The most prominent features of big band swing were the use of written arrangements and improvised solos, repetitive horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie type bass lines. Swing bands featured orchestras with sections of trumpets, saxophones, and. Benny Goodman (19091986) was a superior clarinetist who began appearing on stage by the age of twelve. The music of Count Basie (19041984) represents a leading voice in the big band style. [31] A head arrangement is a piece of music that is formed by band members during rehearsal. [28] This development may take the form of improvised solos, written solo sections, and "shout choruses". His efforts helped make it possible for jazz musicians to earn a decent wage. Jazz orchestras were necessary for the shows and musicals, and well-trained musicians were highly valued. Swing music began appearing in the early 1930s and was distinguished by a more supple feel than the more literal 44 of early jazz. leaders in America. He toured in many parts of the world and was also commissioned to record classical compositions. The string bass replaced the tuba and the guitar replaced the banjo. Figure 1: The Western Jazz Quartet (piano: It is usually played by big band ensembles that use a rhythm section with drums, bass, sometimes a guitar, and almost always a piano, a brass section of trumpets and trombones, and a reed section of saxophones and clarinets. The size could be anywhere from about 12 to 30 players. While the trumpet is commonly featured in a swing band, a saxophone is also often used to enhance melodies. the 1930s, famed jazz pianists Edward "Duke" Many bands toured the country in grueling one-night stands. The Dorsey Brothers started with a large-band version of Dixieland featuring singer Bob Crosby who later developed his own band. As the soloistic improvisations intensified, bebop players such as saxophonist Charlie "Bird" PARKER often 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). harmony, structure and instrumentation. Unlike the concert band, the lead players should never be seated on the end of the section. Compared to Dixieland bands, swing bands used two or three times as many players and produced a fuller sound. 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? listeners to love jazz.. 1554 0 obj <> endobj By the end of the war, swing was giving way to less danceable music, such as bebop. Goodmans clarinet playing was a combination of great wit, precise musicianship, beautiful subtleties, and never-ending swing. Playing multiple riffs playing at once as a kind of call and response. Boyd Raeburn drew from symphony orchestras by adding flute, French horn, strings, and timpani to his band. Henderson and arranger Don Redman followed the template of King Oliver, but as the 1920s progressed they moved away from the New Orleans format and transformed jazz. It was all about showmanship which is epitomised by people like Cab Calloway and Fats Waller. [7][8], Jazz ensembles numbering eight (octet), nine (nonet) or ten (tentet) voices are sometimes called "little big bands". In 1919, Paul Whiteman hired Grof to use similar techniques for his band. Rhythm Section: (click here to see a YouTube style, boogie-woogie was born. She led her Swingphony while playing marimba. shows the development of the main jazz styles in relation to other aspects of here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of Duke Ellington at one time used six trumpets. ways. Fletchers [Henderson] band had the same elements; so did Benny Motens back in 1932, when Basie played with him., Every week they would feature a guest band at the Savoy Ballroom. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first multiethnic all-female swing band, formed in 1937 at Piney Woods County Life School, Mississippi. The embellishments gradually became more adventurous, but they were generally always played with the melody in mind. premiered. The Lindy Hop became popular again and young people took an interest in big band styles again. Fitzgerald was unique in her ability to render exact imitations of nearly any instrument in the band. Guitar, Organ, Banjo), - One or more solo As a result, employment opportunities for jazz musicians increased and Kansas City became a jazz mecca. (1937). Swing bands featured orchestras with sections of trumpets, saxophones, and _________________. Swing bands featured a large ensemble of woodwinds (saxophones, clarinets), brass (trumpets, trombones) and a back-up accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). initiated by a 4-measure lead-in improvised over a "C" chord But Chick Webbs band would cut them., The one radio voice that I listened to above others belonged to Ella Fitzgerald. art form--a unique blending of West African and Western European/American and Benny Goodman (who took jazz to Hollywood in the mid-1930s). saxophonist Gerry MULLIGAN (of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet Hendersons arrangements used tighter harmonic control, less emphasis on improvisation, and a controlled use of polyphony. Orchestra. improvised solo structure on the choruses: (1) piano--Ellington), (2) jazz Coast" Cool Jazz emerged, using The focus shifted away from the arranger and toward the improvising performer. projected in the way the drums and bass express the beat, how the piano sense means to merge styles together. