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Learn about the history, characteristics, and styles of jazz, a kind of music that originated in the United States and values improvisation and individual expression. Explore the role of New Orleans, the evolution of jazz, and the global influence of this American art form.
Learn about jazz, a musical form developed by African Americans and influenced by both European harmonic structure and African rhythms. Explore its history, styles, genres, and prominent figures, from Louis Armstrong to free jazz.
Developments in Jazz: Historical Events: 1619 : The first Africans are sold into slavery in America. 1817: New Orleans city council establishes "Congo Square" as an official site for slave music and dance. Harvard Law School is founded. Mississippi becomes a state. James Monroe is elected president. 1865
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, with roots in blues, ragtime, European harmony and African rhythmic rituals. It is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation.
Learn how New Orleans' unique history, culture, and ethnic diversity shaped the development of jazz from 1718 to 1917. Explore the influences of African, French, and American musical traditions on early jazz musicians and bands.
Learn about the origins, development and diversity of jazz music, from its African roots to its global influence. Explore the main styles, characteristics and innovations of jazz, from early jazz to fusion, and discover some of the greatest jazz musicians and composers.
Learn about the origins, evolution, and features of jazz, America's greatest art form. Explore how jazz musicians have created a living expression of the nation's history and culture through rhythm, improvisation, and personal sound.
Learn how jazz music emerged from the cultural and technological changes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in America. Explore the origins, influences, and developments of ragtime, blues, and jazz in the context of modernism, urbanization, and race relations.
Learn how jazz emerged from diverse musical influences and became a distinctive American genre in New Orleans. Explore the role of bandleaders like Buddy Bolden, Frankie Dusen, and Kid Ory in shaping the style of collective improvisation and complex chords.
Smithsonian Jazz at the National Museum of American History explores and celebrates the American experience through the transformative power of jazz. Learn more about the history of jazz in America, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and the jazz archives center.