-Alain Gerber
Jazz
| "Jazz-perhaps the only music that,
literally, makes no sense. Or has taken leave of it-in order to hang onto
it.
-Alain Gerber |
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Some of the 4 most famous trumpeters are Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis (top left), and Wynton Marsalis (bottom left) |
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| Jazz is very similar to blues; it was derived from it. But jazz began in New Orleans and Chicago. They were some of the most influential cities in the early jazz age, which was around 1920. The 1930's and 40's was known as the swing era, based from jazz, the music was an "up lifter" during the great depression. Popular swing bands were The Glen Miller Orchestra, Louis Armstrong's orchestra, Count Basie's orchestra, and who was known as the king of swing, Benny Goodman and his orchestra. Jazz then turned into what was called bebop. Dizzy Gillespie is credited for bebop. Bebop included trumpets, saxophones, standup basses, drums, and pianos, but not the clarinet, which was so popular in the swing age. Then modern jazz developed from bebop. Modern jazz is in 3 different categories: cool jazz, hard bop, and free jazz. Cool jazz is very mellow and laid back. Cool jazz was influenced by swing and even classical music. Hard bop on the other hand has a hard, driving beat with improvisations and complex solos. Hard bop has a "funky, earthy feeling". John Coltrane, a famous saxophone player, most of his work is know as free jazz; very chaotic music that sounds like the musicians are "fighting" one another instead of playing. Improvisation is very popular in free jazz and gives it an "anything goes" kind of sound that was very, well, free. Free jazz is known as the "ultimate in jazz expression". | ||
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Some famous sax players were John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins (top), Lester Young, and Charlie "Bird" Parker. |
Benny Goodman was said to be the most famous clarinetist in the world. |
Ella Fitzgerald was a famous jazz singer. |
"Never played the same way once" |
