Facts About Jazz Music

Jazz is a uniquely American art form. This popular style of music sprang from post-slavery African-American culture, as the children of slaves settled in big cities in the late nineteenth century. There they began to fuse their musical heritage with the influences of their new surroundings. The result is still felt in music clubs of all stripes to this day.

Features

Jazz is a hybrid form of music that fuses together African rhythms, American blues, European chamber music and the more complex elements of pop music, such as shifting time signatures and melodies.

History

The city of New Orleans calls itself "the birthplace of jazz," but there is some controversy surrounding this claim, as Kansas City and Chicago have similar claims.

Etymology

No one has ever found the original source of the word "jazz," but it was used as a non-musical slang slang term in America prior to being used to describe the style of music.

Improvisation

The element of improvisation is a major component of jazz, more so than in any other form of popular music, and musicians often start a tune with only a key and time signature from the bandleader.

Types

There are many sub-genres of jazz, from the early ragtime and swing to bebop, cool and west coast jazz and the later transmutations of acid, rock, free and dub jazz styles.

Fun Fact

When asked what the definition of jazz was, Louis Armstrong famously replied, "If you've got to ask, you'll never know."

Resources

• Jazz history and education website