jazz music
genresJAZ
An American art form characterised by improvisation, swing feel, and complex harmony.
Jazz emerged in New Orleans in the early 20th century from the fusion of blues, ragtime, gospel, and African rhythmic traditions. Improvisation is its defining feature — jazz musicians spontaneously compose melodies over chord progressions in real time. The genre has evolved through numerous styles: Dixieland, swing, bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, free jazz, fusion, and contemporary jazz. Jazz harmony is among the most sophisticated in popular music, employing extended chords, tritone substitutions, and modal interchange. The rhythm section (piano, bass, drums) provides the harmonic and rhythmic foundation while soloists on saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and other instruments improvise over the changes. Swing feel — an uneven subdivision of the beat — gives jazz its characteristic rhythmic bounce. Key figures include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis.