The Swing Era

Swing Era• swing era was the period of time (1935–1946)

when big band swing music was the most popular music in the United States. Though the music had been around since the late 1920s and early 1930s, being played by black bands led by such artists as Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Benny Moten, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson, most historians believe that the Swing Era started with Benny Goodman's performance at the Palomar Ballroom on August 21, 1935, bringing the music to the rest of the country.

Swing Era:Big Band• The big band is a type of musical ensemble

associated with jazz, a style of music which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. Big bands evolved with the times and continue to today. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and contains saxophones, trumpets, trombones, singers (or vocalists), and a rhythm section. The terms jazz band, jazz ensemble, stage band, jazz orchestra, society band and dance band may be used to describe a specific type of big band

Big Band

• In contrast to smaller jazz combos, in which most of the music is improvised, or created spontaneously, music played by big bands is highly "arranged", or prepared in advance and notated on sheet music. The music is traditionally called 'charts'. Improvised solos may be played only when called for by the arranger

Big Band• There are two distinct periods in the history of

popular bands. Beginning in the mid-1920s, big bands, then typically consisting of 10–25 pieces, came to dominate popular music. At that time they usually played a form of jazz that involved very little improvisation, which included a string section with violins, which was dropped after the introduction of swing in 1935. The dance form of jazz was characterized by a sweet and romantic melody. Orchestras tended to stick to the melody as it was written and vocals would be sung (often in a tenor voice) and in tune with the melody.

Swing Characteristics• 1) Generally, it was music for dancers.• 2) Played and performed in larger ballrooms and

concert halls.• 3) Large rooms needed big ensembles to be able to fill

the halls with sound.• 4) The need for written arrangement increases, as

dances are made to accommodate• songs. Dances such as the “Jitterbug”, “Foxtrot”, and

“Cheek to Cheek” , made arrangers• consider the need for a consistent version of songtitles

people could recognize.

Characteristics• 5) Saxophone becomes the leading soloistic voice in this

era.• 6) Banjo becomes an outdated sound, as the rhythm

section begins to take the shape of• Bass, Piano and Drums. This leads to a more consistent

“swing” feel.• 7) The idea of the improvisational soloist becomes the

mainstay in this era as collective• improvisation fades out and remains associated with

Chicago and New Orleans style.• 8) Instrumentalists are better equipped and more

‘technically’ trained. They read at a• higher level (because the business demanded this).

Characteristics• 9) despite the Big-band era being associated with the

“Swing” era, the soloists continue• to master and perfect improvisation at higher and loftier

standards.• 10) There were many great bands in this period, the

greatest “Jazz” groups, (those who• focused on improvisation) were probably the Basie and

Ellington Bands. Benny• Goodman’s band was also one of the great ensemble

bands. The difference was Goodman• did primarily all of the improvising with his group.

Therefore, his bands did not serve as• a training ground for the great Jazz improvisers of his day.

characteristics• * From Chicago’s “Hot Style” evolved the concept of ‘dance’ bands.

Larger ensembles• equipped to play in larger ballrooms to accommodate the hundreds

sometimes thousands• of dancers. Furthermore, the bands would grow in size from

generally 9-10 piece bands• to the commonly thought of 17 piece big band. Most big bands

today are modeled after• Miller’s 1945 “Airmen of Note” group which consisted of:• 4 Trumpets• 4 Trombones• 5 Saxes• 4 Rhythm

Characteristics• There were several versions of this size group before the

end of W.W.II and ironically• the end of the “Swing” era, which ends rather abruptly in

1946 when the bands of Benny• Carter, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman,

Jack Teagarden, Harry James• and Woody Herman disbanded nearly overnight.• *This is not to say the vehicle for jazz using the big band

has ever gone away. But in• 1946, times changed overnight as to the popularity of these

ensembles to the American• public.

Innovations• A) The Changing Role of the Rhythm Section:• 1) Primarily the rhythm section consisted of: piano, bass, rhythm guitar and drums.• Key Innovations seen in the Big Band movement:• 2) The piano playing in this periods much more focused on the idea of “comping”, which• means to accompany. With the roles of drums and bass changing and expanding, pianists• no longer have to play all the ensemble roles as in stride and ragtime. Rhythm• responsibilities become shared by all of of members of the R-section.• 3) The upright bass replaces the tuba. String bass was much better suited for uptempo 4/4• quarter notes as well as adequately suited for playing longer more stringent arrangements.• 4) Drummers were now relying on the expanding role of the hi-hat. Although they still• played 4 1/4tr notes to the beat on the bass drum (called “feathering”), the hi-hat help• create a more subtle “swing” pulse. It also allowed for ‘2 ‘to ‘4’ feels to shift easier. With• the addition of the ride cymbal, drummers would then emphasize the far ends of the

set,• not the middle, creating a more relaxed swing feel in music.

