Unit PlanJazz History and

ElementsJessica Parker

How Jazz Developed• The foundation of Jazz music

developed from the Blues Style• The Blues Style was developed in the

South in the 1800’s which is comes from African American Music.

• The Blues style was themed around the pain of lost love and injustice

• The blues evolved from hymns, work songs, and field hollers. This music was used to accompany social and spiritual functions, and work.

• Blues was originally grown out of the hardships many generations of African Americans had gone through.

• It first came about in the Mississippi rural region

Lesson One

How Jazz Developed (Continued)

• According to Wynton Marsalis, "New Orleans had a great tradition of celebration. Opera, military marching bands, folk music, the blues, different types of church music, ragtime, echoes of traditional African drumming, and all of the dance styles that went with this music could be heard and seen throughout the city. When all of these kinds of music blended into one, jazz was born."

Where did Jazz Develop?

• Jazz developed in New Orleans in the early 20th century

• The jazz tradition’s origins are found in Africa and Europe

• In New Orleans during this time, Ragtime music was popularized. Its fresh rhythms impacted the early jazz sound.

Famous people who helped develop Jazz

• Louis Armstrong- American Jazz trumpeter and singer. Born August 4th 1901

• Ella Fitzgerald- Made a singing debut in 1934. Famous jazz vocalist of 20th century. Born April 25, 1917.

• Freddie Hubbard- Well known trumpet player known for the bebop, hard pop, and post pop styles. Born April 7, 1938.

• Charlie Parker- One of the most prominent figures in jazz music. Famous jazz saxophone player and composer. Born August 29, 1920.

The Jazz Style

• Listen to this recording of Ella Fitzgerald singing “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t got that Swing.”

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyf1rPqibjY&feature=related

• What stylistic elements do you hear?• Think about the tempo, the lyrics, the choices of pitch, and

the instrumentation.• What things do you think make this style sound different than

classical music?

Short Review Quiz

• What musical style did jazz develop from?• Where did jazz develop?• What century did jazz develop?• What do Freddie Hubbard and Louis

Armstrong have in common?

Sources

• http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/history_of_jazz.htm

• http://www.jazzinamerica.org/LessonPlan/5/1/249

• http://www.jazzistry.org/timeline.html• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/famous-jazz-

musicians.html

Lesson Two• Key Elements to Jazz Style• Important People• Instruments Used• Chord Progressions• Blues Scales• Different styles of Jazz

People Involved in

the Development

of Jazz

• Louis Armstrong• The Greatest of All jazz musicians• Known for his unbelievable trumpet

technical talents• Also a famous jazz singer• Born August 4, 1901• Louis Armstrong studied cornet with

Professor Peter Davis• He was raised into a very poor

family. • When he was around 14 years old,

he worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart

• Joe “King” Oliver gave Armstrong his first cornet.

• In 1919, Armstrong left New Orleans and joined a band in St. Louis.

• After that, Armstrong’s career soared. He joined numerous big bands.

Key People (Continued)

• Ella Fitzgerald• Born in Newport News, Virginia on April 25, 1917• Parents were divorced shortly after she was born• Ella and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York• Ella’s mother married long-time boyfriend• In 1932, Ella’s mother died of serious injuries from

a car accident• Ella took the loss very hard. After losing her

stepfather of a heart attack, she got into some trouble and was depressed. In result of this, she began to attend reform school

• Ella escaped this school• In 1934, Ella’s name was pulled in a weekly

drawing at the Apollo and she won the opportunity to compete in an Amateur Night.

• Ella made a last minute decision to sing• In this band was a saxophonist Benny Carter who

was impressed with her natural talent. He then started introducing Ella to famous people who could launch her career.

• In 1936, Ella made her first recording• 1987- Ella was awarded the National Medal of Arts

by President Ronald Regan

Key people (Continued)• Freddie Hubbard• Born April 7, 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana• Played mellophone and then trumpet in his school band• Studied at Jordan Conservatory• Founded his own first band, the Jazz Contemporaries• Moved to New York in 1958 at the Age of 20• Barely 22 when he recorded Open Sesame, his solo debut in June 1960• He recorded his second album within the next 10 months• Joined Art Blakey Jazz Messengers• Quickly established himself as a new important voice in jazz• Won Down Beat Magazine’s award “New Star” award. • Freddie Achieved his greatest popular success in 1970’s with crossover albums on CTI

Records.• One of the greatest of Hard Bop trumpeters

Key People (Continued)

• Charlie Parker• One of the greatest musical innovators of

the 20th century• Father of bebop• Born August 29, 1920 in Kansas City,

Kansas• Married his childhood sweetheart• Around age 20, he left his family, sold his

horn and moved to New York to “change the face of American Music forever”

• Played with Jay McShann’s band in New York

• Died in 1955 from pneumonia

What makes jazz, jazz?• Syncopation- a rhythm that identifies it as jazz. Creation of rhythmic surprise.

