Welcome!
FORM: The underlying organization of a typical jazz song
COMMON FORMS:
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THE BLUES (12 bars/12 x 4 counts) |
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AABA (32 bars/ 32 x 4 counts) |
HANDOUTS:
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Jazz Names |
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Jazz Jargon |
LISTENING:
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The Swinging Shepherd Blues written by Moe Koffman |
From: The Moe Koffman Collection
Featuring:
Moe Koffman (flute);
Ed Bickert (guitar);
Bernie Senesky (piano);
Pat Collins (bass);
Barry Elmes (drums)
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I Got To Find My Baby |
From: Brent Parkin & The Stingers: BEEP, BEEP
Featuring:
Brent Parkin (guitar and vocals)
Darryl Havers (piano, organ)
Sandy Chochinov (bass)
Doug Yuel (drums)
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She's Hip written by Janice Finlay |
From: She's Hip (Janice Finlay)
Featuring:
Janice Finlay (alto sax)
Hugh Fraser (piano)
Mike Downes (bass)
Kelly Marques (drums)
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Satin Doll written by "Duke" Ellington and "Billy" Strayhorn |
From: Rita Reys Meets Oliver Nelson
Featuring:
Rita Reys (vocals)
Oliver Nelson Orchestra
CLASS TWO:
THE RHYTHM SECTION
Drumset
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replaces separate drum components such as bass drum and snare drum |
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original role as time keeper only |
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march influence |
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expands to soloist role with Gene Krupa |
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Key components: |
- hi-hat played on 2 & 4 (especially in "swing" style)
- ride cymbal rhythm
- snare and bass drums used conversationally
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Sets up the "feel" of a song |
LISTENING:
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Dixie Jazz Band One-Step: Original Dixieland Jazz Band |
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One O'clock Jump by William "Count" Basie |
From: Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings
Featuring the Count Basie Orchestra
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Sing, Sing, Sing by L. Prima |
From: Benny Goodman 16 Most Requested Songs
Featuring Gene Krupa on drums
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Wee-Dot by J.J. Johnson/L. Parker |
From: A Night at Birdland Volume 2
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Bass:
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Dual role - keep time and define the harmony of the song |
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Originally a role of the tuba |
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Two types: acoustic and electric (fretless/fretted) |
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works with drums to set up "feel" of a tune |
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walking bass line - one note per beat, common in "swing" music |
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advent of the bass amp allowed bassists to take on soloist role |
LISTENING:
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You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To |
From: Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
Featuring:
Art Pepper (sax)
Red Garland (piano)
Paul Chambers (Bass)
"Philly" Joe Jones (drums)
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So What |
From: Kind of Blue
Featuring:
Miles Davis (trumpet)
John Coltrane (tenor sax)
Julian "Cannonball" Adderly (alto sax)
Bill Evans (piano)
Paul Chambers (bass)
Jimmy Cobb (drums)
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If This Bass Could Talk |
From: If This Bass Could Talk (Stanley Clark)
Featuring:
Stanley Clark (bass)
Gregory Hines (tap)
Piano:
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Function: provide harmony by "comping"; provide melody; solo |
LISTENING:
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Honeysuckle Rose |
From: Art Tatum: 20th Century Genius
Featuring: Art Tatum (piano)
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My One and Only Love |
From: Walkin' - Live at the Blue Note
Featuring:
George Shearing (piano)
Neil Swainson (bass)
Grady Tate (drums)
Organ:
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Same function as piano |
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May also provide bass line using pedals! |
LISTENING:
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Ringin' In |
From: Stitt Meets Brother Jack
Featuring:
Jack McDuff (organ)
Sonny Stitt (saxophone)
Eddie Diehl (guitar)
Arthur Taylor (drums)
Ray Barretto (congas)
Guitar:
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Same role as piano - comp harmony, melody, solos |
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Advent of the guitar amp allowed for the evolution of guitar as a solo instrument |
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"Freddie Green" style comping "chunk, chunk, chunk" |
LISTENING:
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Solo Flight |
From: Solo Flight: Charles Christian with the Benny Goodman Sextet
Featuring:
Benny Goodman (clarinet)
Charlie Christian (guitar)
Jimmy Mundy
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One O'clock Jump by William "Count" Basie
From: Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings Featuring: Freddie Green (guitar) the Count Basie Orchestra |
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(Cross the) Heartland |
From: Pat Metheny - Works
Featuring:
Pat Metheny (guitar)
Lyle Mays (keyboards)
Mark Egan (bass)
Dan Gottlieb (drums)
CLASS THREE & FOUR:
Percussion:
The Vibraphone:
A keyboard instrument, played with two to four mallets. Pitches mean that it can play the melody, chords/comp and solo.
