Jazz &
the blues
Sound
&
resistance
Jazz and the blues emerged at the turn of the 20th century as new forms of expression, resistance, and survival.
Rooted in the rural South, jazz and the blues grew from spirituals, work songs, and lived experience. As people moved north during the Great Migration, jazz and the blues evolved into electrified blues, swing, and improvisational jazz, shaping the sound of 20th-century music.
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
rooted in the south
ella Fitzgerald
Summertime
Improvisational sound
Jazz and the blues thrive on improvisation, turning melodies, rhythms, and phrasing into live storytelling. Each performance becomes a conversation between musician, history, and community, where emotion and experience shape the sound in real time.
01
The Rural South Late 1800s–1910s
Blues emerges from African American spirituals, work songs, and oral traditions in the rural South, while early jazz develops in New Orleans, blending blues, ragtime, and West African rhythms. Both forms serve as expressions of survival, identity, and community.
02
Migration and Urban Evolution 1920s– 1940s
The Great Migration spreads blues and jazz to northern cities like Chicago and New York. Blues electrifies with Chicago blues bands, while jazz evolves into swing, big bands, and improvisational styles, reaching national and international audiences.
03
3. Global Influence and Cultural Legacy 1950s – 1960s
Jazz and blues inspire rock, soul, and R&B, and gain international recognition. Iconic performers like Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, and Muddy Waters cement these genres as living archives of African American history and storytelling.
Impact and Legacy
These genres became powerful cultural archives, recording resilience, resistance, and everyday life. Their influence echoes through soul, rock, R&B, and hip-hop, while continuing to build community, preserve memory, and sustain cultural identity across generations.
Origins and Evolution
Jazz and the blues emerged from African American communities as forms of survival, expression, and storytelling.
rythm
Jazz &
The Blues
Reggae &
Calypso
Samba &
Cumbia
Soul
Genres to explore