From Wikipedia
Jazz is a style of music that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States
from a confluence of African and European music traditions. From its
early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from
19th and 20th century American popular music. Its West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note.