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Pre-1890s Foundations
Blues developed in the south of the United States after the American civil war by formerly enslaved African Americans. It was influenced by work songs, hymns, and the music of minstrel shows. One of the main characteristics of the blues is it's sombre tone, achieved with it's distinct usage of "blue notes", which are notes between natural scale degrees. -
Introduction of Ragtime
Ragtime is the main precursor to what would become jazz as it's recognised today. It introduced syncopation in American popular music. Syncopated rhythms, influenced by traditional African music, is responsible for the "bouncy" feeling characteristic of the genre, which would come to influence jazz. Scott Joplin (pictured), often considered the "King of Ragtime", wrote many of the most famous rags, most notably "The Entertainer" (1902) -
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Heyday of Ragtime
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Beginning of the Jazz Age
Coinciding with the roaring 20's, the jazz age is when jazz would come into it's own. With the introduction of the radio and the popularity of clubs and parties, jazz rose as the perfect lavish musical vehicle. Instruments now common in jazz were first used around this time, mainly cornets and other brass. Elements of swing and big band would have their roots in this time as well, with big band pioneer Duke Ellington playing at many Brooklyn nightclubs throughout the late 1920s. -
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Jazz Age
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Rise of Swing
While being rooted in the 1920s, swing and big band would reach it's peak popularity in the 30s. Jazz gained more respect by a general American public around this time; rather than the connotations of brothels and bootleggers, jazz bands began to play in ballrooms. Louis Armstrong was a pioneer of what would become standard for swing and later jazz genres. Swing rhythms put more emphasis on the off beat, giving the music a lopsided feel, as opposed to the straighter rhythms of the 20s. -
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Swing era
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Bebop era
Bebop is often considered the beginning of "modern" jazz. Younger jazz musicians wanted to steer away from the dance music of the past decades and focus more on harmonic and rhythmic complexity, allowing for more freedom of expression. Bebop also represented a shift in American attitudes during WW2. Swing's energy painted a picture of an idealized America, while bebop was fast and harsh to the uninitiated. For this reason, the movement was criticized among many older musicians and listeners. -
Cool Jazz
Cool jazz rose after WW2, almost as a "toned down" version of bebop. Cool jazz is characterized by a slower tempo and formal arraignments, with inspiration from big band and classical music, but still retaining the rich harmony of bebop. This era featured many notable modern jazz artists, such as Miles Davis, Stan Getz, and groups like the Modern Jazz and Dave Brubeck Quartets. -
Free Jazz
Free jazz is where musicians began to really experiment with the avant-garde possibilities of jazz. While improvisation is a key part of jazz, free jazz is almost entirely improvised, with little adherence to traditional harmonies and will frequently change keys. This allowed greater experimentation for musicians, similar to what bebop did with harmony. One of the best examples of this are the Coltrane changes, a harmonic progression demonstrated by John Coltrane, famously used in "Giant Steps". -
Jazz Fusion
Jazz fusion, as the name suggests, combines jazz's harmony and improvisation with elements of rock, funk and RnB. Pioneered by seasoned jazz musician Miles Davis with inspiration from the works of artists like Jimi Hendrix, he began to abandon traditional jazz swing in favor of a rock n roll back beat and bass guitar. For decades onwards, jazz fusion would become an even broader category, with many different musicians combining traits from vaster genres of music.