MCY 124 Exam 2 Study Guide

1. Birth of the Cool

● Europization of jazz writing

Incorporating classical techniques into the jazz ensemble and writing, which developed into the symphonic big bands style

● Members of the Salon, album that it resulted in

Gil Evans (arranger), Gerry Mulligan (bari sax), John Carisi (arranger), John Lewis (piano), Miles Davis (trumpet and for the clout)
Birth of the Cool, wasn’t successful at first and was shelved until later when Miles and Gil collaborated

● Characteristics of Cool Jazz

Controlled, introspective, intellectual, mild mannered

● Three “symphonic” big bands

Stan Kenton Band
Woody Herman Band
Claude Thornhill Band

Possible Listening

● “Boplicity” performed by the salon, but released under Miles Davis to get attention

● “Walkin Shoes” performed by Gerry Mulligan

● “Line Up” written by Lennie Tristano

2. The ‘50s

● Significance of record labels in jazz during the 50s

Record labels allowing for tons of music to be released, all competing to be at the cutting edge of jazz, promoting a lot of growth and innovation in search of the next big thing, took a chance on ppl and gave them a little room to write what they wanted to, created rich culture and pushed things forward

● Jazz record labels and which musicians were contracted

Columbia, Teo Macero (Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Monk, Mingus, Ellington)
Prestige, Bob Weinstock (Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins)
Atlantic (Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman)
Capitol (Nat King Cole, Sinatra)
Verve, Norman Granz (Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz)
Blue Note, Alfred Lion (Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Miles Davis)
Savoy (Bird, Dizzy, Erroll Garner)

● Members of Miles First Great Quintet

Miles Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (Tenor Sax), Red Garland (Piano), Paul Chambers (Bass), Philly Joe Jones (Drums)

● Writer who influenced Mingus the most

Duke Ellington

● Name for the Capitol Records building and why

“The House that Nat built” bc Nat King Cole made enough money for them to build a new building

● Characteristics of Hard Bop and significant players

Used with original compositions rather than songbook contrafacts, but still has the three characteristics of bebop. Happening on the east coast with cool jazz on the west
Emphasis on “learning the language” and transcribing older bebop solos
Most significant players were jazz messengers
Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Lou Donnelson, Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Max Roach

● Different iterations of the Jazz Messengers

Founded by Art blakely and Horace Silver
Focus on discovering the best young hard bop players and launching their solo careers
Original Lineup 1954: Clifford Brown (Trumpet), Lou Donnelson (Sax), Horace Silver (Piano), Curly Russell (Bass), Art Blakey (Drums)
Next Lineup 1958: Lee Morgan (Trumpet), Benny Golson (Sax), Bobby Timmons (Piano), Jymie Merritt (Bass), Art Blakey (Drums)
1960-64: Freddie Hubbard (trpt), Wayne Shorter (sax), Curtis Fuller (trmb), Cedar Walton (piano), Reggie Workman (Bass), Art Blakey (Drums)

● Sheets of sound

Constant double time runs, lots of notes and energy,
Harmonic approach using lots of superimposed harmony (Coltrane Matrix)
John Coltrane style

● Popular piano trios (Piano, Bass, Drums)

Nat King Cole Trio (Cole, Comfort, Moore)
Red Garland Trio (Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor)
Wynton Kelly Trio (Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb)
Oscar Peterson Trio (Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen)
Bill Evans Trio (Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motion)
Ahmad Jamal Trio (Ahmad Jamal, Israel Crosby, Vernel Fournier)

● Bill Evans’ piano trio approach

Block chords, very loose “broken feel” and interactive
Most innovative
Stretched a lot and freeing the bass
Paul Motion staying on brushes for most of the music

Possible Listening

● “Jim” performed by Sarah Vaughan

● “If I Were a Bell” performed by Miles First Great Quintet

● “Reincarnation of a Lovebird” performed by Charles Mingus

● “I Get a Kick Out of You” performed by Frank Sinatra

● “Unforgettable” performed by Nat King Cole

● “Daahoud” performed by Clifford Brown/Max Roach

● “Moments Notice” performed by John Coltrane

● “Waltz for Debby” performed by Bill Evans

● “Poinciana” performed by Ahmad Jamal

● “Days of Wine and Roses” performed by Oscar Peterson Trio

3. 1959

● 5 most influential albums and their significance

Time out! By Dave Brubeck: introduced many new “odd” meters to jazz, as he experimented with rhythms he came across during his Department of State tour through Europe and Asia
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis: best selling jazz album ever! Experimented with “modal” rather than functional harmony with a cool jazz approach
The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman: experimented with folk forms in a free jazz context, which shifted his perspective, introducing the avant garde theme, improv and extended solo sections with no form
Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus: compositions were centered around the blues and his ancestral roots. Wrote “Fables of Faubus” to directly protest against Arkansas governor Orval Faubus who called in the national guard to prevent the integration of Little Rock High in 1957, social issues
Giant Steps by John Coltrane: went deep into his “sheets of sound” approach or harmonic concepts, navigating keys centers a major third apart. Showed more of his personality as a soloist and composer

Possible Listening

● “Take 5” performed by Dave Brubeck

● “So What” performed by Miles Davis

● “Lonely Woman” performed by Ornette Coleman

● “Better Get Hit in Your Soul” performed by Charles Mingus

● “Giant Steps” performed by John Coltrane

4. Early ‘60s

● Miles arranger, resurgence of BOTC style

Gil Evans

● Alto player who left a huge impact on Mingus

Eric Dolphy

Possible Listening

● “Miles Ahead” ARRANGED by Gil Evans???

● “Summertime” ARRANGED by Gil Evans???

● “Beamoanable Lady” performed by Charles Mingus w Eric Dolphy???

● “One by One” performed by Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers (Wayne Shorter)

5. Second Great Quintet

● Members and their instrument

Miles Davis, Trumpet (39), Wayne Shorter, Tenor Sax (32), Herbie Hancock, Piano (25), Ron Carter, Bass (28), Tony Williams, Drums (19)

● Final Miles album with acoustic instruments

Nefertiti

Possible Listening (all performed) ALL MILES SECOND GREAT QUINTET

● “E.S.P.”

● “Sorcerer”

● “Stuff”

● “Pee Wee”

● “Nefertiti”

6. Trane after 1959

● Members of the John Coltrane Quartet

1962: John Coltrane- Saxophone McCoy Tyner- Piano Jimmy Garrison- Bass Elvin Jones- Drums

● How does Coltrane’s expression through composing and improvising change over the

course of his life

Had a spiritual awakening in the end of the 50s, leading him towards a “richer, fuller, more productive life”, music/improvisation inspired by religion, aligning with the freedom of Ornette Coleman’s approach
Compares to earlier structured writing, more complex harmonies and whatnot

● Harmonic Contrafact

reworking the harmonic structure of an existing tune, then adding a new melody, only the form is intact

Possible Listening (all performed) ALL COLTRANE???

● “Body and Soul”

● “Crescent”

● “They say it’s Wonderful” - johnny hartman vocalist perhaps

● “Resolution”

● “Nancy”