The History Ofjazz

Overview

Jazz is an original American music art form that developed around the start of the 20th century in African American communities in and around New Orleans, which was shaped by a confluence of numerous American music traditions. Jazz has roots in the combination of African and Western music tradtions, including spirituals, blues and ragtime, stemming from West Africa and the western Sahel, and New England's religious hymns, hillbilly music, and European military band music. The origins of the word jazz are uncertain. The word is rooted in American slang, and various derivations have been suggested . Jazz was not applied to jazz music until about 1915,in Chicago. The instruments used in marching bands and dance band music at the turn of century became the basic instruments of jazz: brass, reeds, and drums, using the Western 12-tone scale.For all its genius, early jazz, with its humble, folk roots, was the product of primarily self-taught musicians.

History

1890s-1910s Dixieland/New Orleans Jazz

Bandleader Buddy Bolden's performances in New Orleans parades and dances are an early example of jazz-style improvisation. Cakewalks, Coon Songs and the music of "Jig Bands" eventually evolved into Ragtime. One of the early ragtime compostions was published by Ben Harney. The music was vibrant, enthusiastic, and often extemporaneous. Early Ragtime music was in the format of marches, waltzes and other traditional song forms but the consistent characteristic was syncopation. In 1899, a classically trained young pianist from Missuri named Scott Joplin published the first of many Ragtime compositions that would come to shape the music of a nation.

In the New Orleans, Louisiana area an early style of jazz called "Dixieland" developed. The New Orleans style used more intricate rhythmic improvisation than ragtime,