Saturday, October 18, 2014

The History Of Jazz Music And Genres

By Dominique Martin


One of the most listened music genres in the world, one that makes the listener want to listen to more and more records in the genre is jazz. Millions of people across the world won't go a day without listening to jazz music. The reason it is so much loved is its ability to fit in any kind of situation you can think of in this world. It is one kind of song that fits all situations you may find yourself in, whether driving or just want to dance all day and night.

You can't be more mistaken if you think this African-American originated song is new in the music arena. It is century old with a very rich history in the old West African culture. There is nothing to stop the growth and that growth have been accepted worldwide by a fan base which keeps growing with each new generation and great legends adding on to the ever growing list.

Jazz is a wide genre covering several sub-genres which are all grouped under it since they conform to some of the qualities of this song. In the current generation, there are different types of this African-American originated song which make up the sub-genres. These sub-genres can also be looked as the period they were hits, because songs keep changing with time. The way it was done two decades ago, it is always different with the way it is today.

Towards the end of the 1800s the African-Americans started their own kind of music which came to be known as jazz. The first place which is credited with the jazz's origin is New Orleans, but other parts of America started playing this African-American originated song almost at the same time. Regardless of the uncertainty of where exactly it started, it has grown to be the greatest song in the world.

The first genre of jazz which originated from New Orleans came to be known as New Orleans Dixieland and it was the real music during this time lasting from late 19th Century to late 20s, a span of over 35 years. It was characterized by the unique ragtime style. It was the predecessor of many genres which would come in later years.

After the New Orleans Dixieland came the Swing type that dominated the world from 1930s to late 1940s when the Second World War was over. Several huge bands rose up and gained recognition in the United States playing this kind of African-American originated song. The first major improvisation in the rhythm was included in this genre when one note was extended over a second one.

Up to the end of the war, this African-American originated song was characterized by slow tempo tone, but things changed for a faster tempo in the 1950s to 60s. The up-tempo came to be known as the Bop style. Not everyone liked the speed of the Bop so soft, cool and so the relatively easy tone form came back in the 60s named as the Cool Jazz.

Rapid improvements and changes occurred in the 70s going forward, when the fusion was born from combination of rock and this one. Many combinations have occurred since then, but still jazz stands strong. The latest of these is the pop fusion which is the hit in the 21st Century.




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