The American phrase “and all that jazz” is slang for “etc.” and is often used disparagingly. It originated from the Creole phrase for sex and dance, and was first used to refer to music in 1913. The phrase gained popularity after the musical Chicago in 1975 and is now commonly used in Great Britain and Canada.
The meaning of the American phrase “and all that jazz” is basically the same as the Latin phrase et cetera, commonly abbreviated “etc.” and used at the end of the listing in a series to indicate that there are multiple related items that are not specifically listed. The phrase is often used disparagingly to indicate that what follows is of an irrelevant or silly nature. How do the origins of idioms go, is a very modern phrase.
Rather than being an idiom or proverb, “and all that jazz” is probably best explained as a slang phrase. The word “jazz” is a common slang term. Common phrases using the word include “jazzed” and “jazz up,” among many other variations.
The word “jazz” probably entered the English language from a Creole phrase referring to sex and a type of dance. There are several theories about the etymology of the word, but certain origins remain undetermined. Jazz” was first used to refer to a type of music, originally ragtime, around 1913. The phrase “and all that jazz” didn’t come into use until around 1939.
While probably already in use to some extent, the use of this phrase meaning to continue a series in a somewhat disparaging way probably entered common parlance following the 1975 musical Chicago. Based on a play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins in 1926, the musical’s opening number is titled “All that Jazz” and uses the phrase in the manner of meaning et cetera. The song is performed by Chita Rivera on the musical’s original cast album, but Liza Minnelli’s 1975 single of the song gave the phrase even more popularity. The song begins with the lyrics “Come on, baby / Why don’t we paint the town? / And all that jazz.” The phrase is repeated throughout the lyrics of the song.
The use of the phrase originated in the United States, although it is now commonly used in everyday speech in Great Britain and Canada. The phrase also lends itself to the title of a 1979 musical, an album by Ella Fitzgerald, and a radio series, among other uses in literature and music. “And all that jazz” is often used, sometimes as a pun, in the marketing of art and music shops, events and festivals.
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