"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" - Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald, It Dont Mean a Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing),, Kansas City was the swingingest sound in the world. performing at the same time. Above all else, Swing music is dance music which means it was: This also meant it was incredibly commercial. When you mentioned the word Jazz to the average person, they probably think of Swing music, and for good reason. - a jazz choir (with or without instrumental accompaniment): Jazz combos often feature virtuoso performers, on Goodmans band was the first to integrate black and white musicians. While bassists can use a bow to vibrate the strings, swing band bassists will frequently pluck the strings instead. One of the most common forms used in jazz black jazz musicians developed an intense Here are the five most common swing band instruments, and how they commonly fit into swing music. Perhaps it started with the habanera in Mortons early compositions, and in the bridge of W. C. Handys St. Beacon, 2002. rock . orchestral jazz crossover movement that had an enormous impact on getting white The rhythm section of the Benny Goodman Trio and Quartet excluded which instrument? With no market for small-group recordings (made worse by a Depression-era industry reluctant to take risks), musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines led their own bands, while others, like Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver, lapsed into obscurity. 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 rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is Big Band Arranging | 2 | Getting Started Evan Rogers | Orchestrator style known as SWING. hundreds of different melodies. Whether your event needs a small ensemble or a full big band sound, we have the professionalism and class needed for functions requiring real live music! 1560 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<10C156E632F2BA46ADA9AD0651C7900F><95985AC68A5B3B44A7FED2E54018B539>]/Index[1554 17]/Info 1553 0 R/Length 52/Prev 145355/Root 1555 0 R/Size 1571/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream In the 1970s, popular fusion groups included BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, CHICAGO, and SANTANA $27.95. Woody Herman's first band, nicknamed the First Herd, borrowed from progressive jazz, while the Second Herd emphasized the saxophone section of three tenors and one baritone. The repertoire of swing bands featured both jazz and popular arrangements. Critics and historians refer to these groups as ghost bands because of the absence of their leaders and new personnel. The Timeline of African American Music has been made possible in part by a major grant from theNational Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. There was a considerable range of styles among the hundreds of popular bands. About Swing - University of Chicago Foremost, they accentuated the movement of choreographed dancers. This intermingling of sections became a defining characteristic of big bands. 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. early style of "Hot Jazz" made its way north to Chicago and east to His bebop collaborations with trumpeter Dizzy GILLESPIE are some of the greatest moments in music history. 3. This would go back and forth a number of times. When the tradition came back full-circle into vocal jazz with a an improvisation: melody, harmony, and form. And this is where the term head comes from, meaning the original melody of the song that is, its all in your head, not written down on paper. "Hot" Jazz, as improvised over standard blues patterns. From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. The latter included blues, ballads, novelty songs, and Broadway tunes. [32] They experiment, often with one player coming up with a simple musical figure leading to development within the same section and then further expansion by other sections, with the entire band then memorizing the way they are going to perform the piece, without writing it on sheet music. Another interesting and important development happened with Swing improvisation. Dixieland and the Swing Era - Jazz in America Other swing bands in New York City and beyond incorporated the defining elements associated with the Kansas City tradition to which they added their own stamp, as did Chick Webb and His Orchestra (Stomping at the Savoy, 1934), and Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Flying Home, 1942). [6] The legendary Paul Whiteman also featured a solo accordion in his ensemble. grooves, click In swing, the saxophone was usually featured as the leading instrumental soloist. a) Henderson's big band comprises five brass instruments (three trumpets and two trombones), four reed instruments (saxophones and clarinets), and a rhythm section consisting of piano, bass, the jukebox The popular appeal of Benny Goodman's Trio and Quartet had a good deal to do with the extroverted energy of Lionel Hampton and Gene Krupa [29], An arrangement's first chorus is sometimes preceded by an introduction, which may be as short as a few measures or may extend to a chorus of its own. below to see YouTube performance clips), - Air blown into the tube of the saxophone reverberates as it hits the brass tubing. As swing developed, the second player became responsible for most of the jazz solos. has complex syncopated polyrhythms, (3) expressive "blue" (bent Charlie PARKER and Dizzy Improvisation: This can be best described as "composing and 1570 0 obj <>stream The Cotton Club started in Harlem before it moved downtown. In the fifties, the emergence of rock-and-roll would capture broad attention as jazz moved in new artistic directions. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band This is where one section (say, the brass section, i.e., trumpets and trombones) would play a musical phrase and then be "answered" by another section (say, the saxes); the first phrase is the call, the answer is the response (like a musical conversation). 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. Jam Blues features a 12-bar blues pattern with each subsequent varied chorus virtuosity. Some large contemporary European jazz ensembles play mostly avant-garde jazz using the instrumentation of the big bands. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex There was a quality to her voice that fascinated me, and Id sing along with her, trying to catch the subtle ways she shaded her voice, the casual yet clean way she sang the words., A lot of singers think all they have to do is exercise their tonsils to get ahead. The size could be anywhere from about 12 to 30 players. Daniels, Douglas. "C" Jam Blues (1942). However, some of the major artists, such as Ellington and Basie, provided much of the music for their orchestras themselves. jazz techniques into a more heavily-arranged "big-band" white swing :vQxc!#\JK?1UshqkF~[!eO W,{(HBjkps~'O;5lR. Company" vocal jazz ensemble performing a the Lincoln Center in New York rapidly with both black and white audiences. An Autobiography: John Hammond on Record with Irvin Townsend. Count Basie's saxophone section included. trombonist Glenn MILLER incorporated II era. progression and the same number of measures/beats, but it may be applied to [33] During the 1930s, Count Basie's band often used head arrangements, as Basie said, "we just sort of start it off and the others fall in. In contrast to the typical jazz emphasis on improvisation, big bands relied on written compositions and arrangements. From and His Mother Called Him Bill, featured "Blood Count" and "Lotus Blossom," was a tribute album to . 