🎤Jazz & Blues
Jazz and Blues both emerged in the deep south of America at the end of the 19th century. The Blues originated from the African American communities’ spirituals and work songs, it was initially characterised by its use of flattened notes, progressive chords and melancholy vocals. However the blues quickly gained popularity and diversified, since then a vast array of sub genres have developed such as the jumpin blues, rock blues and punk blues.
Jazz was also born in the southern African American communities but its sound was influenced by a combination of African and European music. Throughout history, jazz has always adopted elements of whatever the popular music of the time is and as a result, jazz has a plethora of sub genres that it encompasses, including swing jazz, New Orleans jazz, latin jazz, acid jazz and of course the blues. Blues jazz incorporates blues notes and characteristics such as improvisation and the “swung note”.
Throughout the 1920s Jazz music found a home in the speakeasies during the prohibition, with artists such as Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton being the giants of the genre and this whole decade becoming known as the “jazz era”. Once prohibition came to an end in 1933, the successful jazz musicians were forced out of the illegal drinking establishments and out into the open where they adapted their style to appeal to a wider audience.
Over the next decade iconic vocalists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby dominated the jazz scene. Bebop jazz, a style of jazz meant to demonstrate the versatility and possibility of jazz artists and their instruments, also became popular at this time. Bebop was characterised by its fast tempo, compex chord progressions, and improvised harmonies. Other sub genres also emerged incorporating swing, folk, blues and mainstream pop elements to the music. This blend of music styles resulted in the christening of rhythm and blues (R&B) by Billboard Magazine in 1949, which is still one of the most popular music genres today.
Jazz music today has been reimagined, with contemporary artists infusing the essence of classic jazz with modern influences. UK based jazz talent such as Ezra Collective, Alfa Mist, Camille Munn, Kamaal Williams and Tom Misch have been fundamental to the reinvention of jazz for the younger generation and it is exciting to witness the further evolution of the genre at this time. Find tickets to gigs from all of these jazz artists and more, as well as classical jazz performances on Zenseats. Check out our platform for the very best seats for your experience and enjoy Jazz and Blues the right way.
