Chapter Eighteen Improvisation and Form
New Orleans at the Turn of the 20th Century A Blending of 3 Musical Styles: ∑Folk Music Celtic-English-French African-American (Slave Songs) ∑Popular Music “Gay 90’s” Songs Vaudeville Songs Minstrel Songs ∑Light Classical Music (Parlor Songs) Operettas Chautauqua
New Orleans at the Turn of the 20th Century Instrumental/Stylistic Influences: ∑Military Bands (cheap musical instruments) ∑Ragtime (syncopation) ∑The Blues (call and response)
Important Musical Elements in Jazz Vocal Inflections “Blue” notes Bending pitches (melismas) Word painting
Important Musical Elements in Jazz Rhythmic Elements: ∑Steady Tempo (Pulse) ∑Syncopation ∑Repetition of Short Patterns (riffs) ∑Call and Response
Swing –– Early 30’s to Late 40’s Big Bands Fletcher Henderson Duke Ellington Count Basie Benny Goodman Dorsey Brothers Glenn Miller Combos Art Tatum Lionel Hampton Ben Webster Lester Young Jonah Jones Django Reinhardt
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington [ ] Pianist Composer/Arranger Band Leader
Diversity and Breadth of his Style: Characteristics of his Music Arrangements Film Scores Romantic Ballads Exotic Works Concert Works Sacred Works Concerto-Type Works Swinging Instrumentals with Jazz Solos
Duke’s Arranging is Unique Diversity of themes within a single piece Block Scoring Voicing Across Sections Wordless Vocals Parts written for unique capabilities of musicians Mixture of improvised parts with prewritten parts