Download Glossary of Jazz Terminology

Glossary of Jazz Terms
alto: short for contralto, the alto is the highest pitch range of the male singing voice and the lowest
pitch range of the female singing voice, or an instrument that sounds within this range; also called
a countertenor (see also bass, baritone, tenor, soprano)
ballad: in jazz, a romantic or sentimental song played at a slow tempo
baritone: the pitch range of the male singing voice between bass and tenor, or an instrument that
sounds within this range (see also bass, tenor, alto, soprano)
bass: the lowest pitch range of the male singing voice, or an instrument that sounds within this
range (see also baritone, tenor, alto, soprano)
Bebop: a sub-genre of jazz also known as bop (see the entry for Bebop under Schools of Jazz at
the end of this glossary)
Big Band: 1) a jazz band with at least 10 musicians and sometimes as large as an orchestra; 2) a
sub-genre of jazz also known as Swing (see the entry for Swing under Schools of Jazz at the end of
this glossary)
block chords: a style of piano playing, also called locked hands, in which the left and right hands
play the exact same notes
blow: slang for playing a horn instrument; a jazz performance is sometimes called a blowing
session
Blues: 1) a minor scale consisting of five notes plus one or two blue notes, 2) a song based on the
blues scale, 3) a style or genre of music created in the Mississippi Delta in the 1920s and 1930s
and characterized by its use of songs in the blues scale, related to but not the same as Jazz,
although Jazz artists frequently play blues songs
Blue Note: 1) the note in a blues scale that is dissonant with the other notes and thus produces a
kind of tension when it is played (for those with some musical training, it is the flattened third or
flattened fifth); 2) a well-loved Jazz label known especially for its Hard Bop recordings (see the
entry for Hard Bop under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
boogie-woogie: a style of blues piano playing with a rollicking melody played over a repeated
bass part
Bop: a sub-genre of jazz also known as bebop (see the entry for Bebop under Schools of Jazz at
the end of this glossary)
break: a cadenza between two sections of a song, often leading into a solo
bridge: a section in a piece of music that links two other sections (see also verse, chorus, and
coda)
cadenza: a brief but elaborate flourish by an unaccompanied instrument, often at the end of a song
(see also break)
call and response: a melodic technique in which a solo instrument plays a melody, or the first
part of the melody, and one or more other instruments answers by playing the melody it back, or
by playing back its completing part
changes: the sequence of chords which form the underlying structure of a song
chops: slang term for a musicians proficiency on his instrument
chord: a group of three or more notes played simultaneously (see also changes)
chorus: a section of piece of music repeated at intervals throughout the song (see also verse,
bridge, and coda)
chromatic: A scale containing all 12 notes used in Western music; because chromatic scales have
a great deal of dissonance, many people find music based on chromatic scales to be unpleasant
(see also scale)
coda: the final section of a piece of music;also known as the outro (see also verse, chorus, and
bridge)
consonance: a combination of notes that sound pleasant when played together (see also
dissonance)
Cool Jazz: a sub-genre of jazz music, also known as West Coast Jazz (see the entry for Cool Jazz
under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
dissonance: a combination of notes that sound harsh when played together. Artful insertion of
dissonances is one way to build tension musically and is frequently used in jazz music. (See also
consonance.)
Dixie, Dixieland: a sub-genre of jazz also known as New Orleans Jazz (see the entry for
Dixieland under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
Free Jazz: a sub-genre of jazz (see the entry for Free Jazz under Schools of Jazz at the end of this
glossary)
Fusion: a sub-genre of jazz (see the entry for Fusion under Schools of Jazz at the end of this
glossary)
glissando : to play the notes of a chord in a quick sweep rather than simultaneously, giving a
harp-like effect
Hard Bop: a sub-genre of jazz (see the entry for Hard Bop under Schools of Jazz at the end of
this glossary)
harmony: 1) the sound of two or more notes played simultaneously; 2) the progression of chords
in a song
improvisation: the creation of music on the spot (see also solo)
jam: an informal musical session, often featuring extended solo improvisations in which each
musician tries to top the others in the virtuosity of his playing
Jazz: 1) a type of music created in New Orleans in the late 1910s early 1920s and characterized
by improvised solos over a strong, usually 4/4 rhythm; 2) depending on the dictionary, jazz was
originally a slang term for nonsense (all that jazz), to liven up (jazz up the place), or sexual
intercourse. In any case, the word that was at first applied derogatorily to a new type of noisy and
rebellious music is now accepted as a standard term for a highly respected musical form.
