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Chapter Eighteen
Improvisation and Form
New Orleans at the Turn of the 20th Century
A Blending of 3 Musical Styles:
∑Folk Music
Celtic-English-French
African-American (Slave Songs)
∑Popular Music
“Gay 90’s” Songs
Vaudeville Songs
Minstrel Songs
∑Light Classical Music (Parlor Songs)
Operettas
Chautauqua
New Orleans at the Turn of the 20th Century
Instrumental/Stylistic Influences:
∑Military Bands (cheap musical instruments)
∑Ragtime (syncopation)
∑The Blues (call and response)
Important Musical Elements in Jazz
Vocal Inflections
•“Blue” notes
•Bending pitches (melismas)
•Word painting
Important Musical Elements in Jazz
Rhythmic Elements:
∑Steady Tempo (Pulse)
∑Syncopation
∑Repetition of Short Patterns (riffs)
∑Call and Response
Swing –– Early 30’s to Late 40’s
Big Bands
Combos
 Fletcher Henderson
 Art Tatum
 Duke Ellington
 Lionel Hampton
 Count Basie
 Ben Webster
 Benny Goodman
 Lester Young
 Dorsey Brothers
 Jonah Jones
 Glenn Miller
 Django Reinhardt
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington
• Pianist
• Composer/Arranger
• Band Leader
[1899-1974]
Diversity and Breadth of his Style:
Characteristics of his Music
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Arrangements
Film Scores
Romantic Ballads
Exotic Works
Concert Works
Sacred Works
Concerto-Type Works
Swinging Instrumentals
with Jazz Solos
Duke’s Arranging is Unique
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Diversity of themes
within a single piece
Block Scoring
Voicing Across Sections
Wordless Vocals
Parts written for unique
capabilities of musicians
Mixture of improvised
parts with prewritten
parts