ABSTRACT
Jazz has had a turbulent history, perhaps as turbulent as that of any art form in the chaotic climate of the twentieth century. Detested by some Americans, ignored by more, exploited by predatory businessmen, tied to the growing pains and uncertainties of the mass media, and subjected to the whims of fickle audiences in search of endless novelty, the music has changed extraordinarily quickly. Yet, for all the confusion accompanying its rapid development, some general tendencies are evident. One is that broad jazz movements tend to take on sectarian qualities, in terms of the Troeltschean1 metaphor.
