The world jazz music

Jazz is one of North America’s oldest and most celebrated musical genres.
What is Jazz?
It was created by black Americans, who were brought there from Africa as slaves.
Different native songs were sung and different music of their homeland was played by black slaves in America.

Jazz is a mixture of many different kinds of music. It is made up of the music of West Africa, the work songs of the slaves and religious music. Soulful songs called “spirituals” were also sung by slaves. Elements of work songs and spirituals are a part of the foundation of jazz.

The history of jazz can be traced back to the Unites States in the early part of the 20th century. From Ragtime and Blues to Big Band and Bebop, jazz has been a part of a proud African American tradition for over 100 years.
Jazz History

Louis Armstrong
Miles Davis
Billie Holiday
Duke Ellington
Benny Goodman
Glenn Miller
They have instilled modern music lovers with an appreciation for musical history.
Musicians of America’s past

America became known as the “land of opportunity”.
- Irish gigs
- German waltzes
- French quadrilles
- “Ragtime” – the combination of these styles with the rhythmic and melodic music of the black community
1800s

1900s
New Orleans played a great role in the evolution of jazz music in the 20th century. African American musicians united European musical tradition with such music as blues, ragtime, and marching band to create a new style of music — jazz.

A new style of jazz, "big band swing," became the most popular music of the 1930s and 1940s. Because of its highly energetic beat, swing music brought people to the dance floor every night.
1930s

Many jazz musicians were drafted to fight in World War II. A million African Americans served in the armed forces and so bands were experiencing difficulties in finding musicians to perform in the dance halls.
1940s

Americans began to turn to television, and music began to play a less important role. As a result, dance halls began to close all across the country. Rock’n’roll was introduced on television, and musicians such as Elvis Presley quickly became the sensation for American teenagers.
1950s

1970s – 1990s
1970s – the popularity of fusion
1980s – acid jazz and its return to classic blues
1990s – smooth jazz and retro swing

Jazz appeared in the USSR in the 1920s. The first jazz orchestra of Russia was founded in 1922 in Moscow by Valentin Parnakh and was titled “The RSFSR First Eccentric Orchestra Jazz Band of Valentin Parnakh”.
Jazz in our country

The first professional jazz band was the Moscow Orchestra of pianist and composer Alexander Tsfasman.
Early Soviet jazz bands mainly specialized in performing fashionable dances, such as foxtrot and charleston.

The Development and history of jazz in the USSR between 1920 and 1953 was in constant flux between prohibition, censorship and sponsorship. It was dependent on domestic, foreign, economic and ideological factors.

The comedy
”Vesyolye rebyata ”
The comedy Vesyolye rebyata (The Happy Guys) (1934) has a soundtrack composed by Isaak Dunayevsky.
Leonid Utesov jointly with Jakov Skomorovsky formed an original style of ‘theatre jazz’ based on blending music with drama and operetta.
Jazz became popular in our country in the 1930s, in connection with the activity of the ensemble of the actor and singer Leonid Utesov.

Eddie Rozner
Remarkable contribution into the development of Soviet jazz was made by a composer, musician and bandleader Eddie Rozner. He became one of the pioneers of swing jazz in the USSR.

The Red Age of jazz
The year 1932 marked a turning point in the development of Soviet jazz.
This phase lasted until 1936 and is known as the Red Age of Jazz. The increased presence of mass media such as radio and records was responsible for this reception.

the 50-es and 60-es
Oleg Lundstrem orchestra
Riga jazz (REO)
Georgiy Garanian
Boris Frumkin
Alexey Zubov
Their work has put the Soviet jazz to a new level and closer to the world standards.

Chamber music
The development of chamber music and club jazz in the diversity of its style begins in the 1970s.
David Goloshchekin
Alexei Kozlov
Alexei Kuznetsov
Victor Friedman
German Lukyanov

Many of the masters of the Soviet jazz began their career on the stage of Moscow's legendary jazz club "Blue Bird", which existed from 1964 to 2009.

Why do we like jazz?
From then on up to present days the development of jazz has a growing influence on society.
People like to listen to jazz, this vitality of musical production in which improvisation plays a great role.

Today jazz is played all over the world. On every continent special festivals are held where jazz musicians from the United States, Asia, Africa, South America and Europe meet and share their music.
Jazz will always be performed and listened to.