MUS 122 Midterm 2

What defines swing, and when did it develop?

Developed in the 1930s; high-energy dance music primarily performed by big bands.

What dance style is associated with swing?

The Lindy Hop.

What rhythmic features are typical of swing?

Walking bass line and a quarter-note pulse from guitar and bass drum.

When and how did bebop develop?

In the mid-1940s, through spontaneous improvisation and competitive after-hours jam sessions.

Why did many listeners find bebop difficult to appreciate?

Its fast tempos, complex harmony, intricate melodies, dissonance, and rhythmic intensity made it less danceable.

Which musicians are most associated with bebop?

Charlie Parker (alto saxophone) and Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet).

What changed in bebop drumming, and who is credited with the shift?

Timekeeping moved from bass drum to ride cymbal and hi-hat; Kenny Clarke is credited.

What does comping mean in bebop?

Piano and guitar chords that complement soloists' lines and the drummer's accents.

How did the bass role evolve in bebop?

Bassists continued walking bass lines but became more virtuosic soloists.

What characterizes cool jazz?

A light, laid-back feel even at fast tempos, mid-range instruments, less intense accents, and harmonic complexity.

What distinguishes hard bop from bebop in many compositions?

Hard bop often uses original song forms and chord progressions, blues-based melodies, groove, and a strong backbeat; it can retain bebop complexity.

What is a contrafact?

A new melody written over an existing chord progression, often from a Tin Pan Alley tune.

What is modalism, and who is associated with it in this guide?

A compositional technique using a series of scales instead of chords; associated with George Russell.

What is the Lindy Hop?

A dance style that developed alongside swing music in the 1930s.

What was Minton's Playhouse known for?

A Harlem club that hosted famed jam sessions associated with bebop's development.

What made Duke Ellington's orchestra famous in the swing era?

It rose to fame during a four-year engagement at Harlem's Cotton Club.

What revived Duke Ellington's prominence in 1956?

A legendary Newport Jazz Festival performance featuring Paul Gonsalves's 27-chorus saxophone solo.

What characterized Count Basie's 'Old Testament' band?

Simple head arrangements and long solos.

What characterized Count Basie's 'New Testament' band?

Complex written arrangements and famous dueling tenor saxophone solos.

What was the significance of the Billy Eckstine Orchestra?

Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie first worked together in this influential swing band.

What was notable about the Miles Davis Nonet?

A racially integrated nine-piece ensemble that recorded the Birth of the Cool Suite and included French horn and tuba.

Who founded the Modern Jazz Quartet, and what was distinctive about it?

Pianist John Lewis founded it; it blended classical music and jazz and played concert halls to encourage close listening.

What made the Gerry Mulligan Quartet unusual?

It was a chordless quartet without piano or guitar, featuring baritone saxophonist Mulligan and trumpeter Chet Baker.

Who founded the Jazz Messengers?

Drummer Art Blakey and pianist Horace Silver.

How did Coleman Hawkins shape jazz saxophone playing?

The swing-era tenor saxophonist used arpeggios to create powerful melodies based on song harmony.

What was Lester Young known for?

A smooth tenor saxophone style and use of chromaticism.

What made Gene Krupa famous?

His flashy, unrestrained drumming, especially his tom-tom solo on 'Sing, Sing, Sing.'

Which orchestra first brought Gene Krupa to fame?

The Benny Goodman Orchestra.

What was notable about Gene Krupa's later band?

He hired trumpeter Roy Eldridge; it was the first instance of a racially integrated big band.

What happened to Charlie Parker early in his career while playing 'Body and Soul'?

Drummer Jo Jones kicked him off the bandstand and humiliated him for playing poorly.

What were Dizzy Gillespie's roles in bebop?

Bebop innovator, trumpeter, and bandleader.

What was Kenny Clarke's major contribution to bebop?

He shifted primary timekeeping from the bass drum to the hi-hat and ride cymbal.

Who was Charles Mingus?

A bassist, composer, bandleader, and outspoken civil-rights-era activist.

Which Charles Mingus composition reflected his activism?

'Fables of Faubus.'

Why did Charles Mingus switch from cello to bass?

His teacher said racism would prevent him from having a successful classical-music career.

What was Charlie Christian's contribution to jazz guitar?

A bebop electric guitarist and one of the first to solo with intricate single-note lines.

How did Wes Montgomery produce his distinctive guitar tone?

He played with his thumb instead of a pick, producing a mellow tone.

What was Wes Montgomery's common soloing sequence?

Single-note phrases, then octaves, then full chord melodies.

What characterized Wes Montgomery's most successful records?

Covers of familiar pop tunes, often stating the melody in octaves with little improvisation.

What was distinctive about Django Reinhardt's technique?

Despite an injury limiting him to three left-hand fingers, he developed impressive single-note soloing technique.

With whom did Django Reinhardt collaborate in the Quintette du Hot Club de France?

Parisian jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

Who was Mary Lou Williams?

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

What is George Russell associated with in this study guide?

Introducing the concept of modalism.

What made Art Tatum influential?

The legally blind pianist's innovative chord substitutions helped lay the basis for bebop harmony.

