New Orleans
birthplace of jazz. Stems from a seaport city (explains why its popular in New Orleans, New York, LA). Purchased in 1718 by France, then in 1763 by Spain, 1801 by France, then it 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase. Home to the highly educated Creoles of Color, where African and French musical origins joined to form jazz
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
New Orleans | birthplace of jazz. Stems from a seaport city (explains why its popular in New Orleans, New York, LA). Purchased in 1718 by France, then in 1763 by Spain, 1801 by France, then it 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase. Home to the highly educated Creoles of Color, where African and French musical origins joined to form jazz |
Active Listening | A form of listening where the listener actively pays attention to all audible and stylistic elements in a song, hearing all of the instruments and working to hear the complexities beneath. Best way to listen and understand jazz. |
passive listening | A form of listening where the listener is not paying complete attention to all of the elements of the music. Not the best way to listen to jazz. |
Jazz Interpretation | Six Elements of Jazz
a unique way of producing sound and phrasing melodies. Differing from the melody |
improvisation
| Six Elements of Jazz
Going off the book, reacting to a situation in real time. Simultaneously composing and performing |
Rhythm | Six Elements of Jazz
This is different in jazz because they typically include more of a swing feel |
Syncopation | Six Elements of Jazz
Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an offbeat. Something happening between two beats |
Sounds of associated with Jazz | Six elements of Jazz
Bent notes, piano, blues sound, romantic sound |
Forms | Six Elements of Jazz
Roadmap for a given tune. Two types: AABA and blues |
AABA form | Form of jazz used a lot in the early 30s to early 60s.
1) Statement made at beginning
2) Restatement of same material
3) Different material (bridge)
4) Original material again
- example: Deck the Halls |
Deck the Halls; Over the Rainbow | two examples of AABA form |
Blues form | 12 measure form, 3 statements split into 4 measures.
1) Phrase 1
2) Phrase 2 (repetition of Phrase 1)
3) Phrase 3 (new phrase that rhymes with phrase 1 and 2)
- possible origins from the call and response style of gospel. Also possibly from the work songs/field hollers.
- VOCALS IMPORTANT
- chord progression |
Ma Rainey | Mother of the Blues |
William Handy | Father of the Blues |
Urban blues | an extrovert and rhythmic style of blues, usually accompanied by a band. |
Rural Blues | acoustic folk blues with a guitar accompaniment |
Sweet Home Chicago | Example of blues song by Robert Johnson |
Swing Feel | The way jazz makes people feel. Characterized by wanting to snap or clap or dance along to the music, a "lilting feeling". Thought to be initiated by Louis Armstrong.
1) Music performed with a rhythmic lilt
2) Constant tempo
3) Cohesive group sound |
Chorus | Once through the form of a song |
Introduction; Melody; Improvisation Section; Restatement of Melody; Conclusion | 5 parts of a jazz tune
1. (I)__________________
2. (M)___________
3. (IS)_________________ ___________
4. (RM)________________ __ _________
5. (C)_____________ |
Bridge | Another name for b-section of a song |
Kieth Jarret | Piano prodigy who felt that "thinking too much" stopped him from reaching his full potential, loved to syncopate and create his own sounds, improvisation |
Piano, bass, and drums | Nucleus of a jazz band |
Piano | this instrument can simultaneously play a solo and a fundamental note, where the pianist comps for themselves. Plays chords that support the soloist. |
Bass | this instrument plays the rhythmic and harmonic foundation |
walking bass | The bassist plucks a string once per beat. Keeps time for the band and gives the group's sound a buoyancy. |
drums | this instrument is the colorist or the timekeeper.
1) Keeps time
2) Decorates the group sound
3) Kicks and prods the soloist |
ride cymbal | The drummer uses his right hand to play rhythms that provide both (1) regular pulse and (2) swing feeling. Creates ride rhythms |
snare drum | Played with the drummer's left hand to decorate the ground sound by striking this drum that sits on a stand close to his lap. Crisp, crackling sound called "fills" |
crash cymbal | Drummer interrupts the series of ride rhythms to strike this drum. Splashy sound and quick disappearing sound |
high hat | A pedal that closes two cymbals together. |
Kenny G | soprano saxophonist. Simplifies the music to approach a wider audience. Popular in the 80s. Example of a smooth jazz musician.
- song: "Songbird" |
Creoles of color | People of French and African descent with strong cultural identity in music and food. |
white creole | People of French and Spanish descent |
ragtime | A style of music featuring melodies with shifting accents over a steady, marching-band beat; originated among black musicians in the south and midwest in the 1880s.
- mainly solo pianist music
- lots of syncopation
- played by trained musicians
- Scott Joplin |
Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainer by Scott Joplin | Example of Ragtime |
Dixieland | Style of music originated in the early 1900s, led by Buddy Bolden. Lots of instruments including: trumpet/cornet, trombone, piano, banjo, clarinet, tuba, drums (percussion) |
Buddy Bolden | Cornet player, considered to be one of the first major leader of a jazz band. |
provides rhythm | Role of piano in Dixieland |
Plays Melody | Role of trumpet/cornet in Dixieland |
Plays chord tones | Role of trombone in Dixieland |
Provides Rhythm | Role of Banjo in Dixieland (later replaced with guitar) |
Embellishes melody | Role of Clarinet in Dixieland |
Provides harmonic foundation | Role of tuba in Dixieland (Later replaced with Bass) |
Percussion | Role of drums in Dixieland |
1917; Storyville | Jazz left New Orleans in _____ due to the red light district ___________, where prostitution was legalized and STDs spread. Led to a jazz migration |
Scat | Singing nonsense syllables/words that only make sense rhythmically. Imitating an instrument. Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme example.
- a type of blues
- first scat was by Louis Armstrong |
Vocalese | jazz singing wherein words are sung to melodies, uses lyrics either as improvised instrument solos.
- example: "Freddie Freeloader" |
Wordless vocal | Take the score, write the notes of melody. Singer has ability to sing whatever syllables they want as long as they hit the notes.
- example: "Creole Love Call" by Duke Ellington, Kathleen Battles |
Collective Improvisation | a situation when all members of a group improvise simultaneously |
Solo Improvisation | when one instrument player improvises while others play melody |