Music comes in many forms; most
countries have a style of their own. {{U}}(56) {{/U}} the mm of the
century when jazz was born, America had no prominent {{U}}(57) {{/U}} of
its own. No one knows exactly when jazz was {{U}}(58) {{/U}} , or by
whom. But it began to be {{U}}(59) {{/U}} in the early 1900s. Jazz is
America's contribution to {{U}}(60) {{/U}} music．In contrast to
classical music, which {{U}}(61) {{/U}} formal European traditions, jazz
is spontaneous and free in form. It bubbles with energy, {{U}}(62)
{{/U}} the moods, interests, and emotions of the people. In the 1920s jazz
{{U}}(63) {{/U}} like America, and {{U}}(64) {{/U}} it does to
day. The {{U}}(65) {{/U}} of this music are as interesting as the music
{{U}}(66) {{/U}}. American negroes, or blacks, as they are called today,
were the jazz {{U}}(67) {{/U}}. They were brought to Southern States
{{U}}(68) {{/U}} slaves. They were sold to plantation owners and forced
to work long {{U}}(69) {{/U}}. When a Negro died his friends and
relatives {{U}}(70) {{/U}} a procession to carry the body to the
cemetery. In New Orleans, a band often accompanied the {{U}}(71) {{/U}}.
On the way to the cemetery the band played slow, solemn music suited to the
occasion. {{U}}(72) {{/U}} on the way home the mood changed．Spirits
lifted．Death had removed one of their {{U}}(73) {{/U}}, but the living
were glad to believe. The band played {{U}}(74) {{/U}} music,
improvising(即兴表演) on both the harmony and the melody of the tunes {{U}}(75)
{{/U}} at the funeral. This music made everyone want to dance. It was an
early form of jazz.