Technical (boring) definition: Jazz is a now-unpopular genre of music, encompassing several distinct styles, developed for the most part by black men in American cities over the course of the 20th century. Jazz in general is characterized by the following:
-improvised solos (though they can also be written out beforehand, and, especially when recorded, are often somewhat planned out)
-a rhythm section consisting of bass, drums, piano and sometimes guitar
-syncopation
-bass lines which are improvised to fit the chords, usually with one note on every downbeat, and which rarely, if ever, stop
-an uneven style of playing eighth notes so that the downbeat lasts roughly twice as long as the upbeat (this is known as "swing" eight notes)
-extended chords (7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords) as pioneered by 19th century composers in the classical "impressionist" movement
-4/4 time
-the common lack of vocals
-2 common song forms: the traditional 32-bar AABA song form, and the 12-bar blues form
Colloquial (less boring) definitions:
“Jazz,” originally a noun used mainly in Harlem in the beginning of the 20th century to mean “sexual intercourse,” is also used as a verb in the phrase “to jazz (something) up,” meaning to add style, individuality, soul, or passion to something.
"If haven't figured it out by now, you'll never know."
-Louis Armstrong
"The say music speaks louder than words, so I'll just let the music speak for itself."
-Charlie Parker
-improvised solos (though they can also be written out beforehand, and, especially when recorded, are often somewhat planned out)
-a rhythm section consisting of bass, drums, piano and sometimes guitar
-syncopation
-bass lines which are improvised to fit the chords, usually with one note on every downbeat, and which rarely, if ever, stop
-an uneven style of playing eighth notes so that the downbeat lasts roughly twice as long as the upbeat (this is known as "swing" eight notes)
-extended chords (7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords) as pioneered by 19th century composers in the classical "impressionist" movement
-4/4 time
-the common lack of vocals
-2 common song forms: the traditional 32-bar AABA song form, and the 12-bar blues form
Colloquial (less boring) definitions:
“Jazz,” originally a noun used mainly in Harlem in the beginning of the 20th century to mean “sexual intercourse,” is also used as a verb in the phrase “to jazz (something) up,” meaning to add style, individuality, soul, or passion to something.
"If haven't figured it out by now, you'll never know."
-Louis Armstrong
"The say music speaks louder than words, so I'll just let the music speak for itself."
-Charlie Parker
by jazzriff October 11, 2005
The ONDCP, or Office of National Drug Control Policy, is a hate group and propaganda organization similar to the PDFA, except that it is a part of the U.S. government and thus gets massive taxpayer funding. They advocate the same things as the PDFA, including the parenting tactic of spying on your kids. There is so much similarity between the PDFA and the ONDCP that there are very few people alive who can tell the difference anymore. I am not one of these people; thus anything on the PDFA page is probably true of the ONDCP as well (and not necessarily true of the PDFA, but probably). They are part of the Church of Voodoo Pharmacology, the same cult as the PDFA and DEA.
ONDCP: Calling drug users terrorists isn't working! We blame the terrorists and the liberals! Give us more money to do the same thing louder and more frequently!
U.S. government: That'll show them pro-drug types!
U.S. government: That'll show them pro-drug types!
by jazzriff October 12, 2005
Strangely, "bastardly" is not a word, but the same meaning is served by the term "dastardly." Once a serious insult, dastardly is now almost always used sarcastically. If used seriously, the speaker is most likely a nancy boy and/or fop. It is generally used in the phrase "dastardly deed(s)."
Fundie: You are the spawn of Satan! Repent and be saved!
Goth: Yep, you know me and my dastardly deeds (laughs).
Goth: Yep, you know me and my dastardly deeds (laughs).
by jazzriff October 13, 2005
Technically: a religious concept of an immortal individual conciousness, the mind superimposed on an invisible and supposedly indestructible and universal substance called "spirit."
Colloquially: authenticity, style, or passion. Used almost exclusively in expressions similar to "he's got soul," often used to refer to individual (e.g. improvisational) expression in music styles such as jazz.
Also, a harmonically simple, often syncopated, style of music made by black people such as James Brown, usually played by small groups, though occasionally involving horn sections, related to funk and rock and always having vocals. This music is claimed to embody the above characteristic.
Colloquially: authenticity, style, or passion. Used almost exclusively in expressions similar to "he's got soul," often used to refer to individual (e.g. improvisational) expression in music styles such as jazz.
Also, a harmonically simple, often syncopated, style of music made by black people such as James Brown, usually played by small groups, though occasionally involving horn sections, related to funk and rock and always having vocals. This music is claimed to embody the above characteristic.
by jazzriff October 11, 2005
This refers to brain damage (in the form of permanent retardation) caused by a fetus being exposed to alcohol via the alcoholism of the mother. This is not to be confused with child abuse, which can also cause retardation and brain damage and be caused by alchoholism, but which involves children, which are alive, rather than fetuses, which are not fully alive, and thus inferior. Also not to be confused with the similar concepts of "crack babies" or "meth babies," which are completely unsubstantiated (and widely denounced, by those professionals who study such things) allegations propagated by the Church of Voodoo Pharmacology.
The phrase can be used as an explanation for unusually retarded behavior. See alcohol in the blood surrogate.
The phrase can be used as an explanation for unusually retarded behavior. See alcohol in the blood surrogate.
by jazzriff October 14, 2005