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Home , Billy Taylor, Bobby Timmons, Bobby Watson, Branford Marsalis, Cow Cow Davenport, Jack Walrath

WELCOME TO CUESHEET, one of a series of performance guides published by the Education Department of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. This Cuesheet is designed to be used before and after attending the performances of The Trio and the Turtle Island String Quartet. What’s in Cuesheet? What is ? page 2 Jazz—An Overview, page 3 Building Blocks of Music, page 4 Improvisation, page 5 Development of Jazz, page 6 Glossary, page 7 Billy Taylor Trio, page 8 Turtle Island String Quartet, page 10 Bibliography and Discography, page 12

Dr. Billy Taylor and the Billy Taylor Trio demonstrate the characteristics of jazz and perform works that show how various styles of jazz developed over the years.

The Turtle Island String Quartet play jazz arrangements and original compo- sitions and discuss the performance techniques used for jazz and related contemporary musical forms. 2 It has been said that there is a style of jazz that sounds like European classical music, a style of jazz that sounds like country and western music, a style of jazz that sounds like Latin music, a style of jazz that sounds like , and styles that sound like various other kinds of music heard in this country and elsewhere in the world.

Dr.What Billy Taylor, the renowned isjazz artist/educa-JAZZ?“Comparing styles is the best tor/composer/author answered this question by way to discover that stating that, Jazz is America’s there is no one way of classical“ music. It is an playing jazz, for there are American way of playing as many different ways of music.” playing the music as there are musicians playing it.” Jazz has developed as a musical language from Dr. Billy Taylor* a single expression of the consciousness of — black people to a national music which You will learn about three expresses Americana to Americans as well as to important elements in music— people from other countries. melody, harmony, and rhythm. You will also learn about impro- Jazz has been a major influence on the music visation—an important part of a of the world for more than ninety years. jazz performance. You will learn that every jazz musician is a composer, and improvisation is instant composition. Take a look at the glossary of terms on page 7 before attend- ing the presentations.

*quotes throughout are from Taylor, Billy. Jazz Piano—A Jazz History. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, 1983. and Taylor, Billy; Stokolosa, MaryAnn; Bass, Mickey. Music Activities Packet. :

Jazzmobile, Inc., 1979. Quartet Island String Turtle 3 Jazz History and Development other types of music found in their her- An Overview itage. Africans created American music as they adapted to this new land and Jazz is an art form that originated and faced the conditions of slavery. used as a medium of expression by African Americans. It emerged from Most slaves were taken from the west- the need of African Americans to ern countries of Africa. They were Vai, express themselves in musical terms. Twi, Mandingo, Yoruba, or people of This need for self-expression stemmed dozens of other tribes. They brought directly from the African musical with them their memories and habits heritage. based on the old ways of life—religious beliefs Music in the Early Days of Slavery The African Musical Tradition—In and practices, crafts, WORK SONGS—The slaves’ work song was a revision of the African societies, music was most music, dances, and the African work song. Work songs were sung to make one’s important in maintaining and continu- tradition of oral trans- labors easier to perform. The words (lyrics) spoke about ing a culture. As a result, Africans mission of history. work being done and were also comments of social criticism, brought with them to this country the ridicule, gossip, and protest. tradition of having music to accompany Music played a very and define the activities of their lives. important part in the CRIES, CALLS, AND FIELD HOLLERS—The melodic calls were There was music for working, for play- daily lives of Africans. used to communicate messages of all kinds. They were used ing, for festivals, for marriages, births, Enslaved Africans to bring people in from the fields, to call them to work, to deaths, and wars. For Africans, music began to use music as attract the attention of a person in the distance, to signal had many purposes. a relief from both the hunting dogs, or to make a person’s presence known. Some physical and spiritual were happy, some were sad. As Dr. Billy Taylor explains in his book burdens they endured Jazz Piano—A Jazz History, because in America. It was also SPIRITUALS—Group expressions of many aspects of the transplanted Africans did not used as a tool for com- slaves’ life, most spirituals were used to express religious have the same freedom to main- munication, since convictions. There were also spirituals used to give tain their cultural identity, Africans came here messages, to teach, to scold, to speak of escape, and to their musical traditions had to from different tribes express the desire for freedom. As Africans endured slavery, change. and backgrounds. SATIRICAL SONGS—These were songs used to make fun of they had to reshape work, songs, people and events. leisure songs, religious music, and BALLADS—These were songs used to tell stories of good and bad men and women, heroes, heroines, justice, injustice, great events, and problems blacks in America were having. These forms of music formed the musical fam- ily that produced jazz. Black Americans created something of beauty from a very ugly situation—slavery. They creat- ed African American music. “This new music was to be the trunk of the tree from which a truly American music would grow—jazz, America’s classical music.” 4

