The resulting amalgam - an exotic mixture of European, Caribbean, African, and American elements - made Louisiana into perhaps the most seething ethnic melting pot that the nineteenth century world could produce. This cultural gumbo would serve as breeding ground for many of the great hybrid musics of modern times; not just jazz, but also cajun, zydeco, blues, and other new styles flourished as a result of this laissez-faire environment. In this warm, moist atmosphere, sharp delineations between cultures gradually softened and ultimately disappeared. Ted Gioia
About This Quote

The word "mash" is a reference to the mixing of ingredients that results from cooking. In this sense, it refers to the mixture of cultures that developed in the United States. In this context, it refers to the blending of racial and ethnic identities that evolved in the nineteenth century. In other words, the word "mash" implies a melting together of different groups into one unified, cohesive culture. For example, in Louisiana the mixture of European, African, and American cultures served as an incubator for many of the great hybrid styles that emerged in modern times - this kind of cultural gumbo continues to be present today.

Source: The History Of Jazz

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