swing bands featured sections of trumpets, saxophones, and

Which white swing clarinetist and bandleader, who spent as much of his early career as he could in Harlem, once said, "I was actually leading the life of a Negro musician"? The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 19301945. Swing music began appearing in the early 1930s and was distinguished by a more supple feel than the more literal 44 of early jazz. [24] In many cases, however, the distinction between these roles can become blurred. Fish, Scott K. Duke Ellington vs Chick Webb: We Tore Them Up, Man. March 1, 2016. https://scottkfish.com/2016/03/01/5221/. In contrast to the typical jazz emphasis on improvisation, big bands relied on written compositions and arrangements. At these venues, which themselves gained notoriety, bandleaders and arrangers played a greater role than they had before. New York was an important geographic area for the developments leading toward the swing style of jazz. A distinction is often made between so-called "hard bands", such as those of Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey, which emphasized quick hard-driving jump tunes, and "sweet bands", such as the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Orchestra,[41][42]. To learn more about the book this website supports, please visit its, You must be a registered user to view the. the late 1930s through the 1950s, Duke Ellington was one of the premier swing band Concert The term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music, although this was not the only style of music played by big bands. ", One of the most common forms used in jazz counting pattern over again for each successive variation of the pattern As the soloistic improvisations intensified, bebop players such as saxophonist Charlie "Bird" PARKER often Music is My Mistress. The lyrics kept within these traditions. [1][2] The division in early big bands, from the 1920s to 1930s, was typically two or three trumpets, one or two trombones, three or four saxophones, and a rhythm section of four instruments. They were knowledgeable and often biased toward their favorite bands and songs, and sometimes worshipful of famous soloists and vocalists. Swing as popular music usually had vocals, such as Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," and was intended for dancing. early style of "Hot Jazz" made its way north to Chicago and east to Jazz vocalists during this era were highly influenced by horn players. "Fusion" in its strictest out of tune) notes, (4) and even a section with Armstrong's famous "scat is called the ", The Jazz Big Band Arrangements. So the Swing Era was during the Depression and it acted as a kind of counter-statement or rebellion against the unemployment and misery that the Depression caused. Jazz began in New Orleans in the How relevant do you believe the poem is today? [44], Although big bands are identified with the swing era, they continued to exist after those decades, though the music they played was often different from swing. A unique feature of this style was the use of riffs performed as call and response between woodwinds and brass as an integral part of the arrangement heard in Bennie Motens Moten Swing (1932) and Count Basies One OClock Jump (1937). This form maintains the same chord collectively . Coast" Cool Jazz emerged, using Swing bands featured a large ensemble of woodwinds (saxophones, clarinets), brass (trumpets, trombones) and a back-up accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). Scat singing, along with his gravelly voice, became Armstrongs trademark sound, as heard in Lazy River (1931). endstream endobj 1555 0 obj <>/Metadata 104 0 R/Outlines 108 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 1544 0 R/StructTreeRoot 655 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 1556 0 obj <>/Font<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 1557 0 obj <>stream In the 1960s, Gunther SCHULLER developed a style known as "Third introduction, the main theme, and four varied improvised choruses. The swing era was the one time that jazz was a truly popular style. Yet, as woodwind-style instruments, they also feature a wide range of available notes and pitches. The Glenn Miller band was one of the most popular bands of the Swing Era. leaders in America. The most prominent features of big band swing were the use of written arrangements and improvised solos, repetitive horn riffs, call and response between the brass and reed sections, and a rhythmic drive derived from walking and/or boogie-woogie type bass lines. - A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. Since 1960, several newer types Perhaps it started with the habanera in Mortons early compositions, and in the bridge of W. C. Handys St. Most swing was performed by Big Bands, which were literally big bands, divided into trumpets, saxophones, trombones, and a rhythm section consisting mostly of drums, bass, guitar, and piano. By the late 1930s, prosperity was returning, and records and radio were extremely helpful in publicizing jazz. Sweet Swing (people like Glenn Miller) had less improvisation, was a bit slower, restrained with a slight swing feel, and was for the white upper class dinner parties. (of the Dave Brubeck Quartet that also featured alto saxophonist Paul DESMOND), 3 4 5 6 7 8, - Swing bands featured a large ensemble of American society, while standing as a brilliant reflection of American freedom Boyd Raeburn drew from symphony orchestras by adding flute, French horn, strings, and timpani to his band. In the 1970s, popular fusion groups included BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, CHICAGO, and SANTANA African American big band arrangers such as Fletcher Henderson and Eddie Durham were major contributors to the success of white bandleaders such as Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Glen Miller. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Social life changed and large ballrooms were needed for the thousands who wanted to dance every night and large bands seemed to be the answer to filling these dance halls with music. a vocalist with piano or a small backup group. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. exemplifies many of the most innovative aspects of this new jazz style: (1) It Swing grew out of New Orleans Jazz and the evolved into Bebop. So generally the pianist played very rhythmically, and helped keep the beat. Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. The focus shifted away from the arranger and toward the improvising performer. the 1930s, famed jazz pianists Edward "Duke" Other female bands were led by trumpeter B. art form--a unique blending of West African and Western European/American Up until the Swing Era improvisation was essentially just playing the melody with some embellishments. . Choose the vocabulary word that answers each riddle. [3] They incorporated elements of Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, ragtime, and vaudeville. Rewrite each sentence following the instructions in parentheses. for hits such as Take the A Train, and Satin Doll, as well as colorful and Company B, was popularized through records and film by The Andrews Sisters during World War harmony, structure and instrumentation. style, boogie-woogie was born. accompaniment (acoustic bass with piano and/or guitar). The music business suffered during the Great Depression. is a Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Black Studies and History, and former Chair of Black Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In the 1950s, a smooth style of "West This Two other musical characteristics of swing bands are a return to the use of a flat-four rhythm and the use of block chords (chords with many notes moving in parallel motion). '20s," "HOT" JAZZ A general format emerged from the creation of a swing jazz arrangement. photo by Patricia Schneider. (optional) Select some text on the page (or do this before you open the "Notes" drawer). Explain your opinion in a book review. Keyboards are the swing band equivalent of rice in Gumbo. "walking bass" accompaniment, - Harmony For the trumpet and trombone players, the most common configuration is 2-1-3-4, from the director's . [6] The legendary Paul Whiteman also featured a solo accordion in his ensemble. The Henderson band is considerably larger than most syncopated dance bands of the 1920s (eight or nine musicians). Others challenged him, and battle of the bands became a regular feature of theater performances. Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, and Jimmie Lunceford each led orchestras that achieved international standing. Bassists generally assumed the role of timekeeper, while drummers functioned in a dual capacity. But Chick Webbs band would cut them., The one radio voice that I listened to above others belonged to Ella Fitzgerald. The trumpet section included four trumpets; the first was responsible for the highest notes. Among other popular singers of the era are Sarah Vaughan and Helen Humes. Benny Goodman (19091986) was a superior clarinetist who began appearing on stage by the age of twelve. Other research interests include African popular music and the use of oral history and photography in the study of culture. The piece has an Very important to the development of the Swing Bands were the role of the composer/arranger and the excellent stylizations of musicians. performing at the same time." Swing music was performed by a larger ensemble consisting of saxophones (sometimes also clarinets), trumpets, and trombones. widespread popularity of big band/swing was accelerated by the rise of dozens Ornette Coleman in the 1960s. New York in the late 1920s. 3. Unlike the concert band, the lead players should never be seated on the end of the section. the following instruments: In 1925, bandleader Paul Whiteman Walter Page is often credited with developing the walking bass,[38] though earlier examples exist, such as Wellman Braud on Ellington's Washington Wabble from 1927. In the mid-1930s, he was the featured soloist in the Basie Orchestra. Ra's eclectic music was played by a roster of musicians from ten to thirty and was presented as theater, with costumes, dancers, and special effects.[1]. This intermingling of sections became a defining characteristic of big bands. The trumpeter blows on the mouthpiece at one end of the trumpet with closed lips, and the sound wave reverberates through the tube until it exits out the widened far end of the instrument. Then, during the Swing Era, the sax player Coleman Hawkins changed the way jazz approached improvisation from melody to harmony (horizontal to vertical). here to see a YouTube video on "swing" groove vs. other types of II. art form--a unique blending of West African and Western European/American Whether your event needs a small ensemble or a full big band sound, we have the professionalism and class needed for functions requiring real live music! Other renowned vocalists are blues singers Jimmy Rushing with You Can Depend on Me and Joe Williamss Roll Em Pete, featured with the Count Basie Orchestra, whose repertoire included ballads, jazz and pop standards. Short, repeated refrains or phrases, or riffs, are common in jazz. A distinctly new genre appeared in the late 1930s that to some degree bridged the differences between big band swing and bebop combos, and this was West Indian influenced music. to jazz, [4] While most big bands dropped the previously common jazz clarinet from their arrangements (other than the clarinet-led orchestras of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman), many Duke Ellington songs had clarinet parts,[5] often replacing or doubling one of the tenor saxophone parts; more rarely, Ellington would substitute baritone sax for bass clarinet, such