JAZZ HISTORY NOTES

Part 1:

Jazz is Americas Music = Jazz represents America

o Jazz is partly planned, partly spontaneous
o Perform a pre-determined tune with individual interpretations in response to
other musicians performances and whatever may occur in the moment :
called improvisation and the key element of jazz
o Full Democracy can be seen in jazz : individual freedom but with
responsibility to the group.
o Jazz was born out of the Black experience in America, basically combining
African and European musical traditions.
o Jazz evolved from slave work songs, spirituals (religious Black American folk
songs), blues, brass band music, and ragtime (a rhythmically sophisticated
piano style).

What Is Jazz:
o is musical conversation : Jazz is musical conversation: a partly planned and
partly spontaneous musical dialogue among the musicians who are performing
it
o is a music of the present moment : While performing (or practicing), jazz
musicians utilize the inspiration of the moment, their knowledge of music
theory, life experience, social, political, and economic surroundings, technical
savvy on their instruments, and, especially, all the music (particularly jazz and
blues) they have ever heard that has influenced them (even the most avantgarde jazz artists reflect, in some way, the music of their musical forefathers).
Jazz is a music of the present moment, anchored lovingly and respectfully in
the past
o is a newcomer : Jazz is a newcomer to music -- unlike symphonic music, folk
music, opera, Eastern music, etc., jazz is only a century old.
o was born out of the Black experience in America: Jazz was born out of the
Black experience in America, basically fusing African and European musical
traditions. Evolving from slave work songs, spirituals (religious Black
American folk songs), blues, brass band music, and ragtime (a rhythmically
sophisticated piano style), jazz first appeared in the culturally diverse city of
New Orleans in the early 1900s
o is embraced worldwide: African Americans devised the major elements of jazz
in its formative years and were the primary pioneers of stylistic changes in
later decades. Today, jazz is performed, innovated, and listened to by people all
over the world from virtually every ethnicity, religion, and culture.
o is its own unique art form: Jazz has influenced and been influenced by other
musics: rock, rap, country, funk, Latin, classical, blues, gospel, African,
Eastern, pop, folk, hip-hop, etc... Jazz, while extremely diverse and all
encompassing, is, however, its own unique art form. It is more about the way
the music is played rather than what is played
o is relatively complex: As far as musics go, jazz is relatively complex; there are
many musical, technical, intellectual, and emotional elements happening
simultaneously. Jazz makes far more demands on the listener than do most

popular styles which are fundamentally simpler than jazz, requiring less from
the listener. The more one knows about jazz (i.e., how to listen, its history,
evolution of its styles, key players, forms, relationship to American history and
culture, etc.), the more one can appreciate and enjoy it, even possibly gaining
insight into his/her humanity via aesthetic experience -- jazzs ultimate goal.
o is about feeling: Although complicated, the core of jazz is about feeling, not
intellectual definition.

Improvisation:
o Improvisation is inventing something on the spur of the moment and in
response to a certain situation; in jazz, it is when musicians perform a different
interpretation each time they play the same tune, i.e., a tune is never played the
exact same way twice, whether played by the same musicians or an entirely
different group; the improvisation becomes its own musical dialogue between
band members without any preconceived notion of what the final outcome will
be.
o When you talk to someone you improvise, you do not what you will say
o Jazz musicians do the same with their instruments, but rather than using words
to communicate, they use music; it's kind of like musical conversation
o Make it up as you move along, kind of conversation
o When jazz musicians improvise, they are playing the notes that they hear
(imagine) in their mind; they hear these notes just a split second before they
play them (just like when you are talking, you hear the words in your head
just a split second before you say them)
o Jazz musicians learn how to improvise in a way that is similar to how kids
learn how to talk. Young jazz musicians learning how to improvise listen to
other jazz musicians improvise and try to imitate them; kids (even babies)
learn how to talk by listening to others talk and trying to imitate them. Jazz
musicians play their instruments a lot; kids learning how to talk, talk a lot.
To play better, jazz musicians study instrumental technique (the physical
mechanics of playing an instrument) and music theory (how notes and chords
fit together); to speak better, kids study pronunciation and grammar.

Jazz is like a language:

o Language is what we use to communicate thoughts and ideas.
o Languages such as English or Spanish are used to communicate just about
everything in life; however, they cannot express emotion (happiness, sadness,
anger, and everything in between) in the same way as music; as a singular
phenomenon, music communicates emotion to every human being on the
planet, regardless of language, culture, or nationality. That's why music is
found in every culture.
o A helpful analogy: classical music is to jazz as reading a good book aloud is to
having a good conversation; while a printed book never changes, a
conversation changes according to the situation or moment and depending on
with whom you are having the conversation.

