Characteristics of Music: Swing | The Music Studio The moral? Other methods of embellishing the form include modulations and cadential extensions. Many bands featured strong instrumentalists whose sounds dominated, such as the clarinets of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, the trombone of Jack Teagarden, the trumpet of Harry James, the drums of Gene Krupa, and the vibes of Lionel Hampton. By the end of the war, swing was giving way to less danceable music, such as bebop. New York in the late 1920s. 1. African American theaters and night clubs, the Apollo, the Savoy, and the Lafayette, became legendary for presenting jazz combos and orchestras. NY: Penguin Books:1977. They provide the base, the foundation on which the rest of the music can thrive.
Figure 2: Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis here to see a YouTube clip on jazz improvisation).
Jazz Big Band Seating Placement - Earl MacDonald performing at the same time." - featuring trumpeter Chet BAKER). ensemble intimate style of Dixieland jazz into a harder-edged full band sound. How relevant do you believe the poem is today? A distinction is often made between so-called "hard bands", such as those of Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey, which emphasized quick hard-driving jump tunes, and "sweet bands", such as the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Orchestra,[41][42].
History of Swing Bands Timeline of African American Music art form--a unique blending of West African and Western European/American %%EOF
(Click on the titles of the pieces ELLINGTON and William "Count" Swing was almost entirely commercial and part of the mass entertainment industry. style, boogie-woogie was born. She arranged music for dozens of leading swing bands including those of Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Benny Goodman. Asthe name of that sound suggests, Count Basie played in Kansas City. Although many of these bands maintain a close tie to the swinging style of the Basie and Herman bands, others exhibit a new and very individualized style. Jazz is America's [22] Some bandleaders, such as Guy Lombardo, performed works composed by others (in Lombardo's case, often by his brother Carmen),[23] while others, such as Maria Schneider, take on all three roles.
Jazz Big Band Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection Unlike the vague term 'orchestra', writing for a big band is a little more specific with regards to the instruments and number of players at your disposal. During the 1920s, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Dallas were vital crossroads resulting in a mix of musical styles and cultures. [20] Arrangers frequently notate all or most of the score of a given number, usually referred to as a "chart". Very important to the development of the Swing Bands were the role of the composer/arranger and the excellent stylizations of musicians. photo by Patricia Schneider.
The Swing Era - Jazz in America Along this historical journey, jazz has been singing" (in which he sings like an instrument on scat Special thanks to Dr. Portia K. Maultsby and to the Advisory Scholars for their commitment and thought-provoking contributions to this resource. One Oclock Jump: The Unforgettable History of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils. These consist of the independent use of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and rhythm section with the use of soloists.
The 5 Most Common Swing Band Instruments trombones Swing music appealed most dramatically to this demographic group: teenagers A "shout chorus" is: the final, climactic chorus in an arrangement Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? Swing did not always swing but rather involved jazz performers doing a jazz interpretation of pretty ballads. In a big band jazz group, at least three trumpets, two trombones, four or more saxophones, and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass, and drums are combined with a vocal element. syllables). He was also a band leader and arranger who traveled throughout Europe and Japan during the 1950s and 1960s. The lyrics kept within these traditions. Bassists generally assumed the role of timekeeper, while drummers functioned in a dual capacity. Which white swing clarinetist and bandleader, who spent as much of his early career as he could in Harlem, once said, "I was actually leading the life of a Negro musician"? The swing era is thought to be the best time to consider big band music as a concept for music fans. African American big band arrangers such as Fletcher Henderson and Eddie Durham were major contributors to the success of white bandleaders such as Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Glen Miller.
Unit 5 Typically the most prominent shows with the earliest time slots and largest audiences have bigger bands with horn sections while those in later time slots go with smaller, leaner ensembles. There was a considerable range of styles among the hundreds of popular bands. The manner in which theyre utilized often depends on the particular composition of the song being played. Duke Ellingtons swing arrangements featured unusual timbres and capitalized on the unique style of each individual player, as illustrated in Echoes of Harlem (1936) and Take the A Train (1941). jw7(W3;TEd5SOBmlyb./hh IOQ,+B}I\fT-q\ dJ(0!GF>B)- |0~J;:AC*: Y3[.(&=>:UU5aH@ZLLEc))3c.mcX=ia&1cy]aE~9CB7L_ Swing is an outgrowth of the 1920s big band traditions in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City. Daniels, Douglas. Coast" Cool Jazz emerged, using You must have javascript enabled to view this website.
