The Nintendo-fication of Jazz

Summary by Krater

An exploration of the growing genre of video game jazz music, examining how big bands like The 8-Bit Big Band and ensembles in New York City are reinterpreting classic video game soundtracks.

From the video

Answers: Why is video game jazz music becoming so popular?

• video game music
• jazz orchestration
• ludomusicology
• big band arrangements
• game sound tracks

What it concludes

• Video game music has become a vast catalog of music that is now being reinterpreted in jazz styles, similar to how standard jazz repertoires treated Broadway musicals and film scores.
• Early video game systems had limited sound capabilities, which forced composers to focus heavily on strong melodies that later translated well into jazz arrangements.
• The 2000s saw a distinct shift in video game composition, allowing composers to write music with much more complex forms.
• Video game jazz music is growing in popularity and community support, leading to live jam sessions and dedicated real books.