(As told to Albert Murray). Singers Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald came to the popular forefront during the swing era. While all my lessons are free, if you find them useful please consider donating to help keep them coming. Henderson was a pianist and excellent arranger who wrote most of the musical arrangements that helped launch the success of Benny Goodmans orchestra. syllables). sense means to merge styles together. Swing Music Explained - The Jazz Piano Site Other research interests include African popular music and the use of oral history and photography in the study of culture. [51] Fictionalized biographical films of Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman were made in the 1950s. Big band | Lindypedia | Fandom In Harlem, the creative and literary arts, Black musicals, and big band entertainment flourished within the movement known as the Harlem Renaissance, in which music played as great or possibly a greater role than literature. The moral? The Double Bass is shaped like other string instruments such as the guitar or violin. 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. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band Big Bands evolved with the times and continue to this day. The swing era took place during which two important historical events? (Click on the titles of the pieces
Basie, Count. instruments (Saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, trombone, flute, vibraphone, etc.). This type of music flourished through the early 1930s, although there was little mass audience for it until around 1936. [3] They incorporated elements of Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, ragtime, and vaudeville. [26], Typical big band arrangements from the swing era were written in strophic form with the same phrase and chord structure repeated several times. In 1925, bandleader Paul Whiteman While the trumpet is commonly featured in a swing band, a saxophone is also often used to enhance melodies. Benny Goodman (19091986) was a superior clarinetist who began appearing on stage by the age of twelve. All the big bands would go up there. Hickman relied on Ferde Grof, Whiteman on Bill Challis. "Stachmo") is arguably the most influential performer in the history 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. Until the political climate changes in Chile, Allende will write from her current home in of Company B (1941). (Click and ingenuity. Beginning of the Swing Era - highered.mheducation.com [37] As jazz migrated from its New Orleans origin to Chicago and New York City, energetic, suggestive dances traveled with it. Swing was almost entirely commercial and part of the mass entertainment industry. Swing band music was organized in homophonywhere two or more instruments played similar or complementary lines. grooves, click clarinetist Benny GOODMAN and 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. In the 1960s, Gunther SCHULLER developed a style known as "Third who specialized in less improvised tunes with more emphasis on sentimentality, featuring somewhat slower-paced, often heart-felt songs.[43]. California. The are described below. Then, during the Swing Era, the sax player Coleman Hawkins changed the way jazz approached improvisation from melody to harmony (horizontal to vertical). [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. They gave a greater role to bandleaders, arrangers, and sections of instruments rather than soloists. was introduced with greater emphasis on the soloist. Social life changed and large ballrooms were needed for the thousands who wanted to dance every night and large bands seemed to be the answer to filling these dance halls with music. and Ph. When the tradition came back full-circle into vocal jazz with a Many bands toured the country in grueling one-night stands. baritone saxophone. Stream Jazz" by combining a jazz combo with symphony orchestra. Swing was hugely popular in fact, it was the pop music of the 1930s. 6 Steps to Big Band Writing with Steven Feifke. a) Henderson's big band comprises five brass instruments (three trumpets and two trombones), four reed instruments (saxophones and clarinets), and a rhythm section consisting of piano, bass, Another interesting and important development happened with Swing improvisation. Duke Ellington (18991974) proved that orchestrating jazz was an art of the highest level. Henderson and arranger Don Redman followed the template of King Oliver, but as the 1920s progressed they moved away from the New Orleans format and transformed jazz. When new arrangements are written, they are usually in the same style as the original band. a hint of improvisationthe scores are completely written out Many swing-era compositions were written by professional songwriters employed by song publishing companies. Figure 1: The Western Jazz Quartet (piano: D. in History from the University of California, Berkeley. As the soloistic improvisations intensified, bebop players such as saxophonist Charlie "Bird" PARKER often Later, As a result of the military draft and transportation hardships in the U.S., the swing era ended quickly. Beacon, 2006. Big bands of today are not all from an earlier era. Up until that time, it was viewed with ridicule and looked upon as a curiosity. such works incorporate certain elements of the jazz tradition, there is not even A distinctly new genre appeared in the late 1930s that to some degree bridged the differences between big band swing and bebop combos, and this was West Indian influenced music. The latter included blues, ballads, novelty songs, and Broadway tunes. www.bigfishaudio.com. In the 1950s, a smooth style of "West widespread popularity of big band/swing was accelerated by the rise of dozens Other methods of embellishing the form include modulations and cadential extensions. The embellishments gradually became more adventurous, but they were generally always played with the melody in mind. These bands had identifiable leaders, such as Glenn Miller and the Dorsey brothers, who placed their individual stamps on their musical arrangements. 