What is jazz? How does it differ from other types of music? And to what extent is it a particularly interesting subject for contemplating aesthetic questions? This book represents the first philosophical engagement dedicated to jazz. Daniel Martin Feige explores the relationship between jazz and European art music, examining the connection between musicians and tradition, as well as between composition and improvisation. He is guided by the original thesis that it is only in jazz that central aspects of musical practice are explicitly articulated, which remain implicit in the tradition of European art music.