Jazz, under its various traditional or modern expressions such as: avant-garde, hard-bop, post-bop, folk-jazz, crossover jazz, jazz-funk, was adopted today by almost all the cultures of the planet. Sometimes not categorized as jazz, this new music belongs to a mixture of styles labeled as jazz world fusion, although one size doesn't fit all!

In a globalized world where places and people develop closer ties in time and space jazz become an international music beyond national and cultural borders. Many musicians left their home countries taking with them their cultural heritage later integrated in their compositions along with other influences. New styles of jazz are still in the development, while old ones coexist with contemporary and innovative creations. At this point in time is hard to define jazz today, the mix of styles and approaches is getting more and more eclectic and complex.

Ethno-Jazz is just one of the many trends of today's jazz music styles, although the term seems to be rather inapropriate since the roots of jazz are ethnic. Jazz improvisation has never ceased to attract and inspire artists in all continents, radio stations played jazz music in every corner of the world, records and tapes were sold, borrowed and passed from fan to fan.

For some critics, ethno-jazz is related to non-european music areas, although European folk themes mixed with jazz were successfully promoted over the years by music labels such as thefamous German label ECM. European Jazz-Fusion fans are familiar with the music of Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian musicians who mixed traditional Scandinavian music with elements from jazz. Another cultural rich region of the Europe, the Balkans, became the birthplace of an interesting mixture of folk ethnic melodies, jazz, and contemporary music although "Balkan jazz" doesn't exist as a pure and unique category.

Many jazz musicians in the Western world broadened the pallet of their musical styles integrating Indian or Oriental traditional themes, while Asian musicians experimented with Afro-American jazz rhytms and melodies. There have beeen well known pioneers of this style of jazz, but everyday new generations enter the scene playing a large variety of ethnic jazz fusions and mixtures.

Latin music influenced American Jazz as early as the last century and its impact on the world jazz scene is still continuing today. The rich musical heritage of Brazil, Cuba, Argentina and Mexico was integrated, fusioned and melted into various form of jazz: American, European or African. In the same way, the interaction between elements of African and Latin music gave birth to original melodic mixtures, later imported by musicians from other cultures.

African jazz is a mix of the rich and diverse continent' musical heritage with mainstream American jazz or Latin rhytms. In the 50's Congo was heavily influenced by the popular Cuban music which was adopted and adapted with enthusiasm by the numerous local bands and musicians. Often jazz bands use keyboards, saxophones and guitars along with traditional instruments and the result is an energetic, outstanding sound. After 1960 the South African jazz took off. Among the well established masters such as Hugh Masekela and Abdullah Ibrahim, but the list is growing with new talents such as Selaelo Selota and Judith Sephuma.

About the Author

Co-Editor at www.jazzworldquest.com, freelance journalist based in Canada.

Source: GoArticles.com