jazz

What was Harlem’s largest and most important dance hall in the 1930s?

The Savory Ballroom

What enticed Louis Armstrong back to New York City?

A new white manager that promised to make him a star to white audiences as well as black musicians.

What new talent did Louis Armstrong start displaying that changed American music?

His singing.

Who dominated at the Savory Ballroom as a drummer and band leader?

Chick Webb.

What new venture helped spread Duke Ellington's fame in the 1930s?

Appearing in the movie Check and Double Check.

Who was the originator of orchestrating the sound of the blues for a large ensemble?

Duke Ellington.

Who was known as the 'Mayor of Harlem'?

Thomas 'Fats' Waller.

What are the three sections in a big band?

Saxophones, brass, and the rhythm section.

What club in Manhattan was the home of Fletcher Henderson's orchestra?

The Roseland Ballroom.

What did Louis Armstrong think was the happiest day of his life?

When he arrived back in New Orleans to perform nine years after he first left for Chicago.

Who was John Hammond?

A jazz fan, talent scout, and music promoter who advocated for deserving musicians.

What bands were key inspirations for Benny Goodman when he formed his own big band?

The black bands of Chick Webb and Fletcher Henderson.

What key decision helped shape the sound of Benny Goodman's band on 'Let's Dance'?

Getting a 'Harlem book' of jazz arrangements by buying arrangements from black writers, especially Fletcher Henderson.

Who was Art Tatum?

A pianist considered one of the greatest, known for his technical virtuosity and sophisticated innovations.

What forced Benny Goodman to start touring the country with his band?

The cancellation of the radio show 'Let's Dance'.

What happened when Benny's band arrived in LA after a failed tour?

They were greeted by a large audience and Goodman became famous overnight.

What was jazz known as in the 1930s?

Swing.

What effect did swing have on the music recording industry?

It saved it.

What title was used when advertising Benny Goodman?

The King of Swing.

How did Duke Ellington respond to the popularity of swing?

He ignored it and continued composing his music his way.

What helped Louis Armstrong get out of his troubles in the 1930s?

Getting a tough manager with mob connections, Joe Glaser.

What was the swing era essentially based on?

The orchestrated language of Louis Armstrong.

What popular band leader turned the trombone into a lyrical instrument?

Tommy Dorsey.

Which band leader made swing more popular for those who found Duke and Benny too intense?

Glenn Miller.

Who was Benny Goodman's greatest rival?

Clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw.

What phenomena started occurring at Duke Ellington's performances?

People wouldn’t dance.

How did Ellington overcome discrimination in the South?

They traveled and stayed in their own Pullman car.

What personal life occurrence profoundly impacted Ellington's artistic life?

The death of his mother.

What did Benny Goodman's success mean for jazz?

The sound of black jazz from Harlem was being heard worldwide by white audiences.

What age group made swing music a hit in the 30s?

Teenagers.

Who convinced Benny Goodman to present Teddy Wilson, a black pianist, at one of his concerts?

Music critic Helen Oakley Dance.

Who was the first black musician to join an all white band?

Pianist Teddy Wilson.

Who was Billie Holiday?

An amazing vocalist discovered by John Hammond who grew up poor.

What epic showdown happened at the Savoy Ballroom?

Benny Goodman vs Chick Webb, where Webb won.

What fresh new sound did Hammond accidentally hear?

IDK.

What band leader and pianist came out of Kansas City and returned swing music to its roots?

William 'Count' Basie.

What became the central sound of jazz in the 1930s?

The saxophone.

Who turned the tenor saxophone into a serious instrument?

Coleman Hawkins.

Who was Coleman Hawkins’ greatest rival?

Lester Young.

Why did Kansas City flourish in the 1930s despite the Depression?

A gangster ran the city allowing the club scene to thrive.

What common musical approach did Kansas City musicians share?

The 12-bar blues.

Who was the most popular musician with the greatest band in Kansas City?

Count Basie and his orchestra.

Who was Mary Lou Williams?

A pianist, composer, and arranger that emerged in Kansas City.

What was Louis Armstrong turning into hits?

Pop tunes, country ballads, spirituals, and duets with other artists.

Who convinced Count Basie to move to New York with his band in 1936?

John Hammond.

Who gave Billie Holiday her big break in 1937?

Count Basie.

What tenor saxophonist with the Count Basie Orchestra complemented Billie Holiday?

Lester Young.

What two major jazz events occurred the same night in New York City in 1936?

Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall and Count Basie at the Savory Ballroom.

How did Count Basie combat Chick Webb at the Savory?

By playing smooth, swinging songs compared to Webb’s high intensity.

How did John Hammond persuade the famous door jazz club to let Count Basie's band play all summer in 1938?

Hammond paid for air conditioning in the club.

Why didn’t Benny Goodman’s musicians like him?

He seemed only interested in music and his career.

Who was the first musician to turn the amplified guitar into a major jazz instrument?

Charlie Christian.

What young female vocalist became a star after winning an amateur competition at the Apollo Theater?

Ella Fitzgerald.

What poem about lynching, set to music, did Billie Holiday record?

Strange Fruit.

By the late 1930s, who had the most popular swing band?

Count Basie.

What band leader toured Europe and enjoyed huge appreciation there in the late 1930s?

Duke Ellington.

What recording took jazz in a new direction?

Coleman Hawkins' recording of 'Body and Soul' focused on improvisation.