JAZZ MUSIC

Jazz Music which is about 90 years old began during the early 20th century in New Orleans in the southern USA. This was invented by black musicians.

Jazz musicians do not write down every note in their notations. They just provide an outline consisting of a tune and harmonies. The tunes and styles were passed on by ear. Syncopated rhythm is another feature of jazz music , where the stress falls on the unaccented beat. Jazz has complex syncopation. Jazz musicians never play a tune the same way twice and it is improvised on the spot. Jazz is like a musical language. When the musicians play , they talk to each other in jazz language. 

A jazz group has two parts and these are the rhythm section and the front line. Front line instruments are trumpet,saxophone,clarinet amd trombone.The rhythm section keeps a steady pulse. Those instruments are bass guitar , double bass and drums.

Swing

As the 1930's some musicians went to New York. During this period  bands got bigger so that they could be heard in large ballrooms.  The bands used written music or head arrangements and look turnes to improvise solos. That style was called " swing". 

Be -bop

In the 1940's some musicians found swing dull. They experimented with rhythm and harmony.  The result was ' be bop' .

West Coast Jazz

In the 1950's a style called west coast jazz developed in California. It was precise relaxed and more imporsonal than be bop. 

Ragtime

It was a form of piano music style played in bars and drinking clubs, and was very popular in  the 19th century. This is built of symmetrical phrases, puncuated by cadences.