When we listen carefully to music, we can hear the tune —Melody, the notes that provide counterpoint to the tune — Harmony, and we can feel the beat of the music — Rhythm. This helps us tell the difference between a march and a waltz. It also helps us keep time and sing or play music together. The melody, the harmony, and the rhythm are the “building blocks” of music. How do we hear these three The important “building blocks when Buildingwe listen? ” Blocks of Music There are three important When we listen to a jazz group, the rhythm is usually played by the drums. The string bass or bass helps the drum “keep elements in music we hear. time,” and also plays low notes that sound good with the melody They are: and harmony. The piano and the guitar play the harmony or chord progres- *Melody sions. These are other notes that sound good with the melody. When these “harmony” notes are played together they are called *Harmony chords, when they are played separately they are called arpeg- gios, or broken chords. The piano and the guitar are sometimes *Rhythm used to play the rhythm when there is no bass or drums. The melody may be played by any instrument. It may also be sung. In large groups the melody is frequently played by instru- ments like the trumpet, the trombone, the , the clar- inet, the flute, the violin, or the melodica. Listen carefully to what the Billy Taylor Trio will do with 3 instruments. Can you identify who is playing the melody, the harmony, and the rhythm? Does this ever change? 5 Improvisation is an important part of a jazz performance. Every jazz musician is a composer. Improvisation is a way of expressing yourself through music. “If you are a What do you think about when jazz musician, you improvise? you think of the most effective way to say what you Is the mode angry and have to say aggressive or tender and loving? In a jazz group, improvi- Are you trying to say something in the musical sation is like a conversa- funny or sad? What does the style of your tion; the musician who is musician want to say? To whom? choice.” improvising listens to the other members of the group When jazz musicians improvise, they make up and says something to them, music as they go along. Because every jazz using musical phrases. musician is a composer, improvisation is instant Sometimes it is like call and composition. A good improvisation has a response, with the group asking beginning, a middle, and an ending. It is like a question musically and the telling someone something. You must put your improvising musician answering thoughts into phrases that are easily them. understood. In musical composition you must do the same—the only difference is that you are Jazz does not exist in a vacu- using musical sounds instead of words. um. It reflects life as it is being lived. In the jazz tradition, musi- “Since jazz improvisation is a cians are free to express their personal statement drawing upon ideas and feelings in a way that melody, rhythm, and harmony, is not possible in other styles of serious jazz musicians do not music. want their statement to ramble or be incoherent. The best improvisers try to be as As you see and hear the Billy succinct as possible, Taylor Trio perform, try to stating an idea, developing it listen to what each to its logical conclusion, and player is doing. stopping—having said all that was necessary to convey the thought.” 6 , “As America s classical music, a melting pot of music from various musical traditions, jazz has provided a unique and continuing view of who Americans are and what we are about. The provides an excellent example of how music expresses us to ourselves and to others.”