Placement of accents. In other styles of music in western world, accents usually fall on the beats. In jazz, accents tend to fall in between beats.

• Swing- creation of forward momentum. Described in terms of length of eighth notes. In swing eighth notes the first part of the beat is a little longer than the second. Think of putting a tenuto over the first note. You could think of the beat as a triplet. The first note gets the two beats of the triplet and the second note gets the third beat.

• Counterpoint- When several instruments are playing melodic lines at once each with a different rhythm.

• Richness of Jazz Rhythm- Most jazz is played in four. It always uses syncopation and swing. Danceable rhythm. Emphasizes improvisation.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j6avX7ebkM

Instruments used in jazz

• 4 trumpets• 3 trombones and 1

bass trombone• 5 saxophones. 2 are

alto, 2 are tenor, one is bari. Saxophone players are doublers. They play flute, and clarinet.

• Piano• Double bass• Drumset

Elements of Jazz

• Blues Scale• Scale consisting of six

different notes. • In C major the blues

scale would be C Eb, F, F#, G, Bb, and then C again at the top

• Triad Chords• Consists of Three notes.

Types: Major, Minor, Augmented, Diminished.

• Seventh Chords• Consists of Four notes.

Types: Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Minor 7th, Half diminished 7th, Full diminished 7th

Elements of Jazz

• Improvisation• Definition: making up your own melody over a continuously repeating chord

progression during a tune. • The melody of an improvised solo is based on the chords and scales flowing

through the piece. If the soloist did not play their solo based on the chord structure, it would sound wrong.

• Improvising is not an easy skill to obtain. One must know all major and minor scales and blues scales and all chord structures and inversions in order to be a successful improviser.

• Besides knowing theory, one must know how to phrase a solo in order to sound successful.

Jazz Styles

• There are many different types of jazz• Pre-Jazz• Ragtime• Dixieland• Tin Pan Alley• Boogie-Woogie• Swing• Big Band• Scat• BeBop• Cool• Hard Bop• West Coast• Free Jazz• Bossa Nova• Fusion• Neo bop• Soul Jazz• Afro-Latin• Acid Jazz• World Fusion• Neoclassical• Modern Creative• In Memoriam

Quiz Review• What is Louis Armstrong most known for?• What award did Ronald Regan give to Ella Fitzgerald?• What type of trumpet player was Freddie Hubbard known to be?• What instrument did Charlie Parker play?• What are the key elements in distinguishing the jazz style?• How many trumpets are in a typical jazz band?• What notes are in a C major blues scale?• Name five types of jazz styles.

Sources• http://jazz.suite101.com/article.cfm/jazz_syncopation_and_improvisation• http://www.redhotjazz.com/louie.html• http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/about/biography.html• http://www.jazztrumpetsolos.com/hubbard.asp• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/charlie-parker/about-charlie

-parker/678/• http://airjudden.tripod.com/jazz/styles.html• http://www.outsideshore.com/school/music/almanac/html/Elements_Of_Jazz/Fu

ndamentals/Rhythm.htm• http://www.jazclass.aust.com/scales/scablu.htm• http://www.apassion4jazz.net/improvisation.html• http://www.musilosophy.com/jazz-improvisation.htm• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/famous-jazz-musicians.html

Lesson 3

• Origin of Jazz Bands

• Vocal Jazz Singers• Women in Jazz

The First Jazz

Bands

• New Orleans 1898- Big Band Jazz started at the end of the Spanish American war

• 1917- The “Original Dixieland Jazz Band” made its first record. One of the first bands to bring the New Orleans style to New York

• Kid Ory’s band- First African American Jazz recording. Group was named “Spike's Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra”

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdAFc60b1n0

Famous Band

Leaders

• Fletcher Henderson- The first band leader to achieve national notoriety . He formed his band in the 1920’s. First big band arranger

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LjNDB2Ci0A

• Duke Ellington- formed a dance band in the 1920’s. His band was a regular at the Cotton Club.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez-ljQA2Kn8

Chick Webb- Started a band in the mid 1920’s. His band was a regular at the Savoy which opened in 1926. His group won several “Battle of the Bands”. Chick Webb was the one who started Ella Fitzgerald’s career.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5umeP6jygA

• Many of these clubs that the bands performed at gave jobs to African Americans. However, most of these clubs were still segregated.

