Home » History of Jazz Timeline: 1902
History of Jazz Timeline: 1902
Jelly Roll Morton is now seventeen years old. He is beginning to attract attention in the New Orleans area as a brothel piano player. At this point he is playing primarily Ragtime and a little Blues. He is one of the first to play this mix that is a forerunner of Jazz. Jelly Roll will later claim to have invented Jazz in this year by combining Ragtime, Quadrilles and Blues.
The phonograph has been drastically improved. Victor and Columbia emerge as leaders in the phonograph field (at that time phonograph companies made records and vice versa). People have finally started to buy phonographs and records (cylinders) for home use. This will enable the rapid spread of popular music.
W.C. Handy has started a saxophone quartet. The saxophone was a
novelty in 1902.
Trumpeter Joe Smith is born in Ripley, Ohio on June 28. Joe will
become Bessie Smith's favorite accompanist.
Clarinetist Buster Bailey is born in Memphis. Buster will be raised on
the music of W.C. Handy.
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