Way vs. What:

o In jazz it is more important the way a song is played rather than what is played
o Jazz musicians can play a song with new elements and moods

o Rather than just the basic sound of the instrument itself, jazz musicians strive
to develop their own, unique sound (tone) on their instruments -- a sound that
expresses them personally (just like singers do with their voices). Some like to
say that a jazz musicians sound on his/her instrument is simply an extension of
his/her voice. Good jazz musicians have the ability to produce a wide variety
of sounds on their instruments, depicting a wide variety of emotions and
feelings (again, just like singers do with their voices).
o A good comparison: just like all human voices sound different from each other
(but you can still tell its a human voice), all jazz saxophonists sound different
from each other (but you can still tell its a saxophone).
o In order to be able to hear the difference, youve got to listen a lot; the more
you listen to a particular jazz musician, the more youre able to recognize that
player by his/her sound alone. Again, its just like human voices. Think about
how easy it is to recognize the voices of your family members and closest
friends compared to people you dont hear that much. Also notice how no two
singers sound exactly alike yet theyre both using the same instrument (vocal
cords).
o People often prefer one jazz artist over another because of his/her own unique
sound; that is, his/her particular tone on the instrument.

Each Instrument's Responsibility:

o Horns : The saxophone, trumpet, and trombone (as well as any other singlenote instrument, including the human voice) are responsible for playing
melodies, both written (e.g., the head), and improvised (their individual solos).
o Rhythm Section: The piano, bass, and drums comprise the rhythm section.
Their primary role is to accompany and provide support for the horn players as
well as each other; they may also improvise solos. The pianist's primary job is
to play chords (the music that accompanies the melodies) in a lively, rhythmic
fashion.
This is called comping.
Notice how it comes from the word "accompany".
The pianist also improvises melodically. When doing this, he/she
improvises a melody by playing single notes in the right hand while
comping the chords in the left hand
The bassist's primary job is to play the roots of the chords and "lay down a
great groove." The bass is the foundation, the bottom, the pulse, the "glue" that
keeps everyone together.
The drummer's primary job is to keep the beat steady and complement what the
soloists (improvisers) are playing. By introducing rhythmic accents and laying
down a great groove with the bassist, the drummer adds excitement to the
performance.
o Guitar: The guitarist is versatile. He/she can be like a horn player (that is,
playing single note melodies), or like a pianist (that is, comping chords).

Rhythm:
o The Beat: Most styles of jazz keep a steady beat. That is, if youre tapping
your foot along to the beat of the music, it stays constant, not slowing down or
speeding up.

o Tempo: is the speed of the beat. Jazz tunes can be played at any tempo from
extremely slow (ballads) to extremely fast (burning).
o Swing: Swing is important to jazz and, like so many words in the English
language, has several definitions (context determines how the word is being
used).
o The two most common uses of the word are:
When everyone in the band is in sync, playing together and really
grooving along with a nice buoyancy, they are said to be swinging.
Swing is integral to a good jazz performance (jazz great Duke Ellington
said: it dont mean a thing if it ain't got that swing and wrote a
famous jazz tune with that title).
Swing is also a way of playing eighth notes (consecutive notes played
on each down and up beat): swing means that while keeping the beat
(foot tapping) steady, rather than each note being held for the exact
same length of time, the notes falling on the downbeats are held twice
as long as those falling on the upbeats, making a long-short, long-short,
long-short, long-short pattern and giving the music a kind of lilt. When
jazz is played this way, it is said to have a swing feel.

Syncopation: Jazz musicians like to emphasize the notes that they play on the
upbeats; that is, if youre tapping your foot along with the beat of the music, jazz
musicians tend to emphasize the notes that occur when your foot is in the air. This is
syncopation: accenting upbeats.

Form: Form is the tunes blueprint, that is, "what gets played when."
o Basic Structure
Most jazz tunes are built on a set of predetermined chords that
accompanies the melody (each jazz tune has its own set of
predetermined chords).
Playing through the set of chords one time is called a chorus (one time
through the chords of a song)
Playing a jazz tune consists of playing several choruses, one right after
the other, with something different occurring during each chorus:
During the first chorus, the written (composed) melody is
played; this melody is called the head.
Then, on each subsequent chorus, each jazz musician in turn
improvises a solo. The solo can last for one chorus, two
choruses, three, four -- as many as the soloist wants (within
reason!). Toward the end of his/her last chorus of improvising,
the soloist tapers down the intensity (like being at the end of a
story) and nods to another player in the band, signaling him/her
to begin his/her solo; this keeps happening until all the
musicians in the band who want to take a solo have done so (not
everyone has to take a solo). The audience usually applauds at
the end of each solo, acknowledging not only that the soloist
played well, but also that he/she improvised what was just
played
After the last musician finishes his/her solo, the band plays the
head again -- this is the last chorus. When finished, the audience
applauds again and, if it was truly an outstanding performance,

whistles and cheers as well (even in the most formal concert

halls like Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center in New York)
In a nutshell, the format of the performance of a jazz tune is:
head for one chorus - improvised solos for several choruses head for one chorus
A good analogy: Jazz is like a sandwich. The first chorus (head)
is like the top piece of bread, the last chorus (head) is like the
bottom piece of bread, but what goes in the middle is up for
grabs and is the best, most important, and most fun part

Swing Era:
o Most jazz is played with a swing feel. In fact, since this way of playing
dominated the style of jazz that was performed by the big bands in the 1930s
and early 1940s, the period is often referred to as the Swing Era

