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Jazz

- a type of music that has a strong rhythmic background and syncopation, with accent onother than the beats usually stressed.

Brief History of Jazz

Jazz is a primarily American musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20thcentury in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence ofAfrican and European music traditions. The style's West African pedigree is evident in its useof blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythm, syncopation, and the swung note.From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and20th century American popular music. The word

jazz

began as a West Coast slang term ofuncertain derivation and was first used to refer to music in Chicago in about 1915.Jazz has, from its early 20th century inception, spawned a variety of subgenres, from NewOrleans Dixieland dating from the early 1910s, big band-style swing from the 1930s and 1940s,bebop from the mid-1940s, a variety of Latin jazz fusions such as Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazzfrom the 1950s and 1960s, jazz-rock fusion from the 1970s and late 1980s developments suchas acid jazz, which blended jazz influences into funk and hip-hop. As the music has spreadaround the world it has drawn on local national and regional musical cultures, its aesthetics beingadapted to its varied environments and giving rise to many distinctive styles

Types of jazz music

The varying styles of jazz include the

"Work Song."

This is mainly a rhythmic song which couldbe referred to as making hard work easier and to go by faster. These are usually unaccompaniedupbeat rhythm songs that are usually repeated over and over, a sort of chanting, to make thetime go by faster on the job.Another style is the

"New Orleans."

This style began in the 1890's as brass band performancesof gospel songs and marches with this came along the formation of the big bands, such as thegreat jazz pianist and bandleader William Basie. Mr. Basie's band, known as the Count BasieOrchestra, was famous for the driving beat considered to be the epitome of the swing feel. Thisstyle of jazz still exists today and is normally referred to as the original style of jazz. Thisstyle is also considered to be ensemble jazz and is known for its polyphonic texture.The

"Chicago Style"

of jazz music evolved after 1917. Chicago then became the home of jazzmusic because of the prohibition in the south. Unemployed musicians moved to the Chicago areaplaying new sounds and searching for places to play the new, exciting style of jazz. With thisstyle the musicians play popular songs with a more homophonic sound. This is the era when thepiano is introduced into the background accompaniments.

"Bebop"

came about through and after World War II. Due to an opposition of whiteestablishment, jazz took a turn. It became a fast, but upbeat use of tempos, using elaboratemelody and rhythmic patterns. With Bebop, the beat of jazz became lighter. During the later1940's, Bebop combined dissonance and abstract chording with traditional jazz. This styleshowed more emphasis on the solo performer.

Later came the style known as

"Fusion."

This style of jazz reflects back closer to the jazztradition. Only now the use of electrical and acoustic instruments gives a more modern sound.Jazz popularity grows at this time to a time high due to the use of electrical instruments andthe formation of jazz clubs and festivals, directed toward the youth of America.Jazz music has and will always reflect the artist of the time through the different styles thisform of music has taken. Through the years jazz music has changed to meet the needs ofchanging times and the people's changing taste of music, and for the people's listeningenjoyment. Jazz has introduced new sounds and styles to stay afloat in the ever-changingmodern world.The core of jazz music has not changed that much since it began all those many years ago. Theframework is still there and always will be. However, the surface will change, as in the differentstyles that have evolved over the years. The deep down earthy tones, melody and rhythm havemade jazz music what it is today and has enlisted memories in all of what it once was.

Some Famous Jazz artists Louis Armstrong

was born in 1900 and died in 1971. He was well-known for playing 2

cornet inKing Oliver band on early recordings from 1923. However, he left the band in 1924. His musicfrom this time is traditional New Orleans style, polyphonic, emotional and denotative. LouisArmstrong soon became a soloist at the time he performed with the band of Flecher Henderson.He finished recording "Hot Five" and "Hot Seven" in 1952 and shifted from the cornet to thetrumpet. His music style was very unusual, building solos to the highest point and holding verybright clarity and shakes and vibrato. Louis Armstrong was an excellent musician of his time.

Chuck Mangione

, who was a composer and flugelhorn player in Latin Jazz of 70s, created severalsongs and was highly admired. He was given several awards for songs such as "Hill where TheLord Hides", "Children of Sanchez" and "Bellavia". Moreover, Chuck Mangione performed Jazzwith Art Blakely and The Jazz Messengers during his career in jazz.

Freddie Hubbard

, who played the trumpet, was a famous musician of pop jazz. He began hiscareer in Indianapolis and moved to New York to replace Lee Morgan in The Jazz Messengers,The Jazz Messengers. Although he began as a bop player, turned into one of the dominatinginfluential trumpet players of today and is well-known as a very creative and artistic abilityplayer. The widely known albums that he recorded were "Ole" and "Red Clay".

Charlie Parker

, a saxophone player, was born on 29

August 1920, in Kansas When he wasgrowing up as a jazzman at the 1930s; swing was at the peak of jazz Popularity. During the1940s and 1950s, he created and established the bebop from of modern jazz, which is till acommon style used today. His new style of music featured complex. Melodies, harmonies,rhythms, and tempos spotlighted sections that focused on intense ad-lib playing. Therefore, hisintense performances with incredible rhythm amazed the crowd. It is often said that no one hasever matched his outstanding solo skills. Moreover, his extreme performances on stage were thedirect reflection of his addiction to drugs. His addictions eventually led to his death on March12

, 1995 at the young age of 34.