How to Enjoy Jazz Music
While most of the younger set today goes for pop music (think Lady Gaga), RnB (think Beyonce) and the various strains of rock (think Good Charlotte, Linkin Park and Snow Patrol), a more resilient genre exists and that is jazz.
Jazz, like fine art, is a genre of music that may take a little getting used to in order to be appreciated. Jazz music represents a different kind of music experience, and its beauty is best appreciated if you are open to appreciating it.
And while jazz music might not make it to any charts that cater to the young, it is still worth dipping your hand into. Here are the ways to enjoy jazz.
1. Read up on jazz and its history.
Jazz has a rich history, from the early 1900s where entertainment was one of the few avenues that welcome African-Americans in terms of employment to current jazz musicians. Jazz details the rise of many group musicians from Scott Joplin, Vess Ossman, Jelly Roll Morton, The Wolverines, Louis Armstrong, Theolonious Monk, Max Roach, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, right up to Herbie Hancock, Tim Berne and Chaka Khan.
Knowing the history of Jazz and the profiles and backgrounds of the greats in this area of music can help you appreciate Jazz as more than music. It will also help you know more of the timeline and how jazz developed over the years to include its various forms today: from ragtime to dixiland, to cool jazz, hard bop, to Latin and soul jazz, to smooth jazz, acid jazz and finally modern creative, to name a few.
You will be pleasantly surprised to find out what jazz music can tell you about history.
2. Forget about impressing your friends.
While being able to talk about jazz and listening to it can bring about some cool points with elitists, the only way you could truly appreciate jazz is to listen to it for yourself.
Choose to listen to jazz for your own enjoyment; it is the only way that you can appreciate jazz without it having to become a chore.
3. Know the music.
Like many genres, jazz follows a certain pattern. For jazz pieces, it is usually melody, melody then bridge then melody again. Jazz musicians often take a melody and played it, building on the chords to perform a solo. After each member has played a solo, they play the melody again. As such the solo, while having the same chords as the melody, it sounds different.
If for anything, it is the solos that make jazz music outstanding. The improvisations are what make jazz truly enjoyable. The melody is important, but you should watch out for the improvisations.
This is the reason why most jazz songs are lengthier than the standard pop song. This is to provide room for creative improvisations.
4. Know the instruments.
Most jazz groups have a lead player backed by rhythm musicians. Leads are usually trumpets or saxophone, while rhythms usually include the piano, bass or drums. Other instrument typically used in jazz includes the flute, trombone, double bass, tuba, and the banjo, among others.
5. Start small.
Try to limit your jazz repertoire to a certain artist, or time period, or specific strain of jazz. You may start with John Coltrane and purchase his albums. Or perhaps focus on ragtime or acid jazz. Learn to appreciate this fully and then branch out to other artists or time periods. Once you have fully appreciated a genre or an artist, start exploring for other jazz genres.
Jazz music spans a lot of types and eras. To purchase a lot of albums spanning different genres of jazz may become too overwhelming for a new jazz enthusiast.
6. Go live.
As with other genres, nothing beats experiencing jazz music live. Go to a jazz lounge, or catch a jazz concert. If you are lucky, there may be jazz festivals in your area.
7. Talk to other jazz enthusiasts.
An offshoot benefit of going to live jazz concerts and performances is that it helps you meet other people who are interested in jazz. Talk to them and find out what they listen to. If you are able to talk to the artists, then ask them about their music. If you have access to jazz experts, ask questions about jazz and enrich yourself.