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Jazz is a form of music that incorporates so much it's hard to pigeon hole what it is or what it means. It often involves instrumental pieces but can incorporate vocals as well. The instrumentals to me often seem like a bizarre race, someone starts and the everyone joins in. When they reach the end of what they want to play they stop and hope the others so at about the same time. The members seem to be often playing different tunes to each other, they take it in turns to play a solo and otherwise it appears very free form. I am sure in most cases none of this is true but it is how it sounds to me and probably many others who don't like the music. When vocals are added then some sort of form comes to the music , this allows the singer to sing to the music. A standard for jazz is to cover a well known song but to alter the form and speed of the song.

As well as the improvisation of the music there is a tradition to add your own take on a songs words, adding your own delivery and even adding some words and jazz sounds. It's hard to write down these jazz sounds as they don't tend to be words, I am sure anyone who has heard Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald will know the sounds I mean. This approach probably annoys as many people as it attracts to the genre. Many songs that started in a jazz format have been recorded in a more traditional style later on so the songs go both ways. Indeed pop stars like Robbie Williams and take that have covered songs from jazz artists, calling them swing style is basically a part of jazz.

The format of a jazz band can be fluid as well but often contains certain parts. There will be a drummer with a small kit, a bass guitarist or a double bass player, a piano player and some start of brass player. A trumpet and/or a saxophone is a regular, many jazz bands will have a guitarist as well. There is no rule as to the combinations of these instruments and often the bands will include people who can play more then one instrument. Also one or more of the instrument players may add vocals as well at times, this allow further variation to the repertoire. Some times the bands will have guests coming and going during concerts to allow certain songs to be played that may well be not so well known by all members.

Learn more about this author, Ashley Smith.
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