In contrast to the typical jazz emphasis on improvisation, big bands relied on written compositions and arrangements. In the fifties, the emergence of rock-and-roll would capture broad attention as jazz moved in new artistic directions. Jazz played an important role in changing the socio-political landscape This approach was then further expanded upon by Bebop, which largely abandoned the original melody of the song to create brand new melodies based on an established chord progression this was known as a contrafact. When the tradition came back full-circle into vocal jazz with a Count Basie played a relaxed, propulsive swing, Bob Crosby (brother of Bing), more of a dixieland style,[39] Benny Goodman a hard driving swing, and Duke Ellington's compositions were varied and sophisticated. . - jukebox Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? such works incorporate certain elements of the jazz tradition, there is not even more traditional instruments such as horn, cello, flute and oboe. The Timeline of African American Music has been made possible in part by a major grant from theNational Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Many Kansas City bands featured head arrangements, which were . Above all else, Swing music is dance music which means it was: This also meant it was incredibly commercial. Boyd Raeburn drew from symphony orchestras by adding flute, French horn, strings, and timpani to his band. The string bass replaced the tuba and the guitar replaced the banjo. (London: Paladin) 1987. In the late 1940s, progressive The Double Bass is shaped like other string instruments such as the guitar or violin. [33] During the 1930s, Count Basie's band often used head arrangements, as Basie said, "we just sort of start it off and the others fall in. (Change the second verb to the future progressive form.). out of tune) notes, (4) and even a section with Armstrong's famous "scat Her version of the nursery rhyme A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1938) brought her international fame. Scat singing, along with his gravelly voice, became Armstrongs trademark sound, as heard in Lazy River (1931). When you mentioned the word Jazz to the average person, they probably think of Swing music, and for good reason. The manner in which theyre utilized often depends on the particular composition of the song being played. highly-improvisatory new style of jazz called "Bebop" was developed Performers played, sang, danced, and presented shows and stand-up comedy in these large entertainment venues. Figure 1: The Western Jazz Quartet (piano: Other swing bands in New York City and beyond incorporated the defining elements associated with the Kansas City tradition to which they added their own stamp, as did Chick Webb and His Orchestra (Stomping at the Savoy, 1934), and Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Flying Home, 1942). Whiteman started his first band in San Francisco in 1918 and his fame spread into the 1920s. of American jazz. Click here for a FREE preview of The Classic Swing Bands newest CD Ballroom Dance Favorites.. In the 1940s, an intensely virtuosic and He was the recipient of a Fulbright Lecturing/Research Fellowship in Japan, where he taught courses in African American History and researched the history of jazz in Japan. Swing as popular music usually had vocals, such as Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," and was intended for dancing. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. alto saxophone. Sometimes bandstands were too small, public address systems inadequate, pianos out of tune. "Duke" ELLINGTON She led her Swingphony while playing marimba. The Big Bands of swing were only able to acquire one-night stand performances and consequently suffered financially. Sweet Swing (people like Glenn Miller) had less improvisation, was a bit slower, restrained with a slight swing feel, and was for the white upper class dinner parties. featuring trumpeter Chet BAKER). The looser compositional forms encouraged contributions from the players. Trumpet image courtesy: PJ via Wikimedia Commons, Saxophone image courtesy: via Wikimedia Commons, Keyboard image courtesy: Eurotuber via Wikimedia Commons, Double Bass image courtesy: David Price via Wikimedia Commons, Drum set image courtesy: Pbroks13 via Wikimedia Commons, Gumbo image courtesy: Amadscientist via Wikimedia Commons, For more than 10 years, The Classic Swing Band of Dallas has offered the best in live entertainment. ragtime The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first multiethnic all-female swing band, formed in 1937 at Piney Woods County Life School, Mississippi. Swing is a term often used in reference to large dance bands of 15 or more musicians that played written arrangements using improvised sections alternating with arranged passages by brass and/or reeds. I am Joaqun/Yo Soy Joaqun was first published in 1967. The following sentences describe the life of the author Isabel Allende. characterized by independent instrumental lines, massive harmonic dissonance, In In the 1970s, popular fusion groups included BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, CHICAGO, and SANTANA There was a considerable range of styles among