How do you explain jazz? In 1976, at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, you might have seen the spontaneous performance of Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme as an answer to the question. Additionally, many meme videos have been created from this short clip. That's right! Jazz has become more popular among the young generation. As new musical genres and the sound industry continue to develop, jazz has evolved into a genre that can be mixed with fusion, pop, hip-hop, and traditional music. Do you want to know about jazz? Or do you want to know exactly what kind of jazz this song belongs to? If so, pay close attention to this article.

 First of all, Let's talk about the history of jazz. Around the late 19th century, it is progenitors  blues and ragtime came from the African-American community in New Orleans, U.S. At that time, musicians had complaints about formal music, and they were eager for new music. This improvisatory sound was the beginning of jazz. 

 Through the 1920s, when jazz became central to mass culture, in the 1930s, 'swing Jazz' come out. Swing emphasizes the rhythm by adding stress in syncopation sounds like the pitch fluctuating up and down. Swing jazz is intuitive and massive, with each musician having their own creative swings. While swing jazz was used for dancing together on the floor, 1940s bebop chases musicality and broke away from swing jazz. It expands the harmonic structure of swing and incorporates more musical elements by altering its stable rhythm. Most modern jazz is rooted in bebop. Following this, 'cool jazz,' which became popular on the West Coast of the United States and had a calm, classic feel. In addition, 'hard bop,' a genre that evolved on the East Coast, continuing the authenticity of bebop, emerged. From this period, jazz's popularity spread even further. 

 Jazz never stays the same. It keeps changing by mixing with other kinds of music. Jazz-pop, which was distinguished as a separate genre around the big band era in the early days of jazz, is now commonly referred to as popular music infused with jazz elements. Jazz hip-hop, on the other hand, carries an experimental nature, often sampling jazz records or incorporating live jazz sessions. Additionally, many people consider bossa nova a type of jazz. However, bossa nova originated from samba in the late 1950s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When the genre gained popularity in the U.S. during the 1960s, jazz musicians composed bossa nova pieces with a distinctly American melodic touch, leading to frequent confusion. Nevertheless, bossa nova has a historically close connection with jazz.

 Bill Evans turns a rainy, gloomy day into romance. Ella Fitzgerald provides comfort, while Chet Baker deepens the feelings between lovers. The Seoul Jazz Festival, taking place from May 30 to June 1, is a great opportunity to experience jazz firsthand and fall in love with its charm. Check it out!  

82nd Cub Reporter • KIM JI YUL •  jiyulkim@naver.com