Music is and has been an incredibly important part of black culture, when studying any type of black music it is very much an exploration into the back mind. Music has been part of the black cultural scene dating back to slavery. Although Jazz music is loved and performed by people of every national background, in America, the groundbreaker, leader and innovator in every step forward of Jazz has been the Negro. Precisely because the black culture speak so powerfully in Jazz, it has become loved and admired by all people.

In this essay, I will be looking at how important black music is to the black culture. How it has developed and the struggles involved. The music of black culture can be seen as a reflection of the values within a society, this explains the importance of musical expression compared to that of western culture. Western theory tends to detach art from life, whereas in black culture art is life. It is seen as a potential foundation for social activity.

Black music and oral tradition is an essential part of black culture. The oral tradition has become important through spontaneous, often improvised acts, of a group nature. This is a valuable kind of expression through out

It expressed a wide range of emotion and descriptions of African American life. Black music communicates through the experiences of those involved. Bound together by struggle the black culture have built up a history, tradition and cultural life of their own. Jazz music is a flow of emotion guided by the most conscious skill, taste, artistry and intelligence.

Jazz is a music with a history and a heart, it is both historically and musically a very deep expression of American culture, it has grown in to a vast and deep current of American culture. Historically and culturally it is a music that had to happen, it is a deep expression of Black American culture. It is undoubtably Black America's gift to the world.

The 1960's were also a time of embracing radical new ideas, including black nationalism and protesting American military action in Vietnam. Saxophone players Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, and Sam Rivers were playing, fierce sometimes angry music that wailed and lamented. Instead of the predictable format of small groups (theme, solos, theme [ a-b-a pattern]), free jazz emphasized group improvisation, lengthy solos, and static harmonic development.

"Jazz as it was originally conceived and in most instances of it's most vital development was the result of certain attitudes, or empirical ideas, attributed to the Afro-American culture". (p153 jones)

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Approximate Word count = 2792
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)