War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

U.S involvement in Colombia Drug War - Essay Example In that direction, the US authorities starting from 1980s focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the US from South America, particularly Columbia. Although, the US authorities initiated covert measures earlier, it was in the late 1990s, the US and the Columbian government officially formalized their anti-drug strategy under the term called Plan Columbia. So, the US’ involvement in Colombia under War on Drugs will be focused here, starting with the discussion of Columbia’s drug background and the early US strategy, followed by military and other actions taken by the US and Columbia as part of Plan Columbia, and finally the results of that plan. Drugs abuse is one of the serious social problems that has affected and is still affecting many societies of the world. Apart from social impacts, it is manifesting into political and even military issue, particularly when the activity of drug trafficking is focused. Drugs that are cultivated and processed in South American countries are mainly trafficked into the United States. Among those countries, Columbia is one of the prominent ones from where there is an increased flow of drugs, further accentuated by internal conflicts. That is, Colombia has long been considered to be one of the most active markets for illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and others and that illegal drug trade has contributed to it becoming a hotspot for rebel wars, social unrest, and other political, social, and economic problems. â€Å"The Colombian drug trade is estimated at $10 billion and presently accounts for 43 percent of global coca supply (as well as smaller amounts of marijuana and heroin poppy) .