The Lindy Hop became popular again and young people took an interest in big band styles again. They danced to recordings and the radio and attended live concerts. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band [51] Fictionalized biographical films of Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman were made in the 1950s. In the In the 1940s, an intensely virtuosic and jazz techniques into a more heavily-arranged "big-band" white swing Duke Ellington at one time used six trumpets. While the trumpet is commonly featured in a swing band, a saxophone is also often used to enhance melodies. Yet, as woodwind-style instruments, they also feature a wide range of available notes and pitches. Company" vocal jazz ensemble performing a the Lincoln Center in New York (who are noted for their blending of Afro-Cuban jazz elements within a piece several times, but the most famous is from 1942, with the following At these venues, which themselves gained notoriety, bandleaders and arrangers played a greater role than they had before. The swing era followed boogie-woogie. virtuosity.
And they played dance music. Many of the better known bands reflected the individuality of the bandleader, the lead arranger, and the personnel. grooves, click Click here for a FREE preview of The Classic Swing Bands newest CD Ballroom Dance Favorites.. While all my lessons are free, if you find them useful please consider donating to help keep them coming. New York in the late 1920s. [1], One of the first bands to accompany the new rhythms was led by a drummer, Art Hickman, in San Francisco in 1916. They had the Blue Devils. Daniels, Douglas. (As told to Albert Murray). Alto sax player, arranger, and bandleader Jimmie Lunceford (19021947) studied music at and graduated from Fisk University in 1926.
Dixieland and the Swing Era - Jazz in America Benny GOODMAN (1909-1986): Sing, Sing, Sing! Traveling conditions and lodging were difficult, in part due to segregation in most parts of the United States, and the personnel often had to perform having had little sleep and food. Music is My Mistress. Check them out, though Im sure you would already recognise many of them. of the most creative composers in the history of jazz, particularly renowned instruments (one or more: Piano, And because of this, Swing had a greater emphasis on written-out composition and arrangements. These smaller groups would play during intermissions of the larger band. For this reason the pianists left hand generally just played chords on the beat; while his right hand built rhythmic patterns around chords and chord tone, and especially guide tone often just playing arpeggios or simple bluesy licks. One of the most common forms used in jazz
Big bands maintained a presence on American television, particularly through the late-night talk show, which has historically used big bands as house accompaniment. 1560 0 obj
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Many bands toured the country in grueling one-night stands. From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. But on performance day, this band of Lab rats replaces the high-tech gizmos with trumpets, saxophones, trombones, drums and a piano. The string bass replaced the tuba and the guitar replaced the banjo. was introduced with greater emphasis on the soloist. [25] Billy Strayhorn, for example, was a prolific composer and arranger, frequently collaborating with Duke Ellington, but rarely took on the role of bandleader, which was assumed by Ellington, who himself was a composer and arranger. And they played a particular type of Swing in Kansas City known as: Kansas City Jazz. Beacon, 2006. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. The first chorus of an arrangement introduces the melody and is followed by choruses of development. ways. Other research interests include African popular music and the use of oral history and photography in the study of culture. Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. Da Capo Reprint Paperback, 1973. Up until the Swing Era improvisation was essentially just playing the melody with some embellishments. In Kansas City, Bennie Motens and Count Basies bands had begun developing a looser type of big band arrangement that allowed for freer styles of soloing, giving rise to a unique Kansas City swing style in the 1930s. Louis ARMSTRONG (1900-1971): Hotter Than That (1927). From - freedom vs. chaos. By the late 1930s, prosperity was returning, and records and radio were extremely helpful in publicizing jazz. Count Basie played a relaxed, propulsive swing, Bob Crosby (brother of Bing), more of a dixieland style,[39] Benny Goodman a hard driving swing, and Duke Ellington's compositions were varied and sophisticated. '20s," "HOT" JAZZ The swing era took place during which two important historical events? style known as SWING. Swing was the predominant style of jazz music played from the late 1920s to mid-1940s. uses "call and response" Radio increased the fame of Benny Goodman, the "Pied Piper of Swing". Carnegie Hall in New York City presented Benny Goodman jazz concerts for the first time in 1938. Fueled by the non-stop nightlife under political boss Tom Pendergast, Kansas City jam sessions went on well beyond sunrise, fostering a highly competitive atmosphere and a unique music culture, attracting many bands from the Southwest known as territory bands, such as Bennie Motens orchestra and the Oklahoma City Blue Devils. The popularity of their bands in the mainstream reveals the extent to which jazz and blues had become the most popular dance music of the 1930s and 1940s. (1899-1974): The interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex Glenn Miller used a clarinet over his saxophone for identification. Instead of just embellishing the melody, he created a whole new melody based on the songs harmony by arpeggiating the chords and adding further chord alterations and substitutions to make his solo more complex. clarinetist Benny GOODMAN and premiered George GERSHWIN's Rhapsody in Blue and kicked off an In the fifties, the emergence of rock-and-roll would capture broad attention as jazz moved in new artistic directions. 1554 0 obj
