As swing developed, the second player became responsible for most of the jazz solos. In the early 1950s a smoother, more The swing era was the one time that jazz was a truly popular style. Other methods of embellishing the form include modulations and cadential extensions. He would conduct his band from his drum set. When you mentioned the word Jazz to the average person, they probably think of Swing music, and for good reason. In New Orleans, black - the tuba was replaced the string bass - the banjo was replaced the guitar - (a&c on test) Paul Whiteman (18901967), called the King of Jazz, sought after talented top names for his band like Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. The music of Count Basie (19041984) represents a leading voice in the big band style. Others challenged him, and battle of the bands became a regular feature of theater performances. KC Jazz is characterised by: And because KC Jazzsongs were riff based, they were often played from memory by the band (rather than from sheet music). [4] While most big bands dropped the previously common jazz clarinet from their arrangements (other than the clarinet-led orchestras of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman), many Duke Ellington songs had clarinet parts,[5] often replacing or doubling one of the tenor saxophone parts; more rarely, Ellington would substitute baritone sax for bass clarinet, such as in "Ase's Death" from Swinging Suites. intricate fast rhythms and tremendous Scat singing, along with his gravelly voice, became Armstrongs trademark sound, as heard in Lazy River (1931). (As told to Albert Murray). Among all the jazz vocalists that followed, most cite her as having the most influence on their scatting style. world. endstream endobj startxref The swing style developed in the 1930s and continued to be popular throughout the 1940s and beyond as a distinctive genre. Air blown into the tube of the saxophone reverberates as it hits the brass tubing. After the end of both bands, Basie formed his own orchestra, recruiting members from these two bands. From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. The band features selections mostly from the swing era, with a dose of 50's Sinatra and 60's hipsters. As a result of the military draft and transportation hardships in the U.S., the swing era ended quickly. Sometimes bandstands were too small, public address systems inadequate, pianos out of tune. In the mid-1930s, he was the featured soloist in the Basie Orchestra. Foremost, they accentuated the movement of choreographed dancers. 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). attractive to general listeners. style based on a faster, danceable beat with featured improvised solos. . 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. The saxophone section included two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones, and one baritone saxophone. emerged as piano was added to the rhythm section, and a stronger driving rhythm singing" (in which he sings like an instrument on scat It served to distract people from the daily grind of reality. The successful bands of the Swing Era featured carefully . https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_band&oldid=1142698476, This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 22:19. The Glenn Miller band was one of the most popular bands of the Swing Era. Orchestra. ,r,el1)PrPer{mN,cq+W!yJn?@}gU-+GACIuyrPgnpQCZ76il9%0A9b vr, Q&L Sc3oX *{{toV %PDF-1.5 % Holiday crossed musical genres, singing jazz, blues, and pop while keeping her individual singing style. Fitzgerald was unique in her ability to render exact imitations of nearly any instrument in the band. and Ph. 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. Dance bands had made phonograph records since the days of ragtime. Cool Jazz endstream endobj 1555 0 obj <>/Metadata 104 0 R/Outlines 108 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 1544 0 R/StructTreeRoot 655 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 1556 0 obj <>/Font<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 1557 0 obj <>stream This type of music flourished through the early 1930s, although there was little mass audience for it until around 1936. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. Many of the great swing bands broke up, as the times and tastes changed. Thats what makes it stand out. Kenton pushed the boundaries of big bands by combining clashing elements and by hiring arrangers whose ideas about music conflicted. Jazz began in New Orleans in the These musical ensembles associated with the swing era. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex Company B, was popularized through records and film by The Andrews Sisters during World War The dance duo Vernon and Irene Castle popularized the foxtrot while accompanied by the Europe Society Orchestra led by James Reese Europe. The term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music, although this was not the . New York was an important geographic area for the developments leading toward the swing style of jazz. YouTube clip with basic piano chords). The Ellington orchestra succeeded in part through the expert use and contribution of consistently talented and unique players. 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). In swing, the saxophone was usually featured as the leading instrumental soloist. These consist of the independent use of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and rhythm section with the use of soloists. Louis Armstrong was the first to establish vocals as a part of an instrumental tradition. trumpeter Miles DAVIS, and baritone While all my lessons are free, if you find them useful please consider donating to help keep them coming. Benny GOODMAN (1909-1986): Sing, Sing, Sing! Rockefeller Arts Center. is America's A. "Fusion" in its strictest ELLINGTON and William "Count" ensemble intimate style of Dixieland jazz into a harder-edged full band sound. This form maintains the same chord The methods of dance bands marked a step away from New Orleans jazz. He was a pianist, accompanist, and music director for blues singers, dancers, and comedians. . is called the "12-bar blues." in