Description of My Favourite Music

What is Jazz

Mix the soul of blues, the harmony of classical music, the rhythmic complexity of African music and the melodic improvisational qualities of Indian music, and you'll get somewhere near what has become one of the truest and most original art forms America has created. Jazz grew out of ragtime and blues music at the beginning of the 20th century, and has continued to develop under the guidance of visionaries such as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock, influencing classical, rock, and hip-hop music as well as contemporary art and literature. While it started as dance music, jazz has developed many offshoots that are meant to be listened to closely, with intensely intricate improvisations and complex rhythms justified by a natural, inherent swing.


What Is Acid Jazz?

Like a half-sister of hip-hop who is also jazz's cousin, acid jazz sprung up in the late 1980s and made jazz danceable all over again. Under the influence of the stringent jazz-funk and rare grooves of the '70s, artists such as the Brand New Heavies and Groove Collective proved astute performers onstage, while DJs like Greyboy got down in the studio--each generating locked, percussion-laden rhythms and coexisting peacefully with the similarly beat-heavy trip-hop movement.

Notable Artists: Jamiroquai, Greyboy Allstars, Groove Collective


What is Latin

This is a far-reaching genre encompassing Spanish-influenced folk, pop, jazz, and dance music from various regions of primarily Latin America. Early Latin recordings relied heavily on acoustic instrumentation, but by the 1980s musicians began incorporating poppy formulas and electronic technology. Both mariachi and Tejano styles usually stick to classic folk instruments, but some modern artists infuse their recordings with U.S. pop-production techniques. The use of Spanish vocals and chants is one of the chief consistencies binding the genre's many musical variations, but another defining theme is the bold focus on rhythm. Salsa, rhumba, samba, and bossa nova all adhere to distinct rhythms.


What is Samba?

This is a far-reaching genre encompassing Spanish-influenced folk, pop, jazz, and dance music from various regions of primarily Latin America. Early Latin recordings relied heavily on acoustic instrumentation, but by the 1980s musicians began incorporating poppy formulas and electronic technology. Both mariachi and Tejano styles usually stick to classic folk instruments, but some modern artists infuse their recordings with U.S. pop-production techniques. The use of Spanish vocals and chants is one of the chief consistencies binding the genre's many musical variations, but another defining theme is the bold focus on rhythm. Salsa, rhumba, samba, and bossa nova all adhere to distinct rhythms.