The “Swing Era” is also known as the “Big Band Era”
Became the most popular kind of jazz in the 20th century 

Big Band Instrumentation

Big bands were made up of ten or more musicians whose instruments are grouped into three categories or “sections:” 
 

Standard Seating Arrangement for most Big Bands

     Drums                            Trumpet 2        Trumpet 1        Trumpet 3         Trumpet 4

         Bass                           Trombone 2     Trombone 1      Trombone 3      Trombone 4

Piano       Guitar          Tenor Sax 1   Alto Sax 2    Alto Sax 1   Tenor Sax 2   Baritone Sax
 

Note: Some bands will carry in addition to the above:
- Vocal soloist(s)
- Auxiliary Percussion (e.g., vibraphone, congas, assorted Latin instruments)
- French Horns, Tuba, String Quartet (2 violins viola, and cello)
- Often times the sax section will “double” on other woodwind instruments (e.g., soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, and flute)

Big band instrumentation reached its peak during the early 1930s to the late 1940s.  From the 1950s on, small jazz combos have become the “standard.”  Nonetheless, Big Bands with 18 pieces or more still exist, but they tend not to tour very often.  The primary reasons for the demise of the big bands are: 
- Too costly to maintain
- Too big for small clubs to accommodate
- Minimal following

Note: Modern Jazz Combos usually consist of 3-9 players. A large jazz combo would consist of a 4-piece rhythm section and 4-5 horns.  A standard jazz trio is piano, bass, and drums (this set up is called a “piano trio”); a standard jazz quartet is the jazz trio plus horn (usually trumpet or sax); the standard jazz quintet is the jazz trio plus trumpet and sax.  However, any combination is possible. 

The two bandleaders most responsible for introducing the Big Band Era are:
- Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington
These two bands bridged the gap between the sound associated with Early Jazz and that of the Swing Era.  Each band got its start in the early 20s and kept growing larger and more sophisticated for the next 20 years.

Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952)
     ~ Important for:
            -    Introducing the viability of big bands and for
            - His arranging ability 
* Benny Goodman hired Henderson to write many of the charts that would make Goodman famous

- Important musicians who played with Henderson include:
   Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Cootie Williams, Dicky Wells, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster

 Listen to:  The Stampede (1926); SCCJ vol. 2, #1
   -- Early development of the big band
   -- Shows the influence of Armstrong on the band and the swing era
-- Soloists are: Rex Stewart (cornet), Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax), Joe Smith (cornet), and Rex Stewart (cornet)
   -- Note how the written passages separate the sections (antiphonal)
   -- Note to how the soloists swing more than the band (due to clumping rhythm section)

32-Bar AABA Popular Song Form Revisited
- Each section is 8 bars long 
- The first section (i.e., 8 bars) is called A
         -This section introduces the melody and the chord changes associated with it
- The next section is an exact repeat of the first section (or almost exactly; A’)
- The third section or the B section is also called the bridge
         - The bridge uses a different set of chords and melody and causes a 
            temporary shift of the tonal center 
          - The new chords and melody are contrasting yet complimentary
- The final section is a repeat of the first A section

This next listening example demonstrates a variation on the 32-bar AABA form – it uses an ABAC construction (1st and 2nd Bridges)

Listen to: Wrappin’ It Up (1934); SCCJ vol. 2, #2
  -- More mature Henderson
-- This style is an example of the most influential and most imitated style 
    of the big band era
-- Form: 32 bar ABAC construction – which divides neatly into two, 16
     measure halves (i.e., AB/AC) 
-- Form: 8-bar Intro. and 4 32-bar ABAC choruses)
-- 8-bar Intro. uses call and response --creating a kind of jazzy fanfare
Jimmie Lunceford (1902- 1947)
 Noted for his swing feel and well-disciplined musicianship

  Listen to:  White Heat from The Masters of Jazz CD, vol. 3 “Big Bands 
                    of the 30s and 40s” – track # 5

           Organ Grinder’s Swing, from SCCJ, vol. 2 # 15
    -- Based on a children’s teasing jingle (Hush Little Baby)
    -- Was an international hit

Benny Goodman (1909-1986)
~ Known as the “King of Swing”
~ Led the best known big band (a very hard driving band!)
~ Influenced every jazz clarinetist after him
 ~ One of the first to break the color barrier
  -- Teddy Wilson (piano)
  -- Charlie Christian (guitar)
  -- Lionel Hampton (vibraphone)
 ~ One of the most popular figures in the entire music industry and jazz history

 Listen to:   Dinah , SCCJ; vol. 2; # 3 (rec. 1929)
    --B. Goodman w/Red Nichols and his Five Pennies
    -- Other soloists: Jack Teagarden, (trb); Babe Russin (tsx); 
    Gene Krupa (drm)

Body and Soul; SCCJ vol. 2; # 7 (rec. 1935)
    -- Benny Goodman Trio (Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa)
    -- Note how close Goodman stays to the melody
    -- Form: AABA – the most commonly used form in
     American song writing in this century and something 
     you need to know 

I Found a New Baby; SCCJ; vol. 2; #23 (rec. 1941)
-- B. Goodman sextet w/ C. Christian
    -- Charlie Christian was a major influence on all guitarists
    -- One of the first, if not the first, to play an electric guitar