• Most of these clubs were located in Harlem, New York

Famous Vocal Jazz Singers• Louis Armstrong- 1920’s-Known to be the “First genuine jazz singer.”

Founder of Vocal Jazz. He made “scat singing”. • Frank Sinatra- Great popular singer. Known for creating his own style.

Recorded albums with many people including Duke Ellington. Famous recording- “Come Fly With Me.”

• Nat King Cole- first famous crossover musician. Started off as a pianist, then became a famous jazz singer. Founded the famous King Cole Trio which included a piano trio. Left a legacy to his daughter Natalie Cole, who is famous.

• Joe Williams- Famous for long singing career. At 20 years old he joined Jimmy Noone’s band. At age 36, in 1954, he became the lead singer in Count Basie’s band. Toured solo in 1961. Very popular jazz singer.

• Mel Torme- American jazz musician. Formed his own quintet at age 17- Mel Torme and his Mel-tomes. Won two grammys for being best vocalist in 1982 and 1983. Recorded his own album in 1954.

Recordings• Louis Armstrong-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IJzYAda1wA&feature=related• Frank Sinatra- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euci0_BBmNE• Nat King Cole- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JErVP6xLZwg• Joe Williams- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOuCvEMZRbo&feature=related• Mel Torme- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua_ODg0FmzQ

• Please take notes on each recording. Write down what you hear. For example, is the song upbeat or slow? What does the quality of each singer’s voice sound like? What stylistic things do they use? Whose voice do you prefer?

Vocal Jazz Techniques

• Scat Singing is a style of jazz singing without real words, where the human voice is made to sound like a musical instrument.

• This style was invented by Louis Armstrong while he was recording the piece “Heebie Jeebies” in 1925.

• 1940’s- bebop scat was developed by John Hendricks and Sarah Vaughn

• Ella Fitzgerald scat improvised in the 1940’s and 1950’s to mimick saxophones and trumpets.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU

Famous Women in Jazz• Billie Holiday- One of the greatest jazz singers in the 1930’s-

1950’s• Ella Fitzgerald- jazz singer extraordinaire • Sarah Vaughn- famous in 1940’s-1990. One of the greatest

of all jazz musicians • Helen Forrest- popular big band jazz singer. Lead singer in

Artie Shaw’s band in 1938. Became a solo singer in 1944.• Anita O’Day- International star. Career began in the 1930’s. • Dinah Washington- Sang in Lionel Hampton’s band in 1943• Betty Carter- Most known for her vocal flexibility, far out

improv and scat singing. Won the national medal of the arts in 1997.

• Shirley Horn- Career known for singing Love Songs. Made her debut recording in 1960.

Quiz Review• Please Answer these questions on your own and turn them in. You are allowed to

use your notes. • What year did the original Dixie land band make their first recording?• Name two famous band leaders.• Name three of the famous vocal jazz male singers.• Describe the scat technique.• Name six of the female jazz singers.• Who’s band was Helen Forrest the leader singer of?• What is Shirley Horn’s singing career known for?

Sources

• http://www.redhotjazz.com/louie.html• http://www.redhotjazz.com/bigband.html• http://www.jazz-music-made-easy.com/male-jazz-sin

gers.html• http://www.jazz-music-made-easy.com/scat-singing.

html• http://www.jazz-music-made-easy.com/female-jazz-s

ingers.html• http://www.swingmusic.net/getready.html

Lesson FourLearn to Scat

Sing!

Blues Scale

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alDRTdM4KfU

• C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb, C

Scat Singing

• Scat Singing is a style of jazz singing without real words, where the human voice is made to sound like a musical instrument.

• Scat singing is very broad. Most singers have their own “scat vocabulary”

Activity #1

• Split into groups of 4 or 5• Create a 4 or 5 bar rhythmic melody using one note.• Remember key elements in the jazz style- syncopation,

swing (eighth notes). Remember to try to sound like an actual instrument.

• Here are some scat syllables to consider using: Doo, Dat, Shoo, Bee, Diddy, bah, dah, dee, shee.

