New York’s Best Jazz Bands
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Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in European harmony and African rhythmic rituals. Late 19th century, New Orleans, U.S.
Improvisation is exactly what it sounds like—musicians spontaneously compose music right there on the spot! This is probably the most crucial element of jazz, and the most challenging.
Jazz is a distinctively American style of music that developed in the early decades of the 20th century. Its roots include many Afro-American folk music traditions, such as spirituals, work songs, and blues. It also borrowed from 19th century band music and the ragtime style of piano playing. The distinctive elements of jazz include characteristic rhythm patterns, harmonic practices related to, but not identical with, functional harmony, and the practice of improvisation. Jazz has influenced, and has been influenced by, traditional classical music and popular music. The boundaries are not always especially clear. Although jazz has a relatively short history, it has developed several distinct styles with which nonspecialists should be at least superficially familiar.