Perfect Democracy:
A Jazz Combo as a Society: A jazz combo is an example of a perfect democracy.
o Each player has the freedom to play whatever he/she wants.
o But, at the same time, each player wants to play something that will not only
please himself/herself, but make the whole group sound better as well,
enhancing the overall sound.
o Musicians work together on this, supporting each other while not
compromising their own artistic individuality
o The best jazz bandleaders (e.g., Miles Davis) want their fellow musicians
(AKA sidemen) to express themselves the way they want and not just do the
bandleader's "bidding."
o Jazz musicians realize that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts

Where Did Jazz Come From?

o New Orleans via Africa and Europe : Jazz was born in New Orleans about
100 years ago (early 20th century), but its roots can be found in the musical
traditions of both Africa and Europe. In fact, some people say that jazz is a
union of African and European music.
From African music, jazz got its:
rhythm and "feel"
"blues" quality
tradition of playing an instrument in your own expressive way,
making it an "extension" of your own human voice
From European music, jazz got its:
harmony -- that is, the chords that accompany the tunes (the
chords played on the piano); jazz harmony is similar to classical
music's harmony
instruments -- most of the instruments used in jazz originated in
Europe (saxophone, trumpet, piano, etc.)
Musical improvisation came from both traditions.

o Why New Orleans?: New Orleans was the perfect city for all of these
elements to come together, as it was a port city (with people arriving from all

parts of the world), a meeting place for people of different ethnic groups, and a
city with a nightlife where musicians had the opportunity to play together,
learn from each other, and blend all of these elements.
o African American Experience: Jazz was born out of and evolved through the
African American experience in the U.S.
Jazz evolved from slave songs and spirituals (religious African
American folk songs).
Jazzs originators and most important innovators were primarily
African Americans.
o Louis Armstrong: The most important jazz originator and first truly great jazz
soloist (improviser) was trumpet player Louis Armstrong.

Ragtime
o Piano Style : Ragtime is primarily a solo piano style and was the immediate
precursor to jazz.
It originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
It consists of each hand doing something different:
The left hand plays a steady, almost march-like succession of
alternating bass notes and chords in a steady "oom-pah, oompah, oom-pah, oom-pah" fashion.
The right hand plays syncopated melodies in a "ragged" fashion
(hence the name "ragtime").
Ragtime is primarily an African American invention and was a source
of pride to African American composers, musicians, and listeners.
One of ragtimes inventors and most important pianists and composers
was Scott Joplin.
Since ragtime was conceived and developed before records were
invented, it was "recorded" on piano rolls.
Piano rolls were long rolls of thick paper that had holes (i.e.,
perforations) punched in them. When spun through a special
type of mechanical piano (called a "player piano"), the
instrument would mechanically play the notes indicated by the
perforations; different songs had different patterns of
perforations.
By someone simply pumping two foot pedals back and forth at
the bottom of the piano, the piano roll would spin through a
mechanism that would mechanically press down the appropriate
piano keys, making it play the song. The faster you pumped the
pedals, the faster the tempo would be.
Ragtime really isn't jazz since it rarely includes improvisation.
However, it was the immediate precursor of jazz.
Bands tried to imitate the ragtime style.
They added improvisation and, thus, jazz was born.

o Cultural Implications of Ragtime:

Ragtime represents musics from both Europe and Africa.

The piano is a European instrument.
The left hand (steady march-like rhythm) was derived from
European classical music and marches.
The chord progressions were rooted in European classical
music.
Ragtime uses standard European notation (all the music was
written).
The right hand's syncopated, ragged melodies, derived from
complex polyrhythms (several different rhythms played
simultaneously), have their roots in African music.
Ragtime was enjoyed by both European and African Americans as it
reflected the full gamut from conservative to liberal attitudes.
Conservative example: ragtime was performed on the piano, a
white middle class symbol of nostalgia and status.
Liberal example: ragtimes syncopations reflected the exciting
pace of modern industrial life.

What To Listen To for Part 1:

"Birdland," Weather Report or "Chameleon," Herbie Hancock

"Maple Leaf Rag," Scott Joplin or The Entertainer, Scott Joplin
"Shaw Nuff," Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker or How High the Moon, Ella
Fitzgerald
"Full Force," Art Ensemble of Chicago or Lonely Woman, Ornette Coleman
"Mister Magic," Grover Washington or Take Five, Dave Brubeck Quartet
"One O'clock Jump," Count Basie Orchestra or Main Stem, Duke Ellington
Orchestra
A Night in Tunisia - Charlie Parker
Giant Steps - John Coltrane
St. Thomas - Sonny Rollins
Take Five - The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Jumpin' At The Woodside - Count Basie
Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman
Working Man Blues - Louis Armstrong
The Entertainer - John Arpin

Part 2:

Early Jazz (Dixieland) :

o The Music : Early Jazz - or Dixieland - developed in the early 20th century
(1900 1928); its four main influences were ragtime, military brass bands, the
blues, and gospel music.
o Instrumentation : The usual instrumentation of a Dixieland band was (and still
is) trumpet (or cornet), clarinet, trombone, piano, string bass (or tuba), drums,
and banjo (or guitar).
o Collective Improvisation : The primary feature of Dixieland jazz is "collective
improvisation;" that is, rather than each musician taking a solo in turn (as in
most styles of jazz today), Dixieland jazz musicians all improvise at the same
time.
o Roles of Each Instrument : Each instrument has its own specific role:
trumpet or cornet: plays the melody (jazzed up)
clarinet: adds to (embellishes) the melody
trombone: usually embellishes the bass line but sometimes plays the
melody, "afterbeats" (adding to the rhythm), and sound effects such as
"smears" and "slides"
piano and banjo (or guitar): play chords
string bass or tuba: plays the bass line
drums: keeps the beat steady and swinging
o Marching Bands: Dixieland bands (excluding piano and using tuba rather than
string bass) were originally small marching bands.
o Funeral Processions: Besides playing for dances and parties, in the early 1900's
Dixieland bands would also play for funerals (marching along with the
procession) in celebration of the life of the departed.
o Louis Armstrong: There were few long solos in Dixieland jazz until the
appearance of trumpeter Louis Armstrong.
Louis Armstrong was the first great jazz soloist (improviser) and one of
the most important figures in jazz history.
There are those who say that without Louis Armstrong, there would be
no jazz today.
o Musicians: Almost all early Dixieland jazz musicians were African American.
Interestingly, the very first jazz record was made by an all white group
known as the Original Dixieland Jass Band (this group spelled jazz
"jass").
It was entitled "Livery Stable Blues and was recorded in 1917.
Most early jazz recordings were made on brittle hard plastic (shellac)
records called 78s; the number 78 refered to the number of revolutions
per miniute (RPM) that the record would make when played on a
record player of the day.

Cultural Implications of Early Jazz:

o Newfound Freedom: The collective improvisation of Dixieland jazz
represented, in part, African Americans' newfound freedom.
Although hardly experiencing civil rights, African Americans were no
longer slaves and celebrated their newfound freedom through jazz
improvisation, playing whatever they wanted; they were not
"restricted" to notes written on a page, but instead could play whatever
they "heard" in their hearts and minds (the music was not read, it was
played "by ear").
Freedom was and continues to be an integral issue regarding all styles
of jazz.
o Geographical Expansion: Early jazz made its way from New Orleans, to
Chicago, to New York, to the rest of the country.
o Roaring Twenties and the Harlem Renaissance: Dixieland was the musical
backdrop of city life during the Roaring Twenties and the early years of the
Harlem Renaissance.

What To Listen To for Part 2:

Working Man Blues - Louis Armstrong

Livery Stable Blues - Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Jelly-Roll Blues - Jelly-Roll Morton
Singin' The Blues - Bix Beiderbecke

Part 3:

The Swing Era :

o The Music : Big band swing was at the forefront of jazz and underwent its
most concentrated growth and development from 1930 1945.
o The Big Band Era: The Swing Era is also known as the Big Band Era since the
number of instruments in these bands was considerably larger than during the
previous Dixieland era.
o Instrumentation : While any jazz band with 10 or more instruments is
considered a big band, the most common number of instruments in a big band
was (and still is) 17:
five saxophones (two alto saxes, two tenor saxes, and one baritone sax)
four trumpets
four trombones
four "rhythm" instruments (piano, bass, drums, guitar)
o Dance Bands: Big band swing music was primarily for dancing, i.e., swing
bands were dance bands
o Call and Response: "Call and Response" was a common musical device.
This is where one section (say, the brass section, i.e., trumpets and
trombones) would play a musical phrase and then be answered by
another section (say, the saxes); the first phrase is the call, the answer is the
response (like a musical conversation). This would go back and forth a
number of times.
For an example of call and response, listen to the introduction of Fletcher
Hendersons "Wrappin' it Up"
o Important Figures :
pianist Duke Ellington
pianist Count Basie
clarinetist Benny Goodman (known as the "King of Swing")

Cultural Implications of Swing Era:

o Great Depression: After the Stock Market Crash of 1929, swing helped the
country through the Great Depression, creating escape from economic realities
via swing dancing.
o Sophistication: Jazz reached new levels of sophistication in the Swing Era as
an outgrowth of Americas need for self esteem following the Great Depression
o World War II: Swing served as a major morale booster during World War II.
o Race Relations:
Perhaps for the first time, it did not matter what color you were, just
how well you could play.
In an era when racial integration was not yet accept by American
society in general, several important swing bands featured racial
integration.
The first important interracial groups were The Benny Goodman Trio,
Quartet, Sextet, and Big Band, all of which were formed in 1935 (prior
to this time, jazz groups were either all white or all black).

o Harlem Renaissance : Swing, and especially Duke Ellingtons music of the

early 1930s, was the musical backdrop during the later years of the Harlem
Renaissance.
o American Symbol: Jazz was (and remains) a symbol of urban American
energy, optimism, and resilience.

