MUS-101 Module 4 PDF

What is Jazz? Jazz involves improvisation and swing feeling 1.) Improvisation: creating a spontaneous melody usually within a set of guidelines. 2.) Although most jazz groups use arrangements that present in some regard a substantial portion of each performance is usually spont...

What is Jazz? Jazz involves improvisation and swing feeling 1.) Improvisation: creating a spontaneous melody usually within a set of guidelines. 2.) Although most jazz groups use arrangements that present in some regard a substantial portion of each performance is usually spontaneous. 3.) Swing feeling is achieved by spirited performances of many different kinds of music that employ a steady tempo. Jazz Swing Feeling is like swing feeling in a general sense but also has. - An abundance of syncopated (upbeat) rhythms - Swing 8th notes (longer on 1’s, 2’s, 3’s and 4’s) - Continuous rise and fall tension Roles of the instruments Bass (tracks 22-30) The walking bass style involves playing notes that serve to keep time for the bands. Outlining the chord progression being followed by the improvisers. Drums (tracks 1-2) Uses a snare drum, bass drum, ride, cymbal, and high hat cymbals to keep time for the band. Contributes kicks and prods that communicate with the improvising soloist. Piano (track 20) Comping the accompaniment style in which the pianist feeds chords to the improvising soloist in a flexible and syncopated way. Soloist: keeps many considerations in mind while performing Chord progressions Logical and original construction of the solo Communication with accompanists Timeline of Jazz Pre 1890’s- Afro Roots, Worksongs, Gospel 1890- Ragtime 1900- Blues Early Jazz 1930- Swing 1945- Bebop 1949- Cool Jazz 1950- Latin Jazz 1960- Free Jazz/ Freeform 1969- Fusion 1980- Contemporary Origins of Jazz 1.) Jazz originated from brass band and ragtime piano styles of the 1800s that were blended to satisfy social dancers. 2.) 1890s jazz became a recognizable style of its own 3.) In the 1920s it was fully formed and recorded Three Trends that Lead to the Birth of Jazz 1.) Taking Liberties with melody and accompaniments (led to improvisation) 2.) Taking liberties with tone qualities- raspy rough sound mixed with smooth tone quality. 3.) African Americans created new kinds of music such as Ragtime and Blues. (Blended with European dance and church music) Early Jazz How does early jazz differ from its ragtime, blues, and brass band roots? - Much of each performance was improvised - Rhythmic feel was looser and more relaxed - It generated its compositions - Collective importation created a more complex musical product than the previous style. 1.) The first Jazz Band used the same instruments as brass bands, trumpet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, drums, and saxophone. 2.) Early Jazz was not recorded we can only infer what it sounded on the basis of recordings made by New Orleans players after they moved to Chicago. 3.) Chicago was the jazz center of the world during the 1920’s -The original Dixieland Jazz Band: The first jazz group to record in 1917 Dixieland Jazz Band One-Step - King Oliver and his Creole Jazz group: First African American group to make records containing a substantial amount of improvisation Alligator Hop -Louis Armstrong: No list of jazz greats omits him, and most start with him. Most people know of Armstrong as an entertainer, but not as an innovator in Jazz improvisation. Nicknames: Father or Jazz Pops Satchmo Swing Lecture Swing differs from Early Jazz in: Greater use of written arrangements Less emphasis on ragtime-like pieces Rejection of collective improvisation in favor of solo improvisation String Bass instead of Tuba Greater swing feeling Increased use of high-hat cymbals Emphasis on big band over small group instrumentation Saxophone becoming the prodominant instrument Important big bands were led by: Count Basie 1.)Influenced many and studied with Fats Waller 2.)He had light, precise touch, and an impeccable sense of tempo. 3.)His accompaniment style was the first example of comping. 4.) He made silence just as important as notes played. Style Duke Ellington 1.)Was the most creative and prolific composer-arranger in jazz history. 2.)Most stable and longest-lived big band in jazz history (1923-1974) Benny Goodman 1.)King of Swing “Don’t be that way” 2.)In the 30s and ’40s he led the most well-known big band was jazz-oriented. 3.)The Big Band was a hard-driving swing that showcased his technically impressive clarinet playing. 