Jazz History

In 1817 in New Orleans, LA the city council established an area called, "Congo Square" where lower class ethnic groups were allowed to congregate on Sundays to play and share music of their native heritage. It was this musical melting pot that combined the complex harmonics of western music (jazz chords etc) with improvisation (solo singing that was created spontaneously) and a variety of drumming styles into the early forms of jazz. Jazz music has traveled far since that time through many incarnations. The coolest thing is that as each new style of jazz has developed it has not replaced the styles before it, rather it adds on a new approach to this alive and constantly mutating music!

Early jazz styles in order of development:

New Orleans Dixieland - clarinet, cornet, trombone, banjo, tuba & drum. Think Joe "King" Oliver on trumpet, Kid Ory on trombone.

Ragtime Piano - one person could play all the Dixieland parts at once! Think Scott Joplin!

Chicago Dixieland - tenor sax replaces clarinet, trumpet replaces cornet, guitar replaces the banjo, upright bass replaces the tuba, drums become a kit, piano is added to the mix. Think Louis Armstrong- he grew up in New Orleans but brought the new style of Dixieland to the north.

Kansas City Jazz - expands the texture to include more instruments, because their are more people, there are more written charts for people to follow with not as much improv, just sections for solos. Think Duke Ellington and Count Basie.

New York Big Bands - bands get even larger (18-20 members), band leaders right arrangements for thier own groups using techniques that give their band a unique sound. Many solos are written out as well as improvised. Think Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman.

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