AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VIBRAPHONE AS AN ALTERNA TIVE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUMENT IN JAZZ. BY FRANK A MALLOWS (MLLFRA002) A MINOR DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE A WARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF MUSIC. SOUTH AFRICAN COLLEGE OF MUSIC UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA 2004 The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgement of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Published by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University of Cape Town 11 DECLARATION This work has not been previously submitted in whole, or in part, forthe award of any degree. It is my own work. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in, this dissertation from the work, or works, of other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. SIGNATURE DATE (Frank Arthur Mallows) III ABSTRACT AN HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VIBRAPHONE AS AN ALTERNATIVE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUMENT IN JAZZ. by Frank Arthur Mallows 7 Muswell Hill Road Mowbray Cape Town A minor dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Music. South African College of Music University of Cape Town South Africa 2004 The vibraphone, a melodic percussion instrument in which metal bars are struck with mallets to produce the sound and with a chromatic range of usually three octaves, was developed in the United States of America in the early 1900s. Early performers on the instrument, who had developed their techniques on the xylophone, had to adapt their playing style to deal with the note-sustaining possibilities of the vibraphone. Although most played holding two mallets, one in each hand, a number of players experimented by holding two in each hand, giving them the ability to play four notes at a time as chords or groups of notes. As a consequence, vibraphone players were able to perform the role of harmonic accompaniment in any ensemble. With the development of mallet technique, specifically the ability to play and outline chords using four mallets, an increasing number of vibraphonists chose to perform and record in groups using the vibraphone as the sole harmonic accompanying IV instrument, replacing the piano and guitar, the instruments generally used to provide the chordal accompaniment. Based on commercially available recordings of performances where the vibraphone alone performs the role of harmonic accompanist in the jazz ensemble, this study looks at the historical development of the use of the vibraphone as an alternative harmonic accompanying instrument. Descriptive analyses of key recordings made by leading and influential vibraphonists are given with regard to the use of the vibraphone in the role of an harmonic accompanying instrument. To reach a deeper understanding of the musical and non­ musical factors that have been of influence in the use of the vibraphone as the sole harmonic accompanying instrument in an ensemble, this study follows a multifaceted qualitative research approach based on information obtained from published literature, liner notes to recordings, interviews conducted with leading contemporary vibraphone players and the personal experience of the author. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Brendan Kiennan and Miyang Kim for their hospitality and generously allowing me the freedom of unlimited access time to their home computer whilst I attended the Berklee College of Music Mallet Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, USA in June and July 2003. Andrew Lilley (Senior Lecturer, South African College of Music, University of Cape Town, South Africa) for his interest in my research and his helpful guiding hand as I felt my way through researching the topic. Dr Shirley Churms (writing consultant to the Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, South Africa) and James May (Professor, South African College of Music~ University of Cape Town, South Africa) for their help with proof reading and finalising the docwnent. Ed Saindon (vibraphone recording artist, clinician, author and Professor of Percussion at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, USA) for his ongoing inspiration, mentoring and encouragement over the past twenty plus years. The basis of this research was motivated by his inspirational lessons, his constructive and objective thoughts and guidelines. Gary Burton (vibraphone recording artist, clinician, author and Executive Vice President of the Berklee College of Music) who through his recordings of the 1970s and 1980s played a leading role in developing my interest in the