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Home , Basin Street Blues, Scat singing

Jazz – AoS 2 – (Shared Music)

Don’t forget you also study American and as part of the roots of Salsa – It won’t be covered here

Roots – started in USA in early C 20th A Fusion of music of African slaves who had just been freed and European music (white people) Started off as (see below) in . This style goes strong today. 1920s spread to Chicago (the era of the prohibition of alcohol, gangsters etc) Seen as immoral as there was often a Dixieland in the illegal bars. Dixieland Example – when the Saints go marching in. Lots of independent parts, solos. More Dixieland - ignore the fact it looks modern and they are white people playing

Developed into Swing in 1930/40s. Much more popular as it could be danced to. This became more mainstream. Swing example – has a Big Band playing it here. It don't a thing if it ain’t got that swing – again with big band accompaniment.

1940s happened. – lots of improvisation, faster, complex rhythms. Bebop example – much faster and more complicated than the swing. There is some commentary here which is worth listening to. Another Bebop example

Dixieland – Came from New Orleans Mix of march music, , . The bad reputation (see above) was mainly because of segregation where black people were not allowed to be in the same places as white. So illegal bars and brothels were where it was performed. Tune shared between a few instruments, trumpet and trombone and clarinet for example. Has a full polyphonic texture – all parts are independent and move at different times. blues is a really famous song. here – don’t be fooled by the blues title. Listen out for the independent parts, that wouldn’t necessarily happen in the blues. Often has verses where different solos happen. Call and response amongst players and sometime singers. That voice you HAVE TO RECOGNISE. He is .

Instruments – A typical Jazz band has… The Front row - Trumpet Trombone Clarinet (saxophones came later as they weren’t invented yet.) These instruments too the solos and did most of the improvising. Rhythm Section – Piano guitar double bass. (Don’t forget if it was more “portable” band, the piano isn’t that portable – ie wouldn’t go out on the streets with it! If is was a big band there would be more of each instrument, definitely saxophones of all varieties. Maybe 4 of each instrument (not piano). That’s why it’s a BIG band! More modern? - the double bass maybe replaced by a bass guitar.

Syncopation – Off beat notes literally. Uneven quavers is called swing and is similar. Emphasis on unusual beats of the bar. Stems back to African slaves and drumming rhythms which were very complicated. That influence has got into the tunes of jazz.

Improvisation – Making it up as you go along. If you know what the chord structure is going to be, then you can make a tune that fits the other players. It’s just a learned skill but sounds really good. If you do it fast enough, then almost any notes will fit. 12 bar blues is a typical “set pattern” of chords. I I I I OR 1 1 1 1 or C C C C IV IV I I 4 4 1 1 F F C C V IV I I 5 4 1 1 G F C C This can be put in any key. Have a go at improvising be recording the chord pattern on a keyboard and playing over the top.

A singer might use nonsense words or sounds this is called scat . – Has Louis Armstrong in it again. He scats at about better Scat example

Written down or not? – Well think about it. If you write down and improvisation, is it improvised anymore?

Famous jazz performers and musicians – Louis Armstrong – examples above here The band leader is him

Famous pieces – these are called “Jazz Standards” to those in the industry I Got Rhythm here My Funny Valentine sung by Ella Fitzgerald Take the A Train With Duke Ellington Playing