Music is the expression of the soul. It springs from different perspectives and styles of interpretation. So as jazz, the musical form that originated in United States through the engagement of blacks with European harmony during the 20^th century, being considered as America’s greatest contribution to music. The blend of European classical music, American blues, and South American songs and rhythms came together to form what became known as jazz. At its core are openness to all influences and personal expression. Such music is greatly appreciated because of its uniqueness, bringing a different feel every time it is played.  Its West African cadence is apparent in the use of its notes with elements of improvisation, polyrhythm and syncopation or counterpoint rhythm. The uniqueness of its harmony is due to the artistic style the music is played, by shifting the normal accent to stressing those normally unaccented beats; and simultaneously combining contrasting rhythms in a composition or by using rhythmic conflicts or cross-rhythms.  Although the commonly used time signature is 4/4 time, with a common pattern used that of 32-measure form of 1121, jazz music can greatly vary and still remain the same jazz flavor.

Jazz has the ability to absorb and transform influences from diverse musical styles as it sprang from various musical traditions. Early origins of this music are ponderous to note:

Blues – the heart of Jazz, a musical form now standardized as 12 bars, based on the tonic, dominant and subdominant chords. In vocal blues the lyrics are earthy and direct and are mostly concerned with basic human problems.

Ragtime – has exerted a wide appeal to the public, and is basically a piano style emphasizing syncopation and polyrhythm.

New Orleans or Dixieland jazz – has an intense effect on the creation this music that is usually played of the cornet or trumpet, clarinet, trombone, and a rhythm section that includes bass, drums, guitar, and piano.

Swing – marked by the substitution of orchestration for improvisation and a rhythm that falls between the beats. A collective sound that offers individual musicians to improvise melodic, thematic solos that made complex harmony.

Bebop – is a fresh form of music that is played in a chord-based improvisation with a dissonant tri-tone interval.

The melody it provides is not only due to the styles of its beats and rhythms, but an immense amount being attributed to the musical instruments used to produce such a piece. It starts off with the piano, the stringed bass, and the drums coupled by the guitars and wind instruments. Trumpets and cornets are used interchangeably in playing jazz music; saxophones too are used – that vary in types and sizes, the soprano saxophone, the alto sax, tenor sax and the baritone sax; the trombone, that descended from the trumpet but shaped and sized differently and as such either played in the bass or treble clef; instruments for further music enhancements can be used such as the clarinet; the double bass; other percussion instruments such as the conga drums; stringed instruments such as the banjo; and brass wind instruments  such as the tuba.

One thing that makes jazz music distinguishable is the focus of improvisation by spontaneously generating raw melodies over the continuously repeating cycle of chord changes of a tune. It is said that the best improvised music sounds composed, and that the best composed music sounds improvised. Composed music and improvised music may seem to be opposites, but in Jazz, they merge in an exceptional fusion. In Jazz, improvisation isn’t a matter of making any old thing up. Jazz musicians may choose scales that seemed predetermined even though it’s been created at the instant it’s been played. Music is spontaneously played due to elaboration and ingenuity of the artist. The guitar, piano, bass and drums, provides adornment over the soloist creating a new wave of melody even in the same chord pattern as this has been improvised due to the flexibility of the genre – giving the soloist the freedom to venture to various directions depending upon the mood and atmosphere of the moment.

To know more about jazz from its past and up to this present time let’s take a look on its timeline. The journey of jazz started way back during the slave trade period. The slaves were mostly composed of Africans. As we all know Africans have unique musical talents. At this time, they were transported into different places in the globe. Around 1700s most slaves were transferred to North America. About twenty percent of the slave population settled in that area. Few years later Africans transferred by their own to South America since slavery was still evident in North America.

Because of the slave’s positive contribution to the land, the authorities decided to transfer more Africans to the new world. At this time, there was also a mix of free colored individuals commonly known as the Creoles, the white people and the slaves in New Orleans. Creoles were believed to be the children of French slaves and the African slaves. At this same time Creole were treated special. They were sent to a high standard school and were trained in music. This was the time African related children learned more about music despite their family’s unique background of music.

Around 1800s there was a concert tour held in America. This was composed of a group of black Americans. They were popularly known as the jubilee singers at that time. In the concert, their audiences were white Americans. This was believed to be the first time when the white and black Americans joined together as one in a musical event. The black people’s achievement in jazz music helped them socialized with the white people.

In 1980s jazz music was widely known all over the globe up until the present times. The number of jazz musicians began to increase to the extent that more people were influenced by its unique, smooth and relaxing tune. Up until today jazz is considered as a diverse type of music, which can be enjoyed by different individuals in different setting. Because of its popularity, jazz music was applied in Grammy Award. Fortunately the first jazz musician awarded was a group of black Americans from New Orleans.

In current times jazz is still alive and kicking. Its popularity is still accepted by a wide range of an audience coming from different places worldwide.  As we can see today most jazz music were modified and transformed to a more futuristic impact. Have you ever listened to hip hop and rap music? If you are talented in music you can really see that these types of music were derived from jazz.

Into addition, there are also other types of music that is made of jazz. Examples are soul, blues, and reggae music. Jazz is considered as a strong fundamental type of music, since there is now a lot of music derived out from it. Jazz is not only a music but a traditional spirit that dwells within us shaping our lives from past to future.