Classic Jazz Corner :: Essays
Jazz is…
…what I consider to be one of the best and most intellectual forms of music that have been created to date. Classical music (especially both the Baroque and Classical genre) are others of high praise. However, I feel that there are enough “classic” music broadcasts on the net. On the other hand, after looking around the net at various broadcasts (Shoutcast, Live365.com, Radiomoi, etc), I had not been able to find a suitable “classic” jazz broadcast.
“What do you mean by “classic” jazz?” you might ask. Well, defining this genre of jazz is difficult, but I like to consider it what it is not: smooth, fusion, free, dixie, or swing. I’m sure I left out a few classifications of jazz, but this process is a bit futile, since most “classic” jazz might exhibit a bit of one or more of the styles listed above anyway. While I usually consider “classic” jazz to have been recorded between 1948 and 1970, there have been some contemporary artists recently record in the style of interest (Christian McBride, Diana Krall, Laverne Butler, and Tom Harrell to name a few).
History of Jazz (notes from Dick Wright’s Introduction to Jazz class at the University of Kansas)
The Swing Era (1935-1945)· Bands are huge (17-18 pieces)· Three Types: Jazz, Dance, Corn· Ended because: WWII draft, rationing, curfews Cabaret Tax- on meat, records, and sugar products Musicians Strike Singers belonged to a diff union Dissatisfaction of young players· Monroe’s and Minton’s were all-night clubs where players could experiment with Bebop
Charlie Barnet- Sax
Bunny Berigan- Trumpet
Cab Calloway- Singer
Dizzy Gillespie- Trumpet (TP)
Benny Carter- alto sax, trumpet
Jimmy Dorsey- Clarinet, alto sax
Tommy Dorsey- Trombone
Duke Ellington- piano, composer, arranger
Jimmy Blanton- Bass (TP)
Benny Goodman- clarinet Charlie Christian- Guitar (TP) Lionel Hampton- Vibes Gene Krupa- Drums Harry James- Trumpet
Lionel Hampton- Vibes
Fletcher Henderson- Piano, composer, arranger
Woody Herman- Clarinet, alto sax, blues singer
Earl “Fatha” Hines- Piano
Harry James- Trumpet
Andy Kirk (and His Clouds of Joy)- ?
Gene Krupa- Drums Roy Eldridge- Trumpet (TP) Anita O’Day- Singer
Jimmie Lunceford- Band leader (all black- rare)
Jay McShayan’s Band- KC
Charlie Parker- alto sax (TP)
Glenn Miller- Trombone, arranger “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”
Artie Shaw- Clarinet
Billie Holliday- Singer
Chick Webb- drummer @ the Savoy
Ella Fitzgerald- Singer
Art Tatum- Piano
Transitional Players from Swing to Bebop
Stan Kenton- piano, composer, arranger
Invented the melotron
Billy Eckstine- black singer Charlie Parker Dizzy Gillespie Sarah Vaughn- singer
Boyd Raeburn- saxes, double reeds
Dizzy- Music director
Gene Krupa- drums
Claude Thornhill- piano
Gil Evans- arranger
Woody Herman- clarinet, forms the “Four Brother’s Band” Stan Getz- tenor sax Zoot Simms- tenor sax Serge Challof- Baritone Sax Jimmy Giuffre- tenor sax, composer
Benny Goodman- clarinet
Tried Bebop for about 6 months
Dizzy Gillespie- Trumpet
He named the Bebop period
Bebop Period (1945-1950)· Smaller bands (about 7 pieces)· Solos are very important· expanded chords· stretched out harmonies· new melodies have large intervals· speedy solos· piano players “comping”- no more stride or boogie woogie· beat kept by bass and cymbals· fast tempo· horns play in unison· ballads are rare
Jerry Neuman- recorded the great players in Minton’s, and Monroe’s
Coleman Hawkins- makes 1st commercial bob record
Alto Sax- Charlie Parker
Drums- Max Roach, Art Blakey, Tiny Kahn
Bass- Curley Russel
