[Dixielandjazz] The word 'jazz'

Anton Crouch anton.crouch at optusnet.com.au
Mon Dec 29 17:48:41 PST 2008


Hello all

At last! The on-line Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has published its
Draft Revision (December 2008) for the word 'jazz'. The result is an
article of great interest and value.

The OED 1976 Supplement and the 1989 Second Edition had become notorious
because of a simple, but understandable, discographical error with
regard to Cal Stewart's recording of "Uncle Josh in society". The OED
people did not know that, in the early years of Victor's recording
operations, re-recordings were given the same catalogue numbers as
earlier recordings. Thus, the OED confused Stewart's 1909 recording
(which does not use the word 'jazz') with the 1919 recording (which
does). The 1909 date caused a lot of discussion among jazz historians!

The OED Draft Revision sorts-out the non-musical and musical uses of the
word and will provide plenty of material for continuing argument on this
issue. For example, the first use in print comes from Los Angeles in
1912 and refers to a difficult and fast throw in baseball; the first
musical usage comes from Chicago in 1915. The OED also notes 'While the
origins of jazz music .. are popularly associated with New Orleans,
evidence for early use of the word there is inconclusive; RAGTIME n.
appears to have been the preferred term (compare earlier RAGTIME n.,
SWING n.2 10b, and slightly earlier BLUES n.'

I know, I know - you're all impatient - does the OED give a new
definition of jazz? Of course. It is:

'A type of popular music originating (esp. in ragtime and blues) among
African Americans in the southern United States, typically performed by
ensembles and broadly characterized by regular forceful rhythms,
syncopated phrasing, modifications to traditional instrumental tone and
pitch (such as the use of blue notes), and improvisatory soloing.'

The on-line OED is available to individuals by subscription but many
libraries have it. I do urge all DJMLers to seek it out. You won't be
disappointed.

All the best,
Anton





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