The Jazz Singer - John Neudorf

Jazz is a primarily American musical art form originating at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States.  It developed from a convergence of African and European music traditions. The original use of the word jazz began as a West Coast slang term around 1912, the meaning of the word changed depending on the context in which it was being used but surprisingly enough it did not initially refer to music or sex. The word Jazz ultimately did not refer to jazz music until around 1915, and came into use in the Chicago clubs. Jazz was played in New Orleans for nearly two decades prior to that time but was not called jazz.  The first jazz recordings were made around 1917 as recording technology became more widely available.

The music of New Orleans had a profound effect on the formation of early jazz music. Many early jazz performers played in the brothels and bars of the red-light district around Basin Street called "Storyville." In addition, several marching bands played at lavish funerals arranged by the African American community. The instruments used in marching bands and dance bands then became the basic instruments of jazz: brass and reeds tuned in the European 12-tone scale and drums. Afro-Creole pianist Jelly Roll Morton began his career in the clubs of Storyville New Orleans. From 1904, he toured with vaudeville shows around southern cities, also playing in Chicago and New York. His "Jelly Roll Blues," which he composed around 1905, was published in 1915 as the first jazz arrangement in print, introducing more musicians to the New Orleans style.

As a musical genre jazz is an extremely well known, respected and practiced musical art form that is continuing to be explored evolved and altered.