4.)Top 5 popular recording artists before 1954 Most popular figures in the music industry not just jazz. Ranks with Luis Armstong and Dave Bubeck as the best-known jazz musicians. Bebop Lecture How did Bebop differ from Swing? Smaller Bands Richer Chords More Chord changes Drier, more biting tone qualities Faster playing with more surprises The popularity of bebop and their offshoots verse swing Few popular tunes and singers Relied less on written arrangements Solos and accompaniments were more complicated Less predictability in the music Two figures in Bebop Charlie Parker Significant saxophonist of the 20th century -Many believe he is the most important saxophonist in jazz history -Musicologists believe he is the most brilliant musical figure in the 20th century parker1 and parker2. John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie 1.)The first and most important bop trumpeter 2.)Virtuoso like Eldrige and Armstrong, but his proficiency was not matched by many afterward. 3.)Hormic skills were startling and he flaunted them Cool Jazz Lecture Cool Jazz is a term for modern styles that sound more subdued than the bebop of Gillespie and Parker. Cool Jazz Musicians 1.) These musicians were among the first to devise styles to be known as “Cool Jazz” Glenny Tristano Lee Konitz Miles Davis 2.) The nine-piece band that Miles Davis recorded in 1949 became known as the “Birth of the Cool” band. 3.) Lee Konitz and baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan played in that group with Davis. Recording: Move, Jeru, Boplicity Hard Bop Lecture Evolved directly from bebop during the 1950s, mainly from East Coast and Midwest Musicians. Hard Bop differs from bebop 1.) Darker, weightier, and rougher tone colors 2.) There is a hard-driving feeling that pushes relentlessly, with an emphasis on consistently swinging 3.) Less start ans stop quality that leaves the listener off-balance 4.) Piano comping has more variety in rhythms and chord voicings 5.) Drummers play with more activities 6.) Fewer pop tune chord progression Funky Jazz is a subcategory of hard bop 1.) Characterized by bluesy inflections of pitch and gospel-type harmonies. 2.) Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley (Several of their pieces) were popular because of their funky qualities and simple catchy Recording: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Prominent Figures in Hard Bop Art Blakey Drummer/Bandleader Recording: Moaning The Egyptian Horace Silver Pianist/Composer Recording: Gregory is here Prominent Trumpet players in Hard Bop Clifford Brown Freddie Hubbard Prominent Saxophone players in Hard Bop Cannonball Adderley Sonny Rollins Prominent Guitar players in Hard Bop Wes Montgomery Miles Davis 1.)Pivotal bandleader in bebop, cool jazz, modal jazz, and jazz-rock fusion. Started the “Cool Jazz” movement 2.)Trumpet style is distinctive in many ways 3.) Toying with pitch and tone qualities at the beginning and at the end of notes. 4.) Use of Harmon mute 5.) Using space in solos 6.)Sometimes played outside a strict tempo John Coltrane 1.) Most influential saxophonist in jazz after Charlie Parker 2.) Concepts were used by all musicians 3.) Put Chords together that sound odd next to each other and improvise over them 4.) Some people hated his music or were impressed. Some people thought jazz history ended with Coltrane, whereas today many feel it only just started with him. Avant Garde Refers to the advance group of creators in any field of art and music Free Jazz Lecture 1.) Don't use preset progressions of chords 2.) In some cases, it also dispenses with present melody and timekeeping 3.)Drummers often generate an ever-changing undercut of activity 4.) Wider variation in pitch and tone quality than previous styles. 5.)Some free jazz involves lengthy collective improv that is loud and frenzied. Prominent Free Jazz Musicians Ornette Coleman Saxophonsit Cecil Taylor Pianist Fusion Jazz Lecture Is a stream of styles that emerged during the late 60s. It became the most popular jazz for the next thirty years and the first to have widespread popularity since the swing era. Jazz , rock, and funk music share similar roots in: Gospel music Work songs Blues Jazz differs from rock and funk in its: Smaller amount of repetition A larger amount of improv Greater complexity Higher level of musicianship John McLaughlin 1.) Important to Jazz history as a fusion guitarist bandleader and composer. 2.) Born in England and active in British Rock groups since the late 1950s 3.) Known to American musicians from 1969-1971 when played with Miles Davis. 4.) Played in the group Lifetime with drummer Troy Williams 5.) Guitar sound- nonjazz, rock theme Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea were important jazz pianists during the 1960s who became better known as composers and band leaders during the 70s and 80s because of the fusion styles they created.