ANSWER
The style of music that came to be known as "jazz" originated among the black and Creole musicians of New Orleans sometime around the last decade of the 19th century. The one thing that distinguishes jazz from other musical styles is its basic nature of collective improvisation. Charles "Buddy" Bolden, a New Orleans cornet player and bandleader, is generally considered to be the first jazz musician. He and his band were the first to play in the improvisational style which would come to be known as jazz, and he is generally regarded as the originator of the New Orleans jazz style.
Buddy Bolden was born in New Orleans in 1877, and began playing the cornet professionally in the 1890's. By 1900, he was called "King" Bolden, his band was considered by many in New Orleans to be the best in town, and his improvisational style began to influence other more traditional musicians in the city. Sadly, in 1907 he went insane, and was committed to a state sanitarium, where he remained until his death in 1931. There are no recordings of Buddy Bolden.
WHO GOT IT RIGHT: JP Weigt, Marc Quinlivan, and Bob Milligan.