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s when swing was most popular. harmony. of many things they must think about while they are playing. The composer writes original music that will be performed by individuals or groups of various sizes, while the arranger adapts the work of composers in a creative way for a performance or recording. . Sometimes bandstands were too small, public address systems inadequate, pianos out of tune. The style features prominent horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a consistent rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie-type bass lines. She recorded with various jazz orchestras, including her own (Long Gone Blues, 1939) and those led by Benny Goodman (Your Mothers Son-in-Law, 1933) and Teddy Wilson (Sugar, 1939). (Change the second verb to the future progressive form.). Thats intentional; the individual style of each swing band is what makes the music unique, much as the seasoning used in a particular Gumbo can make it one of a kind. A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. When you mentioned the word Jazz to the average person, they probably think of Swing music, and for good reason. 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. 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. Da Capo Reprint Paperback, 1973. 3 4 5 6 7 8, - KC Jazz is characterised by: And because KC Jazzsongs were riff based, they were often played from memory by the band (rather than from sheet music). Keyboards are the swing band equivalent of rice in Gumbo. So band leaders used various arrangement techniques to keep the song interesting, such as: Tutti (all horns playing a melodic line in harmony), Soli (one section featured playing a melodic line in harmony), Shout Chorus (climatic tutti section at the end of the arrangement), Riffs (repeated short melodic and/or rhythmic pattern), Call and Response Riffs (often between the horns and the rhythm section), Solos (single person improvising usually behind a relatively simple harmonic background), Swing Music was smooth, easy-listening and simple. (called a "chorus"). introduction, the main theme, and four varied improvised choruses. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. Big bands generally have four sections: trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and a rhythm section of guitar, piano, double bass, and drums. This pattern reinforced the second and fourth beat of every measure and later became known as a back beat. Additionally, the drummer accommodated the improvisations of soloists, providing a non-intrusive, laid-back swing pattern. 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. 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. Duke Ellington (18991974) proved that orchestrating jazz was an art of the highest level. black jazz musicians developed an intense [52], Schuller, Gunther. Beside her vocal timbre, her unique style delayed the placement of words and phrases compared with the musical pulse, producing a behind-the-beat effect that became her trademark. Much like the stock in Gumbo, it provides an essential rhythmic and harmonic element in swing music. Swing is a term often used in reference to large dance bands of 15 or more musicians that played written arrangements using improvised sections alternating with arranged passages by brass and/or reeds. [30], Some big ensembles, like King Oliver's, played music that was half-arranged, half-improvised, often relying on head arrangements. Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie. A ballad is a simple song, usually romantic in nature, and uses the same melody for each stanza. The popular appeal of Benny Goodman's Trio and Quartet had a good deal to do with the extroverted energy of. endstream endobj startxref The "white" bands of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Shep Fields and, later, Glenn Miller were more popular than their "black" counterparts from the middle of the decade. They provide the base, the foundation on which the rest of the music can thrive. Goodmans band was the first to integrate black and white musicians. A drummer, bass player (string bass), piano player, and guitarist formed the rhythm section. . Beginning in the mid-1920s, big bands, then typically consisting of 10-25 pieces, came to dominate popular music. The Ellington orchestra succeeded in part through the expert use and contribution of consistently talented and unique players. 1570 0 obj <>stream The dance duo Vernon and Irene Castle popularized the foxtrot while accompanied by the Europe Society Orchestra led by James Reese Europe. "C" Jam Blues (1942). The music business suffered during the Great Depression. In addition, Miller had a radio program and made motion pictures. Her version of the nursery rhyme A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1938) brought her international fame. For example, Tommy Dorsey played with a beautiful tone and control on the trombone. Some large contemporary European jazz ensembles play mostly avant-garde jazz using the instrumentation of the big bands. This lineup was typical of swing era bands. And they played a particular type of Swing in Kansas City known as: Kansas City Jazz. ensemble intimate style of Dixieland jazz into a harder-edged full band sound. 