All American Christmas Music Is Black Music?

[@DandyWellington]

If so many people hate Jazz, why do so many people love Christmas Music?

[@Yougaljuboja]

WHAT ? People hate Jazz ??? Really ? It doesn't make sense...it's like saying, "I don't like fruits"... there are so many types of jazz... But I understand the point...I love Jazz, but I really dislike lots of christmas songs ^^

[@surfingmoose]

I think lots of people have heard free jazz or even modal music and thought that hurt to listen to, and equate that with all "Jazz". Me personally I dislike free jazz but am a big fan of bop, hard bop, and cool jazz, to each their own. As for Christmas music, a lot of it is meh.

[@Taigraya]

If anything, the opposite is true, for a variety of reasons. Anyone who's ever worked retail or in an office where it's nonstop play, folks with mental triggers to it, and just the same 5 songs on the radio can make someone adverse. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy holiday music. But after years of triggers and bad associations with it, I avoid it. In its place I just pay regular jazz.

[@maisiem4314]

I truly think there are people who like jazz without realizing it, they just only know elevator music jazz. They're not aware aware of the variety of sound. There's also that mentality of disliking something to seem. Once upon a time, it was difficult for me to see the roots of modern music. I'm glad I've learned enough over the years to see the title of this and agree with a bit of thought prior to watching. This is such a valuable video, I would love to see you cover the evolution of music in America in depth some day. I think it would be incredibly enlightening.

[@owenhopkins6976]

no jazz is american music not just black music and half of the Christmas songs that come out are from non white people

[@allisonthabit7639]

Yes this is such a good explanation of the history! Ugh this should be required viewing for like, everyone who listens to christmas music. Maybe I'm too salty of a person but I'd even go a step further with your final conclusion and say that people loove Black music until it asks them to do the work of actually thinking about it beyond "i've heard this before." idk i'm white tho so maybe it isn't my place to say

[@TacticalSpray]

Yeah Allison, stay out of it whitey. Stop being so white, Karen XD

[@shannonells8793]

Hi Dandy Wellington! I've been a dancer all my life but discovered swing dance in college. Started the swing club at my university. But I can tell you I was totally ignorant of how much swing music (and most popular Christmas music) was black music. It has been such a wonderful journey for me to educate myself on how black music really changed the fabric of America. What an incredible resource you've created with this channel to spread awareness of black contributions to so much of our world!

[@thebratqueen]

As a former New Orleans native and tour guide I always have a happy thrill when I see anything talking about the city. It's interesting how the Black Code of Jim Crow forms a bookend with Le Code Noir which laid the legal groundwork for things like Congo Square. (Also in how in hundreds of years nobody came up with a better name for racist and antisemitic laws...) As for music, as a kid the Christmas music I grew up with was all played by big bands. We'd listen and sing along and dance a Lindy Hop to my parents' records. So I'm one of those weird ones where the versions of the songs which *don't* lean into the jazz influence sound odd to me. Not that I don't ever like them, it just takes me a sec to warm up to them. Thanks for the video. Happy holidays!

[@kumakena]

Thank you for this educational video. If you like any music at all, you CAN find a sub genre of jazz that you’ll like. It’s guaranteed. I first realized the racial bias about fifteen years ago, when I was in school, talking about how much I love jazz and how it’s my favorite genre, overall. I had friends look at me funny, and ask where I even heard blues or jazz music growing up. I pitied them, frankly.

[@waywardwillard]

How can anyone not like jazz??? But seriously, my favorite Christmas albums-actually, just favorite albums period-are jazz albums: Ella Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

[@mollymoon510]

I think I don't like jazz because I haven't listened to enough of it to find out what type I like-- on the other hand the reason I hate Christmas music is simple- I work retail!

[@DandyWellington]

oooo that's such a valid reason not to like Christmas music! Especially when you can't control the playlist.

[@ruthwezeman6700]

Ugh! Whenever I've worked retail during the holidays, the constant Christmas music made me very nearly homicidal. Luckily I'm not doing that this year.

[@stevezytveld6585]

Low rent gotta-work-the-season "Christmas" music exists in the 6th circle of hell. Have to check my Dante, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. Thank you for the Lesson. Gracefully done. All of the very best to you and yours this holiday season. And may the new year be filled with joy, dancing, safe & unmasked socializing, creativity, productivity and a damn fine time. Cheers. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown

[@JWomack]

This alleged hatred of Jazz is difficult to believe Dandy, but this is admittedly coming from someone who has made Jazz the prevalent soundtrack of our lives! I started the day off with Louis and Christmas Night in Harlem, ran the gamut to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker in its entirety, peppered a little bit of Bing and Frank in there, and brought it home with Ella. Happy Holidays, and we sincerely hope to see you sooner than later at another Dandy Wellington event my friend!