Latin: 1) a jazz song based on song forms played in the Caribbean or South America; 2) a subgenre of jazz (see the entry for Latin under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
band leader: In jazz, the band leader is equivalent to the conductor of an orchestra. The leader
chooses the songs to play, signals changes in musical dynamics, signals the various musicians to
take their solos, and is the conduit of communication with the crowd in a live setting. (See also
sideman)
legato: a method of playing the melody smoothly, with no break between the notes (opposite of
staccato)
major scale: for those without technical musical training, suffice it to say that a major scale is a
certain set of notes that generally produce a happy feeling in listeners; Julie Andrewss do-re-mifa-so-la-ti-do is a major scale (see also scale and minor scale)
measure: a group of beats (see also time/time signature)
melody: a sequence of single notes played to form a meaningful pattern; jazz songs generally
have one melody that serves as the songs theme
minor scale: for those without technical musical training, suffice it to say that a minor scale is a
certain set of notes that generally produce a sad feeling in listeners (see also scale and major
scale)
mode, Modal: 1) a scale that is not major or minor (see major and minor scale); 2) a sub-genre of
Jazz music (see the entry for Modal under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
Neo-bop: a sub-genre of jazz also known as Young Lions (see the entry for neo-bop under Schools
of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
New Orleans Jazz: a sub-genre of jazz also known as Dixie or Dixieland (see the entry for
Dixieland under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
octet: a jazz group with eight members
outside: a solo with notes that are dissonant with the underlying harmony or changes and/or do
not match the rhythm of the song
pedal point: A method of playing in which a song or section of a song is not built on chord
changes, but on a single, repeated bass note. Pedal point tends to have a hypnotic effect and is
often used in Modal jazz
pentatonic: a scale with only five notes, rather than the usual seven; a pentatonic scale can be
either major or minor
quartet: a jazz group with four members
quintet: a jazz group with five members
riff: a short musical phrase
rondo: an upbeat song with a thematic passage that occurs at the beginning and is then repeated
after every other section
scale: A certain set of notes of varying pitches. In the Western world, music has developed with
12 notes, and scales are made up of various combinations of those 12 notes. (See also blues,
chromatic, major, minor, and pentatonic)
scat: a method of singing using nonsense words to try to sound like a musical instrument, made
famous by Ella Fitzgerald
septet: a jazz group with seven members
sextet: a jazz group with six members
sideman: a musician in a band other than the leader (see also leader)
solo: a passage of music that highlights one instrument, although the instrument can be
accompanied by others (and in jazz usually is); jazz solos are usually improvised
soprano: the highest pitch range of the female singing voice, or an instrument that sounds within
this range (see also bass, baritone, tenor, alto)
staccato: a method of playing the melody with short, clipped notes (opposite of legato)
standard: a song that has been played by so many different jazz artists that it has become part of
the basic jazz repertoire
Swing: 1) the rhythmic element of a jazz song that makes listeners want to dance; 2) a sub-genre
of Jazz music (see the entry for Swing under Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
syncopation: stressing the wrong beat or a beat at the wrong time, used to produce a feeling of
satisfaction in the listener when the regular rhythm pattern resumes
tempo: the speed at which a song is played
tenor: the pitch range of the male singing voice between baritone and alto, or an instrument that
sounds within this range (see also bass, baritone, alto, soprano)
time/time signature: the number of beats in a measure, with one beat being played more strongly
than the others; marches or New Orleans jazz are in 2/4 (one-two, one-two), waltzes are in ¾
(one-two-three, one-two-three), most jazz and rock music is in 4/4 (one-two-three-four, one-twothree-four)
trill: the rapid and repeated alternation of two notes, in the style of many birdsongs
vamp: repeated accompaniment for a solo
verse: particularly in vocal jazz, a stanza of a song, with a verse typically followed by a chorus
(see also chorus, bridge, and coda)
walk/walking bass: a style of bass playing in which a note is played on every beat in everascending and descending patterns
waltz: a song in ¾ time (see time/time signature)
West Coast Jazz: a sub-genre of jazz also known as Cool Jazz (see the entry for Cool Jazz under
Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
Young Lions: a sub-genre of jazz also known as neo-bop (see the entry for neo-bop under
Schools of Jazz at the end of this glossary)
Eras of Jazz
Rather than being listed in alphabetical order, the various eras or schools of jazz below are listed
by the chronological date in which they were first pioneered, so as to show the evolution of jazz
music over time.