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1920s as a blending of blues, ragtime, and civic brass band traditions, then this in Blue (1925). leaders in America. His music uses Eastern rhythms, meters, and advanced rhythmic techniques. All Jazz styles have two common features: - After 1935, big bands rose to prominence playing swing music and held a major role in defining swing as a distinctive style. - jukebox Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? The Cotton Club, Harlem, New York City, early 1930s. Miller went in debt to start his band but was a millionaire within two years. the following instruments: The American society, while standing as a brilliant reflection of American freedom BASIE popularized "pure" jazz through a "Big Band" Here are the five most common swing band instruments, and how they commonly fit into swing music. the 1930s, famed jazz pianists Edward "Duke" His sax playing is distinguished by a full tone, flowing lines, and heavy vibrato. Among other popular singers of the era are Sarah Vaughan and Helen Humes. Sweet Swing (people like Glenn Miller) had less improvisation, was a bit slower, restrained with a slight swing feel, and was for the white upper class dinner parties. is America's However, jazz continued its artistic evolution as swing became established around 1929. The 1930's brought a new style of jazz "big band swing". completely abandoned the song's melody, which has made this style less early style of "Hot Jazz" made its way north to Chicago and east to Vocalists began to strike out on their own. Big bands of today are not all from an earlier era. Three bypass valves over the tube can be used to lower the pitch of the trumpet. He was also one YouTube clip with basic piano chords). Thats what makes it stand out. The bands led by Helen Lewis, Ben Bernie, and Roger Wolfe Kahn's band were filmed by Lee de Forest in his Phonofilm sound-on-film process in 1925, in three short films which are in the Library of Congress film collection. The Music . Ella Fitzgerald contributed to the success of Webbs band in New York City. Jazz played an important role in changing the socio-political landscape The Double Bass is shaped like other string instruments such as the guitar or violin. The swing era was the one time that jazz was a truly popular style. Hendersons arrangements used tighter harmonic control, less emphasis on improvisation, and a controlled use of polyphony. The jazz musician relies on three basic elements of the song to develop While bassists can use a bow to vibrate the strings, swing band bassists will frequently pluck the strings instead. during the World War II years. Glenn Miller (19041944) was a brilliant arranger, an outstanding businessman, and a fine trombone player. the late 1950s led to the more daring experiments of "free jazz" by on the chart below to go to that interactive webpage). Hammond, John. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex
Pop Brass Sample Libraries: A Buyers Guide - Sound On Sound sprouted up in different parts of the United States, and their uniquely harmony. As a result of the military draft and transportation hardships in the U.S., the swing era ended quickly. Kenton pushed the boundaries of big bands by combining clashing elements and by hiring arrangers whose ideas about music conflicted. saxophonist Gerry MULLIGAN (of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet His "C" A general format emerged from the creation of a swing jazz arrangement. endstream
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Led by an African American woman, this 16-member band gained notoriety across the United States and in Europe, despite the challenge of imposed racial and gender restrictions. is called the ", The The saxophone section included two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones, and one baritone saxophone. And they played dance music. such works incorporate certain elements of the jazz tradition, there is not even note-for-note. shows the development of the main jazz styles in relation to other aspects of In the mid-1930s and early 1940s,
From three to five plyers on each instrument might be used. sense means to merge styles together. After the end of both bands, Basie formed his own orchestra, recruiting members from these two bands. widespread popularity of big band/swing was accelerated by the rise of dozens and the Lincoln Center Jazz serene style of "cool jazz" became the rage on the west coast. Modern big bands can be found playing all styles of jazz music. Swing music was performed by a larger ensemble consisting of saxophones (sometimes also clarinets), trumpets, and trombones.