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Swing Era

Height of Popularity 1935-45

Began from Bands like James Reese Europe

Fletcher Henderson, 1st Important Band

Swing was Replaced by Bop in the 1940s

After Era: Big Band Music

Most Colleges have Jazz Ensembles

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The Sections of the Swing Band

Sax (3-5) Can include Clarinet, Flute

Trumpet (2-5)Trombone (2-5)Rhythm

Piano, Bass, DrumsBass = String Bass, TubaCan include guitar/banjo, vibes

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Duke Ellington’s Band 1930s

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Stan Kenton Band 1950s

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The ArrangerComposes and/or arranges the individual parts for the instruments

May be the Band Leader

Can be a member of the band

Can be self-employed

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Arrangement

Often called a Chart

The arrangement:

Compare & Contrast Sections

Blend Sections

Leaves space for solos

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The Song

May be a popular song

Newly composed

Riff tune

Various riffs pieced together

Sometimes not written, head chart

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Fletcher Henderson

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Fletcher Henderson

1st Important Big Band

Established the Format for Arrangements

1st Recorded 1923

Armstrong Joined for a Year in 1924 (major influence)

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Fletcher Henderson

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The Stampede: The Arrangement

The Stampede

By

Fletcher Henderson

May 14, 1926

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The Stampede:1st Section

Introduction 1-bar Piano riff

1-bar sax riff

1-bar trumpet riff

1 bar band answer

4-bar trumpet solo

Compare & Contrast of Sections

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2nd Section

Trombone SoloAccomp. Band Riff

Band plays final bars with a piano break

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3rd Section

Sax Solo Brass Accomp.

• Long-note chords

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4th Section

4-Bar Interlude 2-Bar Sax Section

2-Bar Band

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5th Section

Trumpet SoloAccomp. Sax long note chords

Banjo backbeat (2&4)

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6th Section

2-Bar Piano Interlude

2-Bar Band Answer

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7th Section

Clarinet TrioAccomp. Banjo on all 4 beats

Clarinet Break

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8th Section

Trumpet SoloAccomp. Sax long-note chords

4-Bars Band

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9th Section

Trombone SoloAccomp. by Band

Trumpet Tag

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Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974)

Most Prolific & Creative Arranger/Composer in Jazz History

Pianist

Composing: wrote Popular Songs, Instrumental Portraits of People & Places, Extended Compositions, Movie Scores, Sacred Concertos

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Duke Ellington

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Duke Ellington

Arranging Style: wrote for “individuals” rather than instruments, voicing across sections of the band,

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Duke Ellington

Late 1920s House Band at the Cotton Club

Wrote “Jungle Style” for their “Floor Shows”

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Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington 1930s Movie

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Duke Ellington

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Duke Ellington

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Duke Ellington

“The Mooche” 1928Black and Tan Fantasy III

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Duke Ellington

Popular Songs/Jazz Standards

Take The A Train (1941)

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A Train: AABA Song Form

Each section is 8 bars long

Sax, Trumpet, Trombone Sections of the band are distinct

Format: Intro, 32-bar melody, trumpet solo, interlude, call & response between sax section & trumpet, final melody, ending

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AABA Song Form

Introduction

4 bars piano stating the whole tone scale

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A A-Section

8 bars

Sax section has the melody

Trombones & trumpets each with a different response

“second A” is a direct repeat

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B-Section

8 Bar B-Section

Sax section has the melody

Trombones respond

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Final A-Section

8 Bars

Sax Section has the melody

Brass section (tpt. & trb.) responds with a different riff

Ellington’s piano interjections are heard in the background

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Trumpet Solo AABA

Solo is “one chorus” 32 Bars

Begins with a quote from “Old Man River”

Sax section plays background, combination of riffs and long-note chords

At end of B-Section room is left for piano and bass interjections

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Interlude

4 Bar Interlude, not part of the original form

Band plays a call-response figure that sounds like 3/4 instead of 4/4

Brass play on “one”, sax section answers

Count 123-123-123-123-1234

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A-A Sax & Trumpet

4 Bars: Sax section plays an ascending then descending melody

4 Bars: Trumpet Plays a Solo while saxes accompany with long note chords

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B Trumpet solo cont.