What To Listen To for Part 3:

Jumpin' At The Woodside - Count Basie

Main Stem - Duke Ellington
Sing Sing Sing - Benny Goodman

Part 4:

The Harlem Renaissance :

o An Outburst of Creativity:
Beginning around 1918, Harlem was home to many African American
professionals, including authors, poets, artists, actors, dancers,
composers, and musicians.
With a growing sense of racial pride and a desire for social and political
equality, a large outpouring of literature, art, and music began to be
produced.
Most of the works were based in some way on the experiences of
blacks in America.
o Contributing Factors:
During the Great Migration, African Americans moved from rural areas
to northern cities, including New York City's Harlem neighborhood.
African Americans wanted their thoughts and ideas to be heard in their
own words.
Anger over racism.
o Home to National Organizations: Harlem was home to two of the most
important African American organizations:
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) was founded in 1909 to help advance the rights of African
Americans.
The National Urban League was founded in 1910 to help African
Americans address the economic and social problems they encountered
as they resettled in the urban North.
o Important Figures:
authors Alain Locke, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, James Weldon
Johnson
poets Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay
artists William H. Johnson, Aaron Douglas, Jacob Lawrence
actors Josephine Baker, Paul Robeson, Charles Gilpin, Ethel Waters
composers Duke Ellington, Eubie Blake, William Grant Still
musicians Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday,
Duke Ellington

Jazz during the Harlem Renaissance:

o Expression: The Harlem Renaissance was about giving a voice to the
experiences of African Americans, and nothing gave expression to the African
American experience better than jazz
Jazz was born out of the Black experience in America, basically fusing
African and European musical traditions.
Jazz evolved from slave work songs, spirituals (religious Black
American folk songs), blues, brass band music, and ragtime.
Jazz, more than any other music, has been intimately linked with legal
and social equality for all, particularly African Americans.
o Harlem & Big Bands:
Fletcher Henderson
Duke Ellington
Cab Calloway
Benny Goodman

The Radio Broadcast: Some of the very first coast-to-coast radio broadcasts were
from Harlem ballrooms.
Listeners all over America heard the music of Duke Ellington's
Orchestra as it was broadcast live from The Cotton Club, the most
famous of Harlem ballrooms throughout the 1920s and '30s.
Live radio broadcasts from the Savoy ballroom brought big band swing
into living rooms throughout the United States.

Effects of the Harlem Renaissance on Jazz:

o Spotlight on Sophistication: As the New York elite began attending jazz clubs,
jazz became viewed as a sophisticated art form.
o National Exposure: The market for jazz was stimulated, both locally and
nationally through radio broadcasts.
o One Step Closer to Integration: The Harlem Renaissance brought literary,
dramatic, artistic, and musical works to the attention of more whites. A white
market developed for these products - including jazz - during the Harlem
Renaissance.
o Appreciation and Understanding: The Harlem Renaissance brought attention to
literary and artistic works by African Americans. Jazz was an important
ingredient in a developing appreciation of the artistic talent of African
Americans

What To Listen To for Part 4:

Wild Party Fletcher Henderson

Twelfth Street Rag - Willie The Lion Smith
Tea for Two Art Tatum
Crazy About My Baby Fats Waller

Part 5:

Bebop :
o The Music : Bebop was at the forefront of jazz and went through its most
concentrated growth and development from 1940 1955
o Instrumentation: Bebop was primarily played by small groups (combos).
A typical Bebop combo is comprised of two horns (e.g., trumpet and
saxophone) and rhythm section (piano, bass, and drums).
Although usually a quintet, Bebop combos can range in size from a trio
(e.g., piano, bass, and drums) to a septet (e.g., three horns, guitar, and
rhythm section - piano, bass, and drums).
o Jam Sessions: Bebop, in large part, developed through jam sessions.
Jam sessions are informal, non-rehearsed gatherings of musicians
where they play together, challenge each other (who can "outplay"
whom), and learn from each other.
Jam sessions can be held anywhere (e.g., someones house, a bar,
nightclub, etc.). Some of the most famous jam sessions in jazz history
occurred at a nightclub called Mintons Playhouse in Harlem in the
1940's.
Bebop was, and still is, the music most played at jazz jam sessions
because all the musicians need to know are the head (the song's main
melody) and chords.
o Bebop vs. Big Band Swing: Bebop is far more musically complex than its Big
Band Swing forbearer.
Tempos are often much faster (although the Bebop style can be played
at any tempo).
Bebop melodies are more intricate and difficult to play than swing
melodies.
Bebop musicians improvise far more complex solos than those of the
Swing Era.
Bebop requires musical virtuosity and artistry to play it.
o Art Music: Whereas Big Band Swing was considered entertainment (i.e., dance
music), Bebop was considered art music (like classical music, bebop was for
listening only); Bebop musicians considered themselves artists, not merely
entertainers.
o Bebop was primarily an African American invention: Two of the most
important Bebop musicians were:
alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (his nickname was "Bird")
trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie
o Scat Singing:
Scat singing (AKA "scatting") is a type of singing whereby the vocalist
imitates the style of Bebop jazz solos (as played by instrumentalists)
using nonsense syllables. Scat solos, like their instrumental
counterparts, are improvised.
One of the most important scat singers was Ella Fitzgerald

Cultural Implications of Bebop:

o World War 2: The demise of the Swing Era big bands was, in part, due to
World War II.