Blues is of equal importance as a parent of jazz. Its roots are as old as the presence of Africans in the United States. The blues evolved from the spirituals and the work songs, and like them began as vocal music. Develop Performers used “the voice” according to their needs and concepts. The blues developed its style and repertory almost entirely from ment of African musical concepts and materials. It was was the earliest Ragtime folk-oriented jazz in the beginning. The blues, as form of jazz, characterized by in the African tradition, expressed how an indi- Jazzsyncopation, improvisation, and vidual related to the culture. The blues were cre- cross-rhythms. 1896 is consid- ated after the Civil War period. As the music ered to be the beginning of rag- became popular, groups with instrumentalists time, because that was the were formed. date of the first publication of a In the late 1920s and early 1930s, because ragtime piece for the piano; of phonograph records and radio shows, the however, most jazz historians blues became very popular in urban areas. agree that piano ragtime exist- This music created by African Americans in FAMOUS JAZZ ed before it was published. PIANISTS the South became even more popular when they Ragtime Hampton Hawes Ragtime became the leisure- migrated north to Chicago and City. Scott Joplin time music of slaves on Jelly Roll Morton Progressive Jazz During that period, jazz, which had combined James P. Johnson Southern plantations. It also Lennie Pristano the elements of ragtime and blues, became so Blues was the music of performers in Meade Lux Lewis Funky Jazz popular that the 1920s became known as the taverns and places of entertain- Cow Cow Davenport Carl Perkins Jazz Age. Blind Lemon ment and social events. Jefferson Abstract Jazz Ragtime was sung, and was Swing was the dominant jazz form of the Swing Paul Bley played on , fiddles, har- 1930s and 1940s. One of its distinctive features Teddy Wilson monicas, drums, trumpets, and Mary Lou Williams Modal Jazz was the accent of four beats to a measure. It McCoy Tyner whatever other instruments Pre— expanded the rhythmic patterns of ragtime. It Jazz Rock were available. At this time the was played by big bands and small bands and Jan Hammer human voice was the most was used mostly for dancing. Bebop important musical instrument. Billy Taylor Mainstream Pre—bebop was an outgrowth of swing Mulgreu Miller music, which was melodically, harmonically, and Cool Jazz rhythmically more complex than its predeces- Tadd Dameron George Shearing Photo courtesy of the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University sors. It led directly to bebop and beyond. 7 Bebop was the jazz style of the 1940 s. It featured long melodic lines and impressionistic harmonic patterns, many of which ended on an accented upbeat. At the end of this period, jazz was rush- with the elements of jazz, often using Cool jazz was an attempt made by jazz musicians of the ing toward its next phases—hard bop, electronic instruments. The third late 1940s and early ‘50s to progressive, funky, abstract, modal, jazz stream—an attempt to organize jazz reorder the basic elements of rock, third stream, and mainstream. materials using classical and contempo- jazz. They used subtle rhythms, rary European musical techniques and Hard bop—an aggressive return to impressionistic harmonies, devices. The first stream—European bebop concepts with a more direct melodies which were not rugged classical; the second stream—jazz; the approach to “hot” phrases and or aggressive, and combinations third stream—fusion of the two. of musical instruments which rhythms. Progressive jazz—an —since the late were not typical in ensembles. extension of bebop and cool techniques Mainstream jazz 1980s and currently part of the They tone it down in volume and and devices, which incorporated tonal renewed interest in the jazz tradition. the rhythmic aspects were more mass and density as sonorities as well subtle. as uneven combinations and meter From the 1970s, into the arrangements such as 5/4, 7/4, and 1990s we are seeing a renewed so forth. Funkyjazz —a return to a interest in jazz, especially among young blues- and gospel-oriented feeling which people. In contrast to jazz styles which was updated to include melodies and were becoming more complex, interest harmonies which were in use has been revived in the concepts and at that time. Abstract jazz—in devices of the jazz masters of the past. the late ‘60s, a period of spontaneous The music of many of these masters exploration. —the redis- Modal jazz (i.e. , , covery and use of traditional church ) is being redefined by a modes in jazz. —an Jazz rock generation of young musicians. attempt to fuse the elements of rock Glossary BEAT—rhythm and the tempo or timing MELODY—A series of single tones, rhyth- RAGTIME—rhythm with a syncopated in music. mically arranged, so as to produce a melody and a regularly accented accom- pleasing effect on the ear. When we lis- paniment. BOOGIE WOOGIE—A kind of blues that is ten carefully to music, we can hear the played on the piano with a strong, deep RHYTHM—the movement of music. A part tune (the melody). bass added. of music with accent, tempo or time. IMPROVISATION—a way of expressing CHORD—A combination of notes that SCORE—written or printed music. yourself with music. When a jazz musi- blend and sound good when played SYNCOPATION—this is a shifting of cian improvises, he/she makes up music together. accents and stress from what are nor- as he/she goes along. HARMONY—a pleasing arrangement of mally strong beats to the weak beats. It —symbols that represent tones in simultaneous sounds. NOTES often means playing one rhythm against music. another in such a way that listeners want JAM SESSION—Holding a jam session, to move, nod heads, clap hands, or “jamming,” means getting together to dance. Syncopation is part of jazz. play jazz. 8 The Billy Taylor Trio L–R: Chip Jackson, Billy Taylor, Steve Johns

