Who were the first musicians to merge jazz with Western classical elements?

The blending of jazz with Western classical elements can be traced back to the cool jazz movement of the 1950s. Musicians involved in this genre, such as Miles Davis and Gil Evans, experimented with orchestration, complexity, and intricate arrangements, which drew heavily from classical music traditions. They incorporated larger ensembles, written scores, and a more subdued emotional tone compared to earlier jazz styles. This represented a significant shift from the improvisational focus of previous jazz forms, allowing for the integration of harmonic complexity and structural sophistication akin to classical compositions.

While New Orleans jazz musicians were pivotal in the development of early jazz, their style was grounded more in folk traditions and less in classical influences. Ragtime musicians contributed to the syncopated rhythms that form the foundation of jazz but did not directly incorporate classical elements in their works. Funky jazz emerged later, primarily as a stylistic development, and was less about merging classical and jazz elements. The cool jazz movement is recognized as the true point where these two genres began to intertwine significantly.