Any attempt to describe the history of jazz in a linear format is misleading because jazz didn’t—and doesn’t—happen that way. A style of music known for its improvisation and spirit, it was born in New Orleans, but took on life in countless new directions. Free jazz, cool jazz, bebop, post-bop, and electro swing: all of these and more have rich, tangled roots that defy delineation—and definition. Though the history of jazz music is complicated and often debated, the one point historians reliably agree on is the geography of jazz origins. Jazz started as a uniquely American sound, forged in the melting pot of cultures in the south, particularly in New Orleans. The port city was a blend of Creole culture and African traditions, peppered with European influences.