Dr.BillyTaylor, generally consid- ered to be America’s leading spokesman for jazz, began his illustrious 50 year career as a profes- sional musician on New York’s truly legendary . He can be heard on countless recordings from the beginning of his career to the present. He maintains a very busy touring sched- ule with the Billy Taylor Trio while serving as Artis- tic Advisor for Jazz at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Winner of two Peabody Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Grammy nomination for Best Instru- mental Composition (1995—Homage Part 1), Dr. Taylor is also the recipient of the nation’s highest award for distinguished accomplishments in the Dr. Billy Taylor is a role model for the arts, the (1992). Addition- young to emulate, musicians to watch and learn from, and jazz fans to cherish. ally, he was awarded the Jazz Masters Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1987. He has been a guest artist at the on seven different occasions and Chip Jackson, bassist, has participated in three State Department tours to date. He is praised for his “big melodious tone” and Founder and Past President of ’s , the “exquisite intonation with a flowing time sense” unique outreach organization which produces concerts, musical that make his solos “models of inventiveness,” clinics and educational programs responsible for bringing jazz to has performed with many great jazz artists, thousands of people in free public performances. including Elvin Jones, , , Dr. Taylor has been an arts commentator on the CBS television Horace Silver, Tony Bennett, Woody Herman, program Sunday Morning since 1980. Dr. Taylor’s composition, I and Joe Henderson. His multifaceted career Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) is featured as the includes writing, leading, and arranging for his theme for the film, Ghosts of Mississippi. own groups, clinical and private teaching, recordings, and touring throughout the world. Clearly arts education has been, and continues to be, a pas- Mr. Jackson can be heard on recordings with sion which drives Billy Taylor. In addition to his four musical series Chuck Mangione, , and Ronnie held each year at the Kennedy Center (Art Tatum Pianorama, Cuber. Mr. Jackson, who is based in New York Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, Lega- City, received his formal training in music from cy and Billy Taylor’s Jazz from the Kennedy Center) Dr. Taylor has the Berklee School of Music in Boston. developed cooperative programs between the Kennedy Center and the Prince William County Public School System which share artistic resources with students and teachers through interactive TV. His Performances for Young People are yet another outreach program — this one aimed at children grades five through eight. 9 Steve Johns, drummer, left Boston for New York in 1982. Since then he has performed with a diverse array of jazz musicians including , , , Gary Bartz, Diane Schuur, and . He has toured the United States with the Orchestra under the direc- tion of Frank Foster, and Europe with the Gil Evans Orchestra, the George Russell Living Time Orchestra, and the Mingus Epitaph Orchestra. Mr. Johns can be found at the Time Cafe in New York City every Thursday night with the Mingus . He has recorded with Garyt Bartz, George Russell, and Thomas Candido Chapin. He can be seen on WGBH-TV’s “An Evening with ’ and was part Candido is one of the world’s most exciting conga and of National Public Radio’s “Jazzset” hosted by bongo show artists. His artistry on the conga drums has been . Mr. Jones studied privately immortalized with an entry into the World Book Encyclopedia. with the renowned drummer Alan Dawson and Candido was born in the El Cerro District of Havana in 1921. He later at the New England Conservatory of Music began his musical career on bass and guitar at the age of 14. In in Boston. 1946, he changed to the bongos and then added conga drums to his repertoire. Candido worked for six years at C.M.Q. Radio in Havana, as well as at the Tropicana Club. He first came to the Barnett Williamsis a United States in 1952 to work in Miami’s Clover Club. Candido nationally recognized performing artist and edu- then came to New York, where he became friends with Dizzy cator. He has performed with artists that Gillespie. Together they went to Le Downbeat, where Candido sat include Gil Scott-Heron, , Donny in for a few sets with Billy Taylor. His talent amazed everyone Hathaway and , Jr. He has written there, and Candido Trio The Billy Taylor stayed on and worked the club for a year. percussion books and conducted workshops New York jazz critics all praised Candido as one of the greatest and lectures in over 50 colleges and drummers to ever come out of Barnett Williams universities in the U.S. and Europe. Cuba. Candido went on to work Constantly in demand as an educator with Stan Kenton in the fall of he presents his Hands On Percussion 1954, and is heard on Stan’s Workshop throughout metropolitan record of Bacante, as well as the Washington. He has been a residency recordings of Coleman Hawkin’s artist for the Arts Enterprise Zone pro- Ruby, Woody Herman’s Run Joe, ject (a collaborative arts education pro- George Shearing’s Caravan, ject of the Kennedy Center, Washington ’s Manteca, Duke Performing Arts Society, the Levine Ellington’s recording and televi- School of Music and the Washington sion special The Drum is a Parent Group Fund) for the past four Woman. He has also appeared years and presents workshops for chil- in concert at Carnegie Hall, and dren who participate in the Wolf Trap on the television shows of Ed Institute‘s Early Learning Program. Sullivan and Steve Allen. 10

