Headlines
Jamming with Mary Lou Williams full story coming..
Working with the late reggae star Dennis Brown....full story
Listen to the jazz reggae instrumental single' Moving Up' by Barry Vincent.
The story of Jazz.
Jazz has been described as “America’s classical music” – and it’s one of the few examples of an art form unique to the United States.
Jazz as we know it was born in New Orleans in the late 19th century, although its history can be traced back even further. Jazz has its origins in a variety of diverse musical styles – African-American, Ragtime and Creole.
New Orleans was the natural place for jazz to evolve – at that time, the city was an exotic melting pot of French, Spanish, African and Creole culture. From this potent mix was born Dixieland jazz and performers such as Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver were performing the exciting and innovative new music in New Orleans around the turn of the 20th century.
A second wave of jazz developed during the 1920s and spread from New Orleans to other cities, after the federal government forced the closure of many clubs and bars in the city’s Storyville area. Jazz became popular in cities throughout the Midwest – notably Chicago and Kansas City.
During the 1920s, jazz musicians tended to form small groups that played a faster version of Dixieland jazz, with an emphasis on brass playing. The invention of the phonograph helped make jazz more popular at this time and jazz bands formed in many other countries.
History of Jazz (2) (3)