[@DandyWellington]

That's a great soundtrack to any day! Thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@StephanieCanada]

I have always enjoyed jazz (guess that makes me an outlier in KZbinr-ville). I especially love it live, in a dark bar, with a well poured cocktail in hand. Thank you for breaking down the origins of the Christmas tunes I love so much!

[@sewhip]

I honestly think some people don't like the beautiful complexity and intricacy of Jazz. Thank you for the informative video. Happy Christmas to you from the UK.

[@ruthwezeman6700]

What an eye-opening video! I'm not into Christmas music really (or Christmas) but I do like jazz, and learning the real history of things. As for the anti-jazz videos, I've never seen any so wouldn't know but they are probably coming from the ugly and possibly racist parts of this platform which I know exist but avoid. Also people just aren't educated in the humanities so don't appreciate music or the origins and development of the pop music they listen to now, so videos like this are essential.

[@joannaerhardt7294]

This was very informative! Thanks for sharing! I think you're right about people hating jazz because they just don't know. When I was much MUCH younger I didn't like jazz because I thought all jazz had the saxophone. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, the use of the saxophone in pop music sounded like nails scratching a blackboard 😖! But as I learned more about jazz, I fell head over heels in love with it! Still don't like the saxophone though. My favorite Xmas song is the Charlie Brown Xmas dance auditorium song. It makes me happy. I regret nothing. Happy holidays!😘💗💗

[@DandyWellington]

Thanks for watching! I don't blame you. there was a sensationalism in the 80s and 90s around the saxophone. It was everywhere and not always in the best situations but it's a beautiful instrument. Happy Holidays!

[@victoriansword]

Awesome video! I think one reason I like jazz is because of American Christmas music. The Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack is my favorite, and I couldn’t choose just one track as my favorite. In general, my favorite Christmas music was all created before about 1970.

[@eileensburner]

My favorite holiday song is What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve, and this video inspired me to look up who wrote it - Frank Loesser, musical comedies and Tin Pan Alley! Thanks so much for this video, I learned a lot!

[@DandyWellington]

Cheers! I love that song so much especially that verse. I sing it with my band all the time in December. Thanks for watching!

[@AnnaCMeyer]

As someone who grew up in what was then a very white community, my only exposure to jazz, other than a few discs in my mother's record collection, was playing in the high school jazz band, which was called the "stage band". Because it was an elective course with limited enrollment and an audition requirement, there was a perception that it was academic and elitist. My younger brothers just called it "old people music".

[@88hhg]

This is such a timely video for me. This year for some reason I have kept asking Alexa to play "Christmas Jazz Music," my favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas and this year the minstrel show part really had me weirded out... Now I know why. I never liked jazz music as a kid because I played the piano and it was so hard for me to give up the control that jazz music seemed to make you do, if that makes sense. I just watched Soul today and I was so touched by the jazz music in it. What I'm really trying to say is this, thank you for sharing this with us and helping me to understand.

[@DandyWellington]

Hannah! Thank you for watching and for your comment about White Christmas. You'll likely notice minstrel show moments in some of you favorite classic musicals. It can be very uncomfortable.

[@robnice]

Great History lesson. Hard truths

[@mxveewz]

A few years ago, when I was in middle school, i was in choir and the teacher had us all sing a jazz song one time. (Lullaby of Birdland by Ella Fitzgerald.) It was almost universally hated by everyone in that class. At the same time, my sister LOVED jazz music. As a result, I PRETENDED to dislike jazz in order to make friends and piss off my sister. I honestly regret it because I now realize that jazz music is actually amazing, and I still catch myself singing that old choir song to myself sometimes.

[@woollyfingers]

Good question, perhaps a bit of a sweeping statement....I have to confess I'm a late arrival at the jazz banquet, but come via my teenage love for the blues, via my elderly neighbour's encyclopedic knowledge of the "great American Songbook" from Tin Pan Alley to the sophisticated crooners of the 50s, and all, of course, inextricably entwined with the history of jazz. Still prefer short tunes rather than endless improv and solos, but hey, life is a journey of learning and exploration. Happy holidays to you and yours!

