We continue to write about jazz because of a strong passion for the creative arts and music in particular. We also believe that the history of the African- American's contribution to American culture should be made known for posterity. We chose jazz as our subject matter because it is all encompassing and played a significant part in the struggle for civil rights and racial equality in America.Its roots are imbedded in the blues and the slave songs of Congo Square- Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans and it has branches spreading across continents and oceans.
The story of the piano and its relation to jazz music goes back to the early beginnings of the music, and the history of jazz piano in particular mirrors the evolution of the music as a whole. We have seen how the piano took its place in Harlem during the renaissance with the advent of stride piano players such as Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Art Tatum, and the influence left behind by their style, but by the mid-1940's, a distinctly modern jazz piano style had developed in response to the demands of bebop and its emphasis on innovation.
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