Jazz History - Notes

what is jazz imporvisation?

unique form of music, spontaneous conversation in real time

what do the lyrics define?

idea

what is an idea?

something that gives a mental impression, a vision of something tangible

what is a concept?

an idea that has been exaimned and analyzed in order that it can be duplicated

what is a topic?

an idea that states a message about something

what is a motivation?

an idea meant to inspire emotion or action

what is the musical terms used for “idea”?

motif, phrase, theme

what is a motif?

a short idea, generally no more than 4 to 5 notes

what is a phrase?

usually spans 2 to 4 bard, similar to a complete sentence

what is a theme?

usually a set of phrases tied together that reflect a complete thought

what is a sign of a musicial idea?

the use of repetition

jazz improvisation is a combination of ____ and ____ ideas at play

active, reactive

what is a lyric?

connect with rhymes and unifying themes

what is form?

a basic rhythm template which creates a boundary in which to organize the music

what can be form viewed as?

the skeleton of the song

when is 12 bar blues used for?

blues, jazz, and early rock and roll

when is 32 bar “AABA” used for?

brodway form, jazz, cabaret, movies before 1960’s

when is verse chorus used for?

folk songs, pop songs, motown, and hip hop

what is a hook?

a catchy melody or phrase

what is a riff?

is like a hook but applies to instrumental instead of a vocal

what is theme and variation?

the improvised melody is a variation of the original melody (theme)

what is the ultimate goal of a performer?

show the audience what is intersting about the song or script

what is a cultural filter?

influences, connections, and relationships

what is an artistic spirit?

the need to organize ideas and or their environment, to justify their existence through creative means in their spite conditions

what is a minstrel show (blackface)

racist form of entertainment popularized by Thomas “Daddy” Rice

what is a cosmopolitian effect?

the immigration of many different cultures moving and mixing to one area greatly influenced the formation of new music

what was the cultural mix of music especially the “habenera” rhythm?

the spanish tinge

what is exoticism?

a genre in which the rhythm, melodies, or instrumentation designed to evoke the atmosphere of ancient times

whats the 1st step to the creative process?

idea

whats the 2nd step to the creative process?

connections

what is a rhythm?

beat patterns into a logical sequence

what is a melody?

single note lines in sync with harmony and rhythm

what is a harmony?

multiple notes sounding at the same time

whats the 3rd step to the creative process?

performance, expression, interpretation

where was the earliest form of Jazz created?

New Orleans

when was the earliest form of Jazz created?

1890

what are the main characteristics of dixieland jazz

group improvisation, instrumentation, improvisation, and repriotoire

who was the first group to record jazz?

Original Dixieland Jazz Band

when was the birth of the “swing big band”?

When Louis Armstrong joined the Fletcher Henderson band

what was tin pan alley?

location in NYC where all the major music publishers had their offices and where composers went to make songs

what did society dance band do?

plyaed dance parties for upper classmen

what was Louis Armstrong and the Hot FIve and Hit Seven?

a chicago based group of mostly New Orleans musicians

what was the congo square?

a section in New Orleans where slaves were permitted to congregate, and the only place in the South where hand drumming was permitted

what was Storyville (the Red Light District)

section of New Orleans where prostitution and brotehls were permitted

what was bebop?

a type of jazz that focuses the attention on the soloist and improvisation

what is an after hours session?

jam sessions that occured during the later part of the swing era