Chapter Eighteen

Improvisation and Form

New Orleans at the Turn of the 20th Century

A Blending of 3 Musical Styles:∑Folk Music

Celtic-English-FrenchAfrican-American (Slave Songs)

∑Popular Music“Gay 90’s” SongsVaudeville SongsMinstrel Songs

∑Light Classical Music (Parlor Songs)OperettasChautauqua

New Orleans at the Turn of the 20th Century

Instrumental/Stylistic Influences:

∑Military Bands (cheap musical instruments)

∑Ragtime (syncopation)

∑The Blues (call and response)

Important Musical Elements in Jazz

Vocal Inflections

•“Blue” notes

•Bending pitches (melismas)

•Word painting

Important Musical Elements in Jazz

Rhythmic Elements:

∑Steady Tempo (Pulse)

∑Syncopation

∑Repetition of Short Patterns (riffs)

∑Call and Response

Swing –– Early 30’s to Late 40’s

Big BandsFletcher HendersonDuke EllingtonCount BasieBenny GoodmanDorsey BrothersGlenn Miller

CombosArt TatumLionel HamptonBen WebsterLester Young Jonah JonesDjango Reinhardt

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington [1899-1974]

• Pianist• Composer/Arranger• Band Leader

Diversity and Breadth of his Style:Characteristics of his Music

Arrangements Film Scores Romantic Ballads Exotic Works Concert Works Sacred Works Concerto-Type Works Swinging Instrumentals

with Jazz Solos

Duke’s Arranging is Unique Diversity of themes

within a single piece Block Scoring Voicing Across Sections Wordless Vocals Parts written for unique

capabilities of musicians

Mixture of improvised parts with prewritten parts