Train Whistle Diplomacy: Blues-based Jazz and National Identity

Year 2012, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 47 - 67, 01.03.2012

Jacquelynne Modeste

Abstract

Since the Cold War, jazz has been inextricably linked with US cultural identity,
foreign policy, and international relations. Since its inception, jazz has been
linked to African Americans living in the US. The exportation of legendary
African American jazzmen such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington during
the Cold War period is well documented but what of their particular style of
jazz? Armstrong and Ellington used the blues to ground their compositions
artistically and also as part of a self-conscious effort to keep the traditions of
African Americans in contemporary consciousness. What is it about the hybrid,
blues-based jazz, which captivated audiences internationally? In what ways
does the blues influence swing, their preferred form of jazz? This essay moves
towards a definition of blues-based jazz, describes the cultural significance of
the hybrid form, and identifies its pervasiveness in areas previously
undocumented.

Keywords

Jazz, Blues, National Identity, Train Whistle, Diplomacy

References

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