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jazzstep

Jazzstep

United Kingdom · 1990s
ChillDancingDreamySentimentalRomantic
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Description

Jazzstep is a subgenre of drum and bass that fuses jazz harmony, timbres, and an improvisational sensibility with the fast, syncopated breakbeats of the UK jungle/DnB continuum.

Typical hallmarks include swung and ghost‑noted breakbeats at 165–175 BPM, upright or electric "walking" basslines, lush Rhodes piano or vibraphone chords, and saxophone or trumpet phrases—either sampled from classic sessions or performed anew. Harmonically, it favors extended chords (9ths, 11ths, 13ths), chromatic passing tones, blue notes, and modal colors, giving it a smooth yet propulsive, late‑night club atmosphere.

Compared with adjacent styles like liquid funk, jazzstep leans more explicitly into jazz vocabulary and instrumental colors, while retaining the momentum and dancefloor architecture of drum and bass.

History
Origins (early–mid 1990s)

Jazzstep emerged in the United Kingdom as jungle evolved into drum and bass. Producers and labels like LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Records, Moving Shadow, and V Recordings began pairing rolling breakbeats with jazz chords, upright bass samples, and atmospheric pads. The approach drew on crate‑dug jazz and fusion records, the DJ culture of sampling, and the sophisticated, heady vibe of London clubs.

Breakthrough and consolidation (late 1990s)

By the late 1990s, the aesthetic solidified: crisp, edited breaks; airy, cinematic textures; and unmistakably jazz‑inflected harmony and instrumentation. Landmark albums and singles by artists such as LTJ Bukem, 4hero, Peshay, Roni Size/Reprazent, Alex Reece, and Omni Trio showcased how jazzstep could work as both dancefloor music and attentive listening.

2000s and cross‑pollination

In the 2000s, jazzstep’s DNA flowed directly into liquid funk and more melodic strains of drum and bass. Hospital Records (e.g., London Elektricity) and producers like Calibre and Makoto carried the torch with smoother, soulful production while retaining jazz step’s harmonic language. The term “jazzstep” persisted among DJs and listeners to denote DnB with pronounced jazz character, even as cataloging sometimes overlapped with atmospheric DnB and liquid.

Globalization and legacy (2010s–present)

Digital distribution and global scene growth spread jazzstep practices well beyond the UK, with notable contributors in Europe and Japan. Its legacy is audible across liquid funk and atmospheric drum and bass, and in the continued use of jazz harmony, live‑sounding instrumentation, and refined break programming within contemporary DnB.

