[je-za]

Jazz and blues both originated in the African American communities of New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Blues evolved from folk songs and spirituals, while jazz was heavily influenced by French and West African music. The connection between the two styles is that blues musicians began to experiment with improvisation, which is a key element of jazz music. As a result, blues musicians played a significant role in the development of early jazz. Cornet player Buddy Bolden, often referred to as the first jazz musician, even combined blues and jazz elements in his music, making the line between the two even more blurred. So, it’s not so much that jazz came from blues, but rather that blues evolved into a form that we recognize as jazz.