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. 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). 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. And they played a particular type of Swing in Kansas City known as: Kansas City Jazz. They provide the base, the foundation on which the rest of the music can thrive. From three to five plyers on each instrument might be used. Many bands from the swing era continued for decades after the death or departure of their founders and namesakes, and some are still active in the 21st century, often referred to as "ghost bands", a term attributed to Woody Herman, referring to orchestras that persist in the absence of their original leaders. Figure 2: Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. During the next decades, ballrooms filled with people doing the jitterbug and Lindy Hop. is called the ", The 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. 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. They danced to recordings and the radio and attended live concerts. Jazz elements into his famous musical, introduction, the main theme, and four varied improvised choruses. Sometimes bandstands were too small, public address systems inadequate, pianos out of tune. 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. 1570 0 obj
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After 1935, big bands rose to prominence playing swing music and held a major role in defining swing as a distinctive style. Swing music ruled the airwaves and the dance floors throughout the 1930s to the mid-40s, and the artists that led swing bands became internationally beloved celebrities. - Arrangers notated specific notes for each instrument to play in every measure on a written score. By the 1930s, these and other cities became major centers for the development of the swing style. The focus shifted away from the arranger and toward the improvising performer. Trumpets provide a brash buzzing sound thats well suited for a melody. Big bands started as accompaniment for dancing. Samplephonics Soulful Brass Constructions They refuse to look for new ideas and new outlets, so they fall by the waysideIm going to try to find out the new ideas before the others do., I stole everything I ever heard, but mostly I stole from the horns.. [1], Duke Ellington led his band at the Cotton Club in Harlem. and Benny Goodman (who took jazz to Hollywood in the mid-1930s). 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. White teenagers and young adults were the principal fans of the big bands in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Jazz orchestras were necessary for the shows and musicals, and well-trained musicians were highly valued. [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.
Perhaps it started with the habanera in Mortons early compositions, and in the bridge of W. C. Handys St. Jazz is America's - jukebox Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? The piece Hotter Than That The Swing Era - Jazz in America (who are noted for their blending of Afro-Cuban jazz elements within a In the late 1940s, progressive Glenn Miller (19041944) was a brilliant arranger, an outstanding businessman, and a fine trombone player. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm became known for its strong riffing brass section, heavy percussion, rhythmic sensibility, and dynamic blues playing heard in Jump Children.. "Fusion" in its strictest innovators include pianist Dave BRUBECK shows the development of the main jazz styles in relation to other aspects of Scat singing, along with his gravelly voice, became Armstrongs trademark sound, as heard in Lazy River (1931). "Swing" feeling: The rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is Count Basie became an Oklahoma City Blue Devil around 1929 and also played with Bennie Moten. Swing music was performed by a larger ensemble consisting of saxophones (sometimes also clarinets), trumpets, and trombones. But on performance day, this band of Lab rats replaces the high-tech gizmos with trumpets, saxophones, trombones, drums and a piano. Improvisation: This can be best described as "composing and * Daniels, Douglas. (5) tromboneJoe Nanton, and (6) clarinetBarney Bigard. The Cotton Club, Harlem, New York City, early 1930s. So the Swing Era was during the Depression and it acted as a kind of counter-statement or rebellion against the unemployment and misery that the Depression caused. 20th-century popular music and culture. Guiding Principals. Lester Young & Herschel Evans. A large string instrument with an extremely low pitch, the Double Bass is a staple of most swing bands. [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. An Autobiography: John Hammond on Record with Irvin Townsend. [9] During the 1940s, somewhat smaller configurations of the big band emerged in the form of the "rhythm sextet". Air blown into the tube of the saxophone reverberates as it hits the brass tubing. The 5 Most Common Swing Band Instruments Much like the stock in Gumbo, it provides an essential rhythmic and harmonic element in swing music. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s when swing was most popular. From Benny GOODMAN (1909-1986): Sing, Sing, Sing! Typically the most prominent shows with the earliest time slots and largest audiences have bigger bands with horn sections while those in later time slots go with smaller, leaner ensembles. As a result, employment opportunities for jazz musicians increased and Kansas City became a jazz mecca. Swing as popular music usually had vocals, such as Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," and was intended for dancing. Louis Blues, but by the late 1930s, with the migration of Cubans and Puerto Ricans to New York City, Afro-Cuban music emerged along with new dances, such as the rhumba. The swing era followed boogie-woogie. Fletchers [Henderson] band had the same elements; so did Benny Motens back in 1932, when Basie played with him., Every week they would feature a guest band at the Savoy Ballroom. attractive to general listeners. Many bands featured strong instrumentalists whose sounds dominated, such as the clarinets of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, the trombone of Jack Teagarden, the trumpet of Harry James, the drums of Gene Krupa, and the vibes of Lionel Hampton. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
