History of the Styles of Jazz Music timeline

(img: http://www.keytarhq.com/ragtime-piano.html)
Ragtime is a type of musical style with its unique emphasis on its syncopated, or "ragged", rhythm and beat. Originating in the early 20th century, it was primarily written for the keyboard (piano) and easily recognizable by its whimsical mood and was a significant influence for classical Jazz. Scott Joplin was an influential composer for ragtime music and published one of the first ragtime compositions.

Jazz music is a significant music style in history and has been a prominent influence in the development of modern-day music. Characterized by its unique rhythm and beats, improvisations, and whimsical style, it has been a popular style of music since the late 19th century and is still loved today. This timeline will show the evolution of Jazz music and how each style developed and/or influenced other styles of Jazz, along with the unique characteristics of each.

(img: https://www.allmusic.com/album/smithsonian-collection-of-classic-jazz-vol-3-mw0000270722)
Also known as the "New Orleans style," classic jazz was often played by small bands. It was characterized by its offbeat rhythms, and consisted of instruments such as the clarinet, trombone, saxophone, banjo, drums, and piano. This style of music also involved improvisation and components of Ragtime music (which influenced the Jazz style) and became incredibly popular throughout the 20th century.

(img: https://hiddencityphila.org/2015/02/at-liberty-place-the-ghost-of-hot-jazz/)
Hot Jazz was a new development of style in Jazz music--improvised solo parts and melodies were incorporated and built up to an intense "climax.". Instruments such as the drums, bass, and guitar assisted in the crescendo of sound and emotion of the song to in a march-like tempo. This influenced other bands and orchestras to adopt this style of music as a way of expressing intense emotion and passion.

(img: https://www.123rf.com/profile_lainspiratriz)
Swing music developed during the 1930s and is characterized by its "swing feel," where the emphasis of the rhythm is on the offbeat, causing a unique rhythm and feel. The feel or groove of this style of music is very strong and often creates a "visceral response" from listeners, such as head bobbing or feet-tapping along to the beat.

(img: https://www.allmusic.com/album/atlantic-jazz-bebop-mw0000196692)
Bebop first developed around the 1940s and was primarily characterized by its harmonic improvisation and does not focus on the melody as much as the other styles of Jazz do. Soloists were able to freely improvise during the song as long as they stayed within the arranged chord/key of the piece. Some of its main innovators include Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.

(img: https://www.discogs.com/Various-Atlantic-Jazz-Mainstream/release/8465452)
Straying away from large ensembles, mainstream jazz was primarily played by smaller bands and swing music was still an important influence. Rather than focusing on the melodies of the music, the concentration would be on the chordal improvisations and expression of the soloists or individuals. This style of music picked up components from Cool, Classic, and Hard Bebop and is unique in its sound and rhythm.

(img: http://www.irmagroup.com/soul-jazz-unit-old-school-recipes/)
During the 1960s, Soul Jazz was one of the most popular styles of Jazz, with its improvisations in chord changes and the exciting mood that the soloist creates among an ensemble of musicians. This style is heavily influenced by blues and gospel music, and known for its strong bass line and steady groove. Horace Silver was a significant influence in the development of Soul Jazz with his compositions.

(img: https://boomkat.com/products/colin-curtis-presents-jazz-dance-fusion)
In the early 1970s, "Fusion" was a type of Jazz style that was a combination of Jazz improvisation with the energy and beats of Rock music. Although it influenced the development of Rock music, it did not have a significant impact on the Jazz style and is not often found in modern Jazz. Rudresh Mahanthappa and John McLaughlin are some of the better known fusion musicians during the time.

(img: http://truetoo.co/jazz-rap-playlist/)
Jazz Rap developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s in an attempt to combine African-American music of the past with modern-day music trends. The style included a mix of hip-hop beats and the sophisticated components of Jazz, creating an interesting fusion of old and new. Though this style of jazz did not last very long, it continues to be an influence to later studios and music composers.

(img: https://www.allmusic.com/album/smooth-jazz-lounge-mw0002235184)
After the development of Fusion, Smooth Jazz is a rather sophisticated, polished style of jazz. Improvisation is often absent, causing people to question if this style can really be considered jazz. The ensemble as a whole is the focus, rather than the individual/soloist, which is quite different from previous jazz styles. Though unconventional, it is one of the most commercially viable type of jazz music.

(img: http://www.jazzbox.com/eje/)
In the late 1900s and beginning of the 21st century, European musicians felt that mainstream jazz had become bland and old, so they attempted to create a new style. By combining elements of acoustic, electronic, and sampled sounds, this style of music became very popular due to its fresh new feel and its focus on dance music. Nils Petter Molvaer and Laurent de Wilde are some of the influential musicians that helped this movement.