Jazz

Jazz is a genre of music that originated in the United States in the early 20th century, with roots in African American communities in New Orleans. It is characterized by improvisation, complex rhythms, and a swinging feel, often built on blues and church music traditions. Early jazz blended African rhythmic patterns, European harmonic ideas, call-and-response phrases, and collective improvisation in small ensembles, creating a flexible, evolving musical language.

From the 1910s to the 1920s, jazz spread from New Orleans to Chicago and New York, giving rise to Dixieland and later swing. The Swing Era of the 1930s featured large ensembles and dance bands led by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and others, emphasizing memorable melodies and arranged sections. In the 1940s, bebop shifted focus to fast tempos and intricate improvisation, with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie; the 1950s saw cool jazz and hard bop, while the 1960s brought modal and free jazz and the 1970s fusion, blending jazz with rock and electronic textures.

Key figures include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday. Instruments range from brass and reeds to rhythm sections and keyboards, with improvisation as a central process. Jazz has produced standard repertoires, vocal traditions, and ensembles of varying sizes, influencing many other genres.

Today, jazz continues to evolve through forms such as jazz fusion, Latin jazz, and avant-garde explorations, while traditional styles remain performed in clubs and festivals worldwide. It is studied academically and archived by libraries and institutions, and disseminated through recordings, radio, and digital platforms, reflecting ongoing creativity, collaboration, and improvisation.