The greatest American invention.
It's about the notes you *don't* play.
A genre of music few white people can handle.
A revolutionary musical genre birthed in New Orleans in the early 20th Century by black. Jazz arose from the folk and spiritual music traditions of freed slaves in the Mississippi Delta, and is the patriarch of blues, R&B, Rock & Roll, and all contemporary popular music.
It's about the notes you *don't* play.
A genre of music few white people can handle.
A revolutionary musical genre birthed in New Orleans in the early 20th Century by black. Jazz arose from the folk and spiritual music traditions of freed slaves in the Mississippi Delta, and is the patriarch of blues, R&B, Rock & Roll, and all contemporary popular music.
by BillieJeanIsNotMyLover April 12, 2018
Technical (boring) definition: Jazz is a now-unpopular genre of music, encompassing several distinct styles, developed for the most part by black men in American cities over the course of the 20th century. Jazz in general is characterized by the following:
-improvised solos (though they can also be written out beforehand, and, especially when recorded, are often somewhat planned out)
-a rhythm section consisting of bass, drums, piano and sometimes guitar
-syncopation
-bass lines which are improvised to fit the chords, usually with one note on every downbeat, and which rarely, if ever, stop
-an uneven style of playing eighth notes so that the downbeat lasts roughly twice as long as the upbeat (this is known as "swing" eight notes)
-extended chords (7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords) as pioneered by 19th century composers in the classical "impressionist" movement
-4/4 time
-the common lack of vocals
-2 common song forms: the traditional 32-bar AABA song form, and the 12-bar blues form
Colloquial (less boring) definitions:
“Jazz,” originally a noun used mainly in Harlem in the beginning of the 20th century to mean “sexual intercourse,” is also used as a verb in the phrase “to jazz (something) up,” meaning to add style, individuality, soul, or passion to something.
"If haven't figured it out by now, you'll never know."
-Louis Armstrong
"The say music speaks louder than words, so I'll just let the music speak for itself."
-Charlie Parker
-improvised solos (though they can also be written out beforehand, and, especially when recorded, are often somewhat planned out)
-a rhythm section consisting of bass, drums, piano and sometimes guitar
-syncopation
-bass lines which are improvised to fit the chords, usually with one note on every downbeat, and which rarely, if ever, stop
-an uneven style of playing eighth notes so that the downbeat lasts roughly twice as long as the upbeat (this is known as "swing" eight notes)
-extended chords (7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords) as pioneered by 19th century composers in the classical "impressionist" movement
-4/4 time
-the common lack of vocals
-2 common song forms: the traditional 32-bar AABA song form, and the 12-bar blues form
Colloquial (less boring) definitions:
“Jazz,” originally a noun used mainly in Harlem in the beginning of the 20th century to mean “sexual intercourse,” is also used as a verb in the phrase “to jazz (something) up,” meaning to add style, individuality, soul, or passion to something.
"If haven't figured it out by now, you'll never know."
-Louis Armstrong
"The say music speaks louder than words, so I'll just let the music speak for itself."
-Charlie Parker
by jazzriff October 11, 2005
"Feel Good Music"....The artists deal with each other more as "brothers and sisters" instead of the rivals of other artists in most other genres.........the original music that brought out most of the genres that most people listen to today....
by Nelli April 12, 2005
1.the only true american art form, and the root of just about every other genre of music
2. A reacuring role on the Tv show The Frest Prince of Bel Air that smelled like cheap cologne and fried chicken; wore the same shirt and was thrown out of the bank's house just about every episode.
2. A reacuring role on the Tv show The Frest Prince of Bel Air that smelled like cheap cologne and fried chicken; wore the same shirt and was thrown out of the bank's house just about every episode.
by mannyo November 14, 2006
Undisputedly the most popular form of art for 120 years. It combined cultures from all around the world in America during the time of slavery and the influx of immigrants. Revolutions and renniscanses included the Swing era in New Orleans (1920s-1940s) The Bop era in New York (1950s-1970s) and Soul &Blues in Western USA (1930s-1980s) and the electric era frfom then on. Combined with Classical music, It created rock and hip-hop, which further evolved in the 1950s and 70s, respectively.
by Ozone August 31, 2004
by jazz man 132132 May 8, 2011
by Al June 11, 2004