When it comes to jazz, the first thing that comes to mind is not coffee, but alcohol. Since the birth of jazz in the early 20th century, these two have been served in bistros, bars, jukeboxes, nightclubs, and dance halls.

Although alcohol can be traced back to prehistoric times, coffee did not appear in the New World until the settlement of New Amsterdam (New York) in the Netherlands in the mid-1600s. Of course, the British eventually ruled the colony, and tea was the drink of choice, but everything changed after the Boston Tea Incident. Since then, coffee has been the non-alcoholic beverage of choice in the United States, and the number of cafes/coffee shops has surged.

Fast forward to the 1940s, and jazz was the popular music of the time. However, after World War II, jazz took a turn, and a new jazz style was born-bebop. Jazz is no longer for dancing but for listening. It is a thought-provoking art form, music for the oppressed and the weak, and a tool for protesting against injustice. Bebop's innovators Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie are regarded as musical revolutionaries, and social change is starting to gain momentum.

The new way of life attracts many young people, and their meeting place is emerging in the center of the city: cafes. In many cases, these dark, run-down places look like opium houses with interesting names (Pandora's Box, Hungry I, Fickle Pickle, and Bitter End), jazz, folk music, and comedy can be heard. Of course, the alcohol hasn't disappeared, but it's cool to drink coffee while listening to jazz now.

As culture progress and ideas become more radical, there needs to be a space to discuss these ideas. The coffee shop has always been the center of collaboration, accompanied by new forms of music, thought, and action. By bridging the gap between thinkers and artists in several ways, coffee shops have become a neutral place for conversation and the creation of new music. Bands from different backgrounds will squeeze on the tour bus, pack the coffee shop, and let people hear what they might not hear in their own homes.

Jazz was originally for dancing, but as jazz swing music bebop, known for its improvisation, became commonplace, jazz transformed into the best genre to experience by simply sitting down and listening. Therefore, jazz music has been transferred to a more suitable space for its culture-cafes with sofas and a lot of caffeine to help visitors spend long nights in beautiful music.

Today, when people are always busy, coffee shops are still home to some of the best local and visiting talent. In some cases, many people now frequent people who want to regain control of their time, entrepreneurs who hold business meetings, writers, and talkers, while jazz or similar styles can still be the keynote. Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, and Masego are artists who are influenced by jazz, and you can hear them through the speakers of your favorite coffee shop.

This shift can be attributed to bebop pioneers Charlie Parker, Benny Carter, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie, who allowed people to appreciate musicality through improvisational art rather than just music. You can't dance to a rhythm that you don't know is coming, so you have no choice but to listen.

Jazz may not start in a cafe and is notorious. However, its existence in such a space has been widely affected. It lets those who don't usually listen to silent music understand its beauty. Scientific research also links jazz and other classical music styles with productivity. For example, a study completed at the University of Windsor in Canada featured Dr. Teresa Lesiuk's research on emotion enhancement and perception. Next time you want to know how you are sitting in a cafe chatting, working, or creating for hours, turn your attention to the cafe speakers. It can help coffee shops add some of these melodies to their music selections. It may not be a live band for you, but its musical influence may be the same.

The last and most crucial point: cafes have done historically and continue to do today is to create local communities around music. Most venues hold concerts or open microphone nights at least one night a week-and these nights are often not very short. To operate, the cafe must rely on a large amount of time and energy from its central volunteer staff. However, for those involved in running a coffee shop or performing in a coffee shop, the coffee shop is an important and very meaningful part of their lives.

References: Beautiful Coffee Music - Jazz