Pre-1945 Jazz: From the New Orleans Genesis of Buddy Bolden to the Rhythmic Revolution of Louis Armstrong and Early Bebop

Huang Shiyuan

Guangdong University of Business and Technology

Abstract：

This study investigates the foundational evolution of jazz from its controversial origins in New Orleans to the rise of the bebop era. The paper first analyzes the legacy of Charles “Buddy” Bolden, who, despite a lack of recorded evidence, remains the "archetypical legend" of early jazz. Utilizing Marshall Stearns’ analytical framework, the research explores how West African cultural traditions—specifically funeral celebrations and "vodun" practices—acted as core catalysts for the genre’s rhythmic and communal foundations. The focus then shifts to Louis Armstrong’s revolutionary impact, positioning him as the first major soloist who fully assembled the rhythmic language of jazz and indirectly animated the Swing Era. Finally, the paper examines the birth of bebop as a stylistic and social reaction by young African American musicians against the commercial constraints of the Swing Era. By synthesizing the biographies and musical innovations of these pioneers, this study tracks the transformation of jazz from a pre-jazz folk tradition into a sophisticated form of 20th-century modernism.

Key Words：

Buddy Bolden; Louis Armstrong; early Jazz; Bebop; rhythmic revolution; Jazz historiography; New Orleans