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Ridin’ in Rhythm: The Thirties and Swing
Professor Jeff Rupert, Director of Jazz Studies, The University of Central Florida
Swing, Americas Popular Musicof the 1930’s and 40’s
Swing Summary
Randalls Island
Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952)
Innovator of the big band style.
Composer and arranger for:
his bandBenny GoodmanChick Webb, and others.
Fletcher Henderson and the American invention
Fletcher Henderson
Ensemble passages are written in the style of a soloist.
Big Band arrangements feature ensemble and sections, as well as soloists.
These sections are:Trumpets (usually 4, may be 3-5)Trombones (usually 4, may be 3-5)Saxophones (5, and they all usually play
clarinet, too)Rhythm section; piano, bass, drums, and
sometimes guitar.
The Drum set evolves
Features the Hi-Hat.
Drummers able to accents beat 2 &4 in a new way.
Drummers began using “ride pattern” on the cymbal.
Benny Goodman
Virtuoso clarinetist Known by the
masses as the King of Swing
Used integrated bands for recordings
Used the arrangements of Fletcher Henderson
Brought jazz into the parlor of America.
Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
The “King” of Swing
Chicago born clarinetist
Popularizes swing. Great band, great
soloists Always used the
best musicians, regardless of race.
Benny Goodman to California
Jimmy Lunceford Band
The Greatest Dance band of all time.
Underrated group. Outstanding
performers and arrangements.
Lunceford, Dorsey, MillerAlt version 3:30
Cab Calloway
Bandleader/singer Unique vocalists with unusual
lyrics. (Minnie The Moocher). His band featured great
musicians. Coast to coast broadcasts helped
popularize his band.
The Kansas City Bands
The Jay McShann Band.
The Benny Moten Band, which becomes the Count Basie Band.
William “Count”Basie
1904-1984
Pianist from the stride tradition, helps define the swing era and classic big band sound.
Leads big bands and small groups from the 1930’s to the 1980’s.
The Kid From Red Bank’sEarly influences:
Basie in Kansas City
1929 talks his way into Benny Moten’s band.
He takes it over in 1935 when Moten dies.
Takes over the band. 1930’s band called the “Old
Testament” band. 1952 the “ New Testament” band is
born. (arrangers Neil Hefti, Benny Carter,
Quincy Jones and Frank Foster).
The Kansas City Bands
The Jay McShann Band.
The Count Basie Band.
Aka The Kid from Red Bank.
Basie’s Big Band
The band could roar, but was probably best known for playing slowly and quietly.
His piano style becomes more sparse, and is known more as an ensemble player.
Basie and the Blues
Basie was deeply influenced by the blues, after hearing the Blue Devils band.
Jimmy Rushing/Basie
His band became known as the band swinging the blues out of Kansas City.
Basie adds key players to his band- Jo Jones on Drums, and Lester Young on
tenor saxophone.
Other key players;Walter Page on Bass,
Freddie Green, Guitar, and Hot Lips Page
Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
Stride Pianist Composes
thousands of pieces:
Mood PiecesJazz StandardsSuites
Band Leader.
Composes dozens of popular songs:
In a sentimental mood Mood Indigo Don’t Get Around much anymore Sophisticated Lady I’m Beginning to see the light
Ellington
If he had never composed a popular song, he would still be a major force in American music composition.
Ellingtons band has three theme songs during it’s existence
East St Louis Toodle-0 Sepia Panorama Take the A Train
Ellington as pianist and composer
Ellington was a brilliant pianist, however his main instrument as he used to say, Was his band.