Innovations• 5) The quintessential example of rhythm guitar in this period was the playing of Freddie• Green. The 4/4 quarter note strumming supported the quarter note time feel of the bassist• (Walter Page) and the drummer (Jo Jones). The Basie Rhythm section became a model• for nearly all the bands of this period.• B) The Influx of the Modern Arrangements:• 1) Redman was the first to build a formula of featuring prominent soloists around tight• riff backgrounds.• 2) The Basie band had a very similar approach. They also geared there arrangements• around call and response antiphonal backgrounds, while featuring some of the best• soloists in Jazz.• 3) Ellington had a very original approach to all of this. He believed you wrote each part• for the ability of the musician playing it. He created a philosophy known as crossvoicing,• where the individual parts effected the layer and colored the score in a unique• way. Thus, it is very difficult to truly imitate an Ellington score. For it had intentions for• the players it was it was written for.

Kansas City• K.C. developed their own style in the Swing era. They seemed immune to

the• depression as music was played in a variety clubs and concert halls. One

of the highlights• in K.C. was the after hour jam sessions. During these sessions where

musicians would• jam, much trading and improvisational exploration took place. Legend has

it that Hawkins• and Young could spar for hours and hours.• K.C. has a city alderman by the name of Teddy Pendergast. During these• depression years, Pendergast ran a corrupt regime which allowed

gambling, liquor and• prostitution to be ready available. In this way nightlife flourished. Not

interested in music• per se, Pendergast’s practices made possible for a new style of Jazz in K.C.

to flourish.

Kansas City Sound• a) Developed charts based on head arrangements.• b) Within these arrangements prominent soloists were featured.• c) Much of the melodic ideas both compositionally and

improvisation were based on• “riff” playing.• d) riffs-a short melodic idea which is usually one or two measures

long. These ideas are• used for both melodic composition and improvisational ideas.

Antiphonal/call and• response happened frequently between sections in both soli

passages and backgrounds for• soloists.• e) Much of the time the blues was the basis for many of the tunes

in this style.

Artists• Coleman Hawkins• * One of the first musicians to gain wide acclaim as a top tenor soloist.• * Many consider him the first major sax virtuoso.• * Harmonically based improviser. Improvised vertically, as to outline the

harmony• (chords) while he played.• * Gained much attention for his work with the Fletcher Henderson Band.

He also played• bass and clarinet in the band.• * Originally influenced by Armstrong, later his biggest influence was Art

Tatum.• * His solo on “Body and Soul” is one of the most analyzed and listed solo

in the history• of Jazz.

Artists• Benny Carter• * Contributions in several key areas:• -Created a definitive Alto style that was widely imitated.• -Great Swing trumpeter.• - Wrote many Jazz standards. (“When the Light are Low”)• -As an arranger, he was a chief architect of the Big Band Style. ( 2

i.e.s-”Lonesome• Nights”, “Symphony Riffs”)• - Scored television specials “The Bob Hope Special”, “The Sarah Vaughn

Special”, “The• Alfred Hitchcock Show”, “Ironside”, M Squad” and “Chrysler Theater”.• -Movies credits include, “A Man Called Adam”, The Five Pennies”, The

Gene Krupra• Story”, “Buck and the Preacher” and “The Louis Armstrong Story”.

Artists• Ben Webster• * Became the prominent soloist of the Duke

Ellington Orchestra.• * A leading exponent of the style of Coleman

Hawkins.• * A leader in the tenor school in the late Swing

period.• * Helped bring the Ellington to prominence.• * Boasted a big sound which has been imitated

by many tenor players.

Artists• Johnny Hodges• * Created a definitive Alto style as lead Alto with the Ellington Band.• * This style was built around pitch bending and expressive phrasing.• * Many Ellington Ballads were written for his beautiful sound.• * Also had an interesting way of using rhythm in his solo’s.• * One of the many players who played all but a few years (1951-55

had his own combo)• with Ellington.• * His personality is distinctive of the Ellington sound and vice a

versa.• * One of his chief influences was said to be Sidney Bechet.

Artists• Roy Eldridge• *Nickname was “Little Jazz”• * Leading trumpet improviser of his day.• * Influenced by saxophonists Coleman Hawkins and Benny

Carter.• * Extreme high Register, with great instrumental technique.• * Important link to modernist Dizzy Gillepsie.• * Made giant leaps for black musicians by playing with

prominent White Bands. Most• notable may have been his time with Gene Krupra.• * “Rocking Chair” a most notable solo with Krupra Band.

Artists• Mary Lou Williams• * Another great K.C. performer.• * Arranger, Player, Composer, her compositions fill many of the

great Swing Band• libraries.• * Had strong affiliation with luminary bands of Ellington, Any Kirk

and Benny• Goodman.• * Set up foundation to help musicians.• * Received many honorary Doctorates and taught on the faculties

of Duke University and• University of Mass..• * First woman to compose and arrange for big-time Swing acts.• * Considered one of Jazz great pianists.

Artists