Dixieland
Also known as Traditional jazz, Hot jazz, Classic jazz, New Orleans jazz
A lively early-jazz tag for the New Orleans sound that became nationally visible through landmark 1917 recordings, even as the name itself remained contested among musicians and historians.
Origins and context
Early 20th-century New Orleans jazz; later popularized through Chicago and New York performances and recordings.
The sound
Characteristics
- Collective improvisation
- Trumpet
- Clarinet
- Trombone
- Piano
- Banjo
- Drums
- Double bass
- Tuba
How to listen
Mood
- Upbeat
- Rollicking
- Ensemble-driven
Best for
- Hearing early collective jazz interplay
- Tracing the jump from New Orleans clubs to recorded popular music
History
Dixieland is closely tied to the early jazz world of New Orleans, where the style took shape in the first years of the 20th century. Library of Congress materials place its start in New Orleans circa 1900, and later recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band helped push that sound into national awareness in 1917. (guides.loc.gov) The label itself has always been a little messy. AllMusic notes that musicians often preferred “traditional” or “classic” jazz, and that the style also developed in Chicago during the 1920s as players and audiences carried the New Orleans sound outward. In practice, Dixieland sits between local New Orleans roots and the broader early-jazz boom that made the music famous far beyond its birthplace.
Notable artists
- ODOriginal Dixieland Jazz Band
- LALouis Armstrong
- KOKing Oliver
- JRJelly Roll Morton
Essential listening
- 1
- 2
- 3
Explore connected genres
Sources and further reading
- Introduction - Early Jazz Music (Backlash and Opposition)
- blogs.loc.gov
The Original Dixieland Jass Band made the first commercially released jazz recordings in 1917.
- Dixieland Music Genre Overview
- This Is the “Jass” Record That Introduced Millions of Americans to a New Kind of Music
- The First Jazz Recording: One Hundred Years Later