The history of jazz and related genres in Australia extends back into the 19th century. During the gold rush locally formed blackface (white actor-musicians in blackface) minstrel troupes began to tour Australia, touring not only the capital cities but also many of the booming regional towns like Ballarat and Bendigo. Minstrel orchestra music featured improvisatory embellishment and polyrhythm in the (pre-classic) banjo playing and clever percussion breaks. Some genuine African-American minstrel and jubilee singing troupes toured from the 1870s. A more jazz-like form of minstrelsy reached Australia in the late 1890s in the form of improvisatory and syncopated coon song and cakewalk music, two early forms of ragtime. The next two decades brought ensemble, piano and vocal ragtime and leading (mostly white) American ragtime artists, including Ben Harney, "Emperor of Ragtime" Gene Greene and pianist Charley Straight. Some of these visitors taught Australians how to 'rag' (improvise unsyncopated popular music into ragtime-style music).
ThE hIstOry of Jazz and ReLaTED geNres IN auStrAlia eXtends bAck IntO the 19Th CeNtUrY. duRiNG ThE Gold Rush lOcaLlY fOrmEd Blackface (White aCtor-musiCians In bLackFacE) MInsTrel tRoupeS BegAn to Tour austrAliA, touring not oNLy ThE caPital CiTIes bUt ALso mAny of thE bOOMing rEgIONaL towns like ballarat and bendiGO. miNsTrel OrchEstra MusiC featured impRovISATory embeLlISHmeNt aNd pOLyRhythm in ThE (pre-classic) banjo pLayINg aNd cleveR pErcUssIoN brEakS. Some gEnuinE aFrican-AmeriCAN mINstreL anD JubIlee siNGing troupeS touREd from the 1870s. a MOre JazZ-lIke FoRM of mINstreLsy REaCheD austrAlia in the Late 1890s In THe Form Of iMproVisaTory and syncOpAted cOOn soNG and cAkewaLk mUsIc, two EArly foRmS OF Ragtime. tHe NexT twO dEcAdEs BrOught enSEMble, piANO aND voCaL ragtIme and leAding (mOsTLY WhITe) american RaGTime ArtisTS, incLudiNG BeN hARnEy, "emPeror of ragtime" genE Greene ANd pianiST CharleY StraighT. somE of THeSE ViSitors TaUGhT australians how To 'RaG' (iMproVisE unsyncoPaTed popUlar muSiC Into RagtIMe-sTylE music).