If you gotta ask, you'll never know.

The only truth left in music.

the coolest, freest, and yet deepest music humans have ever made

A form of western music involving the fusion of traditional european and african (rhythmic) styles. Jazz is quite syncopated and fairly easily improvisable. Jazz could be considered a descendant of Ragtime, and a predecesor of Swing, Funk, and even Rock. Jazz originated from New Orleans as early as 1895, and remains one of the most popular forms of music today.

To African Americans in the late nineteenth century, one literal sound of freedom was that of the military marching bands of the American Civil War. This music, combined with the Ragtime and blues styles that developed some time later, evolved to form one of the truly indigenous art forms of the United States. The "jas," or the Creole brothel, is thought to have been the birthplace as well as the namesake of the new sound of Jazz. Early traditional Jazz combined the complexity of Ragtime, the tight arrangement of marching band music, and the inventive, free spirit of the blues. It incorporated structured improvisations at its center while the band maintained a swing. The sound evolved dramatically throughout the twentieth century in various forms: from the New York City Bebop of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker to the Free Jazz of the Art Ensemble of Chicago; from the Fusion of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to the Hard Bop of Art Blakey. But throughout Jazz's great explorations, it has kept improvisation at its center, and as such it has always remained a music of freedom.

It's amazing how people's opinion's vary

Jazz is an expression of thought and feeling. It can be slow and melancholy, or quick and light. It's simply what the musicians feel at the time. It's mainly instrumental, but sometimes there can be singing. I've read some of the definitions, apparently some dislike the lack of word. Well some things can't be expressed in words.

a modern (early 1900s) music style characterized by syncopation and dissonance.

contrary to popular belief, jazz is NOT playing any note with any chord. any note played with any chord can be explained. even if it is inexplicable, it just sounds good, which is what's really important.

the cool thing about jazz is that you learn all the rules and guidelines which apply to all the other genres...then you get to break them.