area of using the vibraphone in the role of the harmonic accompanying instrument in jazz and improvised music. John Hargreaves, my first drum teacher, colleague, fellow band member and friend for encouraging me to buy my first Boosey and Hawkes Ajax vibraphone and helping me to find my own voice in the wide world of music. Betty and John Koopman, who for the past twenty-five years have generously given of their time and freely shared with me their profoundly deep understanding of the world of jazz. My wife Bev, Abigail and Chloe my children, for their love and unwavering support of my music and the research required in the writing of this thesis. My late mother Audrey, who inadvertently introduced me to the concept of new sounds through her passionate interest in contemporary twentieth century music. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION AND FIELD OF REFERENCE 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Aims of research 4 1.3 Significance of the study 4 1.4 General approach 6 1.5 Research topic 8 1.6 Assumptions and limitations 8 1.7 Introduction to research methodology 8 1.8 Overview of the research document 10 CHAPTER 2. THE VIBRAPHONE AND PLAYING TECHNIQUES 12 2.1 Introduction 12 2.2 History of the vibraphone 12 2.3 Development of technique 13 2.4 Summary 20 CHAPTER 3. THE VIBRAPHONE AS AN ACCOMPANYING INSTRUMENT 21 3.1 Introduction 21 3.2 The jazz ensemble 22 3.3 The rhythm section and accompanying instruments 23 3.4 The vibraphone as an accompanying instrument 24 3.5 Summary 26 CHAPTER 4. HISTORICAL SURVEY OF RECORDINGS 27 4.1 Introduction 27 4.2 Descriptive analysis 28 4.3 Terminology 29 4.4 Comping styles 30 4.5 Music styles 31 CHAPTER 5. THE TWENTIES, THIRTIES AND FORTIES 33 5.1 Red Norvo 33 5.2 Lionel Hampton 34 CHAPTER 6. THE FIFTIES 38 6.1 Red Norvo 38 6.2 Victor Feldman 39 CHAPTER 7. THE SIXTIES 42 7.1 Gary Burton 42 Vll 7.2 Mike Mainieri 56 7.3 Victor Feldman 60 7.4 Gary McFarland 60 7.5 Gunter Hampel and Karl Berger 61 CHAPTER 8. THE SEVENTIES 64 8.1 Gary Burton 64 8.2 Karl Berger 67 8.3 David Friedman and David Samuels 67 8.4 Tom van der Geld 73 8.5 Mike Mainieri 74 8.6 Wolfgang Lackerschmid 75 CHAPTER 9. THE EIGHTIES 77 9.1 Dave Samuels 77 9.2 Gary Burton 79 9.3 David Friedman 80 9.4 Ed Saindon 82 9.5 Harry Sheppard 84 9.6 Gunter Hampel 84 9.7 Karl Berger 84 9.8 Wolfgang Lackerschmid 85 CHAPTER 10. THE NINETIES 88 10.1 Ed Saindon 88 10.2 Matthias Lupri 91 10.3 Mike Mainieri 95 10.4 Steve Nelson 100 10.5 Gunter Hampel '103 CHAPTER II.THE NEW CENTURY 106 11.1 Steve Nelson 106 11.2 Matthias Lupri 107 11.3 Tom Beckham 108 11.4 Christos Rafalides 110 11.5 Joe Locke 112 11.6 Franz Bauer 114 CHAPTER 12. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 116 12.1 Summary of historical development 116 12.2 Influencing factors 125 12.2.1 Communication 126 12.2.2 Advancement of technique 127 12.2.3 Imagination 128 12.2.4 Harmonic knowledge and facility 129 viii 12.2.5 Personal goals and choices 130 12.2.6 Clarity in perfonnance 131 12.2.7 Amplification 133 12.2.8 Overcoming misconceptions 135 12.2.9 Economics 136 12.2.1 0 Instrument of choice 137 12.2.11 Alternate sound colour 138 12.2.12 Friendships 13 9 12.2.13 Compositional expression 139 12.2.14 Visual Aspect 140 12.3 The way forward 142 GLOSSARY 146 BIBLIOGRAPHY 150 Books 150 Journals 150 Internet 152 Recordings 153 Interviews and personal communications 158 APPENDIX A: CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF RECORDINGS 160 APPENDIX B: RECORDING INFORMATION 163 APPENDIX C: INTERVIEW WITH DAVE SAMUELS (18 JUNE 2003) 182 APPENDIX D: INTERVIEW WITH GARY BURTON (24 JUNE 2003) 186 APPENDIX E: INTERVIEW WITH ED SAINDON 193 APPENDIX F: GARY BURTON CLINIC 201 APPENDIX G: ED SAINDON CLINIC 213 APPENDIX H: DAVE SAMUELS CLINIC 221 APPENDIX I: JOE LOCKE CLINIC 225 APPENDIX J: VICTOR MENDOZA CLINIC 229 APPENDIX K: ED SAINDON PRIVATE LESSON 233 1 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION AND FIELD OF REFERENCE 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Aims of research 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 General approach 1.5 Research topic 1.6 Assumptions and limitations 1. 7 Introduction to research methodology 1.8 Overview of the research document 1.1 Introduction The vibraphone, a melodic percussion instrument with metal bars that are struck with mallets to produce the sound, has a chromatic range of usually three octaves, with the lowest tone being F below middle C. Along with instruments such as the piano and guitar, the vibraphone can be classified as an harmonic as well as a melodic instrument. That is, a "musical instrument on which two or more notes can be sounded simultaneously" (Crook 1995, 14).