Jazz Test Flashcards
Roots of Jazz
Spirituals, work songs, folk songs, African music, improv
Syncopated rhythm of the cakewalk of minstrel shows
Ragtime
Piano is the chief instrument of this
Ragtime
Scott Joplin is the principal composer of
Ragtime
In 4-4 time, usually 4 strains in 16-32 bar periods each
Ragtime
What time signature is ragtime usually in?
4-4, with 4 strains of 16-32 bars each
Syncopated treble line against a non-syncopated bass
Ragtime
Bass usually moves 1/2 speed of treble, called “stride-bass”
Ragtime
“Blues” describes what?
A depressed emotion state, about ghetto life
12 bars in 4/4 time divided into 3 four bar phrases on the following progression:
4 bars (I), 2 bars (IV), 2 bars (I), 2 bars (V), 2 bars (1)
Blues Chord progression
I IV I V I
How are Blues divided up?
12 bars in 4/4 time, 3 four bar phrases
Blues text is in what form?
AAB
How do blues singers and instrumentalists interact?
Singer sings for 2 bars, instruments respond for 2 bars, called “call and response”
Blues has what technique incoporated?
Call and Response
Blues harmonies use what?
Major and minor scales simultaneously
What is the blues scale on C?
C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb
What are the “blues” notes?
Lowered 3rd and 7th in the scale
Blues performers include:
“Ma” Rainey and Bessie Smith
Who was the most famous Blues performer?
Bessie Smith, called “Empress of Blues.” St. Louis Blues famous performance
What is Bessie Smith’s nickname?
Empress of Blues
Instrumental combos with drums, banjo, and piano providing rhythm section and cornet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, as the “front line” which improvised
New Orleans Jazz (Dixieland) 1920’s
Improvisation and spontaneity was an important aspect of
New Orleans Jazz
King Oliver was the leader of
The Creole Jazz Band, the finest of its day
Who made up the Creole Jazz Band?
King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory
What did Louis Armstrong play in the Creole Jazz Band?
Cornet
What did Kid Ory play in the Creole Jazz Band?
Trombone
What is an important cultural characteristic of the Creole Jazz Band?
They were the first black ensemble to record a series of jazz pieces!
Who made up the original Dixieland Jazz Band?
White musicians led by Nick La Rocca, they went from New Orleans to New York
New Orleans Jazz moved up the river and created what?
“Chicago style” jazz in well, Chicago of course
Who was Jelly Roll Morton
Pianist of Jazz, Ragtime, and Blues that claims to have “invented” jazz. Was an influential performer who pioneered improvisation
Who was Louis Armstrong?
Possibly the greatest Jazz figure of all time, leading Cornetist of his day and influenced many jazz musicians
Louis Armstrong did what?
Played cornet with King Oliver, as well as leading his own groups such as the “Hot Five”
What did “Fatha” Hines do?
Brought piano to the “front line” as a solo instrument
Early swing bands consisted of?
5 saxes, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones. Rhythm section replaced the banjo with the guitar, replacing tuba with the upright bass
Early swing bands grew out of what?
Instrumental combos
The Swing Era has what meter and tempo characteristics?
Triplet subdivision of pulse, more-up tempo
Special compositions and arrangements emerged for the group
Swing Era, Swing Bands
Pianist/Band Leader
Duke Ellington
Became foremost composer and arranger for the swing band
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington is from what era?
Swing Era, Swing Band
Swing Band Leaders
Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller
Count Basie played what?
Piano
Benny Goodman played what?
Clarinet
What is Benny Goodman’s nickname?
King of Swing
Glenn Miller played what?
Trombone
Swing Era Singers included:
Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra
What was Ella Fitzgerald known for?
Scat singing, a style of improv singing
Swing Era Music was the equivalent of what to us now?
Pop music, it was the pop music of the 30s and 40s
Toward the end of WWII, some jazz musicians felt big band was in a rut, too restrictive and stylized, so broke away and began developing a new style of Jazz called:
Bebop
Where does the term “Bebop” come from?
Scat singing, refers to a long-short note rhythm
Musical characteristics of Bebop
More exotic rhythm, double time tempo, fast unison licks in the ensemble, faster chord changes-often two per bar, virtuoso soloists, 3-6 players, cliquish and elitist - looked down on other jazz
Dizzy Gillespie played what?
Trumpet
Charlie “Bird” Parker played what?
Alto Sax
Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker did what?
Changed jazz significantly, often playing without music
Styles that were created in the 1950s
West Coast Jazz, Jazz in odd meters, Avant-garde jazz
Miles Davis
West Coast Jazz, played trumpet
Dave Brubeck
Jazz in odd meters, played piano
John Coltrane
Avant-garde jazz, tenor sax
Emphasized virtuosity and use of thematic ideas for improv rather than on harmonic changes
John Coltrane
Revival of big bands in 60’s, Buddy Rich
New Groups - 60s to present
Buddy Rich played
Drums
Fusion groups of 70s, which fused jazz harmonies with rock
New Groups - 60’s to present
Notable Fusion Groups
Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Chicago, Steely Dan
Added ethnic influences from Latin America or Africa
New Groups - 60s to present
Herbie Hancock
Latin America or African Influence
Fusion of Bluegrass and Folk Music
New Groups - 60s to present
Who are notable Bluegrass and Folk music artists?
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
