For the first time, International Jazz Day was officially celebrated on April 30, 2012. The General Conference of UNESCO announced the introduction of a new date in the calendar at the end of 2011.

Jazz originated in the late 19th - early 20th centuries in the United States, as a synthesis of African and European cultures and to the present day remains a unique form of musical art that unites races and nationalities and destroys the boundaries between peoples and states. Jazz as a musical trend emerged in the south of United States in the 1910s, although its origin can be found in the 19th century, when the black slaves of the southern states were dancing on Sundays. At first, music for such parties was African rhythms, which later fancifully mixed with the European folk music.

Why the Jazz Day is widely celebrated in our days? Jazz erase barriers between people and creates an atmosphere of mutual understanding and tolerance, it manifests freedom of expression and symbolizes unity and peace. Jazz reduces tension between people, social and national groups, it promotes gender equality. Looking backward at the history of this genre, we can make a conclusion about the amazing character of this music uniting various groups of people, which at first glance, are incapable of dialogue.

Nowadays, jazz exists in every country - with its own characters, legends and with its own face. Improvisation and manner of performance are the main factors due to which jazz is a constantly remastered musical genre, continuing to attract new admirers.

For the International Jazz Day we prepared a thematic audio story and musical compilation, that can listen to in the museum Sound Library.