swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and

The swing era is thought to be the best time to consider big band music as a concept for music fans. You II era. black jazz musicians developed an intense woodwinds (saxophones, clarinets), brass (trumpets, trombones) and a back-up BASIE popularized "pure" jazz through a "Big Band" Air blown into the tube of the saxophone reverberates as it hits the brass tubing. improvised solo structure on the choruses: (1) piano--Ellington), (2) jazz The Double Bass is shaped like other string instruments such as the guitar or violin. In the early 1950s a smoother, more style, boogie-woogie was born. Congress repealed the Volstead Act, a law that prohibited the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages, in 1933. Big bands generally have four sections: trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and a rhythm section of guitar, piano, double bass, and drums. Cool Jazz As I said before, Swing music is played by Big Bands. Western swing musicians also formed popular big bands during the same period. style based on a faster, danceable beat with featured improvised solos. Swing as popular music usually had vocals, such as Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," and was intended for dancing. Apart from the star soloists, many musicians received low wages and would abandon the tour if bookings disappeared. In 1927, he taught music at Manassas High School in Memphis and organized a student jazz band. Other research interests include African popular music and the use of oral history and photography in the study of culture. New York in the late 1920s. Here are the five most common swing band instruments, and how they commonly fit into swing music. for hits such as Take the A Train, and Satin Doll, as well as colorful and (of the Dave Brubeck Quartet that also featured alto saxophonist Paul DESMOND), The band severed ties with the school in 1941 to claim professional status. Ive listed someSwing Era Jazz musicians below. "Fusion" in its strictest hbbd``b`:$g@Hp,@,Fb 0 O3 alto saxophone. often feature virtuoso performers, on began to emerge from the vocal blues 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. D. in History from the University of California, Berkeley. His sax playing is distinguished by a full tone, flowing lines, and heavy vibrato. (1937). 2. While the trumpet is commonly featured in a swing band, a saxophone is also often used to enhance melodies. She led her Swingphony while playing marimba. Bandleaders dealt with these obstacles through rigid discipline (Glenn Miller) and canny psychology (Duke Ellington). Starting in the early 1900s, various jazz and traditions have Nostalgia for the Big Band style has kept it alive today. trombone. introduction, the main theme, and four varied improvised choruses. accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). These bands had identifiable leaders, such as Glenn Miller and the Dorsey brothers, who placed their individual stamps on their musical arrangements. And after years of economic depression, many Americans wanted to have fun. The instrumental lineup of a big band will vary from ensemble to ensemble, but is typically composed of around 17 musicians, divided into four sections: five saxophones; four trombones; four trumpets; a rhythm section of piano, double bass and drums; Common additions might include guitar, french horn, tuba or a vocalist. is America's Jazz orchestras were necessary for the shows and musicals, and well-trained musicians were highly valued. Swing music ruled the airwaves and the dance floors throughout the 1930s to the mid-40s, and the artists that led swing bands became internationally beloved celebrities. 3. Big band swing was at the forefront of jazz and underwent its most concentrated growth and development from 1930 . Short, repeated refrains or phrases, or riffs, are common in jazz. ARMSTRONG took "Hot" Jazz to Chicago, where its popularity grew His efforts helped make it possible for jazz musicians to earn a decent wage. The swing era represented the pinnacle of jazzs popularity. piece several times, but the most famous is from 1942, with the following However, its so large that its most often placed upright next to the bassist when its being played. So the Swing Era was during the Depression and it acted as a kind of counter-statement or rebellion against the unemployment and misery that the Depression caused. CROSBY, Frank SINATRA, and Doris DAY, who blossomed as featured vocalists with prominent bands Swing as Popular Music 1. 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. In the late 1940s, progressive But there were a few instrumental popular hits, such as Count Basie's "One O'Clock Jump" and Miller's "In the Mood." 3. New York was an important geographic area for the developments leading toward the swing style of jazz. 1570 0 obj <>stream 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"? A prominent feature of swing music is a leading brass section, which is often provided by a trumpet. In the 1960s, Gunther SCHULLER developed a style known as "Third Swing grew out of New Orleans Jazz and the evolved into Bebop. When the tradition came back full-circle into vocal jazz with a [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. The term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music, although this was not the . The size could be anywhere from about 12 to 30 players. This was in part due to a political organization called the Pendergast Machine which encouraged a nightclub atmosphere. The Music . In the mid-1930s and early 1940s, The Henderson band is considerably larger than most syncopated dance bands of the 1920s (eight or nine musicians). Along with clarinetist Goodman, this band included three trumpets, two trombones, four saxophones, and a four-man rhythm section with guitar and string bass instead of the heavier-sounding banjo and tuba of earlier bands. A unique feature of this style was the use of riffs performed as call and response between woodwinds and brass as an integral part of the arrangement heard in Bennie Motens Moten Swing (1932) and Count Basies One OClock Jump (1937). They danced to recordings and the radio and attended live concerts. 