[@sheenasoldan7756]

Spot on Dandy, ding dong. The moment you delved into this I could not help but think amen.

[@grooveonthehillside]

I haven’t watched the video yet (gotta go to work) but I’m excited!

[@DandyWellington]

I'll be here when you get back :)

[@MG-zd2ep]

You, sir, make a compelling argument. It's incredible how uncovering the roots of popular music reveals so much about United States history - the good, the bad, and the ugly. The fact that racism was so integrally a part of the entertainment industry back in the day is really telling about what the United States society has been like... rather than ignoring that history, though, I'm glad you're bringing it to light and putting today's music and society into context. I'm learning a lot.

[@paulbright5081]

It's not Christmas until Nat sings about those roasting chestnuts!

[@IdeaStudioBKK]

Who are these people who hate jazz? I will find them and I will destroy them!

[@DandyWellington]

hahah Happy Holidays Dana

[@IdeaStudioBKK]

@@DandyWellington you too my friend. I hope its both happy and relaxing. Cheers.

[@LernTheConjurer]

Fantastic education, Dandy. Thank you, and happy holidays!

[@DandyWellington]

Thanks for watching! Be safe!

[@CosplayKitchen]

Been fallowing you ob tic tok for a while and finally got to your YT. Love this. Used to be a music education major with a focus in jazz and taught music for a major company and this was amazing. Honestly, I think you get it tight with “their just not listening”. They think of jazz as what they may hear when someone is poking fun at jazz.

[@BeverleyButterfly]

Ooh as always so interesting I love learning because you explain everything so well. I like jazz my grandmother loves Nat king Cole and my grandad loves it so I love learning about its history thank you for the research and merry Christmas

[@bettievonnoir9579]

I think people like jazz less and less every year because they think it is old fashioned. Maybe it has something to do with race too. I think it is a shame cause I love jazz and I have no one really to share it with.

[@paigebethea1412]

I love jazz AND Christmas music! (No surprise there though, I subscribe to this channel so clearly this all up my alley.) As a kid, Christmas music and American Musical Theatre style films were my first introduction to the art form and my love and appreciation for jazz have only grown. Geez! If you can't see the direct connection between Christmas music, American Musical Theatre, Vaudville, and Minstrel Shows then go watch White Christmas (starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney). There is literally a 4min+ musical number reminiscing nostalgically about Minstrel Shows. I personally think that people too often ignore the problematic origins of the things they love because examining them too closely will make them uncomfortable and then they might feel compelled to give them up. But I think it is more important to sit with that discomfort, recognize how the work is problematic and say this falls into a gray area. I will critique what is inappropriate and appreciate what is good in it, kind of like Musical Theatre. We love it, there are parts that are so good and wholesome and make us feel alive but its origins are more nuanced than most people are comfortable with. P.S. I was frankly unaware that so many people dislike jazz, I don't get it because it is exactly my cup of tea. Thanks again for the Music History lesson this video was awesome!

[@DandyWellington]

Hey Paige! Thank for this comment and for subscribing to the channel! This balance of acknowledging and examining the things that make you uncomfortable is so crucial, though it can be draining. We who appreciate aesthetics of the past or just old things, always have the opportunity to confront the ills of that past. To spend time with the ingredients and realities of nostalgia. I wish more people in the business of musical theatre and other industries did this. Thanks for watching!

[@LycIrisAurora]

Thank you for talking about the parts of history that tend to get swept under the rug. It's good to be honest about our roots and past so we can learn from it. Now! To answer your question I think jazz has a reputation based on some of its more interpretive or experimental and freeform varieties that are a bit less easy to find rythm in. I'm a big fan of swing though! Also Brubeck's "Take 5" is awesome I think most folks that claim not to like jazz wouldnt mind an introduction there. My fave christmas song is Lindsey Stirling's "Warmer in the Winter" but for more traditional I'm a fan of "Let it Snow" and "Sleigh Ride".... both of which I realized dont mention christmas at all. Huh.

[@grooveonthehillside]

Got to watch on my break and I loved it, thank you for this history! Related to the whitewashing of Black music and the 1920s/30s I would love to see a review from you of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, if you check it out. ❤️

[@nicolakunz231]

Enlightened and entertained. Thank you for this video, it's a heavy topic and you've addressed it so clearly. I personally loath Christmas music, worked in retail for way too long, and love Jazz. I now have some research to do! 🎉

[@fossil-bit8439]

I love jazz music! Although I don’t know much about it or the names of many musicians as I just listen to the local jazz station on my radio in my garage or while I’m driving. I love listening to it while I’m grilling, cooking, working in the garage or smoking a cigar and drinking whiskey. I find it very relaxing music and it calms me down. My wife on the other hand says it’s too busy for her and it kinda stresses her out for some reason. Haha!

