What Is Jazz?

Jazz began sometime around 1895 in New Orleans.  It combined elements of Ragtime, marching band music and Blues.  What differentiates Jazz from other musical styles is the widespread use of improvisation.  The written song is often just a starting point or frame of reference for musicians to improvise around… creating a new piece that often bares little resemblance to the original song.
Source: The Red Hot Jazz Archive
 
Jazz poetry, then, demonstrates jazz-like rhythm, repetition, or the feel of improvisation.
 
 

A Few Jazz Terms

Improvisation Term referring to the spontaneous performance of music without previous preparation or any written notes.  Also ‘improv’ and ‘jam’.
Lay out To stop playing while the other players continue.
Riff A riff is a repeated melodic idea stated in forceful rhythmic terms.
Scat singing A vocal jazz style that consists of improvised nonsense syllables sung to an improvised melody.
Syncopation Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an off-beat. 
The Weary Blues - Langston Hughes

Strange Fruit - Lewis Allen

(What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue

Buying Wine - Sascha Feinstein

Jazz Band - Frank Marshall Davis

Trumpet Player - Langston Hughes


"Jazz Club" by Lourenco


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