LISTENING:
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Flying Home by Benny Goodman/Lionel Hampton |
From: Benny Goodman: 16 Most Requested Songs
Featuring:
Lionel Hampton (vibraphone)
Benny Goodman (clarinet)
Fletcher Henderson (piano)
Charlie Christian (guitar)
Artie Bernstein (bass)
Nick Fatool (drums)
Other Percussion Instruments:
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cowbell |
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ago go bells |
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guiro |
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kubasa |
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claves |
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shakers |
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congas |
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bongos |
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timbales |
LISTENING:
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Latin Summit |
Featuring:
Tito Puente (percussion)
THE "FRONT LINE":
In general this includes the melody players - wind instruments, singers, and to a lesser extent members of the rhythm section. The first two are "monophonic" (= "one sound") instruments only able to play one note at a time.
Saxophone:
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one of jazz's main voices |
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saxophone replaced clarinet which was more predominate in earlier jazz groups |
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emulates human voice quite well |
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four commonly used sizes - soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes |
Early saxophonists
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wavering vibrato |
LISTENING:
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Summertime by George Gershwin |
From: The Blue Note Years: The Best of Sidney Bichet
Featuring:
Sidney Bichet (soprano sax)
"Fathers" of tenor sax:
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Lester Young (linear) |
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Coleman "Hawk" Hawkins (vertical) |
LISTENING:
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Body & Soul |
Featuring:
Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone)
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All of Me
Featuring: Lester Young (tenor sax) |
Most influential saxophonists:
Charlie "Yardbird" Parker (alto saxophonist)
Associated with the bebop era (1945)
LISTENING:
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KoKo |
Featuring:
Charlie Parker (alto sax)
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet)
John Coltrane (tenor sax)
Highly inventive - new sounds, diverse influences, new rhythmic concepts, etc.
LISTENING:
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Impressions |
Featuring:
John Coltrane (tenor sax)
Trumpet:
Large role in early stages of jazz due to well-known practitioners. Early on likely cornet rather than trumpet as a result of marching band instrument availability.
Includes cornet, trumpet, flugel horn.
Often used with different types of mutes to change tone quality
LISTENING:
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Pretty Little Missy |
Featuring:
Louis Armstrong & the Allstars
Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong (trumpet)
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A Night in Tunisia |
Featuring:
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet)
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Blue in Green |
From: Kind of Blue
Featuring:
Miles Davis (trumpet)
John Coltrane (tenor saxophone)
Bill Evans (piano)
Paul Chambers (bass)
Jimmy Cobb (drums)
Trombone:
Two types: slide trombone and valve trombone
Also may use mutes to change tone quality
LISTENING:
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Lover Man |
Featuring:
J.J. Johnson (trombone)
Other Instruments:
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clarinet |
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flute |
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violin |
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harmonica |
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bassoon |
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bagpipes |
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etcetera! |
Vocalists:
Early vocalists were very Blues-oriented
Scat singing; vocalese
Significant early vocalists:
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Louis Armstrong |
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Ella Fitzgerald |
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Sarah Vaughan |
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Billie Holiday |
LISTENING:
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How High the Moon |
Featuring:
Ella Fitzgerald (vocals)
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How High the Moon |
Featuring:
Sarah Vaughan (vocals)
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Lady Sings the Blues |
Featuring:
Billie Holiday(vocals)
Improvisation:
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The process of simultaneously performing what one composes |
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organic process |
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craft: use of motifs; quotes |
LISTENING:
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Freddie Freeloader |
From: Kind of Blue
Featuring:
Miles Davis (trumpet)
John Coltrane (tenor saxophone)
Wynton Kelly (piano)
Paul Chambers (bass)
Jimmy Cobb (drums)
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Impressions |
Featuring:
John Coltrane (tenor sax)
JAZZ TIMELINE:
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Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin |
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Easy Rider Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson |
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Dixie Jazz Band One-Step - Original Dixieland Jazz Band |
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Bleeding Heart Blues - James P. Johnson |
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All By Myself - Big Bill Broozny |
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One o'clock Jump - Count Basie Big Band |
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Misfit Blues - Dike Ellington Orchestra |
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Shaw 'Nuff - Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie |
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Boplicity - Miles Davis |
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Wee Dot - Art Blakey & the Jazz Messangers |
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Nica's Dream - Horace Silver |
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Impressions - John Coltrane |
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Lonely Woman - Ornette Coleman |
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Birdland - Weather Report |
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Breezin' - George Benson |
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Jesse 4 - Mother Earth |