The draft. Many jazz musicians were called to war, leaving few at
home.
Transportation to reach night spots outside city limits was difficult due
to gas shortages (gas rationing), tire shortages (rubber rationing), and
the dismantling of urban and interurban railways.
Midnight curfews ("brown-outs")

o Racism: Racism and segregation were rampant in America during the Swing
and Bebop eras.
o A True African American Art Form: African American jazz musicians
became increasingly disenchanted with swing music the more they watched
European Americans capitalize on it. They wanted to create their "own" music,
a music that was not for dancing but for listening: a true African American art
form.
o Reflection of the Culture: Bebop reflected the culture of the times. Like the
African American experience at the time, the music:
was difficult
alluded to the blues
explored new directions and uncharted territory
was separate from the mainstream of America

Hard Bop: Hard Bop was at the forefront of jazz and went through its most
concentrated growth and development from 1951 1958
o Hard bop was, in part, a reaction to cool jazz
o Many jazz musicians felt that with cool jazz, the music had become too
classical in nature, that is, too European (not enough blues)
o Hard bop was a return to music that was more Afro-centric, more blues based.
o There were two factions of hard bop: funky jazz and mainstream.
Funky jazz was relatively simple (simple melodies, simple chord
progressions, simple forms); its essence was one of groove and feeling
and was heavily influenced by blues and gospel music.
Mainstream jazz was far more complex (more difficult melodies,
improvisations, chord progressions, and forms); it was still about
groove and feeling but added the complexities of bebop; a bit of
arranging was often included as well (worked out introductions,
endings, harmonized heads, background lines, etc.).
o Hard bop was heavily influenced by traditional and popular African American
music
Hard bop's influences included bebop, blues, rhythm and blues (R&B),
and black gospel music
Hard bop was undeniably Afro-centric
Hard bop, in part, was a means of artistic expression by young African
American men to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the social,
political, and economic climate of America at that time, i.e.,
segregation and lack of economic equity; hard bop reflected and
contributed to the beginnings of the 1950s-1960s civil rights movement
Hard bop was mainly an East Coast (e.g., New York) phenomenon.

What To Listen To for Part 5:

Charlie Parkers "Ko-Ko"

Dizzy Gillespies "Shaw 'Nuff"
Thelonious Monks "Blue Monk"
Ella Fitzgeralds "How High the Moon"
Giant Steps Coltrane
Walkin Miles Davis
Moanin Art Blakey

Part 6:

Cool:
o The Music: Cool Jazz was at the forefront of jazz and went through its most
concentrated growth and development from 1949 1955
o Bebop vs. Cool:
Whereas Bebop was hot (i.e., loud, exciting, and loose), Cool Jazz
was cool (i.e., soft, more reserved, and controlled).
Unlike Bebop, much of Cool Jazz was arranged (written) ahead of time.
In Bebop the emphasis was on the improvised solos; in Cool Jazz both
the arrangement and the improvised solos were important.
Cool Jazz was a blending of jazz and classical music. Whereas Bebop
bands were usually a quartet or quintet and were comprised of
saxophone and/or trumpet and rhythm section, Cool Jazz groups had a
wider variety of size and instrumentation.
They ranged in size from trios to nonets (nine-piece band)
"classical" instruments such as flute, French horn, tuba, and
vibraphone (vibes) were often found in Cool Jazz groups
o Miles Davis: One of the first and most important Cool Jazz artists was
trumpeter Miles Davis; the first important Cool Jazz album was his Birth of the
Cool.
o Important Figures:
pianist Dave Brubeck
trumpeter Chet Baker
baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan
the Modern Jazz Quartet

Cultural Implications of Cool Jazz:

o Revitalization of Jazz: Cool Jazz brought jazz music back to the mainstream;
that is, it re-popularized jazz.
Swing Era big band jazz had been popular.
Because of its intensity and complexity, Bebop did not have the
mass appeal of the Big Band Era.
Dave Brubeck and other Cool Jazz artists brought jazz to
college campuses in the 1950s, finding a new audience for jazz
(before this, jazz was mostly played in nightclubs and dance
halls).
o East Coast vs. West Coast: Bebop was associated with the East Coast (e.g.,
New York) while Cool Jazz was associated with the West Coast (e.g.,
California).
The California image of casual, laid back suburbia was the perfect
backdrop and breeding ground for Cool Jazz.
Cool Jazz represented the increasing importance of California to
American society and culture.

o Postwar Culture : Post World War II, American attitudes were shifting, due to
both a newfound affluence in the 1950s and a growing uncertainty of the
future. Cool Jazz reflected (and contributed to) a subdued emotion and quiet
intellectual control that had become valued in American society.
"Keeping cool" was an expression of emotional self-control in times of
crisis that was found in American street slang as well as in the language
of army test pilots.
Fictional heroes like James Bond and Mike Hammer remained cool and
calm while the world exploded around them.
America's top choice of entertainment had "cooled down" from the
nightclubs, dance halls, amusement parks and vaudeville of prior
generations to television featuring shows about simple suburban life
(e.g., Leave It To Beaver).
Due to the newly developed weapon of mass destruction, the atomic
bomb, cool thinking was required at this crucial point in history.

