jazz stems from a distinctly african american musical tradition, dating back to the late 19th century deep south, originally characterized by various musical elements including blue notes, improvisation, and syncopation, as well as the swung note and polyrhythms.

the musical style gained its name in 1915 in the city of chicago as a positive slang word describing the music - as the genre spread throughout the rest of the world, it naturally shifted in style and form as it incorporated the musical traditions of diverse cultures and regions.