Ethel Waters was a pioneering African American jazz and blues singer and actress known for her powerful voice and commanding stage presence. Her career began in the early 20th century and quickly ...

“African-American musical traditions mixed with others and gradually jazz emerged from a blend of ragtime, marches, blues and other kinds of music,” writes the National Museum of American Histor ...

Jazz blends elements from varied traditions, including African and African American, religious, brass band, and blues styles. The improvisational music that results has a syncopated rhythm ...