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