Jazz is a combination of African music (particularly the syncopated rhythms and heavy beats) with the harmonic structure of European and popular American music. It is said to have originated from enslaved people coming together and performing music. With these combinations of different cultures, jazz erupted into what it is today.
While jazz music may not be the top genre of today’s musical scene, its presence remains firmly within our culture. It surrounds us in our everyday lives, whether we realise it or not; in a café, restaurant, or a busker in town. It is the go-to mood setter for any romantic date or the perfect background music for a study sesh. Even elements of jazz as it was appreciated in the 1920s remain through makeshift speakeasies or live jazz bars.
The genre has made a comeback in recent years through other media as well, such as film with the success of 'Whiplash' in 2014 and Damien Chazelle’s 'La La Land' in 2016 which won numerous awards including an Academy Award for Best Music and a Golden Globe for Best Original Score. This shows that jazz is still a highly appreciated genre and has no intention of dying down.
Additionally, jazz has evolved from its original form through artists picking it apart and combining it with other popular genres, creating a whole new sound. This is called jazz fusion and comes in many different styles. Even when it comes to mainstream pop artists, there are jazz-adjacent singers like RAYE, who incorporates scatting in her live performances (a type of vocal improvisation) as well as taking a lot of inspiration from jazz tonality. Olivia Dean enjoys using brass instruments in her music and Yebba has distinct vocals, much like those of Ella Fitzgerald. Additionally, Berlioz uses typical jazz instruments to create his unique sound. Overall, while jazz in its original form may not be at the top of everyone’s playlists, it remains integral in our everyday lives and the freestyle movement of the genre allows it to move and evolve with the times.