• This is an activity to help you develop your own ideas. There is no right or wrong answer.

• Perform!

Ella Fitzgerald Scat Singing

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU

Activity #2• Get back into your groups• Create a 12 bar piece which consists the notes from the C blues scale.• Remember key elements in the jazz style- syncopation, swing (eighth

notes). Remember to try to sound like an actual instrument. • Add scat syllables to your melody• Make this melody faster to challenge yourself• Once again, Here are some scat syllables to consider using: Doo, Dat,

Shoo, Bee, Diddy, bah, dah, dee, shee.• Scat singing is broad, try to think of new syllables and be creative• Perform!

Sources• http://www.allaboutjazz.com/dryden/ask_ken_0901.htm• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alDRTdM4KfU• http://www.jazz-music-made-easy.com/scat-singing.html• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU

Lesson 5

• Greatest Jazz Composers

• How to Compose Jazz• Theory involved in Jazz

Famous Early Jazz Composers

• Joe “King” Oliver- Best known for his piece “Snag it” 1926

• Louis Armstrong- 1924• Jelly Roll Morton- Best known for his tune “Original

New Orleans Blues” 1925.• Nick LaRocca- best known for his piece “War Cloud”

1918

Famous Jazz Composers after 1920

• Ornette Coleman- major influence on “free jazz” movement after the 1950’s• John Coltrane- known for developing polytonality in modern jazz. Works include

“Giant Steps” and “A Love Supreme.”• Miles Davis- major contributor to bebop and cool forms of jazz. Influential

recordings include: "Streamin'" (1956), "Kind of Blue" (1959).• Duke Ellington- Nominated for Pulitzer Prize. Tunes known for: " Mood Indigo"

(1930), "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (1932), "Sophisticated Lady" (1933), and "In a Sentimental Mood" (1935)

• Dizzy Gillespie- pioneered the bebop movement in 1945. Known for his tunes: "Salt Peanuts" (1945) and "A Night in Tunisia" (1946).

• Herbie Hancock- contributed to rock jazz movement in 1960’s-70’s. Known for his composition “The Maiden Voyage.”

• Glen Miller- Known for his compositions: "In the Mood" (1939) and "Better git it in your soul" (1959)

• Thelonious Monk- Major contributor to bebop. Two of his famous compositions: "Round About Midnight" (1947) and "Criss Cros" (1951).

• Charlie Parker- Major influence in bebop. Most well-known solos: "Groovin' High" (1945) and "Out of Nowhere" (1948).

Composition Activity• You are going to compose a piece using a 12

bar blues.• Refer back to the notes you took on the types

of chords there are. (Hint: triads, 7th chords).• This twelve bar blues progression consists of

I, IV, V, V7 chords• What are I,I7, IV, IV7, V, V7 chords in C major

with the one chord being C major?

C major Scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

• C is the 1ST note or scale degree in the scale.• Since C is the 1ST note, the triad of C major

is C, E, and G. This is a Major I chord.• A C 7th chord, or C DOMINANT would be

C, E, G, Bb. This is a I7 chord.• F is the 4th note or scale degree in the C

scale.• Since F is the 4th note, the triad of F in C

major would be F, A, and C. This is a major IV chord.

• An F 7th chord, or F DOMINANT would be F, A, C, Eb. This is a IV7 chord.

• G is the 5th note or scale degree in the C scale.

• Since G is the 5th note, the triad of G in C major would be G, B, D. This is a major V chord.

• A G 7th chord, or G DOMINANT would be G, B, D, F. This is a V7 chord.

7th chords• Why is the 7th lowered?• There are more than one TYPES of 7th chords. • For a five chord, a dominant 7th chord is the most typical. A dominant

chord is the one we just learned. Example is C, E, G, Bb.• In the key of C major, there is no Bb. • Types of 7th chords (In C major): • MAJOR 7TH: C, E, G, B• MINOR 7th: C, Eb, G, Bb• DOMINANT 7th: C, E, G, Bb• HALF DIMINISHED: C, Eb, Gb, Bb• WHOLE DIMINISHED: C, Eb, Gb, B double flat, or A.

When creating a melody, you can use any of the notes in the scale to make it smooth.

• Here are the scales you will use in your composition• Major scale (in C)- C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C• Dominant scale (in C)- C, D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C

• F Major scale- F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F• F Dominant Scale- F, G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F• G Major Scale- G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G• G Dominant Scale- G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G

• You can use any of these notes when that specific chord comes up. For example: F is the IV degree. Therefore, you can use any notes in the F major scale in your composition. Do not feel that you need to only use the three triad notes (F, A, C). Be creative!

