Post 2–War in the North: Chicago vs New York

With the 1917 closing of New Orleans' Storyville, referred to by its residents as "The District", the American black diaspora was absolutely undeniable. The stubborn were finally evicted and spread north to join the rest of the Great Migration. Their destinations were all the northern cities with thriving industries and demand for cheap labor, but of those destinations two would be remembered as thriving jazz centers: Chicago, IL and New York City, NY. The beginnings of this diaspora introduced variation in black culture to extents that had never been seen in the homogeneous South, and these differences remained true between these two jazz playgrounds. However, in my opinion, one city reigned strongest throughout the 1920's: Chicago.
Chicago jazz's origins in struggle highlight some of its strengths. When migrating blacks arrived in Chicago expecting a land of new opportunities, they soon realized that this industrial and economic gold mine was not without dark, dangerous turns. As we saw in "The City" and "You Are Going To Be More Than Me," the black urban lifestyle, though free of Jim Crow laws and the blatant racism of the south, was wrought with new economic struggles and the paradoxical isolation that comes with living in a dense population. Coupled with long, intense hours of backbreaking labor, this existence provided a perfect environment for a new style of blues, grown out of southern tradition but hardened and darkened by the complexities of urban life. This dark turn, while detrimental to the people living it, advanced the art itself by putting raw emotion and meaning behind the notes that cut deep enough to be remembered long into the future. Contrasted with the more dance-oriented playing of New York, I think the blues influence of Chicago reigns superior because of this emotional quality that all blacks could relate to.
The atmosphere of the typical Chicago jazz venue helped it along as well. Chicago was dominated by a club scene, where alcohol (then illegal) flowed as fast as breath through a cornet. These clubs were truly a two-edged sword to the blacks performers: while a contract at the Lincoln Gardens or the Cotton Club guaranteed employment and popularity, it also limited mobility. Mobs flocked these clubs, attracted by the potential to violate prohibition, and often seized control of musicians through manipulating contracts. However, at the same time this allowed much more exposure for black artists. Though many white artists "stole" music from blacks, as we saw in "You Are Going To Be More Than Me" (one white musician actually sent her maid to copy a song from Alberta Hunter), this did, in the end, result in collaborative efforts on both sides of the racial divide. And though it was not a consensual collaboration that benefitted both sides, the argument here is about which city was more influential to jazz, not which was more benevolent to musicians. The club scene allowed musicians of all types and all skill levels to view the jazz sphere from an intimate distance. This differed somewhat from the Harlem style of collaboration. Most music was danceable, with emphasis on raggy-sounding stride piano, and was usually played at rent parties and neighborhood gatherings. But the attitude was different. These parties sought to block out negative emotions rather than embrace them, and spatial limitations of small apartments limited their reach. In the end, the Chicago club scene provided a much wider-reaching playground that fostered a more inclusive developmental environment.
This Chicago style can be heard through many great artists. Some, like Louis Armstrong, moved around often, so one must be careful to take into account time as well as name when listening for geographical influence. But it's fairly safe to say that the duo of King Oliver and Louis Armstrong exemplified the Chicago style in their collaborations as the Creole Jazz Band. There, they brought their familiarity with southern blues to the table and created some wonderful recordings that truly exemplify the style of Chicago jazz. In fact, any of the musicians popular in the club scene would do just fine: Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, and George Dixon exemplify this style as well. Finally, the later hit song of McKenzie and Codon's Chicagoans "Nobody's Sweetheart" shows the influence of the 1920's style a few years down the road. Recorded in 1927, its sound shows how the members of the band had been affected by earlier innovators in Chicago through a bit of musical analysis. One can clearly see the trademark techniques of various older artists in the play style of the new band.
It's this sort of anecdote that shows just how influential the Chicago style was in making the jazz we know now. In short, it was the perfect blend of circumstance, collaboration, and exposure that puts Chicago's influence above that of New York in 1920's jazz.

Commented on Colleen McGee.