Jazz Styles

Explore Afro-Cuban jazz through its origins, clave and rhythmic foundations, influential collaborations, major musicians, and essential recordings.

Learn what jazz is, how improvisation, swing, blues, and musical interaction shape its sound, and where to begin listening to its varied traditions.

Explore the major jazz styles, from New Orleans and swing to bebop, modal jazz, fusion, and global traditions, with comparisons and practical listening cues.

Explore cool jazz and hard bop through their shared bebop roots, distinctive sounds, major musicians, landmark recordings, and a practical listening guide.

Explore modal jazz through its history, musical ideas, and essential recordings, with clear explanations of modes, harmony, improvisation, and listening techniques.

Explore free jazz and the avant-garde through their history, major musicians, musical approaches, and key recordings, with practical advice for new listeners.

Discover how jazz fusion brought together jazz, rock, funk, and electronic sound through its history, major musicians, instruments, and essential recordings.

Explore vocal jazz history through its major singers, the art of interpretation, scat and vocalese, ensemble interaction, and essential listening examples.

An exploration of the transition from the formal, composed structures of Ragtime to the improvisational, athletic virtuosity of Stride piano. Discover how the ‘striding’ left hand redefined the American jazz landscape.

An exploration of the divergent evolutionary paths of Latin jazz, contrasting the high-energy polyrhythms of Afro-Cuban jazz with the sophisticated, understated elegance of Brazilian Bossa Nova.