Among the many contributions Americans have made to the arts, one of the most significant contributions has been in the field of music. During her short history America has evolved several musical forms which really capture the American Spirit.

The first of these is jazz. Around the turn of the century the American public began to tire of the sentimentality of ballads. Negro bands were forming throughout the country beginning in the South and moving to cities up North. These musicians brought with them their skill on the piano, trumpet and drums and their wonderful changing improvised rhythms.

Emerging from the depths of the black man's soul which yearned for freedom, jazz is one of the freest of all musical forms with its numerous impromptu variations. The jazz musician, as if almost hypnotized, lets his soul dominate the path of the journey the music will take. No two pieces are ever played alike and no one piece is ever played the same. For this reason it remains one of the most difficult types of music to perform and many a well-trained professional musician cannot play jazz well unless he can 'feel' rather than 'read' the music. Being born of the black man's captivity it flourished in the south finding a home in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
When it moved up north its cultural center was located in Harlem and today it is widely performed and appreciated throughout the world. From being the music of a localized area, it has truly become international. Although there are many jazz vocalists, it is the instrumental aspect of the music which has the greatest appeal.

Jazz is not so much a "kind' of music as it is a "way" of playing music. Almost any music can become jazz if it is played with a jazz treatment. The basic elements of jazz are syncopation and improvisation. In jazz musical ideas are born and the musicians play impromptu together for hours without recourse to written music. There is an element of fun in the performing of jazz brought on by its spontaneity.
On the other hand country-western music which finds its home in Nashville, Tennessee, generates a different mood. Centered in the heart of the eastern mountains of America, it expresses itself best in words. This music has a distinctly
melancholic charm. Its melodic lyricism stands in contrast to the strong and heavy rhythms of jazz. The lyrics of all country-western songs speak of lost loves, lost homes, broken hearts and faithful dogs. The lyrics are simple but accessible. Their message is direct and immediate. There is a lyrical bent to country music and the songs have a huge does of sentiment and melancholy which make them easy to listen to. It remains perhaps one of the most popular forms of music today in America and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville is said to be the music capital of the world where its summer festival attracts large crowds. Many country western singers are held up as idols by their admiring fans.