the hundreds of popular bands. Since theyre built of brass, saxophones tend to produce a trumpet-like buzzing sound. Rhythm Section: (click here to see a YouTube began to emerge from the vocal blues His music was a combination of solo and ensemble playing. and Benny Goodman (who took jazz to Hollywood in the mid-1930s). [28] This development may take the form of improvised solos, written solo sections, and "shout choruses". Tucker, Sherrie. Later, In general, swing refers to the music of large dance bands that played written arrangements. The project is also supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Very important to the development of the Swing Bands were the role of the composer/arranger and the excellent stylizations of musicians. In 1925, bandleader Paul Whiteman ARMSTRONG took "Hot" Jazz to Chicago, where its popularity grew Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. 1554 0 obj <> endobj Lead players (alto sax 1, trombone 1 and trumpet 1) should be in the middle of their sections, in a direct line with one another. [27] Each iteration, or chorus, commonly follows twelve bar blues form or thirty-two-bar (AABA) song form. By the 1930s, these and other cities became major centers for the development of the swing style. White teenagers and young adults were the principal fans of the big bands in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Coast" Cool Jazz emerged, using Art-music composer/conductor Leonard Ella Fitzgerald, the featured vocalist of Chick Webbs Orchestra during the late 1930s, is considered to be one of the most outstanding singers of the swing era. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. baritone saxophone. The jazz musician relies on three basic elements of the song to develop Swing bands featured a large ensemble of woodwinds (saxophones, clarinets), brass (trumpets, trombones) and a back-up accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). And this is where the term head comes from, meaning the original melody of the song that is, its all in your head, not written down on paper. So lets quickly take a look at all three genres: Lets dive into these characteristics of Swing Music a little deeper:
He toured and recorded many solos with, most notably, the Count Basie band. In 1919, Paul Whiteman hired Grof to use similar techniques for his band. Up until the Swing Era improvisation was essentially just playing the melody with some embellishments. They provide the base, the foundation on which the rest of the music can thrive. Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, and Jimmie Lunceford each led orchestras that achieved international standing. [26], Typical big band arrangements from the swing era were written in strophic form with the same phrase and chord structure repeated several times. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. Q G("CH^T)daA]yg~zN^y>.g~01D%>7dj.|K+8'9 q*U!i|O1#"v\YOGtc_GD1JL. The popularity of many of the major bands was amplified by star vocalists, such as Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey, Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly with Jimmy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb, Billie Holiday and Jimmy Rushing with Count Basie, Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest with Harry James, Doris Day with Les Brown,[40] and Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman. Phil Spitalny, a native of Ukraine, led a 22-piece female orchestra known as Phil Spitalny and His Hour of Charm Orchestra, named for his radio show, The Hour of Charm, during the 1930s and 1940s. note-for-note. Southwest bands offered a different solution to big band improvisational structures. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. As jazz was expanded during the 1950s through the 1970s, the Basie and Ellington bands were still around, as were bands led by Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines, Les Brown, Clark Terry, and Doc Severinsen. world. Swing bands featured orchestras with sections of trumpets, saxophones, and _________________. endstream endobj startxref So generally the pianist played very rhythmically, and helped keep the beat. Critics and historians refer to these groups as ghost bands because of the absence of their leaders and new personnel. Many college and university music departments offer jazz programs and feature big band courses in improvisation, composition, arranging, and studio recording, featuring performances by 18 to 20 piece big bands.