Sunday, October 19, 2014

History And Types Of Jazz Music Genres

By Dominique Martin


One of the most listened music genres in the world, one that makes the listener want to listen to more and more records in the genre is jazz. Millions of people across the world won't go a day without listening to jazz music. The reason it is so much loved is its ability to fit in any kind of situation you can think of in this world. It is one kind of song that fits all situations you may find yourself in, whether driving or just want to dance all day and night.

This African-American originated song is so good due to the several decades of work on improving it. It has been around for more than a century and does not seem like it is to be forgotten anytime in the foreseeable future. The rich culture and history of the people who started it is kept alive, though generations after generations make additions to it to make it more crispy.

Jazz is a very wide type of music with so many sub-genres within it. Each sub-genre has a distinct note from the other ones. The sub-genres are either categorized depending on the period of time they were popular or the tone and tempo. Everything in this world is dynamic and keeps on changing to stay relevant and so has this African-American originated song seen major changes from the way it was done in the past.

Having stood the test of time in its century of existence, this song which was started by African-Americans seems to have gained full acceptance on its performance oriented style. The first place it was played which is also the place it originated was New Orleans. It spread quickly throughout America, especially on those states with high numbers of African-American race.

The first genre of this African-American originated song is normally referred to as the New Orleans Dixieland, which was very popular in the last years of 19th Century and lasted up to late 1920s. The most identifiable feature of this genre was the ragtime style. This genre gave birth to the many others which have succeeded it to the current type.

The second genre to have ruled the world immediately after the New Orleans Dixieland up to the end of the Second World War was the Swing. The acceptance of this genre had grown by this time and there were many big bands which rose up during this time entertaining people on live concerts across the country. It was at this time when improvisation started being a feature after the inclusion of an extended tone over another tone.

Up to the end of the war, this African-American originated song was characterized by slow tempo tone, but things changed for a faster tempo in the 1950s to 60s. The up-tempo came to be known as the Bop style. Not everyone liked the speed of the Bop so soft, cool and so the relatively easy tone form came back in the 60s named as the Cool Jazz.

A new dawn for this African-American originated song came in the 70s when some bands started combining it with rock to get the jazz fusion genre. A period of extreme improvisation was entered and is still happening today. The latest genre in the 21st century is the pop fusion.




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