Concepts Chapter 1 and 2 Flashcards
What are the two musical elements that delineate jazz from other forms of music? Why are these elements so important to jazz?
Swing and improvising. Improvising allows musicians the freedom to speak through their music and experiment with new sounds. Swing is pretty unique to jazz and helps give it it’s uncommon sound.
Do you think jazz is currently a popular form of music? Why or why not?
In my opinion, popular music is what is selling, what the majority of the general public listens to on the radio or own their own. I do not believe that jazz music is selling as well as other genres like pop. I also don’t think that people go looking for jazz music the way they do with other genres.
How do jazz musicians use improvisation while performing? List several examples.
Improvisation is often used during solos. There is no set time length or written music that the musician is following. They may have some chords to use to help create their solo, but the rest is up to them. There’s a lot of improvising when a jazz band plays together. They have to listen to one another while playing. They have to listen to what others are playing and match them or play something that goes along with what else is being played. The accompaniment to solos are also improvised. They often have to play a nice beat for the soloist to build on.
