Comments on: What’s the difference between Jazz music and other music…?

By: Kelvin C

Kelvin C — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:32:59 +0000

You have been given some good answers, but a quote that you might want to include in your story that explains what jazz is was given by Louis Armstrong (a great jazz trumpet player).

"If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know."

Meaning it is best to just listen to it.
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By: rhio9

rhio9 — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:21:59 +0000

Jazz is jazz ……..and other music isn’t.
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By: stevestevens

stevestevens — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:47:59 +0000

Jazz music is unique among other idioms in that it relies heavily upon advanced 20th century rhythmic, melodic and harmonic developments that coalesce into some type of form, (or head) and ultimately serves as a spring board for further instrumental improvisation and exploration.
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By: COMRADE

COMRADE — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:01:59 +0000

What other music?

Rock
Pop
Rock & Roll
Waltz
Bolero

It is younger than Waltz and Bolero, And older than Rock & Roll, Pop and Rock.
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By: Greg R

Greg R — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:43:59 +0000

I think you can put it into 3 succinct points:

1) Improvisation: MOST music has written notation and it’s intended to sound the same with each performance while jazz soloists do the opposite, creating a different solo with each performance typically.

2) History: The four types of music with the longest roots in the U.S. and therefore arguably the most "American" music are country, blues, gospel and jazz.

3) Unusual (difficult) meters: The "meter" is the way the beat goes into each measure. Most popular music is usually 3/4 or 4/4 but it’s not uncommon to have 5/4 or 12/8 (which are considered difficult to play from a technical standpoint) in a jazz composition.
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By: GEORGE B

GEORGE B — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:33:59 +0000

Rhythm – jazz has a free swing with a syncopation. Clap on beats 2 and 4 in the bar and then contrast that with clapping on beats 1 and 3 and you’ll feel the swing.
Improvisation – although jazz starts from the melody which may or may not be played from a score, it includes a greater or lesser amount of improvised passages where instrumentalists are free to make up melodic lines within the given harmonic structure.
Repertoire – although any tune can be jazzed up, each style of jazz has a well-known set of tunes which define it, and differentiate it often from other music styles.
History – jazz comes from the racial melting pot of New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century and has mainly been developed by black musicians to become the most significant contribution of USA to world culture.
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By: manyquestionslittletime

manyquestionslittletime — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:00:59 +0000

Jazz can be played spontaneously without notes with instruments going in all directions. Listen to some and you’ll hear.
P.S. There are many "types" of Jazz.
Jazz on!
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