Download Chapter 10: Cool Jazz

Chapter 10: Cool Jazz
Cool jazz is a term that is used to define some modern jazz that is softer and
easier to follow than bop. That being said, most “cool jazz” musicians
disapprove of the term because it implies that they play without feeling.
There is also more emphasis on pre-written arrangements than in bop.
Lennie Tristano (1919-1978)
 Although his performing career was short, Tristano created an alternative
to bop in the late 40’s that inspired an entire line of musicians.
 Tristano learned the styles of Art Tatum, Lester Young, and J.S. Bach,
and favored longer, smoother lines rather than the erratic solo lines of
Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
 Tristano’s “Intuition” and “Digression” were the first instances of free
jazz, where the entire group freely improvises. These recordings were
made in 1949, long before Ornette Coleman made his first free jazz
recordings.
 Ex: “Intuition”
 Tristano’s legacy lies mainly with his students, since he did not record
very much during his career.
Lee Konitz (b. 1927)
 Konitz was one of Tristano’s top students, and his control and agility on
the saxophone rivaled Charlie Parker’s, although his playing style was
completely different.
 Konitz’s sound was light and airy, and he tended to utilize the upper
register of the saxophone. His lines were long and smooth like
Tristano’s, until he slowed his playing in the mid-fifties.
 Ex: “No Figs”
Birth of the Cool (1950)
 This album showcased the subdued, lighter tone qualities and lush
instrumentation used in the “cool” style.
 Ex: “Boplicity”
Stan Kenton (1912-1979)
 Kenton’s bands spanned from the swing era to the jazz-rock movement,
but he is best known for his connection to West Coast jazz (sometimes
synonymous with cool jazz).
 Kenton’s bands were known for being large and playing music that was
somewhere between classical and jazz. The players were among the
most polished in jazz, and the precision of the band was similar to a
professional orchestra.
 Kenton was also known for having the loudest band, mostly due to the
massive amounts of brass instruments. That being said, the trombone
section was known for playing incredibly smooth, even when playing
loud.
 The Kenton band, due to its size and style, emphasized pre-written
compositions rather than improvisation. Kenton also used his status and
wealth to commission monumental works from undiscovered composers.
 Stan Kenton was also responsible for the college big band movement,
which in turn spawned the jazz education we know today.
 Ex: “Quintile”
 Ex: “March to Polaris”
Dave Brubeck (b. 1920)
 Brubeck remains one of the biggest-selling jazz artists in history. As a
musician, he is admired more as a composer and bandleader than as a
pianist.
 Despite never being a classical musician, Brubeck’s concept is certainly
more classical than bop influenced. This, in combination with the light
and pleasant quality of his tunes, may have been the key to his
commercial success.
 Brubeck also liked to experiment with meters uncommon in jazz. His
quartet explored these meters in Time Out and Time Further Out.
 He also explored rhythm by playing rhythms that would go against the
rest of the group, creating a rhythmic tension.
 Ex: “Take Five”
 Ex: “Blue Rondo ala Turk”