Jazz

music · improvisation · New Orleans · African-American

Born in New Orleans. Jazz started in the late 1800s and early 1900s in African-American communities in New Orleans, Louisiana, mixing together blues, ragtime, spirituals, hymns, and marches into an exciting new sound.

Many musical roots. Jazz grew from African rhythmic traditions, blues, European harmony, spirituals, hymns, marches, vaudeville songs, and dance music all blended together in one creative place.

Improvisation rules. One of the coolest things about jazz is that musicians make up melodies and rhythms on the spot while playing, so no two performances of the same song are ever exactly alike.

Swing and blue notes. Jazz uses special musical tricks like swing rhythms that make you want to move, blue notes that bend pitch in interesting ways, and complex chords that create rich, soulful sounds.

Call and response. Jazz musicians often trade back and forth with each other, with one person playing a musical idea and another answering it, like a musical conversation happening right in front of you.