Vibes- Milt Jackson
Tenor Sax- Sonny Stitt
Piano- Bud Powell, Al Hague, Thelonius Monk
Trumpet- Fats Navarro, Dizzy Gillespie, Red Rodney
Baritone Sax- Serge Challof
Trombone- J.J. Johnson
Clarinet- Buddy Defranco
Guitar- Jimmy Raney
Bass- Oscar Pettiford
Singers- Joe Carroll, Annie Ross, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson
Cool Period (1950-1954/1955)· arrangements are used· emphasis on ensemble playing and dynamics· West coast, primarily· bands are bigger (6-9 pieces)· Slower tempos than Bebop· Mostly white players
Miles Davis- Trumpet 1950- Records “Birth of the Cool” Gerry Mulligan- baritone sax
Stan Getz- tenor sax
Gerry Mulligan- Baritone Sax, composer, arranger
Shorty Rogers-Trumpet, flugel horn, composer, arranger Art Pepper- alto sax Shelly Manne- drums Hampton Hawes- piano
Chico Hamilton- Drummer— “Chamber Jazz” with a cello player Buddy Collette- Woodwind player, very versatile Jim Hall- guitar
Jimmy Giuffre- tenor sax
Lenny Tristano- piano, blind Lee Konite- alto sax Warne Marsh- tenor sax
George Shearing- piano, blind
Marge Hyams- woman vibes player
Red Norvo- vibes Tal Farlow (the octopus)- guitar Charles Mingus- Bass
Modern Jazz Quartet Milt Jackson- vibes John Lewis- piano Ray Brown- bass Kenny Clarke- drums
Bobby Troup- singer
June Christy- singer
The Lighthouse- place at Vermosa beach where people would hang out to play Bud Shank- flute, alto sax Bob Cooper- tenor sax, oboe, and English horn
Funky/ Hard Bob Period (1954, 1955- ?)· Funky- blues with a Gospel tinge· Hard Bop- continuation of Bop period, but more emphasis on rhythm section· very strong backbeat (on 2 and 4)· 16 Bar Blues, or 12 bars plus a bridge· Organ becomes widely used· Primarily a black East coast movement against the white, West Coast Cool period
Funky Players/ Bands:
The Jazz Messengers Art Blakey- drums Horace Silver- piano, composer
Les McCann- piano
Joe Pass- guitar
Jazz Crusaders
“Cannonball” Adderly- alto sax
Successor to Charlie Parker (comes on scene same year he dies- 1955)
Jimmy Smith- organ
Richard “Groove” Holmes- organ, no bass player
Ramsey Lewis- piano
Hampton Hawes- piano
George Benson- guitar- sells out to popular music
Hard BopPlayers/ Bands:
Jazz Messengers
Max Roach- drums
Clifford Brown- trumpet
Sonny Rollins- tenor sax
John Coltrane- tenor sax
Miles Davis Quintet John Coltrane- tenor sax One of the best ever small groups Greatest group of Hard Bop periodClassic Jazz Corner :: Essays
Jazz is…
…what I consider to be one of the best and most intellectual forms of music that have been created to date. Classical music (especially both the Baroque and Classical genre) are others of high praise. However, I feel that there are enough “classic” music broadcasts on the net. On the other hand, after looking around the net at various broadcasts (Shoutcast, Live365.com, Radiomoi, etc), I had not been able to find a suitable “classic” jazz broadcast.
“What do you mean by “classic” jazz?” you might ask. Well, defining this genre of jazz is difficult, but I like to consider it what it is not: smooth, fusion, free, dixie, or swing. I’m sure I left out a few classifications of jazz, but this process is a bit futile, since most “classic” jazz might exhibit a bit of one or more of the styles listed above anyway. While I usually consider “classic” jazz to have been recorded between 1948 and 1970, there have been some contemporary artists recently record in the style of interest (Christian McBride, Diana Krall, Laverne Butler, and Tom Harrell to name a few).
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