Since beginning in 1985, Turtle Island String Quartet have been no mere innovators, but rather inventors of their own glorious musical world. Combining influences of jazz, classical, bluegrass, rock, R&B, and blues, they are much more than a “jazz string quartet.” Whether they’re performing Gillespie, Jimi Hendrix, Gershwin, Ellington, Billy Taylor, or their own original compositions, the feeling of being present at the birth of something musically new is inescapable. As a founding member of the Band. He helped form TISQ in 1985, acting as (DGQ), (violin, producer and composing for five albums to baritone violin) helped pioneer the “new date. He can be heard on many current record- acoustic” movement from 1975 to 1984, work- ings with musicians such as Suzanne Vega, ing with noted improvising string musicians Holly Near, , and John Gorka. Motion including Stephane Grappelli, Tony Rice, Mark picture soundtrack credits include Country and O’Connor, Bela Fleck, and . Darol Sweet Dreams. He has been active in develop- Anger produced and recorded a solo album, ing synthesizer violin technology, working as a Fiddlistics, and various duo albums, culminat- consultant with the groundbreaking Zeta ing in a live recording at the Montreux Jazz Company. Darol also performs and records with TurtleFestival and the formation of Islandthe Montreux his newString acoustic/bluegrass outfit, Psychograss. Quartet 11

