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Questions and Answers
Who was known as the father of white jazz?
Which recording session marked the first significant integrated session in jazz history?
Who was the first person to notate jazz compositions on paper?
Which entertainment period stood out for radical transformations in recordings, radio, and movies?
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Who was known as the 'King of Jazz' and the first pop-music superstar of the twentieth century?
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Which musician was considered the first great soloist in jazz history?
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Who added saxophones to the jazz ensemble?
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Which artist became the most popular singer in the first half of the twentieth century?
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Who was the originator of symphonic jazz?
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Which musical style did George Gershwin blend with Jazz in 'Rhapsody in Blue'?
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Study Notes
Origins of Jazz
- The word "jazz" originated from the French "jaser," meaning "to gossip; to chatter."
- Jazbo Brown, a black delta blues musician, is said to have used the term "jazz" to describe his music.
Characteristics of Jazz
- Jazz is an "art form," "people's music," and an "indigenous American music."
- Jazz is distinctly urban and African American.
- Characteristics of African music influencing jazz include polyrhythm, call and response, blue notes, and timbre variation.
Instruments in Jazz
- Wind instruments or horns (largest category)
- Bass (string instrument)
- Drums (percussion)
- Piano
- Divided into two sections: soloists and rhythm section
Rhythm Section
- Piano, vibraphone, organ, synthesizer, electric piano, guitar, and banjo
- Bass (string bass, electric bass, tuba) has two crucial functions: supporting harmony and providing rhythmic foundation
- Percussion (drum kit, or drum set) is visually iconic in jazz
Vocal Jazz
- "Scat singing" (scatting) involves vocal improvisation with wordless vocables or nonsense syllables
- "Rubato" technique features varying tempo in melody
African American Musical Identity
- Black folk culture established an African American musical identity and transformed white culture
- Genres include ballad, blues, country blues, and vaudeville ("classic") blues
- "Ma" Rainey, W.C. Handy, and Mamie Smith were influential figures in blues music
Ragtime
- Main instrument was the piano
- Scott Joplin was known as the "King of Ragtime"
- Ragtime became jazz when a new generation of musicians began using recordings instead of written notation
Birth of Jazz
- New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz
- Charles "Buddy" Bolden was the first important musician in jazz
- New Orleans style featured trumpet, trombone, clarinet, and a rhythm section
Early Jazz Figures
- Freddie Keppard was a star attraction of the Creole Jazz Band
- The Original Dixieland Jazz Band popularized jazz in Chicago and New York and made the first jazz recording in 1917
- Jelly Roll Morton was the first great jazz composer and notated jazz compositions on paper
- Sidney Bechet was the first great soloist in jazz history
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Description
Test your knowledge on the origins of the word 'jazz' and its connection to French language. Explore the legend of Jazbo Brown and the influence of individuality and timbre in jazz music.