What To Listen To for Part 6:

The Miles Davis Nonets "Boplicity"

Gerry Mulligan Quartets "Bernies Tune"
The Dave Brubeck Quartets "Take Five"

Part 7:

Free Jazz:
o The Music: Free Jazz was at the forefront of jazz and went through its most
concentrated growth and development from 1959 1970.
o Musical Freedom: Unlike previous styles of jazz whose compositions (songs)
were based on a series of predetermined chords, Free Jazz compositions were
not based on a series of predetermined chords.
Free Jazz was simply based on sound.
Free Jazz musicians experimented with making all kinds of sounds on
their instruments, including squeaks and squawks.
It was called Free Jazz because without having to follow a
predetermined structure, musicians were "free" to play whatever they
wanted.
Without having to worry about what chord they were on and what
chord comes next, musicians were free to experiment with sound and
explore emotions with their music.
The musicians still listened and reacted to each other very much,
perhaps more than any other style of jazz.
o Atonality: Because there were no chords to follow, Free Jazz (for the most
part) was atonal; that is, the music was not based on a "tonal system" like most
other music (pop, rock, other styles of jazz, classical music, etc.).
Because of the atonal nature of Free Jazz, many find the music unusual
and difficult to listen to.
However, if you approach listening to the music without any
preconceived notions of how music is "supposed" to sound, Free Jazz is
very artistic and expresses deep emotions.
o Collective Improvisation : Unlike Bebop in which there would be one soloist at
a time, Free Jazz involved more collective improvisation; that is, everyone in
the band improvised at the same time, continuously reacting to each other.
o Ornette Coleman: One of the most important Free Jazz artists is saxophonist
o The Year 1959: 1959 was a great year for jazz.
Besides Free Jazz, all styles of jazz were being played and listened to,
including Hard Bop, Cool, and Modal Jazz.
Landmark recordings include John Coltrane's Giant Steps (Hard Bop),
Dave Brubeck's Time Out (Cool Jazz), Miles Davis' Kind of Blue
(Modal Jazz), and Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come (Free
Jazz).
o Cultural Implications of Free Jazz:
Free Jazz represented the loosening of standards of behavior in the
turbulent 1960s.
Free Jazz was predominantly played by African American musicians
and often expressed anger and dissatisfaction regarding the lack of civil
rights in American society.
Free Jazz was primarily an East Coast, urban (e.g., New York)
phenomenon.

Fusion:
o The Music: Fusion was at the forefront of jazz and went through its most
concentrated growth and development from 1969 1990
o Jazz + Rock = Fusion : Fusion is the blending of jazz and rock (hence, the term
fusion, as in fusing together the musical elements of jazz and rock).
From jazz, fusion got its sophistication and complexity: sophisticated
improvisations and complex interplay among the musicians.
From rock, fusion got its power, rhythm, and simplicity: electronic
instruments (i.e., electric guitars, basses, and keyboard synthesizers),
rock rhythms (i.e., straight -- not swung -- eighth notes), and simple
harmony (i.e., often just long one or two chord vamps).
o Reaction to the Music: Fusion, at least in part, came about because jazz
musicians wanted to capitalize on the popular appeal of rock music.
To a degree, it worked; many rock fans who were not into regular
jazz (hard bop) did support fusion artists (buying records and attending
concerts).
It was more likely for rock fans to support fusion than jazz fans.
Many jazz musicians and fans did not consider fusion real jazz.
But, like free jazz, if you approach fusion without any preconceived
notions of what jazz is "supposed" to be, you will most likely find it
very artistic and able to express emotions that straight ahead
(mainstream) jazz does not.
o Important Figures: As with hard bop, cool, and modal jazz, Miles Davis was at
the forefront of the fusion movement. Other important fusion artists include:
Weather Report / Chick Corea / Herbie Hancock / Yellowjackets
o Smooth Jazz : Smooth jazz is also known as Pop/Contemporary jazz.
Smooth jazz -- a simpler, easy-to-listen-to, and more commercial form
of fusion -- became popular in the mid 1970s and 1980s and is still
quite popular today.
Important smooth jazz artists include:
saxophonist David Sanborn / Grover Washington, Jr.
guitarist George Benson & keyboardist Dave Grusin
Spyro Gyra (a group that also fused Latin music into the mix)
o Cultural Implications of Fusion:
Fusion came into being at the height of the "hippie movement" of the
late 1960s and early 1970s.
Fusion jazz musicians, like their rock brethren, often expressed their
dissatisfaction with society (e.g. Vietnam War, lack of civil rights)
through their music.
Smooth jazz grew in popularity at a time when the major recording
companies and the business community at large were particularly
focused on mass product distribution, consumerism, and an emphasis
on large profit margins. In this way, smooth jazz was able to capitalize
on the social and economic trends and, as with the Swing Era, smooth
jazz was able to reach a large segment of the population.

