52nd Street - Courtesy Frank Driggs Collection

During the 1950's, Americans began to turn to television as their entertainment. As a result, dance halls -- where jazz bands once played -- began to close all across the country. The Milton Berle television program helped to introduce America to Elvis Presley and his fresh, energetic sound. This newer style of music -- rock 'n roll -- became the hottest sensation for a new generation of teenagers. With entertainment like television, movies and rock and roll, jazz faced new competition and shrinking audiences. Despite the shift in jazz's popularity, talented musicians continued to produce complex and powerful music and take jazz in new directions.