How to make a track in this genre
Tempo, groove, and drums
•   Aim for 165–175 BPM with a swung feel. •   Build beats from classic breaks (Amen, Think, Hot Pants) layered with tight one‑shots. •   Use ghost notes, off‑beat rides, and subtle shuffle. Keep kicks light but present; let the snare cut through.
Harmony and bass
•   Write with extended jazz chords (maj7/9/13, min9/11, dominant 9/13, altered tones) and modal colors (Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian). •   Employ voice‑leading and chromatic passing chords for smooth progressions. •   Craft basslines as walking or pedal‑tone patterns using upright bass samples or a warm synth; accentuate syncopation and call‑and‑response with the drums.
Timbre and instrumentation
•   Use Rhodes/Wurlitzer, vibraphone, brushed cymbals, sax or trumpet licks, and airy pads. •   Blend live takes with samples; process with gentle saturation, tape wow/flutter, and spring/plate reverbs for a late‑night sheen.
Arrangement and production
•   Structure around DJ‑friendly 16/32‑bar phrases with intro, main section, breakdown, and return/drop. •   Automate filters and delays on melodic fragments; leave space for drums and bass to breathe. •   Sidechain subtly to keep low end clean; avoid over‑compression to preserve dynamics.
Sampling ethics and performance
•   Clear samples when using identifiable jazz recordings, or re‑record motifs with session players. •   Live options: drummer on break‑style kit, bassist (upright/electric), keys (Rhodes), and a horn player over sequenced breaks and pads.
Main artists
Influenced by
Jazz
Jazz is an improvisation-centered music tradition that emerged from African American communities in the early 20th century. It blends blues feeling, ragtime syncopation, European harmonic practice, and brass band instrumentation into a flexible, conversational art. Defining features include swing rhythm (a triplet-based pulse), call-and-response phrasing, blue notes, and extended harmonies built on 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths. Jazz is as much a way of making music—spontaneous interaction, variation, and personal sound—as it is a set of forms and tunes. Across its history, jazz has continually hybridized, from New Orleans ensembles and big-band swing to bebop, cool and hard bop, modal and free jazz, fusion, and contemporary cross-genre experiments. Its influence permeates global popular and art music.
Drum And Bass
Drum and bass (DnB) is a fast, rhythmically intricate form of electronic dance music centered on breakbeats at roughly 160–180 BPM and powerful, sub‑heavy basslines. It grew out of the UK’s early ’90s rave and jungle scenes, combining chopped funk breaks (most famously the Amen break), dub and reggae sound‑system aesthetics, hip‑hop sampling, and techno’s futurist sound design. Across its many substyles—liquid funk’s soulful harmonies, techstep and neurofunk’s cold, machine‑like bass engineering, jump‑up’s hooky bass riffs, atmospheric DnB’s pads and space—drum and bass remains a DJ‑oriented, dancefloor‑driven genre that prizes tight drum programming, deep low end, and precise arrangement for mixing.
Jungle
Jungle is a fast, breakbeat-driven electronic music genre that emerged in the UK in the early 1990s. It is characterized by heavily chopped and re-sequenced funk drum breaks (most famously the Amen, Think, and Apache breaks), deep sub-bass rooted in reggae and dub, and frequent use of ragga and dancehall vocals. Typically around 160–175 BPM, jungle emphasizes syncopation, polyrhythms, ghost-note snare articulations, and swung grooves. Production often features time‑stretching artifacts, pitch‑shifting, rewinds, sirens, and dub‑style effects, creating a kinetic, raw, and rhythmic sound world. While closely related to drum and bass, jungle retains a distinct identity through its reggae/dancehall influence, looser and more chopped breakbeats, rough-and-ready sample aesthetics, and sound system culture sensibility.
Breakbeat
Breakbeat is an electronic dance music style built around syncopated, sampled drum "breaks" rather than a straight four-on-the-floor kick. Producers chop, loop, and rearrange classic drum breaks (such as the Amen, Apache, and Think breaks) to create swung, shuffling rhythms with strong backbeat accents. Emerging from the UK rave continuum, breakbeat draws heavily on hip hop’s sampling culture and electro’s machine-funk, while adopting house/acid-house sound design and club-focused arrangements. Tempos most commonly sit between 125–140 BPM (though broader ranges occur), featuring heavy sub-bass, crunchy snares, and edits/fills that propel dancefloors without relying on a 4/4 kick. As a scene, "breaks" spans everything from big-room, party-leaning grooves to techy, nu skool textures and regional variants like Florida breaks. It also functions as a foundational rhythmic vocabulary that informed jungle and drum and bass, and it underpins much of modern bass music.
Jazz-Funk
Jazz-funk is a groove-forward hybrid of jazz improvisation and harmony with the rhythmic drive and backbeat of funk. It features syncopated basslines, crisp drum patterns, and tight horn or keyboard riffs, often organized around vamping two- or four-bar progressions rather than complex chord changes. The sound is defined by electric instruments—Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, analog and early digital synthesizers, electric bass, and wah-inflected guitar—alongside punchy horn sections and extended solos. Compared to traditional jazz, the harmonic language is leaner but still rich, emphasizing 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, and modal centers (especially Dorian). The music aims for deep, danceable pocket, slick production, and a soulful, urban feel.
Acid Jazz
Acid jazz is a groove-focused fusion that blends the rhythmic drive of 1970s funk and soul with jazz harmony, improvisation, and DJ culture. Emerging from the UK club scene in the late 1980s, it revived crate-dug "rare groove" aesthetics and reintroduced live instrumentation—Hammond organ, Rhodes, horns, and tight rhythm sections—into contemporary dance music. Stylistically, acid jazz favors mid-tempo, syncopated rhythms, vamp-based structures, extended chords, and concise solos, often paired with warm, analog-leaning production. It sits between dancefloor energy and lounge sophistication, bridging DJs, bands, and studio producers while maintaining a polished, urban, and feel-good mood.
Contemporary Jazz
Contemporary jazz is an umbrella term for post-1970s jazz that blends the harmonic language and improvisational ethos of post-bop with influences from funk, R&B, rock, electronic music, and global traditions. It typically features sophisticated harmony (extended and altered chords, modal harmony), flexible rhythms (from straight-eighth grooves and funk backbeats to odd meters and polyrhythms), and modern production aesthetics (clean, spacious recording, tasteful use of effects and electronics). The style balances accessibility—memorable themes, clear song forms—with exploratory improvisation and ensemble interplay. Depending on the artist, contemporary jazz can sound sleek and melodic, groove-forward and electric, or texturally atmospheric in the ECM tradition. It encompasses radio-friendly strands overlapping with smooth jazz as well as progressive, genre-blurring work aligned with modern creative scenes.
Atmospheric Drum And Bass
Atmospheric drum and bass is a substyle of drum and bass that prioritizes mood, texture, and space over aggression. It blends rapid breakbeats and deep sub‑bass with lush pads, airy reverbs, and melodic motifs drawn from ambient and jazz. Typically sitting around 160–174 BPM, the style leans on classic breaks (e.g., the Amen, Think, and Apache) treated with gentle compression, filtering, and long tails of delay. Chord extensions (7ths/9ths/11ths), evolving drones, and field recordings create a cinematic, introspective feel that contrasts with the music’s propulsive rhythm section. The sound is closely associated with labels like Good Looking Records and artists who framed drum and bass as head‑music suited for both the dancefloor and deep listening.
New Jazz
New jazz (often overlapping with the term "nu jazz") blends modern electronic production with jazz harmony, improvisation, and ensemble playing. It draws equally from house and broken-beat club culture and from the small-combo lineage of cool, modal, and fusion jazz. Expect extended chords, modal vamps, and textural sound design alongside drum programming, samples, and live horns, keys, and bass. The style ranges from laid‑back, cinematic downtempo to dancefloor‑oriented 4/4, while preserving the improvisatory spirit and conversational interplay of jazz.
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