. Jam Blues features a 12-bar blues pattern with each subsequent varied chorus Tucker, Sherrie. is America's BASIE popularized "pure" jazz through a "Big Band" A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Their styles are uniquely different, yet both helped shape the definition of the pure jazz singer. Some of the Piano techniques employed during the Swing Era were: A good example of this is the Count Basie song Kansas City Keys. Soloist(s) - Western Michigan University | A top 100 national university 1920s as a blending of blues, ragtime, and civic brass band traditions, then this These musical ensembles associated with the swing era. It was all about showmanship which is epitomised by people like Cab Calloway and Fats Waller. He toured and recorded many solos with, most notably, the Count Basie band. IMPORTANT MUSICIANS: Louis Armstrong (cornet/trumpet), Bix Beiderbecke (cornet), Jelly Roll Morton (piano/composer), Sidney Bechet (soprano sax, clarinet), Earl "Fatha" Hines (piano) Swing/Big Band Era (1930-1945) The repertoire of swing bands featured both jazz and popular arrangements. of American jazz. At these venues, which themselves gained notoriety, bandleaders and arrangers played a greater role than they had before. The 1930's brought a new style of jazz "big band swing". '20s," "HOT" JAZZ trombones Swing music appealed most dramatically to this demographic group: teenagers A "shout chorus" is: the final, climactic chorus in an arrangement Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? and His Mother Called Him Bill, featured "Blood Count" and "Lotus Blossom," was a tribute album to . sprouted up in different parts of the United States, and their uniquely The dance duo Vernon and Irene Castle popularized the foxtrot while accompanied by the Europe Society Orchestra led by James Reese Europe. on the chart below to go to that interactive webpage). Since he could not read music, Webb memorized the arrangements. Since theyre built of brass, saxophones tend to produce a trumpet-like buzzing sound. The music of Count Basie (19041984) represents a leading voice in the big band style. Swing is an outgrowth of the 1920s big band traditions in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City. [48][49][50] Big band remotes on the major radio networks spread the music from ballrooms and clubs across the country during the 1930s and 1940s, with remote broadcasts from jazz clubs continuing into the 1950s on NBC's Monitor. Blues tradition, then became popular with white listeners during the World War Starting in the early 1900s, various jazz and traditions have Art-music composer/conductor Leonard His efforts helped make it possible for jazz musicians to earn a decent wage. And because of this, Swing had a greater emphasis on written-out composition and arrangements. He would conduct his band from his drum set. 1930s, jazz expanded into a "Big Band" phenomenon with Duke Ellington DG Ch 6-10 - Flashcards | StudyHippo.com Jazz Big Band Arrangements. Pianist and vocalist Sarah Vaughan also influenced many singers. "[34][35] Head arrangements were more common during the period of the 1930s because there was less turnover in personnel, giving the band members more time to rehearse. Walter Page is often credited with developing the walking bass,[38] though earlier examples exist, such as Wellman Braud on Ellington's Washington Wabble from 1927. The Music . Along this historical journey, jazz has been Big Band Music - The Most Popular Swing & Jazz Orchestras - Jazzfuel Big bands uplifted morale during World War II. He joined Ben Pollacks band and made his first recording. often feature virtuoso performers, on However, some of the major artists, such as Ellington and Basie, provided much of the music for their orchestras themselves. A drummer, bass player (string bass), piano player, and guitarist formed the rhythm section. 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. endstream
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Some listeners feel that all swing bands sound alike but bandleaders wanted to be distinguished. Kenton pushed the boundaries of big bands by combining clashing elements and by hiring arrangers whose ideas about music conflicted. This expansive eclecticism characterized much of jazz after World War II. Ornette Coleman in the 1960s. world. "Hot" Jazz, as improvised over standard blues patterns. photo by Patricia Schneider. clip on the basic jazz rhythm section), - Bass History of Big Band Jazz | JAZZ Aspen Snowmass The score indicated a fixed number of measures for solo improvisation and also musical notations with the desired sounds and effects. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. Swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and . basic chord progression of a 12-bar blues in the key of "C": (click here to see animated Ellington recorded this The better jazz musicians of swing bands would form swing combos within most large bands. YouTube clip with basic piano chords). Ra's eclectic music was played by a roster of musicians from ten to thirty and was presented as theater, with costumes, dancers, and special effects.