Here is your chord progression• The Standard 12 Bar Blues Form

*   Twelve bars (measures) of music that are repeated throughout on entire song.

*   Chords used are the I, IV, and V (either as basic major chords or as dominant 7th chords).

*   Played in 4/4 time (i.e., four beats per measure; quarter note equals one beat).

   Here is a chart example of a standard 12 bar blues form: 4/4 time

Measures: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

• Chords: I I I I7 IV IV I I  V7 IV7 I I

Sources

• http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Lessons/InstrumentLessons/The%20Standard%2012%20Bar%20Blues/

• http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/THEARTS/MajJazComp.html

• http://www.basinstreet.com/articles/famous.htm

Lesson 6

• Famous Soloists and improvisers• Learn how to improvise• Learn how to solo

Best Well-Known Improvisers

• John Coltrane• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocGGz_

yWxKQ&feature=related• Miles Davis• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TukwyV

cJ0iU• Louis Armstrong

Review of Improvisation• Improvisation• Definition: making up your own melody over a continuously repeating chord

progression during a tune. • The melody of an improvised solo is based on the chords and scales flowing

through the piece. If the soloist did not play their solo based on the chord structure, it would sound wrong.

• Improvising is not an easy skill to obtain. One must know all major and minor scales and blues scales and all chord structures and inversions in order to be a successful improviser.

• Besides knowing theory, one must know how to phrase a solo in order to sound successful.

Improvisation Activity

• Use your 12 bar blues composition• Get into your groups of 4-5 and this time, put

a repeat sign on your 12 bar blues so that it will be played 4 times in a row without stopping.

Directions• Use your instruments or voice to play/sing the 12 bar blues 4

times in a row. Play this piece so you get familiar with it.• After you are comfortable with playing your piece again, play your

piece and have two people solo during this piece. • When should they solo?• Have your group play the 12 bar melody together the first time.• Group will play the root notes of the chords in each of the 12 bars

as the soloist plays his or her solo in the repeated 12 bars.• The third repeated set of 12 bars will be the second soloist. (Group

keeps playing the root notes of each of the 12 bars).• The fourth repeated set of 12 bars is no soloists. Just group playing

the melody one last time.

Here is a visual of what your piece will look like

• SONG ---------------------------• BARS: 1-12 1-12 1-12 1-12• Who plays SOLO 1 SOLO 2

• Who plays everyone everyone everyone everyone• What is played MELODY ROOT NOTES ROOT NOTES MELODY• (except soloist) (except soloist)

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

LABEL THE CHORDS UNDER EACH BAR OF YOUR PIECE.

• The Standard 12 Bar Blues Form

*   Twelve bars (measures) of music that are repeated throughout on entire song.

*   Chords used are the I, IV, and V (either as basic major chords or as dominant 7th chords).

*   Played in 4/4 time (i.e., four beats per measure; quarter note equals one beat).

   Here is a chart example of a standard 12 bar blues form: 4/4 time

Measures: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

• Chords: I I I I7 IV IV I I  V7 IV7 I I

Tips for a good solo

Since you are new at this, write out the notes in each chord and in the layout of your piece. Remember? I, I7, IV, IV7, V, V7 chords?

While you are playing your solo, you want to strive for the notes that are in the chord. For example, in measures 1-4, you would be most likely to play notes C, E, G, because those are the notes in a C major triad. Any of the notes in the C major scale will work though.

C major Scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

• C is the 1ST note or scale degree in the scale.• Since C is the 1ST note, the triad of C major is C, E, and G. This is a Major I

chord.• A C 7th chord, or C DOMINANT would be C, E, G, Bb. This is a I7 chord.• F is the 4th note or scale degree in the C scale.• Since F is the 4th note, the triad of F in C major would be F, A, and C. This is a

major IV chord.• An F 7th chord, or F DOMINANT would be F, A, C, Eb. This is a IV7 chord.• G is the 5th note or scale degree in the C scale.• Since G is the 5th note, the triad of G in C major would be G, B, D. This is a

major V chord.• A G 7th chord, or G DOMINANT would be G, B, D, F. This is a V7 chord.

Review of Chords

Sources

• http://www.stanford.edu/~jrdx/jazz.html