Live with second rate work - it's a form of jazz (5)
I believe the answer is:
bebop
'it's a form of jazz' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'live with second rate work' is the wordplay.
'live' becomes 'be' (synonyms).
'with' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'second rate' becomes 'b'.
'work' becomes 'op' (abbreviation for opus).
'be'+'b'+'op'='BEBOP'
(Other definitions for bebop that I've seen before include "Variety of jazz from the 1940s" , "Jazz style of 40s" , "kind of jazz" , "1940s' jazz characterised by virtuosity" , "Form of modern jazz from about 1940" .)