Communism and the Emergence of the Central European Jazz School

Central European musicians, as a consequence of the efforts of several important figures, have contributed to the development of jazz in the second half of the 20th century. Jazz pianists in Europe were a distinctive part of the world jazz scene and made significant achievements during the communist era. They were able to master the European classical piano school, becoming virtuoso pianists themselves, as well as acquiring self-taught jazz skills. Semi-isolated from the contemporary music trends abroad, Central European artists nonetheless made remarkable musical accomplishments that deserve to be called the Central European Jazz School. Between 1948 and 1989, the communist ideology controlled every country of Central Europe including East Germany. The careers of jazz pianists in these countries would have developed differently if they had lived under democratic conditions. This is evident in the lives of those who emigrated to Western countries and subsequently found a place in the world jazz scene. Using analysis of the Central European jazz musicians’ compositions and their professional careers, this paper aims to demonstrate the extent to which the Central European Jazz School has contributed to jazz music in Europe and the wider world.