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JazzBrief Overview
About Jazz You may know jazz when you hear it May not be able to describe what you
hear Jazz has signature traits:
Improvisation Individual voices Swing syncopation
About Jazz Improvisation- “when a jazz musician
invents what he or she plays” Individual voices – Combines quantity of
notes, phrasing, speed, tone, and subtleties such as bending strings on a guitar or varieties of breathing on a horn
Swing – refers to Jazz relentless forward momentum, a beat that makes you want to move or dance
About Jazz Syncopation (for jazz) – The way jazz
musicians place notes and accents before and after the beat in ways that emphasize the beat and keep it moving. Syncopation is what makes jazz sound so
different from the more regular rhythms of classical or pop music
Those are the rules, but really in Jazz, there are no rules!
Jazz History Born in New Orleans
Around turn of 20th century African Americans started mixing their
culture with European instruments Blues that originated from slaves and
gospel from black churches were used Adolphe Sax’s invention used in this
genre What instrument do you think he
invented?
Lil’ bit ‘bout Jazz Theory Jazz can be technically complex
12 measure structure of blues
32 measure structure of popular songs
A measure is a musical grouping of 2 – 4 even beats
Instruments used for Jazz Basses
Upright Electric
Drums Trap set Congos bongos
Keyboards Pianos Organs
Horns Trumpets Trombones Saxophones Flutes clarinets
Jazz Artists: Scott Joplin Joplin introduced Ragtime for the first
time at a Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 Piano ragtime
Ragtime became a popular genre of music
Scott Joplin composed “Maple Leaf Rag” This piece eventually sold over 1 million
copies
Jazz Artists: Scott Joplin Scott Joplin composed other pieces like
musicals and operas, but they were not very successful
He has published over 60 songs
He has earned the title “The King of Ragtime Composers”
Jazz Artists: Louis Armstrong From New Orleans, LA Known as the “Father of Modern Jazz
Trumpet and Improvisation” Improvised on trumpet and with singing Was the first modern jazz soloist
Took a leading role Took more solos
Jazz Artists: Louis Armstrong Started out in in New Orleans, but
moved to Chicago at a young age Combined bluesy mid-range and
piercing high-range abilities on trumpet Instrumental phrasing grows from how
he sings Started his own band in 1925, The Hot
Five and later Hot Seven Popular song is “Wild Man Blues”
Jazz Artists: Billie Holiday From New York
Voice had an strong influence on jazz and pop singing
She created a new way to mold phrasing and tempo in jazz performance
Nick-named “Lady Day”
Jazz Artists: Billie Holiday Had a very sweet voice Minimal range, but could be very soft with her
voice or very powerful Famous song is “Easy Living”, among others “It is Billie Holiday who was, and still remains,
the greatest single musical influence on me. Lady Day is unquestionably the most important influence on American popular singing in the last twenty years.” -Frank Sinatra
Jazz Artists: Ella Fitzgerald From Virginia
Known for swing, bebop, traditional pop, and vocal jazz
Vocal range that spanned three octaves
Known for skillful “scat singing” Improvised jazz singing in which the voice is
used in imitation of an instrument
Jazz Artist: Ella Fitzgerald Often referred to as the “First Lady of
Song” and the “Queen of Jazz” Won 13 Grammy awards Awarded National Medal Has sold over 40 million copies “Flying Home”
Scat recording known as one of the most influential vocal jazz records
Jazz Artists:Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Ellington From Washington, D.C. Ragtime, New Orleans jazz, late-1920s
teerritory band, New York big band, 1940s bebop, 1950s cool jazz, and 1960s free jazz.
Very important Big Band leader Big band- a large group of musicians
playing jazz or dance music
Jazz Artists: Duke Ellington One of first big band leaders to
showcase a singer’s voice as an instrument
Ellington elevated the art of big band music to new levels of sophistication
He often composed with a message Song to listen to is “Mood Indigo”
Jazz Artists: Miles Davis From Alton, Illinois Played bebop, cool jazz, hard bop,
fusion, and funk Entered Juilliard at 18 but dropped out
to join bebop music scene Known for his laid-back, slurry sound Also known for having a whispery,
minimalist sound
Jazz Artists: Miles Davis Known for helping to launch the careers
of now famous jazz performers
Helped invent the “cool” sound with his Birth of the Cool album
Most famous album is the 1959 Kind of Blue
In A Jazz Band You Will Find Saxophones (first row) Trombones (second row) Trumpets Standing (back row) Rhythm Section on the side
Piano Bass Electric guitar Drums
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