ETHNOMUS 50A Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: C Melody Saxophone, Frankie Trumbauer, Paul Whiteman
9 Jun 2018
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Ethno50A Notes –
What is Jazz?
• Two components:
o Jazz swing
o Improvisation
Jazz Swing
• Feeling/rhythm that has a rhythmic bounce
• Music has to contain syncopation in order to have swing
o Syncopation: emphasizing the notes off the beat
▪ A part of swing but not the only thing that makes up jazz swing
• Ragtime is one of the major contributors that formed jazz
Improvisation
• Making up what you’re playing on the spot
• Composing and performing simultaneously
• Melody: part/element of the song that we gravitate to first
o Harmony: complementary to melody
o Improvising allows musicians to express creativity
Jazz
• Jazz is an ensemble art form (mostly)
o Melody
o Improvisation
• 2 common song forms
o A-A-B-A song form
o 12 bar blues
▪ Melody is 12 bars long
▪ This is repeated without melody
• Improvisation
o Agree to same key and beat
• 12 bar blues
o 1-4-1-5-1
Origins of Jazz
• Jazz originated from popular music during the 1800s
• Music Styles
o Ragtime and blues
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Improvisation: making up what you"re playing on the spot, composing and performing simultaneously, melody: part/element of the song that we gravitate to first, harmony: complementary to melody. Jazz is an ensemble art form (mostly: melody. Improvisation: 2 common song forms, a-a-b-a song form, 12 bar blues, melody is 12 bars long, this is repeated without melody. Improvisation: agree to same key and beat, 12 bar blues, 1-4-1-5-1. Jazz originated from popular music during the 1800s: music styles, ragtime and blues, brass band music, marches, ragtime, piano dominated genre of music, scott joplin, maple leaf rag, blues, developed primarily from work songs by slaves. Post-war jazz: edward kelly ellington, pianist, wanted to succeed in the white world, chicago and new york was the place for jazz bands to gain fame, bands formed in new orleans. Louis armstrong: made people happy through his music, music therapy, the trumpet is the most difficult and demanding instrument.
