The Origin of Jazz

By: Manuela Herrán

 April is the Jazz appreciation month in the US, so it came to my mind that this is one of my favorite music genres; however, I have always had the curiosity about where it came from, or how it was created. Therefore, today I am going to explain to you the basics of how Jazz was formed and some influential artists, among this genre of music. 

It all began in New Orleans around the 20's, where a mix of different types of music like, African, Latin and European, combined styles to create what we now know as Jazz. New Orleans was known as a cultural melting pot, which basically means that it was a place where cultures, styles and customs were mixed and combined, resulting in new bursts of music and art. From all this influence and the racial differences given at that time, a new form of African American music resulting from the mixes of the styles previously mentioned, was born the musical genre of Jazz. In the early days, jazz was primarily played by African American musicians; it was often played in bars and clubs, and in a common area called the red-light district. For this reason, Jazz was starting to be considered and despised as an immoral type of music, but that didn't stop the rise of Jazz at its finest. 

But what is Jazz? Jazz is not only music and an improvised art; it's also a language. Jazz is often performed improvising, and in a collaboration between multiple musicians interacting, and exchanging sounds and melodies. Everyone in the group has the same voice and importance. Since the artist has to react in a fast way, they express what's really inside them and their pure feelings. This genre has inspired many of the modern and new genres that we now see in mainstream media of music, like RnB and also back then Rock and Roll. 

There have been a lot of influential artists and bands in the Jazz world, so it's hard to narrow it down to just a few; thus, I am going to mention my favorites and some that I consider have made history. First of all, we have Miles Davis, which many consider one the most influential and revolutionary artists, not only in Jazz but in music in general. The trumpetist had to go through the racial inequalities of the time for being able to broadcast and expand his music. He was notorious for his passionate music, and uniqueness. Also, he was able to work alongside artists like Louis Armstrong and many others. Louis Armstrong was a singer and trumpetist, who had a distinctive strong and raspy voice that helped him create some very successful songs, like What a wonderful world, a popular version of La vie en rose, among many other hits. Last but not least, there is an amazing and passionate artist called Billie Holiday, who was one of the many women in Jazz. She is recognized as the most influential woman within the genre, next to Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan. She was notorious for leading a part in the black rights movement, especially with her song Strange Fruit.

Finally, Jazz has definitely changed the world in many aspects, and it is responsible for many movements of empowerment. It is a beautiful language, and melody, and voice for those who can't be heard. Jazz is inspiration and art all around the world, for all races, genders, and cultures.