Jazz originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It developed as a fusion of musical traditions from African, Caribbean, and European cultures. The genre was shaped by the blend of African rhythms, blues, spirituals, and the harmonic and instrumental influences of European music, with key contributions from marching bands and brass bands common in New Orleans at the time.
New Orleans served as a cultural melting pot where formerly enslaved people and diverse ethnic groups came together, especially in places like Congo Square, enabling the exchange of musical ideas. The city's unique social and cultural environment, including Sundays off for slaves to gather and play music, helped create the conditions for jazz to emerge. Early jazz incorporated elements like syncopation, improvisation, and a "bluesy" feel, combining the expressiveness of African musical traditions with the structure of European harmony and instruments.
In summary, jazz came from a rich confluence of African American musical heritage, European musical elements, and New Orleans cultural diversity, emerging around the turn of the 20th century and gaining fame in the 1920s.