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Does blues come from jazz?

Musical Origin of Blues and Jazz Blues is derived from Bluegrass, Jazz, R&B, and Rock. Jazz comes from Calypso, Funk, Soul, and Swing. It's important to know that Blues was around before Jazz; thus, Blues can be considered an element of Jazz music.

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Whether you’re new to the world of Blues and Jazz, or you’re a seasoned Blues and Jazz music lover; we’d like to share with you our take on the differences between these two genres. While the two music genres have a lot in common, they also have traits that make them unique from one another. So, what exactly is the difference between Blues and Jazz?

Blues music typically involves a single guitar player who compliments his or her instrument with vocals, while Jazz music involves the rich dynamic of an ensemble. Besides the number of musicians, the nature of each genre’s lyrics is specific as well.

Let’s delve into more specifics, regarding the difference between Blues and Jazz:

Tone

Blues is typically melancholic, sharp and slow. Jazz is associated with swinging, smoothness, and swaying.

Musical Origin of Blues and Jazz

Blues is derived from Bluegrass, Jazz, R&B, and Rock. Jazz comes from Calypso, Funk, Soul, and Swing. It’s important to know that Blues was around before Jazz; thus, Blues can be considered an element of Jazz music.

Jazz is from New Orleans, while Blues is from Mississippi.

Cultural Origin

Blues and Jazz both originate from the Southern United States. Blues come from the late 19th century. Jazz comes from the Early 20th century.

Types of Instruments

Blues involves guitar, bass, piano, harmonica, drums, saxophone, vocals, trumpet, trombone, and sometimes fiddle. Jazz involves a guitar, piano, bass, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, drums, and tuba. Jazz is usually instrumental, while Blues almost always contains lyrics.

Stylistic Origin

Blues roots from African American folk and spiritual music. Jazz roots from a combination of African and Europeans traditions.

Notable Artists

Some popular Blues artists include: B.B. King, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Bill Broonzy, Eric Clapton, Gus Cannon, John Lee Hooker, and Ma Rainey. Some popular Jazz musicians include Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald, and Herbie Hancock.

With the above information, you should now have a better sense of the difference between blue and jazz.

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What key is most jazz written in?

G, E and A which are probably the most common rock keys. Similarly, the reason jazz is mostly written with flats is because jazz often uses horns and it's easier to play a horn in flat keys because they are transposing instruments (pitched in Bb and Eb).

There’s lots of great answers to the question here, but I would like to add that, it’s the same reason that there are a lot of Rock songs in sharp keys! Why? Because it’s about who is composing the songs. Guitar players generally write rock music and they like to use keys where they have more open strings. It’s simply easier to play with open strings so that’s what they gravitate to. G, E and A which are probably the most common rock keys. Similarly, the reason jazz is mostly written with flats is because jazz often uses horns and it’s easier to play a horn in flat keys because they are transposing instruments (pitched in Bb and Eb). So, as an example, if a song is written in Concert F (one of the most popular keys), then Bb instruments (like trumpet and tenor sax) are playing in the key of G, and a song in the key of Bb would put a horn in the key of C, etc. Those are easy keys to play for horn players so those are the keys that jazz writers tend to gravitate to especially if they’re writing for horns as well as the tradition of flat keys. One of the favorite keys of guitarists is E and that puts a Bb horn player in the key of F#. Not at all a friendly key for most horn players. But, even if you’re a horn player and you are forced to play with guitar based bands you will become more adept at playing in sharp keys. There are some horn players which actually PREFER sharp keys especially for blues based songs because the blues scale adds flats to the key.

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