Nu Jazz

Nu Jazz is a fluid subgenre emerging from the 1990s that fuses jazz's instrumental and improvisational aesthetics with the structures and sonic palette of electronic music. It evolved from acid jazz, integrating textures from house, drum and bass, and ambient, often replacing traditional rhythm sections with drum machines and samplers. The ethos centers on recontextualizing jazz language within a digital framework, characterized by a blend of live acoustic performance and electronic production. This synthesis created a sophisticated, groove-oriented sound that found a home in both upscale lounges and discerning dance clubs, influencing a generation of producers like *St Germain* and the output of labels like #Ninja Tune#.