Jazz Music Genres Family Tree
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Jazz Sub-Genres
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is known for its swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation.
Bands: Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Bill Evans
Jazz Fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined aspects of jazz harmony and improvisation with styles such as funk, rock, blues, and Latin jazz. It is characterized by a mixture of complex rhythms and time signatures.
Bands: Weather Report, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Miles Davis
Jazz Rock
Jazz rock is a genre of music that blends jazz improvisation and harmony with the forms and techniques of rock music, and often rock's strong backbeat. Notable bands include Steely Dan and Blood, Sweat & Tears
Bands: Mahavishnu Orchestra (featuring John McLaughlin), Blood Sweat and Tears
Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that emerged in the 1970s, blending jazz influences with pop and R&B. It is characterized by its downtempo melodies that are meant to be more palatable and accessible than other forms of jazz
Bands: Earl Klugh, Larry Carlton, Kenny G
Acid Jazz
Acid jazz combines elements of jazz, soul, funk, and disco. Originating in the mid-1980s in London, it is known for its looped beats and vibrant incorporation of jazz samples, particularly drawn from music of the 1960s and 1970s
Bands: The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, James Taylor Quartet, Us3, and Jamiroquai from the UK, and Guru, Buckshot LeFonque and Digable Planets from the U.S.
See also Jazz genre blog posts