[@krunoslavkovacec1842]

Can you do a video where you tell us where you shop vintage?

[@michelleabramowitz273]

This is amazing! Thank you!

[@DandyWellington]

Cheers! Thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@sarahbettany7546]

I genuinely don’t know anyone who loves Christmas songs (Brit here), it’s a complete mystery to me why shops insist on pumping it through their speakers when it’s sets so many peoples’ teeth on edge. I think The Pogues (featuring Kirsty MacColl) ‘Fairytale of NewYork’ is probably mine. That said, people MUST love them over here, I mean....they buy them....(unless they’re buying the music because they think they should?) so may be I’m just a curmudgeon.

[@dsalet1]

I think people "hate jazz" because they only think of it as smooth jazz (which is boring) or avant-garde (which can get nuts). Introduce them to bebop or modal and they'll change their tune.

[@Nallenator20]

Dec 1st through Jan 1st? In my house is until Jan 6th because in my culture we celebrate the day of the 3 Wise Men, we have rosca and all xD My mom is one of those people that hates jazz, but loooooves Christmas music. And I think your reason is the right one... she’s just not listening ☺️

[@relaxroad5697]

I love Christmas time, I love Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhas, then every religion you can think of... No, it's not a religion, it's the PEOPLE I love !!! Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all, whatever your religion! 🎄🌟💝

[@ReadyMadeBouquet]

I feel like the fact that classic mainstream white Christmas music was all written by Black and Jewish people and now works to fuel capitalism is just almost the most American you can get...😂as for favorite Christmas music, as a Jewish person the hegemonic nature of it can be...A LOT, but sonically I love all the jazz/rock/motown sounds...my brain decided the other day that Eartha Kitt's persona in "Santa Baby" and her amazing "I Want to Be Evil" are the same, and that just keeps delighting me, ha!

[@veganvocalist4782]

Thank you for the deeply interesting music 🎧 history sir

[@DandyWellington]

Thanks for watching!

[@Claire-bz8mq]

The bit about cartoons isn’t entirely correct, early on a lot of these characters didn’t wear gloves, but were added later because they were a lot easier to animate But the style of comedy is definitely influenced

[@AriallaMacAllister]

I seems to me that many people like Jazz, and just don't know it, because they have limited ideas of what Jazz is.

[@DandyWellington]

Thank for your comment and subscribing! Yes! I totally agree with this. The ideas around what Jazz is are vague for most people. I think mostly they think it's all modal instrumental heavy and featuring songs they don't know. There is so much more.

[@danielblythe6617]

There were lots of music hall performances before (or not at all related to) minstrel shows. And lots of Christmas music has country roots, coming from white music, mostly celtic.

[@DandyWellington]

Indeed! There was a ton of music hall in the early part of America's however lot of that was from the British Music Hall traditions and nothing effected our pop culture history like the minstrel show. As to Country, it was a mix of everything from Black to Celtic to German to Mexican to Cajan. Certainly the adoption of the banjo, an African instrument, is significant. Country is a very global music even though it's attributed mostly to America.

[@danielblythe6617]

@@DandyWellington I can see that perspective. But I think it's reductionist to say that such mainstream music is all and entirely rooted in African/Black music. The roots of some Christmas classics in Fiddle tunes cannot be denied, nor can it be attributed to blacks. Certainly the roots of jazz are steeped in Black history, but equally the roots of bluegrass are steeped in Celtic culture. Both genres have a disproportionate impact on festive music. And to ignore one in favour of another is to erase a huge part of American and Western cultural history.

[@DandyWellington]

​@@danielblythe6617 I hear you and as I've said above when it comes to country and blue grass the origins are wide reaching. It is a very global music.

[@terryvibes7320]

Great tune! Blessings

[@carolb-d9631]

Fascinating! I learned something. Thanks

[@ilahjarvis]

If you know jazz history and keep in mind the era when these songs were written, the theme of this video is a no brainer. Unfortunately most people don't have a clue.

[@alexander_yoko]

"Why do people hate Jazz?" They have no taste. 😅 Just kidding, everyone listens to what they prefer. I personally love Jazz.

