Blog
By:
  • Maxine Alleyne | Communications Officer – IOM Caribbean

Jazz music, migration, and creole culture have a strong and complex connection. Creole culture developed in the French colonies of Louisiana, Haiti, and other parts of the Caribbean. It is characterized by a blend of African, European, and Native American influences, brought together by the forced and free migration of peoples from these diverse backgrounds into the same space.

The connection between Jazz music and migration is deep, with the music and the movement of people influencing each other in profound ways. Jazz music emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, during a time of significant migration from the rural South to the urban North.

Many African Americans moved from the south to the north during this time in search of better economic opportunities and to escape the segregation and discrimination of the Jim Crow South. This migration brought together people from diverse cultural backgrounds and created a fertile ground for the emergence of new musical styles, including jazz.

Jazz music was heavily influenced by the rhythms and melodies of African American spirituals, blues, and ragtime music, as well as the creole music of the Caribbean and Latin America. As jazz

musicians travelled and performed in different cities and countries, they brought these influences with them and incorporated new musical styles into their compositions.

Migration also played a significant role in the spread of jazz music around the world. Jazz musicians from the United States travelled to Europe, Asia, and Latin America, bringing their music and unique cultural perspectives with them. This helped to popularize jazz music around the world and to inspire new generations of musicians in different countries and cultural contexts.

Jazz music and migration continue to be interconnected today, with jazz musicians from around the world collaborating and creating new forms of music that blend different cultural influences. The history of jazz music is a testament to the power of migration and cultural exchange to create new and innovative forms of art and expression.

IOM-UN Migration calls on all of society to foster the social inclusion of migrants through cultural activities and spaces, in line with Goal 17 of the Global Compact for Migration.

Inclusion of migrants will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities”, as migrants help cities to thrive and become more vibrant, successful centres of economy and life.

Follow the links below to find out more about the Caribbean Jazz festivals held annually between April and May: Dominica’s Jazz & Creole Festival, Marie Galante’s Terre-de-Blues Festival, St Lucia’s Jazz & Arts Festival, and Tobago’s Jazz Experience.

Here are a few references to learn more about the influence of migration, Caribbean culture and Latin culture on Jazz: Syncopating Rhythms: Jazz and Caribbean Culture (Herbie Miller), The Clave of Jazz: A Caribbean Contribution to the Rhythmic Foundation of an African-American Music (Christopher Washburne), Caribbean and Latin Connections in Jazz (By Paul Austerlitz, Ph.D.), Jazz and the Great Migration - How African Americans and the Great Migration Changed the Sound of American Music (Pruitt, Bernadette, Barrie Homer)