"It's the ultimate in rugged individualism" - Gary Giddins
The word "jazz" brings to mind several things; a one-of-a-kind musical genre, an era of change and shifting in power, etc., but not many people think of jazz as a revolution, as a catalyst of change in the social workings of our society. From empowerment of the black community in New York during the Harlem Renaissance to the rising in status of black artists and musicians, jazz was truly an important part of America's event filled history. Jazz also lead to the creation of a host of new musical genres and it's influence will affect not only music but people for the rest of time.
From its origination in New Orleans in the early 1900s, jazz has undergone many changes. From the innovations in the recording industry in the early twenties to the "big band", "bebop", and "lounge" eras, jazz has certainly evolved. It still comes down to, however, "whether you've got that swing or not". Quote courtesy of Louis Armstrong.
As you can tell, the recording definitely got better!