Jazz In America

The Swing Era

Transition from Dixieland Written Arrangements

By the end of the 1920s, jazz was developing in two complimentary directions

Emphasis on soloist Emphasis on ensemble

Collective improv kept the structure simple To accommodate more sophisticated music and more musicians, written arrangements became more common
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Transition from Dixieland Written Arrangements

Written arrangements became the product of one persons mind; the arranger Written arrangements all but eliminated collective improv, but allowed for individual soloists to improvise

Transition from Dixieland Ensemble Size

Several well-known small ensembles, but the Swing Era was characterized by the big band Typical Dixieland group of 5 7 members grew to 15 18 during 1930s & 1940s Allowed for new dimensions to be added to the music

Transition from Dixieland Ensemble Size

Dixieland Band

Big Band

1 Trumpet 1 Clarinet 1 Trombone 1 Bass/Tuba 1 Piano/Banjo 1 Drum Set / 2 Drummers

4 Trumpets 5 Saxophones 4 Trombones 1 Bass 1 Piano 1 Guitar 1 Drum Set Anything else the arranger wanted

Transition from Dixieland New Breed of Jazz Musicians

Many were formally educated Many came from brass & military bands Represented a cross of readers and nonreaders

Transitions from Dixieland Movement of Music

Jazz started in New Orleans, but moved to Chicago and then New York Chicago already had its own style of Dixieland NY was the center of the music world

Recording companies Publishing houses All fields, all styles Music business activities

Transition from Dixieland and all that Jazz

Dates

1920-1935: beginning of the big bands 1935-1945: the Swing Era

e.g., AABA, songs were capable of evolution Spread of radio and recording made it popular throughout the U.S.

New song forms

Radio

Harmony

Tunes were capable of greater harmonic sophistication Moved from polyphony to homophony

Performance Practices The Instruments

The Saxophone Section

Generally 5 saxophones

Two Altos Two Tenors One Baritone

Usually also played the clarinet

Performance Practices The Instruments

The Trumpet Section

Generally 4 trumpets

The Trombone Section

Generally 4 trombones

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Performance Practices The Instruments

The Rhythm Section

Generally 4 pieces: piano, bass, drums, and guitar

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Performance Practices Typical Arrangements

Example 1:

Melody played by entire band in unison or in harmony; rhythm section provides accompaniment throughout

Example 2:

Melody and accompaniment parts would often be played in turn by various sections in the band Call and response

Example 3:

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Performance Practices Typical Arrangements

Example 4:

After melody is played, jazz improv follows

Ex. Wrappin It Up, Fletcher Henderson

Example 5:

Simple musical phrases played over and over called riffs

Ex. One Oclock Jump, Count Basie

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Performance Practices Rhythm Section

Drums

Played simply, making the beat obvious for dancers Swung, emphasizing the second and fourth beet of each measure Kept time Played in either two-beat style or walking bass style Outlined the chord progressions

Bass

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Performance Practices Rhythm Section

Piano

Played chords either stride style, on every beat, or on every other beat Comping was NOT common Occasionally played melodies and melodic embellishments

Guitar

Played chords, percussively on each beat

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Performance Practices Differences from Dixieland

More use of written arrangements Wider range of compositional styles; fewer ragtimelike tunes More solo improvisation, less collective improvisation More use of string bass, less use of tuba More use of guitar, no banjo SAXOPHONE is predominant instrument

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Cultural Implications of the Swing Era

Jazzs most popular period Hundreds of professional big bands flourished in the 1930s & early 1940s After the stock market crash of 1929, swing helped the country through the Great Depression, creating escape via swing dancing Served as a major morale booster in WWII

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Cultural Implications of the Swing Era

Jazz reached new levels of sophistication in the Swing Era Weak economy lead many recording companies into bankruptcy Jazz proliferated through the radio

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Cultural Implications of the Swing Era

There were hundreds of performance venues

Ballrooms Movies Hotels Record Companies

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Cultural Implications of the Swing Era

Race Relations For the first time, it didnt matter what color you were, just how well you played First interracial groups: The Benny Goodman Trio, Quartet, Sextet, and Big Band (1935) Jazz increased the appreciation of the achievements of African Americans

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