cover image source: Giphy

In honor of Black History Month here in the US, I thought it'd be fun to spend the rest of February focusing on different genres of music that originated from Black American culture. Because our time is limited, I'm gonna group some genres together, and while I know Blues and Jazz are often considered to be at different ends of the spectrum, I think they share quite a lot in common and are a worthy pair. Both genres go back at least 100 years — a quick Google search claims Blues originated in the 1860s while Jazz came about in the 1910s. Early Jazz was created in the great melting pot of New Orleans, its ingredients including a big dose of Blues, some ragtime, and various other genres. Without Blues and Jazz, we wouldn't have the music we have today — they are crucial pillars for modern pop, hip hop, rock, and more. I've spent a ridiculous amount of time listening to either blues- or jazz-based music, and I'd be willing to bet you have too. So, let's hear it! Share with us some of your favorite blues and/or jazz tunes.

How we do

In this weekly series, folks can chime in and drop links to whatever it is they've been listening to recently + browse others' suggestions. You can follow the suggested genre if you'd like, but don't feel confined to it; you're free to suggest whatever you wanna. 🙌

If you're interested in having other discussions about music, consider following the aptly named #music discussions organization.

#music discussions Follow

Let's talk about #music. 🎶

Let's hear some blues and jazz! Note: you can embed a link to your song using the following syntax {% embed https://... %}. This should work for most common platforms!

Looking forward to listening to y'all's suggestions! 🎶

p.s. Check out @rachelfazio's new series Podcast Palooza— What are you listening to?