MUS 122 Midterm 2 Study Guide: Jazz Styles and Musicians

Swing

developed in 1930s, primarily performed by big bands, high energy dance music - associated with the lindy hop dance style, walking bass line, quarter note pulse from guitar and bass drum

Bebop

developed in mid 1940s, new musical language which was developed solely through spontaneous improvisation, developed at competitive after-hours jam sessions, inexperience musicians would often be intimidated by fast tempos, many listeners found it difficult to appreciate as the music was NOT danceable, complex harmony, intricate melodies, dissonances, fast tempos, rhythmic intensity, emphasis on improvisation, drums - time moves from bass drum to ride cymbal and hi hat, bass drum used for hits/bombs, Kenny Clarke is credited with this shift, piano and guitar played chords complemented the soloists' lines and the drummer's accents (comping), bass players continued with the walking bass role, but became more virtuosic soloists, associated with Charlie Parker (alto sax) and Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet)

Cool Jazz

light, laid-back feel even at fast tempos, instruments stay in mid ranges, less intense rhythmic accents, harmonic complexity

Hard Bop

compositions primarily use original song forms and chord progressions (as opposed to contrafacts), described as a return to the 'roots' of jazz with blues-based melodies and chord progressions, emphasis on groove, often keeping the audience engaged by emphasizing a strong backbeat, continues bebop aesthetic (complex melodies/chord progressions, fast tempos, emphasis on improvisation)

Duke Ellington Orchestra

One of the most popular swing-era bands, rose to fame during a 4-year engagement at Harlem's Cotton Club, popularity declined after the 1940s but returned to prominence with a legendary performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival which featured a 27-chorus solo from saxophonist Paul Gonsalves

Count Basie Orchestra

One of the most popular swing-era bands, style changed over time - the 'Old Testament' band focused on simple head arrangements and long solos, 'New Testament' band focused on complex written arrangements, famous for dueling tenor saxophone solos

Billy Eckstine Orchestra

influential swing band where bebop greats Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie first worked together

Miles Davis Nonet

9-piece ensemble, racially integrated, recorded the Birth of the Cool Suite, included orchestral instruments not typically heard in a jazz group (french horn and tuba)

Modern Jazz Quartet

cool jazz ensemble, founded by pianist John Lewis, blended classical music and jazz, ensured that their audiences listened closely by playing concert halls instead of clubs

Gerry Mulligan Quartet

chordless (no piano or guitar) quartet with Mulligan on baritone saxophone and Chet Baker on trumpet, cool jazz

Jazz Messengers

one of the most famous hard bop groups, founded by drummer Art Blakey and pianist Horace Silver

Coleman Hawkins

Swing-era tenor saxophonist, utilized arpeggios (chords spelled one note at a time) to make powerful melodies based on the harmony of the song

Lester Young

swing-era tenor saxophonist, known for his smooth playing style and incorporation of chromaticism

Gene Krupa

Swing-era drummer who played in an unrestrained and flashy style, most famous for his tom-tom solo on 'Sing, Sing, Sing,' first came to fame playing with the Benny Goodman Orchestra, later hired trumpeter Roy Eldrige for his band which was the first instance of a racially integrated big band.

Charlie Parker

Bebop innovator, alto saxophonist, one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, in his early years was kicked off the bandstand and humiliated by drummer Jo Jones for playing poorly over the tune 'Body and Soul.'

Dizzy Gillespie

Bebop innovator, trumpeter and bandleader.

Kenny Clarke

Drummer, bebop innovator - transferred the primary time keeping from bass drum to hi hat and ride cymbal.

Charles Mingus

Bassist, composer, bandleader, outspoken activist in the civil rights era which was reflected in some compositions such as 'Fables of Faubus,' switched from cello to bass in his youth because his teacher told him he could not have a successful career in classical music due to racism.

Charlie Christian

Bebop electric guitarist, one of the first guitarists to solo with intricate single-note lines (similar to Django Reinhardt).

Wes Montgomery

Hard bop guitarist, most successful records were covers of familiar pop tunes with the melody stated in octaves and little improvisation, played with his thumb instead of a pick resulting in a unique, mellow tone, often utilizes single-note phrases first, then octaves, and then full chord melodies in his soloing.

Django Reinhardt

Romani guitarist, could only use three fingers on his left hand due to injury but developed impressive technique nonetheless, one of the first guitarists to solo with intricate single-note lines like a horn player, collaborated with Stephane Grappelli in the Quintette du Hot Club de France, revered by American and European jazz musicians.

Stephane Grappelli

Parisian jazz violinist, collaborated with Django Reinhardt.

Mary Lou Williams

Pianist and arranger for Andy Kirk's 12 Clouds of Joy.

George Russell

Guitarist, composer, introduced the concept of modalism.

Art Tatum

Legally-blind pianist, known for his innovative chord substitutions which would become the basis for bebop harmony.

Gil Evans

Prolific arranger - focused on the music of other composers and radically altered them into imaginative new pieces, best-known for his concerto-form works designed to feature soloists, known for extensive collaborations with Miles Davis (Sketches of Spain, Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, Birth of the Cool).

Billie Holiday

One of the most famous jazz vocalists, known for her unique phrasing of melodies, recorded 'Strange Fruit' which was a direct response to the lynching of Black Americans, early career was aided by producer John Hammond.

Benny Carter

Swing-era saxophonist, bandleader, and composer.

Thelonious Monk

Pianist, composer (used primarily blues and song forms), innovator of bebop harmony (member of the house band at Minton's Playhouse jam sessions), known for extensive use of chromaticism and dissonance, famous collaboration with saxophonist John Coltrane in 1957 at the Five Spot, most important early composition was 'Round Midnight.'

Clifford Brown

Hard bop and bebop trumpet player, co-led what was considered by many to be the last great bebop group with drummer Max Roach.

Art Blakey

Hard bop drummer, co-founder of The Jazz Messengers with pianist Horace Silver.

Dave Brubeck

Cool jazz pianist and bandleader, 1959 album Time Out (his most famous record) featured a variety of time signatures.

Modalism

Compositional technique where a series of scales are used instead of chords, associated with guitarist George Russell.

Contrafact

A composition where a new melody is written over an already existing chord progression, many bebop compositions were contrafacts of Tin Pan Alley tunes.

Lindy Hop

Dance style which developed alongside swing music in the 1930s.

Minton's Playhouse

Harlem club which hosted the famed jam sessions associated with the development of bebop.