[@LDrosophila]

jazx fusion is the height of music youll never change my mind

[@erinniccoinn1gh]

favourite xmas tune is "minuet, chrétiens"/"o holy night" and i think people dislike jazz because they are boring

[@DandyWellington]

I love that tune! Another one of my favorites is "In The Bleak Mid Winter" Thank you for watching!!

[@erinniccoinn1gh]

@@DandyWellington thanks for the education!

[@lindabloom6666]

Santa Baby

[@sophiejones3554]

I’ve never met these people who hate jazz. I’ve heard people say they exist, but I don’t know them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ While jazz has never been my favorite type of music, and this extends to the secular Xmas tunes, I can’t think of a single jazz tune I don’t like either. Also my general “meh” attitude towards jazz has a few exceptions: chief among them Louis Armstrong. That voice is just great, and the solo trumpet adds something that other jazz songs lack. I generally lean more towards blues when it comes to the music of that era though: Ma Rainey, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson etc. I guess maybe I’m just Irish enough to like the angry or wistful stuff better lol.

[@XatxiFly]

Great video, thanks! I often wonder when I see anti-jazz sentiment in white comedians if it might have come to be associated with uncool white Boomers for them. Like their white parents had gentrified jazz in their youth, seeing it as this hot groovy thing for whites of good taste in the 70s (some of them introducing all these class privilege associations to something with not-wealthy origins, like with haiku or soba, like white hipsters still do every generation), and then to their children jazz was for old squares who think they're hip, an even greater sin than being an old square with no aspiration to be hip. So rather than calling out the gentrification these white Gen X-ers and Millennials just make fun of the thing their parents thought was cool? I dunno.

[@DandyWellington]

Quite possibly... I think that there is something contrarian in it. Rebelling against older tastes. Also there is a lack of knowledge as Jazz isn't the most popular music of today. Thanks for watching!

[@jenniewilliamsmural]

Dy no mite! Just Telling the Truth. Why don't people like jazz? Welllp - which people I guess. Jazz is The Music underlying USA music- there are other indigenous sounds but jazz infuses everything - and the real history wells up from underneath just as you say. To "not like jazz" is a misunderstanding of music. My absolute favorite music is West African - Fela etc - my oldest daughter was born to Sunny Ade... when I listen and dance to that powerful music I'm more fully alive - and I'm just as caucasion as snow. PS You Go To My Head is one of my favorite songs - I once covered it... Ahhhhhh here is Billie's version kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6vNl6efrLiiisk Keep up the great work. I'm gonna turn my sister Suzy Williams onto you. Warm regards Jennie

[@timeminecraft6019]

Wait, why does KZbin hate jazz?

[@GreedyLittleFokker]

The answer to the question is "No". Why? Because while the (white) Tin Pan Alley/Great American Songbook/Broadway composers were composing the traditional popular American Christmas canon, only two songs by Black composers (Jester Hairston's "Mary's Boychild" and Baxter & Moore's "Merry Christmas Baby") can really be considered "classics" from the pre-rock-n-roll era. There are certainly numerous "new classics" by Black writers from "Run Run Rudolph" through "This Christmas" to "All I Want For Christmas Is You", as well as superb R&B versions of GAS compositions from Motown artists and Phil Spector's Christmas album. But "All American Christmas Music is Black Music"? Well, that's like saying Thelonious Monk's music is Chinese because it's played using the twelve-tone equal temperament scale codified by Zhu Zaiyu in the 16th century. Jazz and minstrelsy are certainly two forebears of American musical theater, as are the (mostly Eastern European, mostly Jewish) Tin Pan Alley composers and pluggers, but the proudest parents of the form are Gilbert & Sullivan (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_influence_of_Gilbert_and_Sullivan#Musical_theatre_and_comedy). Structure, rhythms, lyrical wit: all these elements of the GAS are acknowledged by their writers to be most influenced by Gilbert & Sullivan. So like so many "American" things, popular American Christmas music is the result of a cross-pollination of many cultures and influences.

[@justin.booth.]

I mean how do people not realize Christmas music is jazz? Like what? Have these people never listened to jazz music before? Maybe it's confusion with carols?

[@danielblythe6617]

I doubt you could make the case that Brad Paisley's Christmas album comes from black music.

[@ClarenceWatford-ou2xm]

Black Christmas songs

[@Cosmicattt]

Spoiler alert all American music is black music.

[@DandyWellington]

hahah :)