[1]. His music uses Eastern rhythms, meters, and advanced rhythmic techniques. Click here for a FREE preview of The Classic Swing Bands newest CD Ballroom Dance Favorites.. the 1930s, famed jazz pianists Edward "Duke" The following sentences describe the life of the author Isabel Allende. Keyboards are the swing band equivalent of rice in Gumbo. Company B, was popularized through records and film by The Andrews Sisters during World War His music was a combination of solo and ensemble playing. However, its so large that its most often placed upright next to the bassist when its being played. 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. In the late 1990s, there was a swing revival in the U.S. He was also a band leader and arranger who traveled throughout Europe and Japan during the 1950s and 1960s. Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman are credited with having created the formula for swing arrangements. The rhythm section would typically include piano, string bass, drum set, with occasional additions of guitar or other chordal/melody instruments. The trumpeter blows on the mouthpiece at one end of the trumpet with closed lips, and the sound wave reverberates through the tube until it exits out the widened far end of the instrument. "Call and Response" was a common musical device. This lineup was typical of swing era bands. Other bandleaders used Brazilian and Afro-Cuban music with big band instrumentation, and big bands led by arranger Gil Evans, saxophonist John Coltrane (on the album Ascension from 1965) and bass guitarist Jaco Pastorius introduced cool jazz, free jazz and jazz fusion, respectively, to the big band domain. (, : This can be best described as "composing and Steve Zegree; sax: Trent Kynaston; bass: Tom Knific; drums: Tim Froncek). "C" Jam Blues (1942). leaders in America. The instrumental lineup of a big band will vary from ensemble to ensemble, but is typically composed of around 17 musicians, divided into four sections: five saxophones; four trombones; four trumpets; a rhythm section of piano, double bass and drums; Common additions might include guitar, french horn, tuba or a vocalist. harmony. Most swing was performed by Big Bands, which were literally big bands, divided into trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a rhythm section consisting mostly of drums, bass, guitar, and piano. Ch 7 Quiz Flashcards | Quizlet Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester Pres Young. Choose the vocabulary word that answers each riddle. Later, a fifth bass trombone was often added. Then circle the object of the preposition. emerged as piano was added to the rhythm section, and a stronger driving rhythm Hot Swing (people like Duke Ellington) was more daring, experimental, faster, with longer improvisations, stronger rhythmic drive, and a rough blues feeling. [20] Arrangers frequently notate all or most of the score of a given number, usually referred to as a "chart". orchestral jazz crossover movement that had an enormous impact on getting white DAVIS was one of the first jazz artist to cross over and adopt elements of Coast" Cool Jazz emerged, using Latin-based rock idiom). In the early 1970s, Miles Davis began exploring From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. Count Basies music contains lively rhythms, economic piano style, and a relaxed swing sound. II era. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
. Hendersons arrangements used tighter harmonic control, less emphasis on improvisation, and a controlled use of polyphony. The Ellington orchestra succeeded in part through the expert use and contribution of consistently talented and unique players. The genre was gradually absorbed into mainstream pop rock and the jazz rock sector.[45]. Performers played, sang, danced, and presented shows and stand-up comedy in these large entertainment venues. Many musicians served in the military and toured with USO troupes at the front, with Glenn Miller losing his life while traveling between shows. Unlike the concert band, the lead players should never be seated on the end of the section. Da Capo Reprint Paperback, 1973. more traditional instruments such as horn, cello, flute and oboe. John Coltrane's "hard bop" of The bands led by Helen Lewis, Ben Bernie, and Roger Wolfe Kahn's band were filmed by Lee de Forest in his Phonofilm sound-on-film process in 1925, in three short films which are in the Library of Congress film collection. This exact format is employed today by the many high school and college jazz ensembles around the country as well as overseas. Packed with Ph.D.s, this scientific swing band performs a play list that leans heavily toward the heavens. Up until the Swing Era improvisation was essentially just playing the melody with some embellishments. intricate fast rhythms and tremendous improvised solo structure on the choruses: (1) piano--Ellington), (2) jazz (String Bass or Electric Bass), plucked with the fingers, often providing a "call" and a group does some type of "response"), (2) it tenor saxophone. Many musical styles contributed to its birth. 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 term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music, although this was not the . jazz-fusion (combining elements of jazz and rock musics). the jukebox The popular appeal of Benny Goodman's Trio and Quartet had a good deal to do with the extroverted energy of Lionel Hampton and Gene Krupa This intermingling of sections became a defining characteristic of big bands. of many things they must think about while they are playing. Swing as Popular Music 1. 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. ELLINGTON and William "Count" They were knowledgeable and often biased toward their favorite bands and songs, and sometimes worshipful of famous soloists and vocalists. In the 1950s, Stan Kenton referred to his band's music as "progressive jazz", "modern", and "new music". Pop Brass Sample Libraries: A Buyers Guide - Sound On Sound
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