What Is the Jazz Age?

You’ve most likely come across the term " Jazz Age" in an American history textbook, or in class, but you might not really understand or have learned that much about it. It was an exciting and vibrant time in American history, and it’s both interesting and important to learn a bit about this wonderful movement.

The Jazz Age refers to a period of time after World War I, beginning with the Roaring Twenties and ending with the beginning of the Great Depression. The author F. Scott Fitzgerald is credited with creating the term for the time, and he named some of his short stories after this period—Tales of the Jazz Age.

Unsurprisingly, the age refers to the popular music of the time—jazz. The age represents a shift in values in America, and a focus on living life to the fullest. The Jazz Age refers not only to the music of the time, however, but also to the literature, and new developments in art, and a change in the social behavior of America.

Jazz Age and Prohibition

Prohibition influenced the birth and development of Jazz in the United States. Prohibition was a period that banned the sale of alcoholic drinks. This resulted in the growth of a great number of speakeasies, which illegally sold alcoholic beverages. Jazz flourished in this environment, and grew in popularity because it was able to reach a wider audience than it had previously.

Further, because jazz was played in illegal environments, it gained a reputation as immoral and illegitimate music. The older generations shunned the music, but this influenced the younger generations to turn towards it more.

Popular Musicians of the Jazz Age

Some of the popular musicians of the time included Kid Ory, the Creole Jazz Band, Bix Beiderbecke, and Louis Armstrong. The Creole Jazz Band became the first African American jazz band from New Orleans to record their music.

Out of the early beginnings of jazz, a new movement called “Hot Jazz” formed in Chicago when King Oliver joined with Bill Johnson. Jean Goldkette’s orchestra and Paul Whiteman’s orchestra were white orchestras that played jazz, and this gained a wider audience. Jazz became the anthem of the age—played throughout bars.

Jazz Age in Literature

In literature, the Jazz Age is exemplified by such authors as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton, and Henry Miller. Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, which was published in 1925, explores the growing individualism of this new America. It exposes some of the corruption and selfishness that can be a consequence of it. However, it also explores the growing materialism and lavish parties for which the era was known.

Fitzgerald’s other works, such as The Beautiful and Damned or Tender Is the Night, further describe and explore the social behaviors and environment of this age. Thomas Wolfe’s novel explores the life of a young man who ended up on the Titanic. Thomas Wolfe’s novel became famous for its depiction of a party that occurred on the crash of the market. Edith Wharton’s novels, The Age of Innocence or Twilight Sleep, offer subtle critiques of the age and its growing emphasis on wealth and materials.

Jazz Age and Materialism

The jazz age also refers to a growing materialism among America. After World War I and the flu epidemic, individuals were exuberant to be alive. The economic prosperity of the 1920s and the growth of the stock market influenced splurges in spending.

Individuals wanted to just enjoy life after the misery of the previous decade. Money was spent on such things like the new “Model T” car, or the invention of canned food. People were more willing to spend money on vacations, and the Hamptons grew as a vacation spot for individuals in Manhattan.

So now that you have a greater idea of the jazz age—read the literature, and listen to the music!