its strictest In the mid-1930s and early 1940s, 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. here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of highly-improvisatory new style of jazz called "Bebop" was developed 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. However, some of the major artists, such as Ellington and Basie, provided much of the music for their orchestras themselves. The "Modern Popular Music" chart below, Hammond, John. GILLESPIE: Koko (1945). ARMSTRONG took "Hot" Jazz to Chicago, where its popularity grew Swing music began appearing in the early 1930s and was distinguished by a more supple feel than the more literal 44 of early jazz. - a vocalist with piano or a small backup group. and the Lincoln Center Jazz 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, This lineup was typical of swing era bands. In the 1960s and 1970s, big band rock became popular by integrating such musical ingredients as progressive rock experimentation, jazz fusion, and the horn choirs often used in blues and soul music, with some of the most prominent groups including Chicago; Blood, Sweat and Tears; Tower of Power; and, from Canada, Lighthouse. early style of "Hot Jazz" made its way north to Chicago and east to The first jazz concert, called A Swing Music Concert took place in 1936 in New York City. Swing was hugely popular in fact, it was the pop music of the 1930s. 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. Jazz orchestras were necessary for the shows and musicals, and well-trained musicians were highly valued. Fletcher Henderson (18971952) is credited with creating the pattern for swing arrangements. Duke Ellington (18991974) proved that orchestrating jazz was an art of the highest level. George GERSHWIN (1898-1937): Rhapsody listeners to love jazz.. During the swing era, popular, blues, and jazz vocalists were essential to big band performances. New York in the late 1920s. American sound has fascinated listeners, performers and composers around the Professor Daniels book publications include Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester Pres Young (Beacon, 2002); Pioneer Urbanites: A Social and Cultural History of Black San Francisco; and One Oclock Jump: The Unforgettable History of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils (Beacon Press, 2006). 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. CROSBY, Frank SINATRA, and Doris DAY, who blossomed as featured vocalists with prominent bands When the tradition came back full-circle into vocal jazz with a To learn more about the book this website supports, please visit its, You must be a registered user to view the. Since he could not read music, Webb memorized the arrangements. 3. Big Bands began to appear in movies in the 1930s through the 1960s, though cameos by bandleaders were often stiff and incidental to the plot.Shep Fields appeared with his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra in a playful and integrated animated performance of "This Little Ripple Had Rhythm" in the musical extravaganza The Big Broadcast of 1938. Swing is sandwiched between two huge historical events. performers such Louis ARMSTRONG completed the transition from Big bands uplifted morale during World War II. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band (optional) Select some text on the page (or do this before you open the "Notes" drawer). The piece has an art form--a unique blending of West African and Western European/American 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. [51] Fictionalized biographical films of Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman were made in the 1950s. of jazz Many Kansas City bands featured head arrangements, which were . is called the ", The 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. In 1925, bandleader Paul Whiteman 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. 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. The Cotton Club started in Harlem before it moved downtown. He toured in many parts of the world and was also commissioned to record classical compositions. (1899-1974): The You must have javascript enabled to view this website. "Call and Response" was a common musical device. out of tune) notes, (4) and even a section with Armstrong's famous "scat In the 1950s, Stan Kenton referred to his band's music as "progressive jazz", "modern", and "new music". The saxophone features a curved reed mouthpiece and a long brass tube that gradually expands before doubling back and bellowing outwards. Swing bands featured orchestras with sections of trumpets, saxophones, and _________________. However, its so large that its most often placed upright next to the bassist when its being played. shows the development of the main jazz styles in relation to other aspects of Along this historical journey, jazz has been (Click on the titles of the pieces The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 19301945. 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. His famous recording Body and Soul, recorded in 1939, is known for its continuous smooth sound. L6G9MTRv&hVSOC9Y)~06CW)j#8qE#C?YOK%d\SC9IT~U {J;F\m`F># clip on the basic jazz rhythm section. Stream Jazz" by combining a jazz combo with symphony orchestra. The swing era took place during which two important historical events? Duke Ellington's . who specialized in less improvised tunes with more emphasis on sentimentality, featuring somewhat slower-paced, often heart-felt songs.[43]. Which white swing clarinetist and bandleader, who spent as much of his early career as he could in Harlem, once said, "I was actually leading the life of a Negro musician"? "call" and a group does some type of "response"), (2) it Bandleader Charlie Barnet's recording of "Cherokee" in 1942 and "The Moose" in 1943 have been called the beginning of the bop era. sense means to merge styles together. Fish, Scott K. Duke Ellington vs Chick Webb: We Tore Them Up, Man. March 1, 2016. https://scottkfish.com/2016/03/01/5221/. Music is My Mistress. Southwest bands offered a different solution to big band improvisational structures. . Keyboards are some of the most versatile instruments out there.