What was Gil Evans known for as an arranger?

Radically transforming other composers' music into imaginative pieces, often featuring soloists in concerto form.

Name major Gil Evans collaborations with Miles Davis.

Birth of the Cool, Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, and Sketches of Spain.

What was Billie Holiday known for as a vocalist?

Her unique phrasing of melodies.

What was the significance of Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit'?

It directly responded to the lynching of Black Americans.

Who helped Billie Holiday early in her career?

Producer John Hammond.

What roles did Benny Carter hold?

Swing-era saxophonist, bandleader, and composer.

What characterized Thelonious Monk's compositions and playing?

Bebop innovator known for blues and song forms, chromaticism, and dissonance.

Where did Thelonious Monk play a key early role in bebop?

As a member of the house band at Minton's Playhouse.

What was Thelonious Monk's most important early composition?

'Round Midnight.'

What notable 1957 collaboration involved Thelonious Monk?

His collaboration with saxophonist John Coltrane at the Five Spot.

Who was Clifford Brown?

A hard bop and bebop trumpeter who co-led a celebrated group with drummer Max Roach.

What was Dave Brubeck's most famous album, and what was notable about it?

Time Out (1959), which featured a variety of time signatures.

What was the role of the Count Basie Orchestra in swing?

It was one of the most popular swing-era big bands, known for evolving from head arrangements to complex written arrangements.

What instruments did the Miles Davis Nonet add that were unusual in jazz groups?

French horn and tuba.

Why did the Modern Jazz Quartet perform in concert halls rather than clubs?

To encourage audiences to listen closely to its blend of classical music and jazz.

Which ensemble featured a 27-chorus solo by Paul Gonsalves?

The Duke Ellington Orchestra at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival.

Which group was a famous hard bop ensemble founded by Art Blakey and Horace Silver?

The Jazz Messengers.

Which cool jazz group had no piano or guitar?

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet, featuring Gerry Mulligan on baritone saxophone and Chet Baker on trumpet.

Which swing-era tenor saxophonist was known for arpeggios?

Coleman Hawkins.

Which swing-era tenor saxophonist was known for smooth playing and chromaticism?

Lester Young.

Which drummer was famous for the 'Sing, Sing, Sing' tom-tom solo?

Gene Krupa.

Which bebop innovator played alto saxophone?

Charlie Parker.

Which bebop innovator played trumpet?

Dizzy Gillespie.

Which guitarist was an early single-note jazz soloist and played electric guitar?

Charlie Christian.

Which Romani guitarist developed a technique despite a left-hand injury?

Django Reinhardt.

Which Parisian violinist collaborated with Django Reinhardt?

Stéphane Grappelli.

Which pianist and arranger worked with Andy Kirk's 12 Clouds of Joy?

Mary Lou Williams.

Which pianist was known for innovative chord substitutions and was legally blind?

Art Tatum.

Which vocalist recorded 'Strange Fruit'?

Billie Holiday.

Which hard bop guitarist played with his thumb and used octaves in solos?

Wes Montgomery.

Which cool jazz pianist and bandleader released Time Out in 1959?

Dave Brubeck.

Which bassist and composer was an outspoken civil-rights activist?

Charles Mingus.

Which pianist-composer was known for chromaticism, dissonance, and 'Round Midnight'?

Thelonious Monk.

Which trumpeter co-led a celebrated group with Max Roach?

Clifford Brown.

What is a walking bass line?

A steady bass line that typically moves through successive notes to outline the harmony and maintain pulse.

What does a strong backbeat contribute to hard bop?

A pronounced groove that helps keep the audience engaged.

How did bebop piano and guitar typically support soloists?

By comping—playing chords that complement solo lines and drummer accents.

What is an arpeggio?

The notes of a chord played one at a time.

What is chromaticism?

Use of notes outside the main scale, often moving by semitones.

What is dissonance in jazz?

A tense or unstable combination of notes, often used expressively.

What does improvisation mean in jazz?

Creating or shaping music spontaneously during performance.

What is a head arrangement?

An arrangement worked out by the band rather than fully written in advance.

What is a chordless jazz ensemble?

An ensemble without chordal instruments such as piano or guitar.

Which jazz style is associated with a light, laid-back sound and mid-range instruments?

Cool jazz.

Which jazz style is especially associated with high-energy big-band dance music?

Swing.

Which jazz style is known for fast tempos and intense improvisation, and was often not danceable?

Bebop.

Which jazz style often combines blues roots and groove with bebop complexity?

Hard bop.

What is the Birth of the Cool Suite associated with?

The Miles Davis Nonet.

What is Sketches of Spain associated with in this guide?

Gil Evans's collaboration with Miles Davis.

Which swing band had a four-year engagement at Harlem's Cotton Club?

The Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Which band was associated with famous dueling tenor saxophone solos?

The Count Basie Orchestra.

What is the difference between a chord progression and a melody in a contrafact?

The chord progression is reused; a new melody is composed over it.

What did bebop musicians often do to Tin Pan Alley tunes?

Write new melodies over their existing chord progressions, creating contrafacts.