All music lovers will appreciate jazz music and while it may not be to everybody’s taste, there is no doubt that this genre of music is unlike any other created.
Definition
It is difficult to truly define Jazz music because it changes with every decade. Jazz can be associated with today’s fusion mix while it can also be strongly connected to the swing period of the 1930′s and 1940s. Some try to define jazz from the perspective of different musical traditions, while others define it depending on where it originated. Whichever way you choose to define this great form of music there is no doubt that there is a continual pattern within every style of jazz and that is improvisation. Whichever form of jazz music you consider, whether it is the avant-garde form, the swing form or the more modern fusion, they all include this key aspect which is what truly makes jazz different from other genres of music.
Origins
While defining what jazz is can be tricky, there is no doubt from musical historians that the origins of jazz music began during the Atlantic slave trade. Music played a key role in a number of different African communities, combining these communities enhanced this style of music. Music was used in both rituals and work, most notably in work songs or field hollers. The use of pentatonic scales within these songs led to the creation of what are called blue notes in jazz music. By the nineteenth century an increased number of black musicians had learnt to play European instruments, creating a more elaborate from of music.
History of Jazz
The history of jazz is extensive, with the majority of historians agreeing that it began in the early 1800s. Arguably jazz began with Ragtime in the 1890′s, with the growth of Black musicians who would play piano in bars and clubs. This form of original music became very popular in the early 1900s especially in certain areas of America such as St. Louis and New Orleans.
Arguably one of the most important eras in the history of jazz was in the 1920s and 1930s, which many people define as the jazz era. By 1920′s a new type of jazz had been created, often called Dixieland jazz, this new form began in New Orleans where black performers would combine southern blue music with Caribbean music while using European instruments. This new variation of jazz spread to the northern area of the United States, in particular large cities such as New York and Chicago. This form of jazz became synonymous with illegal speakeasies during the prohibition days in the United States; however, by the end of the depression era the Dixieland jazz was gradually supplemented.
By the 1930′s however jazz slowly began to enter mainstream music, its popularity among the youth especially on college campuses saw the music industry begin to realise that jazz music was quickly becoming a popular genre of music. The mainstream of jazz saw the diluting of original Dixieland jazz which included a lot of improvisation. Instead it saw the rise of big band swing jazz.
This more structured form of jazz quickly began to include big bands and as the bands grew larger so did this variation of jazz’s popularity. While the 1930′s saw the continuation of a more structured from of jazz it saw more individual musicians given more complex solos while vocalists also began to be included. Some of the most popular performers of this era include Glenn Miller and Benny Goodwin.
It was the increased popularity of 1930′s jazz that saw it become a globally recognised form of music, and while each culture and generation of jazz music has been adapted, jazz’s humble roots can still be traced to the southern states of America.
