jazz in america-the swing era
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Jazz In America
The Swing Era
![Page 2: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Transition from DixielandWritten Arrangements
By the end of the 1920s, jazz was developing in two complimentary directions Emphasis on soloist Emphasis on ensemble
Collective improv kept the structure simple
To accommodate more sophisticated music and more musicians, written arrangements became more common
2
![Page 3: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Transition from DixielandWritten Arrangements
3
Written arrangements became the product of one person’s mind; the arranger
Written arrangements all but eliminated collective improv, but allowed for individual soloists to improvise
![Page 4: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Transition from DixielandEnsemble Size
Several well-known small ensembles, but the Swing Era was characterized by the big band
Typical Dixieland group of 5 – 7 members grew to 15 – 18 during 1930s & 1940s
Allowed for new dimensions to be added to the music
4
![Page 5: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Transition from DixielandEnsemble Size
Dixieland Band 1 Trumpet 1 Clarinet 1 Trombone 1 Bass/Tuba 1 Piano/Banjo 1 Drum Set / 2
Drummers
Big Band 4 Trumpets 5 Saxophones 4 Trombones 1 Bass 1 Piano 1 Guitar 1 Drum Set Anything else the
arranger wanted
5
![Page 6: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Transition from DixielandNew Breed of Jazz Musicians
6
Many were formally educated
Many came from brass & military bands
Represented a cross of readers and non-readers
![Page 7: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Transitions from DixielandMovement of Music
Jazz started in New Orleans, but moved to Chicago and then New York
Chicago already had its own style of Dixieland
NY was the center of the music world Recording companies Publishing houses All fields, all styles Music business activities
7
![Page 8: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Transition from Dixieland… and all that Jazz
Dates 1920-1935: beginning of the big bands 1935-1945: the Swing Era
New song forms e.g., AABA, songs were capable of evolution
Radio Spread of radio and recording made it popular
throughout the U.S. Harmony
Tunes were capable of greater harmonic sophistication
Moved from polyphony to homophony
8
![Page 9: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Performance PracticesThe Instruments
9
The Saxophone Section Generally 5
saxophones Two Altos Two Tenors One Baritone
Usually also played the clarinet
![Page 10: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
10
Performance PracticesThe Instruments
The Trumpet Section Generally 4 trumpets
The Trombone Section Generally 4
trombones
![Page 11: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
11
Performance PracticesThe Instruments
The Rhythm Section Generally 4 pieces:
piano, bass, drums, and guitar
![Page 12: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Performance PracticesTypical Arrangements
Example 1: Melody played by entire band in unison or in
harmony; rhythm section provides accompaniment throughout
Example 2: Melody and accompaniment parts would often
be played in turn by various sections in the band Example 3:
Call and response
12
![Page 13: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Performance PracticesTypical Arrangements
Example 4: After melody is played, jazz improv follows
Ex. Wrappin’ It Up, Fletcher Henderson
Example 5: Simple musical phrases played over and over
called riffs Ex. One O’clock Jump, Count Basie
13
![Page 14: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Performance PracticesRhythm Section
Drums Played simply, making the beat obvious for
dancers Swung, emphasizing the second and fourth beet
of each measure Bass
Kept time Played in either two-beat style or walking bass
style Outlined the chord progressions
14
![Page 15: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Performance PracticesRhythm Section
Piano Played chords either stride style, on every beat, or
on every other beat Comping was NOT common Occasionally played melodies and melodic
embellishments
Guitar Played chords, percussively on each beat
15
![Page 16: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Performance PracticesDifferences from Dixieland
More use of written arrangements Wider range of compositional styles; fewer
ragtime-like tunes More solo improvisation, less collective
improvisation More use of string bass, less use of tuba More use of guitar, no banjo SAXOPHONE is predominant instrument
16
![Page 17: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Cultural Implicationsof the Swing Era
Jazz’s most popular period Hundreds of professional big bands flourished
in the 1930s & early 1940s After the stock market crash of 1929, swing
helped the country through the Great Depression, creating escape via swing dancing
Served as a major morale booster in WWII
17
![Page 18: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Cultural Implicationsof the Swing Era
Jazz reached new levels of sophistication in the Swing Era
Weak economy lead many recording companies into bankruptcy
Jazz proliferated through the radio
18
![Page 19: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Cultural Implicationsof the Swing Era
There were hundreds of performance venues Ballrooms Movies Hotels Record Companies
19
![Page 20: Jazz in America-The Swing Era](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022061103/540f366d7bef0a537a8b47d5/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Cultural Implicationsof the Swing Era
Race Relations For the first time, it didn’t matter what color
you were, just how well you played First interracial groups: The Benny Goodman
Trio, Quartet, Sextet, and Big Band (1935) Jazz increased the appreciation of the
achievements of African Americans
20