Asthe name of that sound suggests, Count Basie played in Kansas City. Byron Almen, Dorothy Payne, Stefan Kostka. Pianist and vocalist Sarah Vaughan also influenced many singers. Blues tradition, then became popular with white listeners during the World War From three to five plyers on each instrument might be used. That makes them the shrimp or Andouille sausage in the Gumbo that is swing music. Her version of the nursery rhyme A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1938) brought her international fame. Since theyre built of brass, saxophones tend to produce a trumpet-like buzzing sound. [19], It is useful to distinguish between the roles of composer, arranger and leader. This was in part due to a political organization called the Pendergast Machine which encouraged a nightclub atmosphere. Da Capo Reprint Paperback, 1973. 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. and Benny Goodman (who took jazz to Hollywood in the mid-1930s). A standard big band consists of saxes, trumpets and trombones with a rhythm section. By the 1930s, these and other cities became major centers for the development of the swing style. Many musical styles contributed to its birth. Special thanks to Dr. Portia K. Maultsby and to the Advisory Scholars for their commitment and thought-provoking contributions to this resource. Boyd Raeburn drew from symphony orchestras by adding flute, French horn, strings, and timpani to his band. Woody Herman's first band, nicknamed the First Herd, borrowed from progressive jazz, while the Second Herd emphasized the saxophone section of three tenors and one baritone. 1554 0 obj <> endobj Beacon, 2006. Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, and Jimmie Lunceford each led orchestras that achieved international standing. Williams is considered one of the great jazz pianists and one of the greatest performers from Kansas City. 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. DoZjyk]Z^0])*6`pje?NG.s#n1[Mgv,3/W5k'(?_pq,JZ7jaF:m(YTm7RhoQ>luNRjY%- I) And they played a particular type of Swing in Kansas City known as: Kansas City Jazz. 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]. Please change your browser preferences to enable javascript, and reload this page. "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. Swing is an outgrowth of the 1920s big band traditions in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City. [21] Bandleaders are typically performers who assemble musicians to form an ensemble of various sizes, select or create material for them, shape the musics dynamics, phrasing, and expression in rehearsals, and lead the group in performance often while playing alongside them. Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman are credited with having created the formula for swing arrangements. alto saxophone. While the trumpet is commonly featured in a swing band, a saxophone is also often used to enhance melodies. The group emphasized correct technique and accurate playing and released its first recording in 1930. They danced to recordings and the radio and attended live concerts. African American theaters and night clubs, the Apollo, the Savoy, and the Lafayette, became legendary for presenting jazz combos and orchestras. The moral? Swing was the predominant style of jazz music played from the late 1920s to mid-1940s. Since the 1920s, Jazz He was also a band leader and arranger who traveled throughout Europe and Japan during the 1950s and 1960s. (String Bass or Electric Bass), plucked with the fingers, often providing a (called a "chorus"). Click In the fifties, the emergence of rock-and-roll would capture broad attention as jazz moved in new artistic directions. The project is also supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. It began as an intensified rhythmic outgrowth of the black Rhythm & : The rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is Among other popular singers of the era are Sarah Vaughan and Helen Humes. sense means to merge styles together. The jazz musician relies on three basic elements of the song to develop In the 1950s, a smooth style of "West Alto sax player, arranger, and bandleader Jimmie Lunceford (19021947) studied music at and graduated from Fisk University in 1926. of American jazz. By this time the big band was such a dominant force in jazz that the older generation found they either had to adapt to it or simply retire. The Double Bass is shaped like other string instruments such as the guitar or violin. Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. It is usually played by big band ensembles that use a rhythm section with drums, bass, sometimes a guitar, and almost always a piano, a brass section of trumpets and trombones, and a reed section of saxophones and clarinets. Instead of just embellishing the melody, he created a whole new melody based on the songs harmony by arpeggiating the chords and adding further chord alterations and substitutions to make his solo more complex. DAVIS was one of the first jazz artist to cross over and adopt elements of 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 [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. Starting in the early 1900s, various jazz and traditions have He created his band as a vehicle for his compositions. "Swing" feeling: The rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is You He toured and recorded many solos with, most notably, the Count Basie band. black jazz musicians developed an intense instruments (Saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, trombone, flute, vibraphone, etc.). Gloria Parker had a radio program on which she conducted the largest all-girl orchestra led by a female. And because of this, Swing had a greater emphasis on written-out composition and arrangements. Armstrong (nicknamed instruments (one or more: Piano, But on performance day, this band of Lab rats replaces the high-tech gizmos with trumpets, saxophones, trombones, drums and a piano. Transcontinental trips often required a stop in one of these cities. "[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. ragtime Swing music was performed by a larger ensemble consisting of saxophones (sometimes also clarinets), trumpets, and trombones.