Chicago is home to a legendary jazz scene. During the Great Migration, African Americans flocked to Chicago from the South, bringing age-old jazz traditions with them. The genre became popular in small clubs on the city’s south side — soon Chicago was attracting legendary musicians like King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, and Louis Armstrong.
Over time, the city’s musicians developed their own distinct twist on the genre. Today, the city is home to the long-running free Chicago Jazz Festival each summer.