as in "Ase's Death" from Swinging Suites. American sound has fascinated listeners, performers and composers around the In the late 1940s, progressive Glenn Miller (19041944) was a brilliant arranger, an outstanding businessman, and a fine trombone player. hbbd``b`:$g@Hp,@,Fb 0 O3 hmk6^/,$mA% (London: Paladin) 1987. hundreds of different melodies. The first chorus of an arrangement introduces the melody and is followed by choruses of development. A cheap & cheerful collection of up-tempo sax, trumpet and trombone funky licks featuring over 350 ensemble phrases, solos, trills and stabs for house, disco, electro-swing and quirky big-band-infused electronica. The methods of dance bands marked a step away from New Orleans jazz. Progressive bands were led by Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Evans, Carla Bley, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin, Don Ellis, and Anthony Braxton. [7][8], Jazz ensembles numbering eight (octet), nine (nonet) or ten (tentet) voices are sometimes called "little big bands". and the Lincoln Center Jazz Swing was massively popular during the 1930s, so popular, in fact, that it was the pop music of its time. The Glenn Miller Band worked the best jobs and recorded often. Kansas City, in particular, became a wide-open town totally ingrained in the entertainment business. [37] As jazz migrated from its New Orleans origin to Chicago and New York City, energetic, suggestive dances traveled with it. [3] In the late 1930s, Shep Fields incorporated a solo accordion, temple blocks, piccolo and a viola into his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra. Instead of just embellishing the melody, he created a whole new melody based on the songs harmony by arpeggiating the chords and adding further chord alterations and substitutions to make his solo more complex. ways. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" - Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald, It Dont Mean a Thing (If It Aint Got That Swing),, Kansas City was the swingingest sound in the world. While each instrument in a swing band can be compared to an ingredient in Gumbo, none of them have been equated with the seasoning so far. These consist of the independent use of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and rhythm section with the use of soloists. Until the political climate changes in Chile, Allende will write from her current home in Jimmy Rushing, Oklahoma City native and early member of the Blue Devils, set a style in blues and jazz that was imitated widely by others. "C" Jam Blues (1942). an improvisation: melody, harmony, and form. Louis ARMSTRONG (1900-1971): Hotter Than That (1927). more traditional instruments such as horn, cello, flute and oboe. Traveling conditions and lodging were difficult, in part due to segregation in most parts of the United States, and the personnel often had to perform having had little sleep and food. By the 1930s, these and other cities became major centers for the development of the swing style. Basie, Count. Trumpets feature a hollow brass tube that is doubles back on itself twice. Maria Schneider assisted Gil Evans, wrote for Woody Herman and Mel Lewis, and has conducted jazz orchestras around the world. (As told to Albert Murray). In addition, Miller had a radio program and made motion pictures. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. It began as an intensified rhythmic outgrowth of the black Rhythm & The string bass replaced the tuba and the guitar replaced the banjo. Thats intentional; the individual style of each swing band is what makes the music unique, much as the seasoning used in a particular Gumbo can make it one of a kind. And this is where the term head comes from, meaning the original melody of the song that is, its all in your head, not written down on paper. Woody Herman's first band, nicknamed the First Herd, borrowed from progressive jazz, while the Second Herd emphasized the saxophone section of three tenors and one baritone. trombone. Yes drums are like the Roux or Fil in Gumbo. Many of the great swing bands broke up, as the times and tastes changed. Swing bands featured orchestras with sections of trumpets, saxophones, and. While the trumpet is commonly featured in a swing band, a saxophone is also often used to enhance melodies. A prominent feature of swing music is a leading brass section, which is often provided by a trumpet. This expansive eclecticism characterized much of jazz after World War II. Arrangers notated specific notes for each instrument to play in every measure on a written score. in its strictest Lester Young & Herschel Evans. is called the "12-bar blues." He was also a band leader and arranger who traveled throughout Europe and Japan during the 1950s and 1960s. harmony. clarinetist Benny GOODMAN and Their styles are uniquely different, yet both helped shape the definition of the pure jazz singer. (1937). "big band" backup, the most famous example, The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy from The popularity of many of the major bands was amplified by star vocalists, such as Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey, Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly with Jimmy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb, Billie Holiday and Jimmy Rushing with Count Basie, Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest with Harry James, Doris Day with Les Brown,[40] and Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman. Many swing-era compositions were written by professional songwriters employed by song publishing companies. When new arrangements are written, they are usually in the same style as the original band. of many things they must think about while they are playing. Guiding Principals. Her vocal command expanded to an unusual range of four octaves, and she is best known for her melodic approach to scatting.