Music: Chaz

Mr. Lopez (above-mentioned) digressed to trace the history of the word jazz. Said he:

“I have been for a long time mak-ing a study both of the word ‘jazz’ and of the kind of music which it represents.

“The origin of the colloquial word ‘jazz’ is shrouded in mystery. The story of its beginning, that is most frequently told and most generally believed among musicians, has to do with a corruption of the name ‘Charles.’ In Vicksburg, Miss., during the period when ragtime was at the height of its popularity and ‘blues’ were gaining favor, there was a colored drummer of rather unique ability named ‘Chas. Washington.’ As is a very common custom in certain parts of the South, he was called ‘Chaz.’ ‘Chaz’ could not read music but he had a gift of ‘faking’ and a marvelous sense of syncopated rhythm. It was a practice to repeat the trio or chorus of popular numbers, and because of the catchiness of ‘Chas.’s’ drumming he was called on to do his best on the repeats. At the end of the first chorus the leader would say: ‘Now Chaz!'”