Jazz And Jazz Bands

Just as The United States is considered to be a "melting pot" of humanity, jazz is also a melting pot of musical styles. In the south, during the late part of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century, a style of piano music called Ragtime became immensely popular. Also during this same time period, Blues music was developed by African Americans, stemming from the spirituals that were sung by slaves while working in the fields.

These two different types of music came together in the 1920's to form a entirely new kind of music. In 1917, a group of musicians from New Orleans, Louisiana, who went by the name, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, made a recording of this style of music that instantly became popular. A typical jazz band of this era, consisted of a horn section, as well as piano, sting bass and drums, sometimes including a banjo or a tuba, and early jazz music did not usually feature vocals.

The next decade saw the advent of big bands that had ten or more performers, and Swing music was created. After that, there was a tremendous surge in the popularity of jazz music in the thirties and forties. Some of the greatest and most well known jazz bands came from this period. After the forties, the popularity of jazz and jazz bands started to decline, but it is still enjoyed to this day by many people.

Today, jazz bands usually fall into five different categories. Bebop, which is known for its unconventional irregularities, Cool Jazz, which is understated and somewhat restrained, Latin Jazz, which is combined with Latin dance rhythms, Free Jazz, an experimental sound developed in the sixties, and Fusion, which is blended with rock music and is known for the use of electronic instruments.

Many people agree that the musician with the most influence on jazz music was Louis Armstrong. He was a trumpet player from New Orleans who was known for his inventiveness in playing both the trumpet and cornet, as well as for his singing voice, which was distinctively deep and gravelly. Mr. Armstrong is known for his ability to bridge the racial gap in music, thereby bringing the great pleasure of listening, dancing to, and singing along with jazz music and jazz bands to a much larger audience.

Today, jazz bands use an amazing variety of instruments, including African percussion, violas, and synthesizers. Jazz and jazz bands will always have avid fans from all over the world.

By: Louisa Coan

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Louisa Coan is writing on behalf of Sax and Honey, Who are an award-winning Jazz Duo for weddings, parties and corporate events throughout the UK. They also offer Jazz bands Berkshire and Jazz bands Essex