Blurring the Lines: The Importance of Classical Music in Jazz 6-9/11 The traditions of jazz and classical music share few similarities in their evolutions. The former is a relatively recent music, descending from military bands and traditional African chant and blues, whereas the latter is a timeless evolution of theory and compositional practices, exemplified by the canonic works of Western European history. But in these two seemingly different traditions, there is a unification, sometimes intentional, sometimes not, that transcends boundaries. That unification is in the language, the harmony and melodies, of the music, and it behooves us all (that is, students of jazz) to give a great deal of credence to any artist who has mastered this language, no matter the medium in which it is performed. I intend to argue that for a jazz player to be a holistic musician, a master of styles, they must immerse themselves in both the traditions of the classical composers and the jazz performers, for in actuality, they are one and the same.
In the 20’s this music was Jazz. In the 80’s America saw the same urban African American culture embrace the hip hop movement. Similar in many respects with their secular themes, improvisation, polyrhythm, and use of call-and-response, hip hop became the new way to express the struggles while carrying on the tradition style of African American music. One of the most visible examples of hip hop’s roots in jazz is the basis of the art form, the beat. Hip hop originated when New York DJ’s began isolating the percussion breaks on funk and rock records.
The Swing Bands The music industry has redefined itself over the years to accommodate the ongoing changes in American culture. During the thirties and forties band music began to transcend toward a younger generation (Starr, Waterman, 2010, p. 118). The most popular bands that erupted airways and venues during this time were swing bands (Starr, waterman, 2010, p. 119). In retrospect, swing bands followed the same chord patterns of Tin Pan Alley’s blues compositions that was common in the early twenties and thirties (Starr, Waterman, 2010, p. 131) In addition, both styles of music were formed from African-American culture (Starr, Waterman, 2010). Moreover, each band also used specific techniques in their music to gain attention from a variety of ethnic groups and often promoted dancing during the band’s performances (Starr, Waterman, 2010).
History of Jazz Music Jazz music, one of the most popular genres there is today in American culture. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines jazz as a type of music with lively rhythms and melodies that is often made up by musicians as they play. American music developed especially from ragtime and blues and characterized by propulsive syncopated rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, varying degrees of improvisation, and often deliberate distortions of pitch and timbre. Although the jazz has been defined in the dictionary there is no common definition of this music has been reached according to musicians. Jazz music consists of several layers and the process is very difficult with composing and performing joined together.
The topic of concert is Latin jazz and songs were mainly about Afro-Cuban jazz and cha-cha-cha dance, which are branches of it. The first song “Your Feelings” was a combination of Blues and American Jazz had a moderate tempo and sounds of saxophone created a quiet atmosphere with a little
Jazz Band II 18 October 2013 Mike Vax: BigBandJazz.net Mike Vax is an outstanding trumpeter who specializes in Jazz studies. On his album “BigBandJazz.net” he plays in a Ferguson-esque manor, not in terms of range, but style—playing over the band as the featured soloist. The first track on this album is “Royal Rendezous”, a Mike Vax original, which is a nice and mellow swing chart featuring tenor Scott Peterson and trumpeter Mike Olmos on the solos. I really enjoy this song because it contrasts in balance and dynamics. For example, the song at times changes from a quiet saxophone soli, to a loud shout chorus, to a uniquely created improvised solo.
These bands used to be called as ‘New Orleans Jazz’. During 1920s, white jazz bands’ pieces were called ‘Dixieland jazz’. However from 1940s, people combined those two types of bands and call them ‘Dixieland jazz’. Dixieland jazz style was created in the early 1920s. Dixieland jazz style is strongly influenced by the ‘traditions of blues, ragtime and brass band because Dixieland jazz was created when the traditions of blues, ragtime, and brass band were integrated into one musical piece’ (http://www.historyjazz.com).
Life was to be lived to the fullest. This was also known as the era of the "lost generations," and the "flapper" with her rolled stockings, short skirts, and straight up-and-down look. They disturbed their elders in the casino, night clubs, and speakeasies that replaced the ballrooms of prewar days. Dancing became more informal - close of the nineteenth century in the unpleasant dance halls and whorehouses of the South and Midwest where the word Jazz commonly meant sexual intercourse. Southern blacks, delivered from slavery a few decades before, started playing European music Afro modifications.
Count Basie “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” Count Basie was born in 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey, and grew up playing the piano. He was a leading figure of the swing era in jazz and formed the Count Basie Orchestra, which was one of the first big bands made. The band reached fame with hit songs such as “One o'clock Jump” (1937), “Jumpin' at the Woodside” (1938), and “Taxi War Dance” (1939). However, I will be focusing primarily on the song “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” and educate you with an in-depth description of the piece. It was recorded on August 22, 1938 by Decca Records, whom he had a record deal with.
Born in the heart of New Orleans, it is lead to believe that jazz is both a popular music style and serious art form. This is proven to be correct through its development in the 19th and early 20th century, being heavily influenced through ragtime, marching bands, blues and African American spirituals. Throughout history, jazz has created serious use of improvisation, individuality and complexity that has shaped and aspired artists of today’s music. Before 1920, ragtime was seen to be a popular music style consisting of syncopated melodies and steady beats that had high contribution in creating a style of jazz. Primarily developed by African American Pianists who traveled throughout the south playing in saloons, dance halls and brothels, Ragtime flooded throughout America the music publishing industry, a music interest for whites and blacks.