Web Review: PBS’s Roots of Jazz

The website Roots of Jazz is a page created by PBS that dives into the history of jazz music in the United States. The majority of the content from the website comes from a Ken Burns documentary that was broadcasted on PBS. The documentary series consists of 10 episodes over an hour long each that dives into different aspects of jazz music, artists and culture. In an “About” tag, PBS talks with the filmmakers about the context of the series, while another tab delves deeper into Burns own past as a historical filmmaker and his process when approaching the topic. In the tab “Music 101” there is a blog written by a jazz composer in which he explores the music itself at a more fundamental level in order to paint the larger picture of how revolutionary jazz was during the 1920s. 

Each tab breaks down more detailed aspects of jazz music and the jazz age. In the “Music 101” section there are even boxes to click on which give information about jazz music for those unfamiliar with melody, rhythm, harmony and the various instruments used. In the tab “Roots of Jazz,” there is an interactive digital map which highlights some prominent locations in New Orleans, Chicago, and New York City. Content throughout the map is cited as being from “The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz” published by Oxford University Press. The map includes both locations and people, and includes a lengthy description of how the spot on the map is essential to the jazz age. The map gives you the option to go in chronological order to truly trace how jazz originated in the South and over time grew and traveled up North where it exploded in Harlem during the 1920s. 

The tab “Classroom” brings users to a new page that is geared specifically to educators. The page includes videos and activities that relate to jazz and the 1920s. The majority of the primary sources available are shown in the episodes of the documentary released by PBS. Primary documents are also available in the map feature as each location comes with components such as a photograph, direct quote or address to research further. At the bottom of the site there is a tab to explore related films to learn more about specific aspects of the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance or influential movements of the 20th century.

The website is trustworthy due to its affiliation with PBS and a renowned documentary filmmaker. However, there are few actual citations that point towards scholarly research on the blog. For those who have the time to go through each episode and use the features to accompany them it might be more useful, but without actually watching the films it is unclear where some information is coming from. 

Overall, Roots of Jazz functions as an easy to navigate website with a few dynamic features that make it more interesting. The website can be used as a solid starting point for anyone researching topics related to the 1920s, the jazz age or the Harlem Renaissance. The map feature offers great insight into specific people and places that can aid in research and generate ideas about the cultural influences of jazz, while the music information page offers research potential for those looking to uncover more about the technology of the music itself. The website might not offer a perfectly sound list of sources or provide a primary source archive of sorts, but the content that is available is enough to generate curiosity and propel researchers down new and more developed paths.