The Roots of Jazz

The Birth of Jazz -The roots of jazz in and around New Orleans extend back into the second half of the 19th century (maybe even earlier). -Brass bands, made up of African Americans, played there during the War of 1812. -these bands did not always follow the correct rhythms. -direct ancestors of jazz along with spirituals and blues. -used classical instruments, but in unique ways

What is Jazz? -In the beginning, jazz was referred to as “novelty” or “minstrel” music. -the word jazz did not appear until 1917. -jazz – a musical form distinguished by its reliance on improvisation and its rhythmic urgency. -The skill and inventiveness of individual performers is key to the music. -soloists improvise melodies rhythmically by shifting accents to weak beats (syncopation). -The rhythm of jazz is polyrhythmic. -polyrhythmic – juxtaposing two or more different rhythms.

-An early style of jazz piano playing. “Stride” Piano -An early style of jazz piano playing. -Often used by Eubie Blake, James P. Johnston, and Earl Hines. -built on a steady, oom-pa, timekeeping left-hand bass. -Against the steady left hand rhythm, the right hand shifts the accents as it embellished the tune. -A good stride pianist could imitate an entire band. Erroll Gardner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byHu3p6KloQ

-Influenced future generations of pianists: -Thomas “Fats” Waller -The early ragtime and stride pianists were influential in carving out an important place for the piano in jazz. -Influenced future generations of pianists: -Thomas “Fats” Waller -Art Tatum -Thelonious Monk Thomas “Fats” Waller Art Tatum Thelonious Monk

The Mississippi Connection -In the early decades of the 20th century, musicians headed north from New Orleans up the Mississippi, seeking work in Memphis and St. Louis. -During the Roaring Twenties – also known as the Jazz Age – teens shocked their parents by dancing the Charleston. -This was also the decade the 19th Amendment was passed: -gave women the right to vote -The new jazz sound of this era drew a wider audience. -This music began attracting non-African American musicians. -Predominant style of music was New Orleans Dixieland jazz -bands were small with little duplication of instruments.

-Distinguishing features of Dixieland jazz: -march-like feeling -reliance on duple (2) meter -featured “front line” of instruments – trumpet, clarinet, and trombone -these instruments were usually at the front-line position in New Orleans style marching band -often included banjos and mandolins -melody or lead line usually stands out while others are intentionally less obvious.

-this form derived from spirituals and works songs. -The art of jazz usually involves embellishing the melody of an existing song. -Dixieland jazz bands favored the technique of short “riffs” in a call and response format. -this form derived from spirituals and works songs. -Also used scat singing for improvisations where words usually would be. -Scat singing – a form of vocal improvisation on nonsense syllables (such as doo wah or doo wee) -The song “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” invited this type of improvisation so well that it quickly became a jazz staple. Preservation Hall Jazz band – “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZG82QORnxU

Louis Armstrong -musical prodigy whose talent enabled him to take the trumpet to new heights of musical expression. -His playing was unique, featuring a warm vibrato and an easy full bodied tone through out the range of the instrument. -his mastery influenced countless other musicians, setting a standard for solo jazz artistry.

-This was a trait that many jazz singers later adopted. -Vocally, Armstrong complemented his instrumental improvisations with scat singing. -This was a trait that many jazz singers later adopted. -He would sing a chorus straight, then follow it with an improvised scat chorus -His song stylings were admired and imitated widely for his best selling versions of “Hello Dolly!” and “What a Wonderful World” Hello Dolly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmfeKUNDDYs What a Wonderful World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWzrABouyeE

-The combination of his trumpet genius and his gravelly voiced singing made Armstrong one of the 20th century’s most memorable performers. -As a result of his work on Broadway and radio, and in films and recordings, nearly everyone admired “Satchmo” -He got the nickname, short for “satchel mouth”, because his mouth was unusually large – like an opened-satchel.

Sectional Organization -During the 1920’s, jazz evolved into a sectional form with the full ensemble alternating the solo sections. -If the composition was built on the blues, it typically segmented into 12 or 16 bar sections (remember the 12 bar blues…) -Many of the tunes that were created maintained a basic 32-bar length. -when an instrument would improvise on a chorus, it would usually last 32 bars. -occasionally it included a two bar break just before the 32 section began. -These short beaks were brief improvisations by a jazz instrumentalist or singer that were inserted between ensemble passages. -Being able to distinguish these breaks allows the listener to anticipate the beginning of a new 32-bar section.

-Lil Hardin was the pianist in the Hot Seven band -”Hotter Than That” (1927) provides a good example of the new style “hot” jazz with sectional organization. -Performed by Louis Armstrong, composed by Lil Hardin (Armstrong’s wife). Goals… -Lil Hardin was the pianist in the Hot Seven band -one of the few females working in the jazz world in that time. -Performances of “Hotter Than That” throughout are improvisational within the format of a fairly strict sectional structure. “Hotter Than That” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVNyzDmjZpA

Chicago and the Emergence of Swing -By the time it reached Chicago, jazz had evolved. -The traditional New Orleans Dixieland style remained, but Swing had emerged. -Swing - refers to the special rhythmic character that jazz musicians add to the music. -In effect, this means changing an even duple division of each beat into a loosely skipping, swinging triple feeling. Swing became a label for the style as well as an era (1935-45) of jazz history. Throughout this period, swing music was the rage among teens and young adults.

-Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952) played a pivotal role in the development of the swinging jazz band. -He was a pioneering bandleader, composer, and arranger. -During the 1930s, other bands adopted his style as well as their model. -Although the music could not yet be considered fully developed swing, the roots were certainly there. -Henderson enlarged the band and established the instrumentation that became standard. There were three sections: -A brass section consisting of three trumpets and two trombones (later three trombones). -A reed section consisting of three or four Saxes (these players could double on clarinets). -A rhythm section consisting of drums, piano, guitar, and double bass.

-There was an emphasis on solo playing underscored by arranged accompaniments. -Henderson’s arrangements used a call-and-response form in which each player “took” then “traded” a four-bar solo with another band member. -This phenomenon, called trading fours, became a trademark of swing bands. Sugarfoot Stomp – Fletcher Henderson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU0ybjKEuX8