jazz is a type of music that was invented around 1900 in new orleans in the south of the usa. there were many black musicians living there who played a style of music called blues music. blues music was influenced by african music (because the black people in the united states had come to the united states as slaves. they were taken from africa by force). blues music was a music that was played by singing, using the harmonica, or the acoustic guitar. many blues songs had sad lyrics about sad emotions (feelings) or sad experiences, such as losing a job, a family member dying, or having to go to jail (prison).