The History Of Jazz

Jazz is a mix of music from marching bands as well as blues and Ragtime. Jazz is a type of music genre that has black American origin and is characterized by a regular or forceful rhythm, improvisation, and syncopation. Jazz’s most common instruments are brass and woodwind instruments and piano although the guitar and violin are occasionally used. Some different styles of Jazz are Dixieland, swing, bebop, and free jazz.
The history of Jazz started in the South in the United States. The foundation of Jazz is the blues which is an African American-derived music form. In 1809, North American’s African Americans began to reinvent music to fit a different American context. In their music that they sang about lost love, unfairness, and facing down
adversity. In the era antebellum which was about 1815 through 1861 has much interest for researchers looking for Jazz’s deeper roots. Along with new music, Jazz players invented the drum set along with terms such as “cool” and “hip”.
There are three different types of Jazz players.
The first type is Trad musicians(Traditionalists). They believe that what they play is “real jazz” and not various hybrids of jazz nor does it have “add-ons”. The second is contemporary jazz artists that are mainstream, that for the most part use the sub-genre, Hard Bop, an instrumentation/musical form. Hard Bop is an extension of bebop. An important group that played hard bop in the 1950s was the Miles Davis Quintet. The third type of Jazz player is a Jazz player who plays all styles of Jazz. Another feature of Jazz is Improvisation. Improvisation is when you make up/create the music as you go
along.
In 1930 a swing era had become one of the most popular dances, big bands were all playing swing music while people were swing danced. Some people who led orchestras who played swing music are, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Paul Whiteman, and Benny Goodman. Swing means being sync with others but swing is also the basic rhythm of Jazz. Later, around 1940, jazz players were trying to find a different way to play music. Bebop soon came to be with fast tempos, intricate melodies, as well as complex harmonies. In the 1950’s African, Spanish, and native cultures in Latin America made a different, unique music and dance. Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington combined their music with the new style of Jazz and made a compelling blend.
Jazz has been known to be America’s classical music as well as blues.
A major point of jazz was between World War 1 and The Great Depression call The Jazz age. F.Scott Fitzgerald's named the Jazz age and wrote a book (“Great Gatsby) which was based on the Jazz Age. Nowadays Jazz seems to have become a question. Many articles have been written such as “Is Jazz Entering a New Golden Age” and “Jazz has become the Least Popular genre in America” which is leading to conflict and question about the music that once started in New Orleans but has spread across the globe causing love between different races, something people come together to dance and sing. Jazz is still being performed by Gregory Porter and Esperanza Spalding, but Jazz and Classical music represent just 1.4% of the total music consumption a piece the United States but Classical albums had higher sales in 2014 making Jazz at one of the lowest points it’s been at.
In conclusions, Jazz is not only a musical genre but a dance, a way of life. Jazz has brought this country together through times of grieving. Jazz has helped mold this country. Without Jazz, this country wouldn't be the same. Jazz music is a form of life between strangers creating a strong bond, holding us all
together.