A Brief History of Jazz

A Brief History of li i Jazz's evolution from its inception in the late 19th century has spawned a variety of offshoots. From the African tribal sounds-inspired origins to the electro-infused incarnation, we summarize the genres of jazz through the decades in this infographic. 1895 Ben Harney Ragtime The precursor to jazz, 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. Ragtime's appeal traversed racial and cultural boundaries, paving the way for Scott Joplin black musicians in the entertainment field. 1910s Mamie Smith Blues Borne of hardship and melancholy of the African American community in the late 19th - early 20th century, Blues incorporated vocals engaging in a call-and-response pattern with the instruments Ma Rainey (most commonly guitar, piano, and harmonica.) ..... 19 20s New Orleans Jazz (Dixieland) Louis Armstrong Being a major center for sea trade where people of varying cultural/economic backgrounds mingle, New Orleans was fertile grounds for arts and culture. The genre was a blend of ragtime, the blues and French quadrilles, with standard band consisting of the trumpet, clarinet, trombone, and often saxophone complimented by piano, drums, banjo, or tuba King Oliver providing the rhythm section. 1930s Benny Goodman Swing Generally played by a big band (approximately 12-25 musicians), Swing featured individual musicians performing a solo and improvising with the rest of the band playing support, in contrast with previous forms of jazz where the entire band improvised. Swing Louis Armstrong was primarily played for dancing, and provided an outlet for escapism during the Great Depression. 1940s Dizzy Gillespie Bebop Bebop was played by smaller band (saxophone, trumpet, double bass, drums and piano), and shifted the focus to the soloist. Developed through 'jam sessions' where musicians play and challenge each other, Bebop was often faster and more intricate than Swing, and therefore not very suitable for dancing. The Bebop scene grew in the East Coast, but due to the complexity Thelonius Monk and intensity, never reached Swing's levels of popularity. 1950s Miles Davis Cool Jazz Cool Jazz focused on more relaxed tempo, and more reserved tones (in contrast to Bebop's intense and louder tones), and was often played by a 3 to 9-piece band, often utilizing classical instruments such as flute, tuba, vibraphone and French horn. The Cool jazz scene originated in the West Coast (specifically Chico Hamilton California). 1960s Cecil Taylor Avant Garde/Free Jazz Free jazz was the result of musicians experimenting and breaking down jazz conventions (predetermined chord progression, forms, and structures), and taking liberties to explore harmonies, sounds, and instruments, Main characteristics of free jazz include: atonal music (not based on predictable chord progression), variable meters, and experimental/unique tones. Ornette Coleman 1970s Miles Davis Jazz Fusion Jazz fusion was the result of the synthesis of jazz improvisation and harmonies with rock music sensibilities and electronic instruments. Fusion bands often consisted of upright bass, saxophone, trumpet, electric guitar, electric bass and synthesizers. Chick Corea Grover Washington, Jr 1980s Smooth Jazz Smooth jazz is often characterized by a layering lead instrument (primarily saxophone) over rhythms or samples in the background, strict adherence to verse/chorus structure and absence of David Benoit improvisation. Nils Petter Molvær Nu Jazz Nu jazz, also known as jazztronica, is a blend of jazz with modern music manipulation/generation methods and genres (electronic sounds, turntables, sampling, etc.) Pamela Williams DESIGNED BY Milkwhale is an infographic design agency dedicated to create high quality infographic that turns your complex and hard to understand data into easy-to-decipher graphic representation that tells a story and helps you levitate yourself and your company above the crowd. milkwhale Q Find us at www.milkwhale.com Sources: apassion4jazz.net jazzmusicarchives.com · historyjazz.com · allaboutjazz.com · jazzinamerica.org audials.com/en/genres/jazz_music.html · teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/history_of_jazz.htm XXX, DC