The first sounds of jazz music originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, America. To this day we still refer to New Orleans as "the birth place of jazz". However, the roots of jazz and the different elements that give jazz such a unique sound go right back to the African rhythms and European musical structures.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the black slave trade across the Atlantic was thriving. Rich white people would literally buy slaves to work for them cotton picking, farming etc. This was at a time when racism was a common thing, behavior that was accepted and almost encouraged in society. This meant that buying and selling African slaves was not only in demand but that it was legal. These slaves brought with them their traditional music and rhythms across the ocean and this introduced things such as syncopation (emphasis on the weak beat in a bar of music) and blues or jazzy notes which were naturally incorporated in their music due to the unique and natural rhythms of their native African languages.The slaves would sing work songs to pass the time and these songs At the beginning of the 20th century some of these black slaves learnt how to play European instruments such as the violin and incorporated this into their music. Slowly, a new form of music was beginning to emerge.
After the abolition of slavery, this style of African-American music became immensely popular. Members of the African-American society were often requested to play their music for events and occasions. All the while this style of music continued to develop into the basics of jazz music today.
This early jazz was soon to develop further and branch off into different styles of music such as ragtime; bebop; swing; big band; free jazz and so much more.
