While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The development of jazz music in the early 20th century...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The development of jazz music in the early 20th century was influenced by various musical traditions.
- African rhythmic patterns brought through the slave trade provided foundational elements for syncopation in jazz.
- European harmonic structures contributed to jazz chord progressions and formal song arrangements.
- Call-and-response singing from African American spirituals became a key feature in jazz improvisation.
- The blues scale, derived from African musical traditions, became central to jazz melody and improvisation.
- Jazz emerged as a unique American art form by combining these diverse cultural influences.
The student wants to explain how African musical traditions contributed to jazz development. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Jazz music developed in the early 20th century by combining various musical traditions from different cultural sources.
European harmonic structures and formal arrangements provided important foundational elements for early jazz compositions.
African musical traditions contributed rhythmic patterns for syncopation, call-and-response techniques for improvisation, and the blues scale for melody.
The blues scale and other African-derived elements became central features of jazz as a unique American art form.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The development of jazz music in the early 20th century was influenced by various musical traditions.' |
|
| 'African rhythmic patterns brought through the slave trade provided foundational elements for syncopation in jazz.' |
|
| 'European harmonic structures contributed to jazz chord progressions and formal song arrangements.' |
|
| 'Call-and-response singing from African American spirituals became a key feature in jazz improvisation.' |
|
| 'The blues scale, derived from African musical traditions, became central to jazz melody and improvisation.' |
|
| 'Jazz emerged as a unique American art form by combining these diverse cultural influences.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Jazz developed by combining African musical traditions (rhythms, call-and-response, blues scale) with European harmonic elements to create a distinctly American art form.
Argument Flow: The notes establish jazz as influenced by multiple traditions, then systematically detail specific African contributions (rhythmic patterns, call-and-response, blues scale) alongside European contributions (harmony and structure), concluding that this cultural mixing produced a unique American musical form.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct choice must focus specifically on African contributions (not European or general influences)
- Draw multiple specific examples from the notes
- Directly serve the goal of explaining how these traditions contributed to jazz development
- From our analysis, the African contributions mentioned are: rhythmic patterns that created syncopation, call-and-response techniques that influenced improvisation, and the blues scale that became central to melody and improvisation
Jazz music developed in the early 20th century by combining various musical traditions from different cultural sources.
✗ Incorrect
- Talks about 'various musical traditions from different cultural sources' - too general and doesn't focus on African contributions specifically as the question requires
European harmonic structures and formal arrangements provided important foundational elements for early jazz compositions.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses entirely on European contributions (harmonic structures and formal arrangements)
- Completely ignoring African contributions, which is opposite of what the question asks for
African musical traditions contributed rhythmic patterns for syncopation, call-and-response techniques for improvisation, and the blues scale for melody.
✓ Correct
- Specifically focuses on 'African musical traditions' as required
- Lists three concrete contributions from the notes: rhythmic patterns for syncopation, call-and-response for improvisation, and blues scale for melody
- Directly accomplishes the goal of explaining how African traditions contributed to jazz
The blues scale and other African-derived elements became central features of jazz as a unique American art form.
✗ Incorrect
- Mentions 'African-derived elements' but is vague about what they are
- Only specifically mentions 'blues scale' while ignoring rhythmic patterns and call-and-response