[46]. From clip on the basic jazz rhythm section), - Bass Bassists generally assumed the role of timekeeper, while drummers functioned in a dual capacity. For the trumpet and trombone players, the most common configuration is 2-1-3-4, from the director's . A unique feature of this style was the use of riffs performed as call and response between woodwinds and brass as an integral part of the arrangement heard in Bennie Motens Moten Swing (1932) and Count Basies One OClock Jump (1937). Swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and trombones The invention of ______ helped the record industry to recover in the mid-1930s. Fitzgerald recorded several standards that became hit songs. That makes them the shrimp or Andouille sausage in the Gumbo that is swing music. Kenton pushed the boundaries of big bands by combining clashing elements and by hiring arrangers whose ideas about music conflicted. orchestral jazz crossover movement that had an enormous impact on getting white Click [47] In Kansas City and across the Southwest, an earthier, bluesier style was developed by such bandleaders as Bennie Moten and, later, by Jay McShann and Jesse Stone. Swing music was performed by a larger ensemble consisting of saxophones (sometimes also clarinets), trumpets, and trombones. Duke Ellington at one time used six trumpets. endstream endobj 1558 0 obj <>stream (1937). [3] In the late 1930s, Shep Fields incorporated a solo accordion, temple blocks, piccolo and a viola into his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra. virtuosity. The Glenn Miller band was one of the most popular bands of the Swing Era. New York was an important geographic area for the developments leading toward the swing style of jazz. trumpeter Miles DAVIS, and baritone serene style of "cool jazz" became the rage on the west coast. Many bands suffered from loss of personnel and a decline in quality during the war years. and Ph. Company B, was popularized through records and film by The Andrews Sisters during World War Although many of these bands maintain a close tie to the swinging style of the Basie and Herman bands, others exhibit a new and very individualized style. As in midwestern cities, African American migrants transformed New York City in the first half of the 20th century. Compared to Dixieland bands, swing bands used two or three times as many players and produced a fuller sound. here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of The 194244 musicians' strike worsened the situation. Ella Fitzgerald contributed to the success of Webbs band in New York City. freedom vs. chaos. While all my lessons are free, if you find them useful please consider donating to help keep them coming. During the swing era, popular, blues, and jazz vocalists were essential to big band performances. The "Modern Popular Music" chart below, (Click The And what better instrument to provide a bona fide rhythm for a swing band than a set of drums? Here are the five most common swing band instruments, and how they commonly fit into swing music. The Classic Swing Band from Dallas uses this very instrument in every show!! The focus shifted away from the arranger and toward the improvising performer. Thats intentional; the individual style of each swing band is what makes the music unique, much as the seasoning used in a particular Gumbo can make it one of a kind. Unlike the vague term 'orchestra', writing for a big band is a little more specific with regards to the instruments and number of players at your disposal. The stage was set up with five saxophones, two altos, two tenors, and one baritone, stage front left with four trombones directly behind them, and three trumpets at the back, the electric guitar was in center stage with . (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
. Figure 2: Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis Swing bands adopted a consistent instrumentation of four sections that remained fairly stable. grooves), - But you also need to inject your style and personality into the music you make. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" - Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald, It Dont Mean a Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing),, Kansas City was the swingingest sound in the world. Bob Hope, Shep Fields and The Rippling Rhythm Revue", Photograph of Bob Hope as master of ceremonies on the "Rippling Rhythm Revue" Show in 1937 on Gettyimages, State University of New York, Fredonia. [25] Billy Strayhorn, for example, was a prolific composer and arranger, frequently collaborating with Duke Ellington, but rarely took on the role of bandleader, which was assumed by Ellington, who himself was a composer and arranger. He created his band as a vehicle for his compositions. Big bands uplifted morale during World War II. This was in part due to a political organization called the Pendergast Machine which encouraged a nightclub atmosphere. For this reason the pianists left hand generally just played chords on the beat; while his right hand built rhythmic patterns around chords and chord tone, and especially guide tone often just playing arpeggios or simple bluesy licks. uses "call and response" 20th-century popular music and culture. After 1935, big bands rose to prominence playing swing music and held a major role in defining swing as a distinctive style. violin--Ray Nance), (3) trumpet--Rex Stewart, (4) tenor saxBen Webster, The first jazz concert, called A Swing Music Concert took place in 1936 in New York City. Swing as Popular Music 1. Glenn Miller used a clarinet over his saxophone for identification. black jazz musicians developed an intense A prominent feature of swing music is a leading brass section, which is often provided by a trumpet. has complex syncopated polyrhythms, (3) expressive "blue" (bent Da Capo Reprint Paperback, 1973. Dance bands had made phonograph records since the days of ragtime. A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 