20th-century popular music and culture. And because of this, Swing had a greater emphasis on written-out composition and arrangements. (5) tromboneJoe Nanton, and (6) clarinetBarney Bigard. GILLESPIE: Koko (1945). Other research interests include African popular music and the use of oral history and photography in the study of culture. As a result of the military draft and transportation hardships in the U.S., the swing era ended quickly. [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. The repertoire of swing bands featured both jazz and popular arrangements. Her vocal command expanded to an unusual range of four octaves, and she is best known for her melodic approach to scatting. Ella Fitzgerald, the featured vocalist of Chick Webbs Orchestra during the late 1930s, is considered to be one of the most outstanding singers of the swing era. In the late 1990s, there was a swing revival in the U.S. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. However, jazz continued its artistic evolution as swing became established around 1929. Daniels, Douglas. In the early 1970s, Miles Davis began exploring Swing is an outgrowth of the 1920s big band traditions in Chicago, Kansas City, and New York City. (say, the brass section, i.e., trumpets and trombones) would play a musical phrase and then be "answered" by another section (say, the . 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 From the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band leaders in America. hbbd``b`:$g@Hp,@,Fb 0 O3 have emerged: "Free jazz" (a "random" loosely-structured 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. Trumpets A prominent feature of swing music is a leading brass section, which is often provided by a trumpet. are described below. Jazz elements into his famous musical, Bandleader Charlie Barnet's recording of "Cherokee" in 1942 and "The Moose" in 1943 have been called the beginning of the bop era. A prominent feature of swing music is a leading brass section, which is often provided by a trumpet. With the exception of Jelly Roll Morton, who continued playing in the New Orleans style, bandleaders paid attention to the demand for dance music and created their own big bands. Guiding Principals. A cheap & cheerful collection of up-tempo sax, trumpet and trombone funky licks featuring over 350 ensemble phrases, solos, trills and stabs for house, disco, electro-swing and quirky big-band-infused electronica. These consist of the independent use of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and rhythm section with the use of soloists. II era. Company B, was popularized through records and film by The Andrews Sisters during World War and ingenuity. In Harlem, the creative and literary arts, Black musicals, and big band entertainment flourished within the movement known as the Harlem Renaissance, in which music played as great or possibly a greater role than literature. leaders in America. Short, repeated refrains or phrases, or riffs, are common in jazz. This intermingling of sections became a defining characteristic of big bands. trombonist Glenn MILLER incorporated Four trombones comprised the trombone section. Latin-based rock idiom). Scat singing, along with his gravelly voice, became Armstrongs trademark sound, as heard in Lazy River (1931). ragtime note-for-note. Jazz is America's - jukebox Which changes occurred in the rhythm section during the 1930s? progression and the same number of measures/beats, but it may be applied to Charlie Parkers album South of the Border illustrated the influence of this genre on a bop artist, and the Tokyo Cuban Boys, an Afro-Cuban band dating from the postWorld War II years, exemplified the musics international appeal. These musical ensembles associated with the swing era. Check them out, though Im sure you would already recognise many of them. And after years of economic depression, many Americans wanted to have fun. 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. [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. Only hotel-type bands such as that of Guy Lombardo and select jazz players such as Benny Goodman found consistent employment. more traditional instruments such as horn, cello, flute and oboe. Up until that time, it was viewed with ridicule and looked upon as a curiosity. was introduced with greater emphasis on the soloist. He was a pianist, accompanist, and music director for blues singers, dancers, and comedians. The Cotton Club, Harlem, New York City, early 1930s. In the mid-1930s, he was the featured soloist in the Basie Orchestra. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex Mary Lou Williams (19101981) was the first woman in jazz history to compose and arrange for a large jazz band. style promoted by Ornette COLEMAN and John COLTRANE), which has raised a continuing controversy about [19], It is useful to distinguish between the roles of composer, arranger and leader. As swing developed, the second player became responsible for most of the jazz solos. Keyboards are some of the most versatile instruments out there. The Cotton Club started in Harlem before it moved downtown. Kansas City was busy with musical activity from the early 1920s to about 1938. By this time the big band was such a dominant force in jazz that the older generation found they either had to adapt to it or simply retire. The Timeline of African American Music by Portia K. Maultsby, Ph.D. presents the remarkable diversity of African American music, revealing the unique characteristics of each genre and style, from the earliest folk traditions to present-day popular music.