Dixie, Dixieland, New Orleans: a type of jazz originating in New Orleans in the late 1910s and
early 1920s with strong 2/4 or 4/4 rhythms (see time signature) and several horns, each playing a
common melody but with individual variations; famous Dixie musicians include trumpeter Louis
Armstrong and clarinetist Sidney Bechet
swing, big band: a type of jazz originating in the late 1920s with a smoother rhythm than
Dixieland, played by a large band of at least 10 musicians (and sometimes the size of an
orchestra) with a leader and sidemen who played improvised solos; famous big band leaders
include Duke Ellington and Count Basie
bebop or bop: a type of jazz originating in the early 1940s by more intellectual jazz musicians in
reaction to what they saw as the mindless dance rhythms of swing, played by smaller bands, often
quartets or quintets, and featuring sophisticated harmonic structures and extended improvised
solos; famous bebop musicians include saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie
cool jazz, West Coast jazz: a type of jazz originating in the late 1940s in reaction to bebop,
emphasizing a restrained, laid-back soloing style and played particularly by bands in California;
famous cool jazz musicians include trumpeters Miles Davis and Chet Baker, and pianist Dave
Brubeck
hard bop: a type of jazz originating in the mid-1950s by black jazz musicians in reaction to what
they saw as the take over of jazz by white, West Coast cool jazz musicians, featuring a harder,
more intense soloing style and a heavy blues influence; famous hard bop musicians include
trumpeter Miles Davis, saxophonist John Coltrane, and drummer Art Blakey
modal: a type of jazz originating in the late 1950s featuring songs based on playing in a certain
mode rather than on chord changes; famous modal musicians include trumpeter Miles Davis and
pianist Herbie Hancock
free jazz: a type of jazz originating in the early 1960s featuring songs played with freer rhythms
and solos that broke traditional rules of melody, often played chromatically; famous free jazz
musicians include saxophonists Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane and cornettist Don Cherry
fusion: a style of jazz originating in the late 1960s in which the musicians incorporated the
electrified instruments and more aggressive sounds of rock music (hence the name: a fusion of
jazz and rock); famous fusion musicians and bands include Miles Davis, the Mahavishnu
Orchestra, and Weather Report
neo-bop, Young Lions: a style of jazz originating in the early 1980s in reaction to free jazz and
fusion by a group of young jazz musicians (the so-called Young Lions) who wanted to return to
the style of playing of what they saw as the classic jazz period of hard bop; famous Young Lions
include trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and saxophonist Branford Marsalis
Latin: a type of jazz featuring instruments and song styles from the Caribbean and South
America, especially Brazil; Latin cannot really be placed in one time period as it has been played
along with other types of jazz since the 1940s; famous Latin jazz musicians include drummer Tito
Puente, saxophonist Stan Getz, and pianist Chucho Valdés
Glossary taken from the following website: http://nicholas_bruner.tripod.com/id3.html