American Popular Music Three Early Jazz Styles

Louis Armstrong This style is called “dixieland jazz.” Some of the old time guys prefer NEW ORLEANS STYLE jazz because of politics ~ Three substyles: rough, hot or sweet

Dixieland Jazz Instruments: Horns: trumpet (lead), clarinet, trombone Rhythm section: piano, drums, bass and guitar/or banjo (originally no piano, since they moved around)

“I’m not Rough” 12-bar blues Collective improvisation (rooted in African slave traditions) Everyone making up their own part at the same time simultaneously, from their head, not written down.

“Hotter than Hot” Obviously, the “hot” style More upbeat tempo Louis Armstrong plays trumpet and sings in “scat” style Less collective improvisation, more individual improvisation

Late Dixieland (1929?) “Basin Street Blues” More refined, “sweet” style Marks the transition to swing style Saxophone used instead of clarinet

Swing Era Jazz We still have the rhythm section: piano, bass, drums and guitar But now there are multiple instruments: 5 saxes (some “double” on clarinet) 4 trumpets 3 or 4 trombones

Count Basie “One O’ Clock Jump” Still utilizes the 12-bar blues format, Just no singing Less collective improvisation, things are more written out. This is called “arranging” Still have individual solos, and they’re longer The music is arranged

Swing Era, ~1950 “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” Extended solo improvisation Big band (17 or more players)

Nat King Cole African-American artist Originally a piano player, became more well known for his singing This is also about 1950— But with a return to a smaller ensemble, known as a “combo”

review Dixieland Jazz (hot, rough, sweet) Instruments of the Dixieland Band Transition to swing era (smoother style, arranged –written out- music, and multiple instruments in the section. Swing: less collective improvisation Return to smaller groups in the late ’50s