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 latter included blues, ballads, novelty songs, and Broadway tunes. When new arrangements are written, they are usually in the same style as the original band. Saxophones also feature a number of keys built into the main section of the tube; these keys can change the pitch or note being played. [19], It is useful to distinguish between the roles of composer, arranger and leader. Tucker, Sherrie. progression and the same number of measures/beats, but it may be applied to Maria Schneider assisted Gil Evans, wrote for Woody Herman and Mel Lewis, and has conducted jazz orchestras around the world. Glenn Miller (19041944) was a brilliant arranger, an outstanding businessman, and a fine trombone player. Figure 1: The Western Jazz Quartet (piano: Professor Daniels book publications include Lester Leaps In: The Life and Times of Lester Pres Young (Beacon, 2002); Pioneer Urbanites: A Social and Cultural History of Black San Francisco; and One Oclock Jump: The Unforgettable History of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils (Beacon Press, 2006). In the early years of Jazz, and up until the Swing Era, the piano was still very much rooted in the rhythm section of the band. violin--Ray Nance), (3) trumpet--Rex Stewart, (4) tenor saxBen Webster, - (5) tromboneJoe Nanton, and (6) clarinetBarney Bigard. From three to five plyers on each instrument might be used. After 1935, big bands rose to prominence playing swing music and held a major role in defining swing as a distinctive style. In the mid-1930s and early 1940s, basic chord progression of a 12-bar blues in the key of "C": (click here to see animated %PDF-1.5 % During the 1930s, Earl Hines and his band broadcast from the Grand Terrace in Chicago every night across America. is exactly what the jazz musician does to keep track of the blues formone (1899-1974): The Loops are played at 120 and 125 bpm. Jazz Appreciation ICQ (In-Class Quiz) #6 Hearing The Difference: Bebop and Swing - know the three major aural differences between these two eras The Swing Era: The Players and The Features - know names of artists; lists of features-Societal features Jazz's most popular eradominated the mainstream of American popular music Purpose of music primarily for dancing Millions of records sold . Hammond, John. This expansive eclecticism characterized much of jazz after World War II. During the 1920s, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Dallas were vital crossroads resulting in a mix of musical styles and cultures. Coleman Hawkins (19041969) was the first great saxophonist of jazz. Count Basie's saxophone section included. [28] This development may take the form of improvised solos, written solo sections, and "shout choruses". By the end of the war, swing was giving way to less danceable music, such as bebop. Miller went in debt to start his band but was a millionaire within two years. "Swing" feeling: The rhythmic phenomenon of "swing" feeling is The dance duo Vernon and Irene Castle popularized the foxtrot while accompanied by the Europe Society Orchestra led by James Reese Europe. 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 most basic element of a song is also one of the most important a good rhythm. 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. serene style of "cool jazz" became the rage on the west coast. The first jazz concert, called A Swing Music Concert took place in 1936 in New York City. [1], One of the first bands to accompany the new rhythms was led by a drummer, Art Hickman, in San Francisco in 1916. That makes them the shrimp or Andouille sausage in the Gumbo that is swing music. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex His music was a combination of solo and ensemble playing. His bebop collaborations with trumpeter Dizzy GILLESPIE are some of the greatest moments in music history. bWkwf>JW'wJj_]6/?NxP]-0_wg"2;WjbuY5sujr7g/sueG>trp~ZBV7]M(//m!o/f[^fb]x>f]aX?UnAW|ng)]s? Compared to Dixieland bands, swing bands used two or three times as many players and produced a fuller sound. [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. NY: Penguin Books:1977. interacts with the bass and drums, and how the beat is divided up in complex He was also one Gloria Parker had a radio program on which she conducted the largest all-girl orchestra led by a female. Ellington recorded this Perhaps it started with the habanera in Mortons early compositions, and in the bridge of W. C. Handys St. Many of the better known bands reflected the individuality of the bandleader, the lead arranger, and the personnel. virtuosity. So lets quickly take a look at all three genres: Lets dive into these characteristics of Swing Music a little deeper:
[21] Bandleaders are typically performers who assemble musicians to form an ensemble of various sizes, select or create material for them, shape the musics dynamics, phrasing, and expression in rehearsals, and lead the group in performance often while playing alongside them. Since he could not read music, Webb memorized the arrangements. ways. harmony, structure and instrumentation. Ornette Coleman in the 1960s. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. uses "call and response" Dance bands had made phonograph records since the days of ragtime. Bluesy feel (often using a 12 Bar Blues structure), Songs that were based and structured around riffs. Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. [52], Schuller, Gunther. The lyrics kept within these traditions. [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. jazz techniques into a more heavily-arranged "big-band" white swing 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. This exact format is employed today by the many high school and college jazz ensembles around the country as well as overseas. is called the ", The has undergone several stylisdtic transformations, the most significant of which Swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and trombones The invention of ______ helped the record industry to recover in the mid-1930s. The project is also supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Big bands maintained a presence on American television, particularly through the late-night talk show, which has historically used big bands as house accompaniment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Keyboards are the swing band equivalent of rice in Gumbo. ", One of the most common forms used in jazz For the sentence below, write prepositional phrase and underline the preposition. 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. 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. 1930s, jazz expanded into a "Big Band" phenomenon with Duke Ellington Fletcher Henderson (18971952) is credited with creating the pattern for swing arrangements. photo by Patricia Schneider. Big Bands began to appear in movies in the 1930s through the 1960s, though cameos by bandleaders were often stiff and incidental to the plot.Shep Fields appeared with his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra in a playful and integrated animated performance of "This Little Ripple Had Rhythm" in the musical extravaganza The Big Broadcast of 1938. more traditional instruments such as horn, cello, flute and oboe. The saxophonist Gerry MULLIGAN (of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet HWYo8~G ("b+[:r$%_r8oFdnIt]5pu\Kr|z~+au/I8vTm3}` e . Some large contemporary European jazz ensembles play mostly avant-garde jazz using the instrumentation of the big bands. To produce memorable swing music entertainment, you need a solid base, some leading ingredients and some harmonic elements. [36]:p.31, Before 1910, social dance in America was dominated by steps such as the waltz and polka. The rhythm section would typically include piano, string bass, drum set, with occasional additions of guitar or other chordal/melody instruments. here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of They can be used to produce a melody or harmony for nearly every musical style. In the mid-1930s, he was the featured soloist in the Basie Orchestra. 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).