1. History of Jazz
America’s Music

2. What is Jazz?
A musical conversation: partly planned and partly spontaneous
A dialogue among the musicians who perform it.

3. Elements of Jazz Improvisation (to make up) Rhythmic
Uses Call and Response
Most songs have solos

4. Where was Jazz developed?
New Orleans
Diverse population: African, French, German, Italian, Mexican, English, Native American
Known as a melting Pot

5. Spirituals or Work Songs 1612-Present
Before there was jazz, there was slavery.
Slaves would sing in the fields to make the work day go faster.
Spirituals are the first “church songs.” It is the roots of Gospel.

6. Blues Pain of lost love, injustice, or adversity
Derived from field hollers, work songs, hymns
Is the basis for R & B, Rock N’ Roll, & Country

8. Ragtime 1896-1917 Primarily uses a solo piano
Father of Ragtime is Scott Joplin

9. Dixieland
Typical instrumentation: trumpet, clarinet, banjo, trombone, piano, tuba, & drums.
Collective Improvisation; everyone plays at the same time.

10. Jazz 1920-Present Roaring 20’s
Instruments: Saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, rhythm section (piano, bass, guitar, & drums)
Use of Chord Progressions

11. Father of Jazz Played the trumpet
Louis Armstrong
Father of Jazz
Played the trumpet
Known as Satchmo when he would sing or scat (scatting is the use of words and non-sense words)

12. Big Band Era 1935-1945 Bands formed as hotel dance bands.
Fletcher Henderson is 1st band to gain national notoriety.
Ellington/Webb put together bands

13. Big Band Cont’d
Clubs open all over NYC (Harlem). Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club Chuck Webb at the Savoy.
Only time jazz eclipsed all other forms of music.

14. Benny Goodman Brings the “swing beat” national attention in 1935.
Played the Clarinet
Nicknamed “King of Swing”

15. RCA Victor Talking Machine

16. Miles Davis
James Reese Europe
Ella Fitzgerald

17. Original Dixieland Jazz Band
John Coltrane
Jelly Roll Morton
Billie Holiday
Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Kid Ory