TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
One of the defining sounds of jazz is the blue note—a pitch slightly lowered from the standard scale, usually the third, fifth, or seventh degree. These notes give jazz its characteristic tension, color, and emotional depth. The blue note can sound mournful, playful, or deeply expressive, depending on how it’s used.
Blue notes, which originated in African American folk music and the blues, allow musicians to bend traditional harmony, creating a sense of longing or surprise that keeps listeners engaged. Soloists like Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and later Charlie Parker and Miles Davis used blue notes to convey feelings beyond words, shaping melodies that could swing, wail, or whisper.
In essence, the blue note is jazz’s emotional signature—a tiny bend in pitch that opens a whole world of expression.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.