Jazz, often considered America's classical music, has a rich and diverse history that spans over a century. Originating in the late 19th and early 20th century, jazz is a fusion of American, European, and African music and culture. Key characteristics of jazz include improvisation, complex chords, and the use of instruments like the saxophone, trumpet, and piano.

Jazz developed in the United States in the very early part of the 20th century, with New Orleans playing a key role in its development. The city's diverse population interacted with one another, leading to a blend of ragtime, marches, blues, and other kinds of music. At first, jazz was mostly for dancing, but after the first recordings of jazz were made in 1917, the music spread widely and developed rapidly.

The evolution of jazz was led by a series of brilliant musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. Jazz developed a series of different styles including traditional jazz, swing, bebop, cool jazz, and jazz-rock, among others. At the same time, jazz spread from the United States to many parts of the world, and today jazz musicians and jazz festivals can be found in dozens of nations.

Jazz is a great art form, and some people consider it "America's classical music" because it defines the national character and the national culture. In one sense it serves as a musical mirror, reflecting who and what Americans were in their own view at different points in their development.