8 Bars: Trumpet Solo continues but Trombone section is added to the Accompaniment

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Return of Melody

The Final A-Section, 3 times

Sax Section has melody

Brass Section has a new riff in background

Brass use of mutes for “Ooo-wah”

On 3d time through Ellington play the whole tone scale used in the intro

Repeats are softer, “Ellington Ending”

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Duke Ellington A Train

Take the A Train from Reveille with Beverly

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Duke Ellington

Voicing Across Sections & Painting With Sound

“Mood Indigo” 1931

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Duke Ellington

Writing for Individuals like Tricky Sam Nanton (a usual listening question)

“What Am I Here For” 1942 (“ya-ya” trombone solo)

“Magenta Haze” Johnny Hodges (big slippery vibrato)

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Duke Ellington

Extended Compositions

Black Brown Beige (1944)

• Three Movements: 1st Mvt.

Opening

Tricky Sam

Come Sunday

Johnny Hodges

Big Band Theme

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Duke Ellington

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Kansas City Style Swing

City administration allowed for a robust nightlife

Simple Arrangements

Riff Tunes, melody and/or background

Head Charts

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Count Basie 1904-1984

• Basie’s “New” Piano Style was the style of the future, “Comping”

• Old Style was Stride

• Basie Lightened, cut boom-chick

• Played chords in syncopated places

• Solos: sparse, upper register tinkling

“Taxi War Dance”

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Count Basie

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Count Basie

• Formed in Kansas City 1930s

• Discover on Radio Broadcast by John Hammond

• Toured to New York 1937

• Larger Bands, began to need written arrangements

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Count Basie

• Important even after the Swing Era

• Evolved in the 1950s

• Basie Ending

• Dynamic Contrast

• Even Slow Music Had a Groove

• Basie: Corner Pocket

• Goin' To Chicago (Blues Shouter)

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Count Basie

“One O’Clock Jump”One O'Clock Jump

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Count Basie

Riff Tune “Jumpin’ At The Woodside”

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Swing Becomes Pop Music

• Young Musicians from Chicago Jazz Land in New York and Become Part of the Music Industry.

• First Play in Radio Orchestras

• By 1935, Leading Radio Orchestras

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Swing Becomes Pop Music

• Jazz-Laced Band Music Called “Hot”

• Benny Goodman, Clarinet, NBC Radio Show, Leads Hot Band

• Goodman Says “Swing Era Started Aug. 25, 1935”

• Bands Were A Complete Show

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Benny Goodman

• “King of Swing”

• 1st Famous “Hot” Band (White)

• Band Featured Dance Music & Clarinet Solos

“Don’t Be That Way”

Benny Goodman: Sing Sing

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Goodman Quartet

• Small “Chicago-Style” Jazz Group Within The Big Band

• First Well-Known Integrated Combo

• Lionel Hampton (vibes), Teddy Wilson (piano), Gene Krupa (drums)

Benny Goodman Quartet

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Goodman Quartet

“Ding Dong Daddy”

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Glenn Miller

• Band Leader, Trombone

• Glenn Miller Sound is Slow, Sweet Sax Sound.

• Most Popular Band in 1941

• Theme Song “Moonlight Serenade”

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Glenn Miller

• Most Famous Swing Era Recording is

• “In The Mood”

• In The Mood: movie

• Some Very Popular Songs

• Chattanooga Choo-Choo

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Glenn Miller

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Glenn Miller

• Joined Army Air Corps WWII

• Lost At Sea

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Mickey Bands

• Not All Swings Bands Played Jazz

• Some Played “Sweet” Dance Music Like Wayne King

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Swing Era Ends

• Swing Era Ends with the End of WWII

• War Rationing & Cabaret Taxes help Kill It

• Band Singers Become More Popular than Bands

• Some Bands Continue as Pure Jazz Bands

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Post Swing Big Bands

• Big Bands are Still Around: Professional & Colleges

• Various Names Have Been Used: Jazz Ensemble, Lab Band, Stage Band, Dance Band

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Stan Kenton

• Began Band in 1941, survived after the period

• California Pianist and Prolific Arranger

• Band Featured Brilliant Brass Section (loud, high notes)

• Helped Jazz Education

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Stan Kenton Band

• “Artistry Jumps” (Brilliant Brass)• High Note Trumpet Player, Maynard

Ferguson began with Kenton • Employed Many Important “West Coast”

Jazz Musicians• “Lover”• Stan with Maynard on Sullivan

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Woody Herman Band

• Clarinetist, Began in the Late 1936• Survived through the 1980s• Employed Younger Musicians• Caldonia• Late 1940s was “Four Brothers Band”• Four Brothers 1963• In 1970s, Played Some Jazz-Rock• Fanfare for the Common Man

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Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band

• “Kicks Band” Monday Nights in New York

• Featured Basie-Like Groove

• Groove Merchant

• Complex Sax Section Writing

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CSC Jazz Ensemble

• Concert April 26, 2008 7:30 PM

• Jazz Birds @ Wrecker’s

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