“Jazz is my adventure. I'm after new chords, new ways of syncopating, new figures, new runs…” (Monk, 3). The Jazz Age was an era involving many advancements and much excitement in the jazz industry. Advancements could be felt through the entire music industry, as well as in classical novels that were influenced by the booming industry. By the 1920’s, the jazz industry was growing significantly, which introduced many new musicians. The jazz musicians, who were mostly African American, changed the face of the entire music industry through their labors.
The 1920’s marked the start of many advancements in the music industry, which stemmed directly from the creation of jazz. Jazz music originated in New Orleans and slowly spread across the country by 1920 (Jazz History:
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Jazz music was not a large contribution to The Great Gatsby, but the ideas and atmosphere of the Jazz Age were.
The Great Gatsby was set during the 1920’s and included many aspects of the era’s culture, such as its ties to jazz. Actual jazz music did not, or barely, appeared throughout the course of the novel. The importance alluded to jazz, in the book, was the appearance of the Jazz Age. The Jazz Era was a significant aspect of the storyline, mostly due to its effect on the characters and the events of the story. The Jazz Age also helped characterize those the story was about. This is very true when observing Gatsby’s character. His parties were a huge success, mostly due to the alcohol and the atmosphere of the Jazz Era. This Jazz Age atmosphere was extremely light and inviting, however, it left room for secrecy. A quote from the book states, “‘Anyhow he gives large parties’ said Jordan, changing the subject with an urban distaste for the concrete. ‘And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties, there isn't any privacy…’" (Fitzgerald, 25). Jordan’s dialogue incorporates the idea of secrecy, which often led to the nasty rumors about