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History of Jazz
Jazz is an original American art form which began in New Orleans sometime around the year 1895. In New Orleans, musicians were experimenting with new combinations of traditional music like Ragtime, Marching Band Music, and the Blues. What distinguished Jazz was that Jazz music heavily relied upon improvisation. The sheet music from which Jazz songs began served only as a framework for the piece that would eventually be played. Jazz-style music quickly became popular in Kansas City, Chicago and Saint Louis.Originally, Jazz was played only by African-American and Creole musicians. The first Jazz musician is considered to be Buddy Bolden, who played the Cornet. The next group of Jazz musicians included such greats as Kid Ory and King Oliver, who would eventually discover Louis Armstrong. These musicians formed small Jazz bands, and greatly increased both the complexity and tempo of the music. The new Jazz was called “Hot Jazz” because of the incredible speed at which the musicians improvised. Hot Jazz met with a great deal of commercial success and became a dominant force in the culture of the 1920s.
Between World Wars One and Two, Jazz was spread from America to the countries of Europe. This period was one of the golden ages of Jazz. With the increase of television in the 1950s, followed by the Rock and Roll music of the 1960s, the popularity of Jazz began to decline dramatically. Although Jazz is no longer the roaring success it once was, it remains an important American art form.
Originally, Jazz was played only by
African-American and Creole musicians. The first Jazz musician is
considered to be Buddy Bolden, who played the Cornet. The next group of
Jazz musicians included such greats as Kid Ory and King Oliver, who
would eventually discover Louis Armstrong. These musicians formed small
Jazz bands, and greatly increased both the complexity and tempo of the
music. The new Jazz was called “Hot Jazz” because of the incredible
speed at which the musicians improvised. Hot Jazz met with a great deal
of commercial success and became a dominant force in the culture of the
1920s.
Between World Wars One and
Two, Jazz was spread from America to the countries of Europe. This
period was one of the golden ages of Jazz. With the increase of
television in the 1950s, followed by the Rock and Roll music of the
1960s, the popularity of Jazz began to decline dramatically. Although
Jazz is no longer the roaring success it once was, it remains an
important American art form.
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