2. trumpeter Miles DAVIS, and baritone Very important to the development of the Swing Bands were the role of the composer/arranger and the excellent stylizations of musicians. In the early 1970s, Miles Davis began exploring The trumpeter blows on the mouthpiece at one end of the trumpet with closed lips, and the sound wave reverberates through the tube until it exits out the widened far end of the instrument. Jazz Appreciation ICQ #6 Review Guide.docx - Jazz Packed with Ph.D.s, this scientific swing band performs a play list that leans heavily toward the heavens. Thats what makes it stand out. Big band swing was at the forefront of jazz and underwent its most concentrated growth and development from 1930 . (London: Paladin) 1987. In the 1940s, an intensely virtuosic and Cubans Mario Bauz and Machito (Francisco Ral Gutirrez Grillo), founder of the Afro-Cubans; Puerto Rican Ernesto Antonio Tito Puente with Oye como va; and Afro-Cuban drummer Chano Pozo (Luciano Pozo Gonzlez), famous for playing with and influencing Dizzy Gillespies Manteca, were among the most prominent band leaders and musicians. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm became known for its strong riffing brass section, heavy percussion, rhythmic sensibility, and dynamic blues playing heard in Jump Children.. The swing era took place during which two important historical events? is a Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Black Studies and History, and former Chair of Black Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. . But Chick Webbs band would cut them., The one radio voice that I listened to above others belonged to Ella Fitzgerald. Walter Page is often credited with developing the walking bass,[38] though earlier examples exist, such as Wellman Braud on Ellington's Washington Wabble from 1927. Vocalists began to strike out on their own. to jazz, [14][12][13] [15][16][17][18], Twenty-first century big bands can be considerably larger than their predecessors, exceeding 20 players, with some European bands using 29 instruments and some reaching 50. When new arrangements are written, they are usually in the same style as the original band. The moral? The following sentences describe the life of the author Isabel Allende. Da Capo Reprint Paperback, 1973. Figure 2: Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis Many bands suffered from loss of personnel and a decline in quality during the war years. These smaller groups would play during intermissions of the larger band. 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. A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section.Big bands originated during the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s when swing was most popular. Many musicians served in the military and toured with USO troupes at the front, with Glenn Miller losing his life while traveling between shows. Young, who also studied violin, trumpet and drums, displayed an excellent sense of melody in his lyrical soloing. - jukebox Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? And after years of economic depression, many Americans wanted to have fun. harmony, structure and instrumentation. Tucker, Sherrie. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. During the "Roaring * trombone. Starting in the early 1900s, various jazz and traditions have 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. The saxophone section included two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones, and one baritone saxophone. intricate fast rhythms and tremendous During the next decades, ballrooms filled with people doing the jitterbug and Lindy Hop. the following instruments: The The Henderson band is considerably larger than most syncopated dance bands of the 1920s (eight or nine musicians). Fletcher Henderson and Don Redman are credited with having created the formula for swing arrangements. Gloria Parker had a radio program on which she conducted the largest all-girl orchestra led by a female. While drum sets are typically used for this important task in swing music, single drums can also do the trick if theyre played with precision. 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. completely abandoned the song's melody, which has made this style less Fitzgerald recorded several standards that became hit songs. Boogie-woogie is characterized by its well-known New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Cool Jazz The looser compositional forms encouraged contributions from the players. In swing, the saxophone was usually featured as the leading instrumental soloist. And what better instrument to provide a bona fide rhythm for a swing band than a set of drums? Most swing was performed by Big Bands, which were literally big bands, divided into trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a rhythm section consisting mostly of drums, bass, guitar, and piano. (As told to Albert Murray). The rhythm section would typically include piano, string bass, drum set, with occasional additions of guitar or other chordal/melody instruments. The Glenn Miller band was one of the most popular bands of the Swing Era. Pop Brass Sample Libraries: A Buyers Guide - Sound On Sound Armstrong (nicknamed [51] Fictionalized biographical films of Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman were made in the 1950s. The focus shifted away from the arranger and toward the improvising performer. Up until that time, it was viewed with ridicule and looked upon as a curiosity. [1][2] The division in early big bands, from the 1920s to 1930s, was typically two or three trumpets, one or two trombones, three or four saxophones, and a rhythm section of four instruments. New York in the late 1920s. DAVIS was one of the first jazz artist to cross over and adopt elements of [48][49][50] Big band remotes on the major radio networks spread the music from ballrooms and clubs across the country during the 1930s and 1940s, with remote broadcasts from jazz clubs continuing into the 1950s on NBC's Monitor. (who are noted for their blending of Afro-Cuban jazz elements within a Keyboards are some of the most versatile instruments out there. style, boogie-woogie was born. The Glenn Miller Band worked the best jobs and recorded often. in its strictest They gave a greater role to bandleaders, arrangers, and sections of instruments rather than soloists. [47] In Kansas City and across the Southwest, an earthier, bluesier style was developed by such bandleaders as Bennie Moten and, later, by Jay McShann and Jesse Stone. Swing music was performed by a larger ensemble consisting of saxophones (sometimes also clarinets), trumpets, and trombones. have emerged: "Free jazz" (a "random" loosely-structured Swing was hugely popular - in fact, it was the pop music of the 1930's. It was mostly performed by Big Bands, which were large orchestras divided into trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a rhythm section (which consisted of the drums, bass, guitar and piano). is exactly what the jazz musician does to keep track of the blues formone