What is jazz, jazz history

What is jazz, jazz history

What is jazz? These exciting rhythms, pleasant live music, which is constantly evolving and moving. With this direction, perhaps, no other can be compared, and it is impossible to confuse it with any other genre, even for a beginner. And here's a paradox, to hear and recognize it is easy, but to describe it in words is not so simple, because jazz is constantly evolving and the concepts and characteristics used today will become obsolete in a year or two.

Jazz - what is it

Jazz is a trend in music that originated at the beginning of the 20th century. It is closely intertwined with African rhythms, ritual chants, work and secular songs, American music of past centuries. In other words, this is a semi-improvisational genre that emerged as a result of mixing West European and West African music.

Where did jazz come from

It is believed that he came from Africa, complex rhythms testify to this. Add to this also dances, all sorts of stomping, clapping and here it is ragtime. Clear rhythms of this genre in combination with blues melodies and gave rise to a new direction, which we call jazz. Wondering where this new music came from, any source will give you the answer that from the chants of black slaves who were brought to America at the beginning of the 17th century. Only in music did they find comfort.

Initially, these were purely African motifs, but a few decades later they began to be more improvisational in nature and were overgrown with new American melodies, mostly religious melodies - spirituals. Later songs-complaints were added to it - blues and small brass bands. And so a new direction appeared - jazz.

What are the features of jazz music

The first and most important feature is improvisation. Musicians should be able to improvise both in the orchestra and solo. Another equally significant feature is polyrhythmia. Rhythmic freedom, perhaps, is the main feature of jazz music. It is this freedom that makes musicians feel light and move forward continuously. Remember any jazz composition? It seems that the performers easily play up some wonderful and pleasant to the ear a melody, no strict framework, as in classical music, only an amazing lightness and relaxation. Of course, in jazz compositions, as in classical ones, there is a rhythm, size, and so on, but due to a special rhythm, which is called swing (from the English. Rocking), this feeling of freedom arises. What else is important for this direction? Of course, a bit or another regular ripple.

Jazz development

Originating in New Orleans, jazz is spreading rapidly, becoming more and more popular. Amateur groups, consisting mainly of Africans and Creolese, begin to perform not only in restaurants, but also tour in other cities. Thus, in the north of the country another jazz center appears - Chicago, where night performances of musical groups are in special demand. Performed compositions are complicated arrangements. Among the performers of that period stands out Louis Armstrongwho moved to Chicago from the city where jazz originated. Later, the styles of these cities were merged into Dixieland, which was distinguished by collective improvisation.

The massive enthusiasm for jazz in 1930-1940 led to a demand for larger orchestras that could perform various dance tunes. Due to this, a swing appeared, representing some deviations from the rhythmic pattern. He became the mainstream of this time and overshadowed collective improvisation. Swing bands became known as big bands.

Of course, such a departure of swing from the features inherent in early jazz, from national melodies, caused discontent among true connoisseurs of music. That is why big bands and swing performers begin to oppose the game of small ensembles, which included black musicians. Thus, in the 1940s, a new bebop style emerged, clearly distinguished from other music trends. He had incredibly fast melodies, a long improvisation, the most complex rhythmic patterns. Among the performers of this time are the figures Charlie Parker and dizzy gillespie.

Since 1950, jazz has been developing in two different directions. On the one hand, the adherents of the classics returned to academic music, pushing bebop aside. The resulting jazz has become more restrained and dry. On the other hand, the second line continued to develop bebop. Against this background, a hard-bop arose, returning traditional folk intonations, a clear rhythmic pattern and improvisation. This style was developed together with such directions as soul-jazz and jazz-funk. They brought music closer to blues the most.

Free music

In the 1960s, various experiments and the search for new forms were carried out. As a result, jazz-rock and jazz-pop appear, combining two different directions, as well as free-jazz, in which the performers refuse to regulate the rhythmic pattern and tone. Ornette Coleman, Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny became famous among the musicians of this time.

Soviet jazz

Initially, Soviet jazz orchestras mainly performed fashion dances such as foxtrot, charleston. In the 1930s, a new direction began to gain more and more popularity. Despite the fact that the attitude of the Soviet government to jazz music was ambiguous, it was not prohibited, but at the same time it was strongly criticized as belonging to Western culture. In the late 40s, jazz bands were completely persecuted. In the 1950s and 60s, the activities of the orchestras of Oleg Lundstrem and Eddie Rosner resumed and more and more musicians became interested in the new direction.

Even today, jazz is constantly and dynamically developing, there are many trends and styles. This music continues to absorb sounds and melodies from all over the world, saturating it with new and new colors, rhythms and melodies.