A musical style originating in the American south and popular during the mid twentieth century. Musically, jazz is characterized by “swing” rhythms, blue notes, and improvisation.

Jazz

Jazz is a musical form originating in the southern United States and is especially associated with New Orleans, Louisiana. It springs from African American roots and is characterized by strong rhythms, repeating chord structures, melodic improvisation and dissonance. Jazz has been called America's classical music. It among a handful of truly indigenous musical styles to develop in America and it is by far the most adventurous and sophisticated of them. Jazz began as dance music, performed by large bands powered by brass instruments. With time though, the dance elements faded into the background and improvisation became the key element of the music. Over the years, Jazz has been a music that was popular, artful, cool, hot, dynamic, laid back, simple and complex. The things that tie the different styles together are a foundation in the blues and improvisation.

Early Days

From its earliest days, Jazz was a fusion of musical idioms and styles. New Orleans is located on the Mississippi River and near the Gulf of Mexico, a position that helped it grow into a major trade center and a cultural melting pot. Early Jazz incorporated ideas from many sources including spirituals and hymns, the blues and work songs, brass band marches and barrelhouse piano. Many of the first Jazz musicians played in small brass bands leading funerals, and in small clubs or whorehouses in New Orleans.

The instrumentation in early New Orleans Jazz and the Dixieland style was dominated by the brass instruments popular in the marches of the late nineteenth century. This was due in part to the availability of surplus military instruments after the end of the American Civil War.

In the 1890’s strict segregation of the races was the norm in the southern United States. White and black musicians were not allowed to play together. Young black musicians had exposure to European music but often had little formal musical education and training. Some theorize that this situation helped spur the early evolution of Jazz.

The invention of the phonograph played an important role in bringing Jazz to an audience beyond Louisiana. The first recording by the all-white Original Dixieland Jazz Band is generally accepted as the official birth of Jazz. Following the success of this recording more records were made of black musicians specifically intended for a black audience. Louis Armstrong was one of these musicians. His recordings included several musicians improvising together and had a profound effect on Jazz musicians who were to follow.

Early Twentieth Century

Dance halls became an important part of American life during the early part of the 20th century, and these dance halls had a marked influence on Jazz. The musicians became better paid, and it became possible for more black musicians to earn a living playing music. Jazz also adopted the 4/4 rhythm and cadence of dance music. At this time, the instrumentation of Jazz also evolved with the double bass and trap set taking up a more integral role.

The national prohibition of alcohol also had an effect on Jazz. During prohibition, musicians tended to travel less and formed smaller combinations. Up until this time, black musicians had been relegated to the dance halls and live performances. Except for a few recording intended for a black audience most Jazz recordings were the product of white musicians many of whom tended to give to Jazz more orthodox rhythms and harmonic structures.

Prohibition may have had the paradoxical effect of exposing more white Americans to the music of Jazz in speakeasys and clandestine dance halls. Regardless, recordings and broadcasts by black musicians began reaching a wider audience and became more popular at this time. In this period the orchestras of Duke Ellington and Count Basie were formed. The music they played was lively and danceable.

Mid Twentieth Century

A watershed event in the history of Jazz occurred in the mid Thirties, when Benny Goodman engaged black musicians including pianist Teddy Wilson, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, and guitarist Charlie Christian to play in his big band. This was the first time that such a large and influential band had become so racially integrated. When this happened in the mid thirties, the popularity of swing and big bands was at its peak. Some of the most popular swing bands were led by Goodman, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, and the Dorsey Brothers.

In the Forties, many musicians playing in these big bands rebelled against the rigidity of the form. They began to meet after-hours to play in small groups. These small groups allowed the players more freedom to experiment with rhythm and harmonic structure. The style that sprung from this movement, Bop, became a significant evolution in Jazz. With the advent of Bop it became more centered on the virtuosity of the musicians. During this period, Jazz explored a greater rhythmic and harmonic complexity, and Afro-Cuban rhythms became reintroduced into the music.