A Toast to Alternative Black Musicians: Jazz Kings

 Here at MusicandCounterculture.com, we strive to embrace the diversity of the individuals within the alternative communities. Thus, this month, Black History Month, we raise a toast to the African Americans who have influenced and shaped the music of subcultures and countercultures.

We start off the tribute this week in the Beat Generation with "Shaw 'Nuff," composed and performed by saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, two important fathers of bebop.

But what is bebop?

in the 1940s, a new form of jazz sprouted as a reaction against the formulaic, commercial jazz that dominated the airways. This innovative and experimental new genre - onomatopoeically named bebop - sets itself apart with much faster tempos, freer improvisation with a wider range of notes, asymmetrical phrasings, and virtuosic solos. Partly due to its less danceable rhythms, dissonance, and its drastic break from tradition, it faced skepticism from the broader public, critics, and other jazz musicians. However, bebop found fans in the Beats, who embraced the genre's signature sounds, its allowance for creative expression, and its inventors and musicians - primarily African Americans. 

"Shaw 'Nuff," released in 1945, came about after bebop developed underground, thus making its appearance on the radio that much more surprising and attention-grabbing. With its high-energy rhythms and complex melodies, perfectly paired with Parker's and Gillespie's skillful solos, can be considered a quintessential bebop track.

If you're interested in learning more about the history of bebop and Charlie Parker's vital role in its development, I highly recommend this lovely article.