I recently found out that blues is a sub component of Jazz. Jazz in a genre and blues is one of the type. New Orleans Blues is another type of Jazz the vocal and the sound is more lively and loud. I personally prefer blues. Any of you have favorite Jazz artist?
I am a layman, and this is my opinion, please be advised The simple answer is jazz is more complicated, uses many more chords, scales, modes, tempos, time signatures, melodic structure, moods, styles, etc. Blues is more about feeling but jazz can be just as much or more about feeling than some blues. Blues has one basic structure and once you vary too much from that it isn't blues anymore. You basic blues is just like: Line 1 Went down to the Crossroads, Tried to flag a ride (on the I chord) Line 2 Repeat line 1 (on the IV chord) Line 3 Nobody seemed to no me (I chord) They all passed (V chord) me by (back to I chord) Turnaround (optional) Repeat. This has some variations --- some blues guys do stuff that I would consider traditional R & B -- Rthymn and Blues as well as plain blues. Also, jazz cats play do play blues and jazz came from Blues -- and often when Jazz guys play a straight blues they will put "blues" in the song title -- Jazz is not necessarily "one big solo" as they do many "standard" songs where they "state the melody" and play variations off it that are usually improvised. But there are also "jazz pieces" that has a precise written score like Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue" Big Daddy hit some other points I left out that are valid. I find the rest of the answers lacking. Source(s): Musician for the last 40 years (Blues, Rockabilly, Rock, Pop, Country Bluegrass, I can play a few jazz type numbers too)