Jazz repertoire for special occasions

Main Jazz Styles up to 1960

Jazz spans a wide and sometimes confusing range of music and styles. Perhaps this summary will help you determine the kind of jazz that you are most interested in.

Ragtime

• Strictly speaking this is not a jazz style, but it is often thought of as one of the precursors of jazz.

• It dates from the latter half of the 19^th Century.

• The majority of rags were originally written as piano pieces, but many well-known pieces have been arranged for other instrument combinations.

• Ragtime is primarily a composed form. Unlike jazz it doesn’t contain improvisation, although many rag themes have subsequently been used for jazz improvisation.

• They are exuberant in mood and are usually played at a steady speed.

• Distinctive features include a bouncy, off-beat melody against a strong bass line.

• The most famous composer of rags is Scott Joplin. He wrote more than 600 of these. His best- known pieces include The Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag.

New Orleans Style 

• This occurred from 1910- 1930.

• The most common instrumental line-up for this style is: cornet/trumpet, trombone, clarinet, double bass/tuba, banjo/guitar, sometimes piano and drums.

• The most distinctive feature is the inter-play between the front- line instruments (cornet/trumpet, trombone and clarinet). They all improvise at the same time (collective improvisation), creating a texture that is unique.

• As a result of this, the music can sound strident, but it is always lively and up- beat.

• A New Orleans piece will usually include some solos.

• The most famous band- leader in this style is Louis Armstrong.

Dixieland Jazz

• This dates from the same period as New Orleans jazz, and is similar in style.

• The principle difference is the lack of solos. Most pieces are based on collective improvisation throughout.

• Lively speeds are common.

Chicago Style

• Again, this is similar to New Orleans jazz.

• The whole ensemble will usually play at the beginning and end of a piece, with collective improvisation from the front- line. A succession of solos will occur in the middle.

• Chicago jazz is usually more boisterous than New Orleans jazz.

Swing 

• A completely new style that occurred during the 1930s.

• Big bands became popular, with the 13-piece band being common.

• The standard instrumental line-up for a swing band is: 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, 4 reeds(usually saxophones), piano, guitar, double bass and drums.

• The sound is distinctively rich and full, with characteristic inter-play between the brass and reed sections, who often share out the melodic work.

• Improvised solos are common.

• At the time much of this music was used for dancing.

• Famous band –leaders of the period include Duke Ellington and Count Basie.

• Famous soloists include Lester Young and Benny Goodman.

Bebop 

• This gradually appeared during the 1940s as a reaction against the increasing commercialism of Swing.

• Smaller ensembles were the norm, with a typical ensemble comprising: trumpet, saxophone, piano, double bass and drums.

• Bebop harmony tends to consist of quite complex chords, and players improvise freely over these.

• Improvisations are usually technically demanding, showing off the players command of their instrument, and they generally move a long way from the original theme of the piece(which will be played by the ensemble at the beginning and end of the piece).

• Unlike Swing, this music is to be listened to and is not for dancing.

• Famous band- leaders of the period include Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk.

Cool Jazz

• This dates from the 1950s.

• Band sizes at the time were flexible, but smaller ensembles were often more commercially viable.

• The standard instrumentation of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, piano, double bass and drums remains the heart of a large ensemble, but there were also experiments with instruments such as the French horn, alto flute and bass clarinet to create special effects.

• The dominant feature of the style is its calm, relaxed playing and warm sound.

• Solos are common.

• Some of the best- known musicians of this period include Gerry Mulligan and Miles Davis.

Hard Bop 

• This is another style from the 1950s, and contrasts hugely with cool jazz.

• The music is earthy and extrovert with prominent drumming.

• It is usually lively, with a sense of driving forward.

• Like Bebop, ensembles tend to be small,  with a typical comprising trumpet, saxophone, piano, double bass and drums.

• Famous musicians from this style include Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones and John Coltrane.

c

MidsummerMusicCS