ing with the Chamber Symphony of San (violin) made his Tracy Silverman Francisco and Oakland Symphony, he contin- debut at age 13 as soloist with the Chicago ued his study of jazz. As co-founder of TISQ, he Symphony Orchestra, and has garnered many developed a unique and kaleidoscopic style awards including the national Stillman-Kelly which incorporates virtuoso jazz soloing, distinc- Award. He studied at the Chicago Musical tive bass lines, and extended percussive tech- College and graduated from the , niques adapted from the guitar gaining him studying violin with Ivan Galamian and chamber recognition as today’s premier jazz cellist. His music with Sam Rhodes of the Juilliard Quartet. composition, Julie-o, a piece for solo cello He has performed in orchestras under the which appears on the TISQ album Metropolis, direction of Leonard Bernstein and Gerard is a favorite of cellists around the world. Mark Schwartz, as well as the Saint Paul Chamber has recorded with Will Ackerman and per- Orchestra, Minnesota Sinfonia, and other major formed with . He currently plays with ballet companies. He has also performed with Trio con Brio, an ensemble based in San various artists including Luciano Pavarotti, Jon Francisco. Bon Jovi, and Stanley Jordan, and has conduct- ed his own orchestral work commissioned by the Minnesota Sinfonia. Danny Seidenberg (viola, violin) made his solo viola debut at age 16 with the Pittsburgh Symphony as part of their Young People’s Concert series, and has performed as principal violist for the Joffrey Ballet, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Solisti New York, Dance Theatre of , and the Soviet Emigre Orchestra. Danny has toured, performed, and recorded with Steve Reich and Musicians, the Village People, Liza Minelli, Tony Bennett, James Brown, and Richie Havens. He has recorded for CBS Records and Arista Records. Danny is an early-instrument specialist and a graduate of the Juilliard School. “At a time when many people in Mark Summer (cello) graduated from the music field are looking for a the Institute of Music and worked new direction and renewal, the with the Winnipeg Symphony for three seasons Turtle Island String Quartet is a before forming his own groups. He has com- unified voice that truly bined his study of classical cello with improvis- breaks new ground... ing pop and jazz on piano, guitar, and drum, authentic and passionate... and when he moved to San Francisco perform- a reflection of some of the most creative music- making today.”–Yo Yo Ma 12 Chernoff, John Miller. African Rhythm and African Sensibility. Chicago: Union Chicago Press. Haskin, Jim and Biondi, JoAnn. From Afar to Zulu. New York: Walker & Co. Publishers (a dictionary of African cultures). Roberts, John Storm. Black Music of Two Worlds. New York: Praeger Publishing Co. selected (music of Cuba and Brazil). Taylor, Billy. Jazz Piano—A Jazz History. reading/ Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. references Publishers, 1983. for teachers Discography The Billy Taylor Trio Questions Solo 1. What is the most truly American music? White Nights and Jazz in Leningrad (Taylor Made 2. What are of Jazz? Label, November 1988) 3. If we listen carefully to music, what You Tempt Me and We Meet Again (Arabesque) three (3) things will we hear? It’s a Matter of Pride (GRP label) 4. What musical instruments usually play My Fair Lady Loves Jazz (1956, Billy Taylor Trio the rhythm of a song? and all-star band arranged by 5. What instruments usually play the re-issue) harmonies? Step Into My Dream 6. What are some of the instruments Homage which may be used to play the melody?

7. What is improvisation? Turtle Island String Quartet 8. What are the things one will find in a Who Do We Think We Are Lawrence J. Wilker, President good improvisation? Derek E. Gordon, Associate Managing Director, Education What is Jazz? Spider Dreams Performances by The Billy Taylor Trio 9. What does a musician who is and Turtle Island String Quartet Cuesheet was written by Anita Batisti, Ph. D. arts educator, improvising with a group do? On the Town fund-raiser and adjunct professor at Fordham University, Graduate School of Education, N.Y.C., and PACE University, 10. What was the earliest form of jazz? Skylife Metropolis Graduate School of Education, N.Y.C. Cuesheet is funded in part through the support of the U.S. Department of Education, The Kennedy Center Corporate Fund, and The Morris and 11. What form of jazz was of equal Turtle Island String Quartet Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. ©1996 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. importance as a parent of jazz? By the Fireside 12. What decade became known as the Jazz Age?