What To Listen To for Part 7:

John Coltrane's Giant Steps (Hard Bop)

Dave Brubeck's Time Out (Cool Jazz)

Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (Modal Jazz), a

Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come (Free Jazz) & Lonely Woman
Weather Reports Birdland
Yellowjackets The Spin
Spyro Gyras Morning Dance, George Bensons Breezin, Dave Grusins
Mountain Dance

Part 8:

Jazz Today:
o Three Types of Jazz Artists Today:
Traditionalists are performing jazz mainly patterned on Blues, Swing,
Bebop, and Hard Bop; in other words, they exclude Free Jazz and
Fusion.
Traditionalists believe that what they play is "real jazz," not the
various hybrids and "add-ons" (according to them) that occurred
in the 1960s and since. They are also known as "jazz purists."
Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is at the forefront of this
movement. He is an internationally acclaimed musician and has
played a major role in the resurgence of jazz.
Contemporary mainstream jazz artists are influenced mostly by Hard
Bop sensibilities.
Contemporary mainstream jazz artists use, for the most part,
Hard Bop instrumentation and musical forms.
However, within the Hard Bop framework, contemporary
mainstream jazz artists continue to push the music forward, e.g.,
ever increasing technical proficiency on their instruments,
expanded musical harmonies (more difficult and complex
chords and chord progressions), and deeper and varied emotions
expressed.
Trumpeter Terence Blanchard is one of todays most important
contemporary mainstream jazz artists.
Anything goes jazz artists will put all kinds of music into the pot and
stir it up; these can include but are not limited to:
all styles of jazz
classical music (mostly of the 20th and 21st century variety)
world music (i.e., music from other parts of the world),
especially from South America and Asia
all styles of blues, rock, rhythm and blues, Latin, funk, hip-hop,
ska, rap, and popular music
Two important jazz musicians in the anything goes camp
include saxophonist Dave Liebman and trumpeter Dave
Douglas.
o "Crossover" Artists:
Trumpeter Roy Hargrove
Bassist Christian McBride
Saxophonist Jashua Redman

o Big Bands Today: Big bands (17-18 piece ensembles) are here to stay, not so
much in the professional ranks (very few professional big bands exist), but in
America's schools.
There are thousands of middle school, high school, and
college/university big bands.
Repertoire consists of all styles of jazz from traditional big band swing
to big band arrangements of bebop, cool, hard bop, and fusion; new
arrangements are being written and performed all the time (as well as
classics from the past).
o Non-Traditional Instrumentation: Besides the traditional "jazz instruments"
(saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, drums, guitar, human voice), jazz
is increasingly being performed on non-traditional jazz instruments as well,
especially violin (an exceptional jazz violinist on the scene today is Regina
Carter). Today, jazz can be heard on such "non-jazz" instruments as viola,
cello, oboe, bassoon, and French Horn.
o Women in Jazz:
In the past, instrumental jazz has been primarily a male dominated art
form; however, today more and more women are studying and
performing jazz and becoming an integral part of the jazz scene.
One of the top female jazz trumpet players on the scene today is Ingrid
Jensen.
o Vocal Jazz:
Jazz vocalists have always been an important part of jazz's rich history.
Today, vocal jazz is not only important, it is credited with introducing
jazz to many who might not otherwise have given jazz a chance
(because there are words, or lyrics, more people can relate to vocal jazz
than instrumental jazz)
Popular jazz vocalists on the scene today include Diana Krall, Dianne
Reeves, and Cassandra Wilson.
o Cultural Implications:
In our society, we have traditionalists, mainstreamers, and "anything
goes" types
Jazz is better for its diversity, and so is America
As time goes on, diversity is more and more accepted and cherished as
an integral part of this nation.
Many believe diversity is America's most defining characteristic

Future Of Jazz:
o Continuing Evolution of Jazz:
Traditional, straight-ahead, contemporary mainstream, and acoustic
jazz will continue to prosper. Up-and-coming young jazz musicians,
inspired and influenced by blues, swing, bebop, and hard bop, will
continue to push the musical envelope within the traditional acoustic
jazz combo setting.
Big bands (i.e., 17-18 piece jazz ensembles) will continue to be
prevalent in our nation's middle schools, high schools, colleges, and
universities. Repertoire will consist of jazz classics from the past as
well as new compositions and arrangements that will continue to be
written in the future.

New styles of jazz will increasingly include more 20th and 21st century
classical music and world music. The line between jazz and improvised
contemporary classical and world music may blur to the point where
there is no longer a noticeable difference. This style of jazz will be
difficult to label; rather than being called jazz, it might simply be called
"improvised music."
Some new styles of jazz will increasingly incorporate technology.
Computers and electronic instruments that we have not yet imagined
will become part of jazz's future. Technology will increasingly allow
people to create jazz (or at least a jazz-like music) without ever having
to learn how to play a musical instrument.

o Cultural Implications:
Jazz will increasingly become a fixture in American schools at all
levels from elementary school through college.
An increasing number of schools will offer jazz ensembles for
credit.
Jazz will be introduced to and performed by even younger
children (the trend has already begun as more elementary and
middle schools add jazz bands to their music curriculum).
Jazz history, an integral component of our nation's history and
culture, will increasingly become a major area of study in
American history and social studies classes.
As more young people learn about jazz -- its musical elements, rich
history, and cultural implications -- jazz will reach an even wider
audience.
Since jazz speaks to the human condition and to people's hearts,
it will increasingly be performed, listened to, enjoyed, analyzed,
debated, and studied throughout the world.
Jazz will continue to serve as a reminder that differences
between people are a good thing and, if channeled properly, can
lead to a much greater good.

What To Listen To for Part 8:

Geri Allens Dolphys Dance

Something's Coming - DIVA
Danilo Perezs PanaMonk
Diana Krall