Jazz

Jazz is an original American musical art form, comprised of many sub-genres that have developed since the early 1920s when it originated in New Orleans. At its heart, jazz music exhibits Western music technique and theory, and is marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. Characteristics associated with jazz include syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation.

After originating in African-American communities near the beginning of the 20th century, jazz gained international popularity by the 1920s. Since then, jazz has had a pervasive influence on other musical styles worldwide. Even today, various jazz styles continue to evolve. The word jazz itself is rooted in American slang, and although its precise meaning has not been determined, various derivations have been suggested.

Louis Armstrong was the first star of jazz, and still the genre’s spiritual father. His unique style of singing and cornet playing influenced many other vocalists and instrumentalists. The small combo New Orleans jazz of Armstrong’s early career became popular throughout America, with different regions and different instruments lending their own characteristics to this fluid and malleable style of music. Many different styles of jazz emerged over the last century.

Sub-genres in jazz music include big band swing, bebop, cool jazz, dixieland, bossanova, ragtime, gypsy jazz, fusion, latin jazz, modal jazz, and many more. The influence of jazz can be heard in many other genres of music, including blues (particularly jump blues and rhythm & blues), and country (particularly western swing).