Jazz was created by mixing genres of music together, taking the best things from each one, compiling them and then creating the new style. Jazz goes back to the early part of the 20th century. The African Americans’ jazz tradition has been a part of history for over 100 years. Jazz is created by improvising notes and making up a melody or line of notes while playing.
Jazz started back in the days of slavery, when they would sing to pass the time while they were working. They sung many types of songs including hymns and follow-along songs. One person would sing a line and the others would follow. The combination of the two types of music became the first Jazz songs.
Jazz became widely available when radios and record players were invented. Kids started listening to it and embracing the music. Big Band Swing Jazz also emerged and became the most popular music during the 30′s and 40′s.
New Orleans is the founding city for Jazz. People of all different cultures came to the city looking for money and fortune bringing with them their own musical traditions as well. Jazz clubs are going strong in it’s birth cities including New Orleans, Chicago and New York.
True Jazz music is not written down on paper. It is an emotion, a feeling unlike any other, that has to come out whether on an instrument or thru voice.
Jazz Milestones
1895 – first Jazz band formed
1917 – first Dixieland Band came together
1920 – introduction to chord symbols
1929-1945 – beginning and end of the Swing era
1936 – Jazz was first integrated
1943 – Jazz was played in first concert hall
1954 – started winning awards for instrumental music
1959 – Improv steps in and expands record sells
1969 – Miles Davis was the first to sell 500,000 copies of his record.
1972-1979 – beginning of loft playing
1984 – A new generation gets a backward look at real Jazz.
1991 – Jazz is classified as an institution.
1993 – Jazzmen became pop stars.
1995 – reviving of the Impulse Record Label
2003 – Jazz was declared a national treasure by the president.
2008 – Grammy for Jazz album was won
2009 – 50th anniversary of Jazz
2012 – April 30th became International Jazz Day.
Jazz is a true part of history. It will live on forever in our institutions and art. Many artists have became famous, such as Satchmo, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong, just to name a few.