Jazz is an original American form of music. Some believe it was first played in South America, but there's no question it was developed into a distinct and mature genre in the United States. It has developed into a popular and relevant part of American music. In the early history of jazz it was greatly influenced by blues music. In the late twentieth century jazz was an important and popular form of music enjoyed initially by African Americans in the southern U.S. and honed to a fine art in cities up and down the Mississippi River.
The music that was called jazz was popular in many countries, including the United States. At the same time it quickly spread to many countries in Europe, and then to many parts of Asia, South America and Australia.
What makes jazz unique? Among other things the unique features of Jazz include 'blue notes," improvisation and syncopation. Jazz relies primarily on the spontaneous expression of the musicians - usually playing in small groups - and does not necessarily use a written score. The 1930s saw a rapid rise in the popularity of jazz. Although black musicians dominated the jazz scene, the 1930s saw an increase in the number of white jazz singers and players. But during this time jazz still remained true to its roots and to the African-American blues musicians who created it.
That is why jazz music reflects not only American classical, popular and traditional music, but it also boasts of a mix of African and even European music styles reaching back hundreds of years. Because of the complex nature of jazz, and its improvisational character, the only way to properly understand jazz music is to be immersed in it, hear it played by jazz masters and actually play with other jazz performers, because jazz music is ultimately a communal experience.
Self expression through improvisation is critical component of jazz music, and it is a skill which a musician can only acquire through exposure to other jazz musicians, interacting with others in a typical jazz "combo". It is even difficult to practise jazz without knowing how the individual parts relate to the other members of the group.
If you do not have an idea where to start, go back to the beginning of your book. You know everything about the simple songs you began with, so now you can think about experimenting with them and making them your own. Attend performances, listen to a lecture, think about improvisation, then "just do it." Once you have pleasing variations on simple songs, apply those skills to more complex tunes. Never forget that jazz is just as much about revealing your soul to the world as technical virtuosity.
To begin learning the basic techniques of jazz improvisation, it is important to alter the notes of your song here and there when playing. This holds true whether your are learning the jazz guitar, piano, trumpet, violin, saxophone, or any of the multitude of instruments used in jazz.
The best way to learn about jazz and how to play it is to list to all forms of it. Start with the traditional and then add the contemporary artists. You may also want to look into schools for jazz instruction and learning. You may want to specialize in jazz improvisation, or soloing. A school might just be the thing to develop your love of jazz into a career.
Jazz music is one of the most expressive and satisfying genres of music for the musician who is looking to express him or herself creatively. While it is entertaining and appropriate for almost any occasion attended by people who actually enjoy listening to the music, it is equally challenging and rewarding for the musicians as well. That is a difficult combination to beat.
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