Southern blacks, delivered from slavery a few decades before, started playing European music with Afro modifications. But New Orleans was and still remains an important jazz center. The ethnic rainbow of people who gravitated to the bars and brothels were a major factor in the development of jazz. The city had been under Spanish and French rule prior to the Louisiana purchase. By 1900, it was a blend of Spanish, French, English, German, Italian, Slavic and countless blacks originally brought in as slaves.
True jazz is characterized by certain essential features.
The swing must be present in every good jazz performance. Buy Instructional Jazz Dance Videos in the video store. Recommend this page to a friend . Disclaimer and Terms of Use Copyright 1996 - 2001 John Barendrecht. All rights reserved.