How Did Jazz Music Originate?
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Jazz Defined
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The first band ever to be called a jazz band was the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, which played in New Orleans in around 1895. To be called a jazz band was not a compliment because the word, according to H.L. Mencken, who wrote the 1963 book, "The American Language," jazz was a coarse term for sexual intercourse that originated in an African or Creole language. Apparently, according to the "A Passion For Jazz" website, some of the higher class bordellos in New Orleans had dance halls with live music which may account for the use of the word to identify what became the only authentically American musical style.
Elements of Jazz Music
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Jazz music grew from West African folk music after it combined with influences from Ragtime music and the Blues. Like these musical styles, jazz music is characterized by a syncopated rhythm and minor chord progressions. However, the most significant characteristic that belongs to jazz music is a reliance on improvisation. While the earliest jazz music was played by big bands, it has evolved since the early 1920s to include both smaller ensembles and solo jazz artists.
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Jazz History
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Four mid-American cities are associated with the early history of jazz music: New Orleans, Kansas City, Saint Louis and Chicago. During the Roaring Twenties, jazz became popular and during the period of the first and second World Wars, jazz spread its influence across Europe. Early jazz musicians include Scott Joplin, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. More recently, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie have continued to move jazz music forward.
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