The field hollers and work songs of African slaves in the US, the hymns and gospels of the American south, and New Orleans’ popular brass bands all contributed to the development of jazz.
While the genre blends the styles of many musical traditions, two key styles of music influenced early jazz: blues and ragtime. The more informal style of blues music and the syncopated rhythms of ragtime meshed together in jazz, along with various other historical influences. The field hollers and work songs of African slaves in the US, the hymns and gospels of the American south, and New Orleans’ popular brass bands all contributed to the development of jazz.