19301945. The style features prominent horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a consistent rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie-type bass lines. Fletcher Henderson's career started when he was persuaded to audition for a job at Club Alabam in New York City, which eventually turned into a job as bandleader at the Roseland Ballroom. tenor saxophone. $27.95. From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. Jazz Appreciation ICQ (In-Class Quiz) #6 Hearing The Difference: Bebop and Swing - know the three major aural differences between these two eras The Swing Era: The Players and The Features - know names of artists; lists of features-Societal features Jazz's most popular eradominated the mainstream of American popular music Purpose of music primarily for dancing Millions of records sold . Drummer Chick Webb (19091939) was admired for his forceful sense of swing, accurate technique, control of dynamics, and use of breaks and fills. For example, Tommy Dorsey played with a beautiful tone and control on the trombone. These musical ensembles associated with the swing era. "Swing" feeling: The rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is Choose the vocabulary word that answers each riddle. trumpet. Daniels, Douglas. Jazz orchestras were necessary for the shows and musicals, and well-trained musicians were highly valued. When it comes to swing music, keyboards are typically used as a harmonic element. %%EOF the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band Rockefeller Arts Center. A. Rolfe, Anna Mae Winburn, and Ina Ray Hutton.[35]. (As told to Albert Murray). Fitzgerald was unique in her ability to render exact imitations of nearly any instrument in the band. Guitar, Organ, Banjo), - One or more solo early style of "Hot Jazz" made its way north to Chicago and east to Nostalgia for the Big Band style has kept it alive today. So band leaders used various arrangement techniques to keep the song interesting, such as: Tutti (all horns playing a melodic line in harmony), Soli (one section featured playing a melodic line in harmony), Shout Chorus (climatic tutti section at the end of the arrangement), Riffs (repeated short melodic and/or rhythmic pattern), Call and Response Riffs (often between the horns and the rhythm section), Solos (single person improvising usually behind a relatively simple harmonic background), Swing Music was smooth, easy-listening and simple. John Coltrane's "hard bop" of of jazz These artists added new instrumentssuch as congas, other percussion instruments, timbales, maracas, and clavesand relied on powerful multi-rhythmic pulses to highlight jazz compositions within the big band as well as the small combo formats. and ingenuity. An Autobiography: John Hammond on Record with Irvin Townsend. Swing is an outgrowth of the 1920s big band traditions in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City. Byron Almen, Dorothy Payne, Stefan Kostka. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band jazz-fusion (combining elements of jazz and rock musics). :vQxc!#\JK?1UshqkF~[!eO W,{(HBjkps~'O;5lR. bWkwf>JW'wJj_]6/?NxP]-0_wg"2;WjbuY5sujr7g/sueG>trp~ZBV7]M(//m!o/f[^fb]x>f]aX?UnAW|ng)]s? (of the Dave Brubeck Quartet that also featured alto saxophonist Paul DESMOND), The Music . This form maintains the same chord A versatile instrument, the saxophone is swing musics version of the Holy Trinity (celery, bell peppers and onions) used in Gumbo. harmony. Many of the better known bands reflected the individuality of the bandleader, the lead arranger, and the personnel. This also contributed to the loose and spontaneous feel of KC Jazz. They can be used to produce a melody or harmony for nearly every musical style. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s when swing was most popular. Here are the five most common swing band instruments, and how they commonly fit into swing music. the following instruments: In 1925, bandleader Paul Whiteman Mary Lou Williams (19101981) was the first woman in jazz history to compose and arrange for a large jazz band. Congress repealed the Volstead Act, a law that prohibited the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages, in 1933. Four trombones comprised the trombone section. accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). At these venues, which themselves gained notoriety, bandleaders and arrangers played a greater role than they had before. As a result of the military draft and transportation hardships in the U.S., the swing era ended quickly. Swing was hugely popular - in fact, it was the pop music of the 1930's. It was mostly performed by Big Bands, which were large orchestras divided into trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a rhythm section (which consisted of the drums, bass, guitar and piano). How relevant do you believe the poem is today? [14][12][13] [15][16][17][18], Twenty-first century big bands can be considerably larger than their predecessors, exceeding 20 players, with some European bands using 29 instruments and some reaching 50. Cubans Mario Bauz and Machito (Francisco Ral Gutirrez Grillo), founder of the Afro-Cubans; Puerto Rican Ernesto Antonio Tito Puente