Chapter 5 Early New Orleans and Chicago Style Jazz

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 2 New Orleans Style So named because New Orleans contained the largest number of jazz musicians prior to 1920 (note - the labels jazz and Dixieland were not used prior to 1917)

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 3 Dixieland is now used as a label to describe a jazz style played prior to the swing era Styles resembling jazz may have been heard in different parts of the country prior the 1920s The unique cultural blend and important individuals made New Orleans style noteworthy

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 4 Dixieland developed concurrently with ragtime Ragtime mostly a solo piano style –Syncopated texture –Left hand alternates bass notes and chords –Right hand plays syncopated melodies Ragtime based on specific forms Ragtime performed at social gatherings, theatres, bars

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 5 Dixieland Style Ensemble based Syncopation occurs in front line instruments Steady rhythm created by rhythm section Music was interactive Performed for dancing, parades, funerals, etc.

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 6 Bands had unique personality traits based upon the members and the specific engagement Listen to demonstration 2

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 7 Storryville New Orleans notorious red-light district from Most clubs had bands or pianists competing for business

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 8 Instrumental roles -front line- Trumpet –Played the melody because it was the loudest instrument –Melody could be decorated but must be recognized Trombone –Played lower harmonic notes –Clarified the harmonic movement Clarinet (dual role) –Harmonized or played countermelody –Created momentum by its agility

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 9 Rhythm section Comprised of drum, banjo, and tuba Could be marched with Provided a steady flat four rhythm

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 10 Structure Ensemble (chorus) Solos Return to ensemble

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 11 Early New Orleans style featured more ensemble than individual solos Solos were generally short Listen to “Dippermouth Blues” CD 1 track 11

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 12 Sidney Bechet ( ) One of the earliest soloists to emerge from New Orleans Played clarinet and soprano saxophone Rich sound and signature fast vibrato Internationally known Listen to “Maple Leaf Rag” CD 1 track 12

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 13 The “King” Term used to designate the most prominent trumpeter of the day in New Orleans –Buddy Bolden ( ) –Freddy Keppard ( ) –Joe Oliver ( ) Last to be designated “King”

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 14 Louis Armstrong ( )

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 15 Early biography Born in New Orleans Began playing coronet while in a home for colored waifs Became a protégé of “King” Oliver around 1917 Followed Oliver to Chicago around 1922

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 16 -continued- Moved to New York in 1924 to play with Fletcher Henderson Made first recordings as a leader in 1926 Declared at that time to be the “World’s Greatest Trumpeter” Listen to “West End Blues” CD 1, track 13

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 17 Historic importance of Louis Armstrong Widely imitated original melodic vocabulary Impeccable sense of timing and drama Virtuoso ability on the trumpet Original vocal style - “scat singing” International goodwill ambassador

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 18 Chicago Style While jazz was flourishing in many cities and on radio in the 1920s, Chicago was central due, in part, to the support of organized crime

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 19 Features of Chicago style Saxophone (usually tenor) was added Guitar replaced banjo More elaborate arrangements Soloists became more important Rhythm changed to 2-beat Refer to demonstration 5

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 20 Chicago’s finest Many musicians followed Armstrong’s lead –Earl Hines ( ) pianist and friend of Armstrong –Austin High Gang, young white musicians from the West side –Benny Goodman ( ), clarinetist later would become the “King of Swing”

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 21 Later developments Chicago style Dixieland still popular –Most Dixieland is played in Chicago Style Seldom played as it was originally Style was perpetuated by larger orchestras such as those led by Bob Crosby, and Jimmy Dorsey

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 22 The blues have been played and sung in every era of jazz They are performed with many different interpretations from slow and sad to happy and rollicking

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 23 The blues first entered the American mainstream as a published music during reconstruction. The earliest blues tunes did not always follow a particular form or harmonic structure. They were instead identified by the manner of performance.

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 24 Blue Notes Blue notes can be defined as tones that may have resulted from West African vocal styles with approximate pitches found between Western European scale tones. Jazz musicians have always tended to bend and twist notes in this vocal manner.

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 25 Field and Prison Hollers Early plantation work songs evolved into solo hollers or cries as a means of social interaction These can later be heard in urban areas as sung by street vendors Or by prison inmates during forced labor

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 26 Field and prison hollers contributed to the vocal styles associated with the blues. Wind and stringed instruments were able to adapt to these vocal styles.

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 27 Blues Lyrics Generally written in iambic pentameter - featuring five accented syllables 3 four-measure phrases were completed with an improvised fill-in

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 28 Examples of Blues Tunes “Fine and Mellow” - Billie Holliday CD 1 track 5 “Lost Your Head Blues” - Bessie Smith Smithsonian Collection CD 1 track 4

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 29 W.C. Handy “Father of the Blues” Handy proved that money could be made from writing and publishing blues songs.

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 30 Handy’s two most famous songs were: “The Memphis Blues” written in 1909 for a political rally “St. Louis Blues” written in 1914 and performed by Bessie smith with Louis Armstrong in 1925

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 31 Country and Urban Blues - two basic periods Pre-1930: Country or Rural style –Best known early artists were: Robert Johnson, Huddie Ledbetter, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Blind Lemon Jefferson Post 1930: City or Urban style –Best known early artists were mostly women: Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Ethel Waters

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 32 Bessie Smith ( ) “Empress of the Blues” Best known blues singer of the 1920’s First recorded in 1923 Sold over 4 million records by 1927 Recorded with many early jazz musicians including Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Goodman Died penniless in 1937 after having sold over 10 million records

© 2009 McGraw-Hill All Rights Reserved 33 Contemporary Blues The blues is a tradition that many historic styles of music have borrowed from - including jazz B.B. King and others have carried on the blues tradition, while legendary jazz performers have continued to draw upon the style throughout the history of jazz.