Jazz is a fusion of African and European music and was developed in the US in the early part of the 20th century. In it's simplest terms, the style started out as Dixieland jazz in New Orleans in the early 1900s and evolved, with the influence of people such as W C Handy and The Rev Dorsey into an eclectic mix of brass band marches, (Livery Stable Blues) ragtime, blues and gospel.

One of the primary features of the style was that performers improvised together rather than taking solo improvisation spots, which gives a polyphonic texture. In the early 20th Century there were few places where African American artists were allowed to perform so these great Jazz artists played in specific bars and underground gatherings. Several types of jazz music developed during the 20th century and  many famous jazz musicians crossed over and crossed back between styles.Thankfully, musicians such Louis Armstrong, The Charlie Parker Quintet, Thelonious Monk and many more gave us the Jazz we listen to today and enabled so many stars that would have been lost to evolve.

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Willie Gary 'Bunk' Johnson was born December 27, 1889. He was the youngest of 14 children. He was ​competent in sight reading and improvisation by the time he began playing professionally with the Superior Orchestra and the Eagle Band in 1910. He was regarded as one of the leading trumpeters in New Orleans in the years 1905–1915 adding to the credibly that he claimed to played with Buddy Bolden, although possibly not as a regular.

Bunk Johnson Jazz Band - Midnight Blues