ABSTRACT
Gender is just one aspect of designating identity in jazz. To isolate specific aspects such as gender, race, or nationality might lead to a one-dimensional perception of a musical genre which actually thrives from its multiperspectivity. This chapter looks at different criteria denoting musicians’ “identity” and asks in how far they can be found in the music itself or whether perhaps they have become ascribed to the music, a cultural vocabulary spoken and understood by musicians, critics, and audience alike, but hard to prove analytically. The chapter gives examples for geographical designations of identity, discusses aspects of public perception, and touches upon the idea of a “gay voice” in jazz. It tries to categorize musical features which might represent identity to the listener, and it reflects both upon the explicit and implicit vocabulary jazz musicians have at their disposal to frame identity.
