MUSC 2140 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Bebop, Lester Young, Mintons
12 Mar 2014
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Document Summary
In the mid-1940s jazz stood at a crossroads where swing came out of the spotlight, and a new genre of jazz called bebop emerged with a much smaller following, often associated with drug abuse. Swing musicians played at dance halls and lived at night, playing until the sun rose in the morning. Bebop was technically extremely challenging and many artists would battle against each other to see who could handle improvising at quick speeds. Charlie parker and other bebop notables regularly played at minton"s playhouse in harlem. Parker gained the name klock for his combined snare drum and bass drum hits. Because the music was so complicated, rhythm sections and soloists had to coordinate before playing to ensure they could keep the same melody going. White musicians were granted long term gigs in hotels and prime time radio broadcasts, where black musicians often spent their time non-stop touring.
