A Brief History of Jazz Infographic
The history of jazz brushes off any speculation that connects the genre and the elites. There was no intention of targeting certain class societies as the audience of jazz.
In 1920, the African-American community in New Orleans made jazz hit its peak and was enjoyable to all walks of life. Since then, jazz has continuously raised popularity and struck out great singers over the years.
As jazz has undergone a long journey, it has spawned different styles from the late 80s to the 90s. Here is a summary of jazz history through the decades.
1895 – Ragtime
Originated in African-American Communities in the southern states of the US, Ragtime was a combination of African tribal music’s syncopation and European harmonies and instruments.
The 1910s – Blues
Blues incorporated vocals engaging in a call-and-response pattern with the instruments such as guitar, piano, and harmonica.
The 1920s – New Orleans Jazz (Dixieland)
New Orleans Jazz was a blend of ragtime, the blues, and French quadrilles, with the standard band consisting of the trumpet, clarinet, trombone, and often saxophone. Also, piano, drums, or tuba compliments to add rhythm.
The 1930s – Swing
Swing featured individual musicians performing a solo and improvising with the rest of the band playing support. People primarily played the genre for dancing.
The 1940s – Bebop
Bebop included a smaller band (saxophone, trumpet, double bass, drums, and piano) and shifted the focus to the soloist.
The 1950s – Cool Jazz
Cool Jazz focused on a more relaxed tempo and more reserved tones. It often included a 3-9-piece band and utilized classical instruments, such as flute, tuba, vibraphone, and French horn.
1960s – Avant Garde/Free Jazz
Free jazz has main characteristics: atonal music (not based on predictable chord progression), variable meters, and experimental/unique tones.
The 1970s – Jazz Fusion
Jazz fusion resulted from synthesizing jazz improvisation and harmonies with rock music sensibilities and electronic instruments.
The 1980s – Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz’s main characteristics included a layer lead instrument (primarily saxophone) over rhythms or samples in the background, strict adherence to verse/chorus, and absence of improvisation.
The 1990s – Nu Jazz
Nu Jazz is a blend of jazz with modern music manipulation/generation methods and genres (electronic sounds, turntables, sampling, etc.)
Closing
The long journey of jazz makes it a timeless music genre. Jazz songs may sound classic, but their listeners vary in generations.
Until recently, many millennials and Generation Z have grown up listening to jazz singers. To know a more detailed jazz history, check out the infographic below.
Embed This Image On Your Site (copy code below):
