Legacy of Black music lives on: Faculty and students reflect on the impact of Black musicians
Feb. 10, 2026
By Isabella Bartlett
Managing Editor
This article is part of a five-part in-depth reporting project for Black History Month.
From blues to hip-hop, R&B and jazz, Black musicians have historically been at the forefront of American music.
Senior George Shekiladze, a member of the concert, jazz and marching bands, said he draws inspiration from Black artists when playing and writing music.
“I’m most influenced by [jazz musician] Roy Hargrove [with] the way I write nowadays, but I try to mimic the impact of Nina Simone or Charles Mingus in my music,” Shekiladze said. “I write more like Mingus than I do of any of the European classical composers I study, just because of his unique sound.”
Shekiladze said the messages in African American music are powerful because of events in American history, such as slavery and post-slavery poverty, which denied them representation.
“Even before I knew much about the artists themselves, the emotion, honesty and creativity in their music stood out to me and made a lasting impact.”
“The lack of resources [and] suppression of any other form of expression led Black Americans to make music. This was one of the first instances of resistance against a larger establishment bringing people down,” Shekiladze said.
He said that by spreading hope, Black music allowed for the development of resistance and collective identity.
“Black artists had to deal with insane amounts of racism and unfair treatment in the music industry,… yet they still stuck with it,” Shekiladze said. “It really goes beyond the music they made. It represents perseverance to do something they loved.”
Shekiladze said frequenting jazz clubs like Smalls Jazz Club in New York City made him realize where and how cultures change and develop. After four sets of performances booked by the venue from midnight to 4 a.m., musicians, ranging from college students to professionals, are invited to join a jam session.
“The people playing at those jam sessions… are tasked with maintaining a tradition that started with the development of Black music. It’s like a church, and those who go on the bandstand become messengers,” Shekiladze said.
Junior Anthony Andrews, a member of the concert, jazz and marching bands and the chorale who is African American, said he prefers the music of contemporary Black artists like Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Tyler, The Creator because of their rhythm, social awareness and storytelling.
Andrews said he hears their legacy in other modern music.
“Hip-hop, R&B and alternative music reflect the emotional openness of SZA, the creativity of Tyler, The Creator and the lyrical depth of Kendrick Lamar,” Andrews said.
He said the first time he remembers hearing music from Black artists was on the radio when he was living in New York City.
“Even before I knew much about the artists themselves, the emotion, honesty and creativity in their music stood out to me and made a lasting impact,” Andrews said. “In different neighborhoods, especially in places like Harlem and Brooklyn, I’ve been able to experience live performances, street music and cultural events that highlight the influence of Black musicians.”
Band director Mr. Chwalyk said African rhythms had a foundational role in Dixieland and ragtime genres.
“Some of those rhythms evolved alongside European musical traditions to become jazz music and eventually rock music, rap and hip-hop,” Chwalyk said.
He said he teaches his students about the impacts of Black artists through the music the band plays and studies.
“It comes up when we do a piece that has a particularly Black idea, whether it’s the story behind it, or the intentionality of the composer or the lyricist,” Chwalyk said. “Particularly in jazz band, it comes up with the idea of the way different rhythms are broken up.”
Chwalyk said that modern-day American music cannot be separated from the contributions of Black artists.
“It’s like trying to unblend something in a blender, and that’s what makes American music unique, but not entirely original,” Chwalyk said.
Music teacher Mr. Garrison said it is important for students to learn about the contributions of Black musicians and their significance in shaping modern genres.
“Every artist is influenced by someone who preceded them,” Garrison said. “Many of the artists at the top of today’s charts would not be where they are without the work of those who came before them.”
Garrison said music has been an important form of resilience and a celebration of culture, especially among Black communities.
“Music was very influential in the Civil Rights Movement as well, which is something that comes up in my class, History of Rock and Roll, because fighting for civil rights and the rights of other marginalized groups were all tied together in the late ’50s and early ’60s,” Garrison said.
He said he finds music by jazz singer Billie Holiday especially moving because she used it as a means of social and political commentary, bridging gaps within a divided society.
“The main reason I love music, the reason I decided to go to college for it and devote the rest of my life to it, is because it brings people together,” Garrison said. “[Regardless] of whether people come from drastically different cultures, we can all unite under the same song.”