with Oye como va; and Afro-Cuban drummer Chano Pozo (Luciano Pozo Gonzlez), famous for playing with and influencing Dizzy Gillespies Manteca, were among the most prominent band leaders and musicians. Samplephonics Soulful Brass Constructions You must have javascript enabled to view this website. During the 1930s, Earl Hines and his band broadcast from the Grand Terrace in Chicago every night across America. Stream Jazz" by combining a jazz combo with symphony orchestra. listeners to love jazz.. Boogie-woogie is characterized by its well-known of the most creative composers in the history of jazz, particularly renowned [32] They experiment, often with one player coming up with a simple musical figure leading to development within the same section and then further expansion by other sections, with the entire band then memorizing the way they are going to perform the piece, without writing it on sheet music. of the United States between 1920 and 1970. Other research interests include African popular music and the use of oral history and photography in the study of culture. And they played dance music. Two other musical characteristics of swing bands are a return to the use of a flat-four rhythm and the use of block chords (chords with many notes moving in parallel motion). and the Lincoln Center Jazz jazz techniques into a more heavily-arranged "big-band" white swing Swing music began appearing in the early 1930s and was distinguished by a more supple feel than the more literal 44 of early jazz. is a Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Black Studies and History, and former Chair of Black Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In swing, the saxophone was usually featured as the leading instrumental soloist. Ive listed someSwing Era Jazz musicians below. These ensembles typically featured three or more accordions accompanied by piano, guitar, bass, cello, percussion, and marimba with vibes and were popularized by recording artists such as Charles Magnante,[10][11] Joe Biviano[12][13] and John Serry. [29], An arrangement's first chorus is sometimes preceded by an introduction, which may be as short as a few measures or may extend to a chorus of its own. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex . Billie Holiday is considered to be the most influential of the jazz singers of the century after Louis Armstrong, who influenced her style. Carnegie Hall in New York City presented Benny Goodman jazz concerts for the first time in 1938. In Kansas City, Bennie Motens and Count Basies bands had begun developing a looser type of big band arrangement that allowed for freer styles of soloing, giving rise to a unique Kansas City swing style in the 1930s. %PDF-1.5 % photo by Patricia Schneider. The score indicated a fixed number of measures for solo improvisation and also musical notations with the desired sounds and effects. Hot Swing (people like Duke Ellington) was more daring, experimental, faster, with longer improvisations, stronger rhythmic drive, and a rough blues feeling. (Click Jazz elements into his famous musical, innovators include pianist Dave BRUBECK Progressive bands were led by Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Evans, Carla Bley, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin, Don Ellis, and Anthony Braxton. "Hot" Jazz, as improvised over standard blues patterns. emerged as piano was added to the rhythm section, and a stronger driving rhythm Duke Ellington's . Bluesy feel (often using a 12 Bar Blues structure), Songs that were based and structured around riffs. While each instrument in a swing band can be compared to an ingredient in Gumbo, none of them have been equated with the seasoning so far. Swing is sandwiched between two huge historical events. The most prominent features of big band swing were the use of written arrangements and improvised solos, repetitive horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie type bass lines. Swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and . The invention of ______ helped the record industry to recover in the mid-1930s. Some of the Piano techniques employed during the Swing Era were: A good example of this is the Count Basie song Kansas City Keys. improvised solo structure on the choruses: (1) piano--Ellington), (2) jazz Many of the great swing bands broke up, as the times and tastes changed. The swing era represented the pinnacle of jazzs popularity. American sound has fascinated listeners, performers and composers around the Saxophones also feature a number of keys built into the main section of the tube; these keys can change the pitch or note being played. Swing bands featured a large ensemble of Among other popular singers of the era are Sarah Vaughan and Helen Humes. The lyrics kept within these traditions. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. II era. Beside her vocal timbre, her unique style delayed the placement of words and phrases compared with the musical pulse, producing a behind-the-beat effect that became her trademark. Orchestra. Count Basie's saxophone section included. Transcontinental trips often required a stop in one of these cities. His music uses Eastern rhythms, meters, and advanced rhythmic techniques.