Sing, Sing, Sing – Carnegie Hall CD, Disc 2; track #11 (rec.1937) 
    -- Historic moment in jazz (first time the music of jazz is 
    heard in Carnegie Hall, a hall reserved for classical 
     music only)
    -- Features Goodman, Harry James (trumpet), Krupa (drums)
 

Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969)
 -- The first important jazz tenor saxophonist
 -- Prior to Hawkins, the sax was a novelty instrument
 -- Loved to play the changes 
(More of a harmonic improviser than a melodic improviser)
 -- Had a rough sound and a wide vibrato
 -- Had a great impact on future tenor sax players

Listen to: Body and Soul; SCCJ vol.  2; #8 (rec. 1939)
        -- Coleman Hawkins and his Orchestra
        -- Foregoes the melody and jumps right in on improvising
        -- This recording was a huge hit and it was still on jukeboxes
          well into the fifties!!

The Man I Love; SCCJ, vol. 2 track #9 (rec. 1943)
     -- Done on the first take
      -- Was almost lost as a custodian almost came into the 
    recording session with pail and mop 
     -- Notice how his sound is now less harsh- more sophisticated

Roy Eldridge (1911-1989)
-- Bridges the gap between Louis Armstrong of early jazz and Dizzy Gillespie and modern jazz
-- Has a sax-like approach to the trumpet (fast technique)
-- Was also fond of the high register

 Listen to: I Can’t Believe That You Are In Love With Me; SCCJ, vol. 2, # 17 
-- (Rec. 1940)  -- Excerpt
  -- Also note the alto sax playing of Benny Carter (1907)
   Rockin’ Chair; SCCJ, vol. 2 # 16 (rec. 1941)
    -- Recorded by Gene Krupa and his Orchestra

Art Tatum (1910-1956)
- One of the best pianists in the entire history of jazz
- He had an enormous impact on the development of jazz (was ahead of his time)
- Very impressive technician
- Very unpredictable – master of spontaneity
- Loved to employ chord substitution (adding or changing chords to the established progression)
- His notion of chord substitution greatly influenced modern jazz musicians 
- He is also known for changing key in mid-phrase! And getting back with nary a wrinkle
Listen to: Tiger Rag on the Concise Guide to Jazz CD, track # 21
  Get Happy from the SCCJ Jazz Piano CD, vol. 2 #2
  Aunt Hagar’s Blues from the SCCJ Jazz Piano CD, vol. 2 #3

Teddy Wilson (1912-1986)
- The best “swing” pianist of his era
- Had a light touch – very graceful player

Listen to:  Smoke Gets In Your Eyes; SCCJ Jazz Piano, vol. 1 # 13 (rec. 1941)
These Foolish Things; SCCJ, vol. 1 # 15 (rec. 1942)
 

Nat “King” Cole (1917-1965)
- His piano playing is often overlooked as he became a popular singer and TV personality
- One of the first to incorporate spare, horn-like lines in his playing
- He also perfected a style of accompanying in which chords are played as brief syncopated bursts – this style of accompanying is called comping

Listen to: The Man I Love, SCCJ Jazz Piano, vol. 2 # 10

Earl Garner (1923-1977)
- Couldn’t read music
- Wrote Misty
- Neither a swing pianist nor a bop pianist – very unique style

Listen to: Back Home in Indiana on the SCCJ Jazz Piano CD, vol. 2 # 12

Billie Holiday (1915-1959) “Lady Day”
- Expressed heart-felt emotion like no other
- Very clever and creative in her delivery (improvisational-like)

Listen to: She’s Funny That Way & These Foolish Things SCCJ, vol. 2, 10-11
 

Duke Ellington (1899-1974)

- Pianist, composer, bandleader
- The most creative and prolific composer/arranger in all of jazz history
- Made more recordings than any other jazz artist
- Many musicians and historians feel that his band was the best of all jazz groups

- See handout for more discussion on Ellington

Listen to:  Cottontail: Text CD, track #14
- Diagram and follow the form (32-bar AABA song form)
   - Discuss jazz devices as noted in the handout

Listen to: Harlem Airshaft: Text CD, track #20
 - Diagram and follow the form (32-bar AABA song form)
  - Discuss jazz devices as noted in the handout

 Listen to: Transblucency: Text CD, track # 26
   - Diagram and discuss the form (slow, 12 bar blues)
    - Discuss jazz devices as noted in the handout

 Listen to: Prelude to a Kiss: Text CD, track # 32

 Listen to: Concerto for Cootie: SCCJ CD, vol. 3, track # 5

 Listen to: Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue (14”37’)
from the Ellington at Newport (July 7, 1956): track #5 
   - Paul Gonsalves plays 27 choruses!!!
   - Read from the liner notes

Time Permitting:

Listen to: the following selections from the Ellington’s Greatest Hits CD:

  Take the “A” Train – track #1

  Caravan – track # 11

  It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – track #13
 

Characteristics:

 ~ Every region of the country had important and popular swing bands
 ~ Often, these bands would travel
 ~ Some gained regional reputations
 ~ Basically there were two types:
  - The white sweet bands 
   - Clean, polished presentation
   - Relied heavily on written arrangements
   - Less emphasis on improvisation
  - The blues based black bands
   - Often riff oriented
   - Relied heavily on head arrangements
   - Improvisation was fundamental
   - Sonorities were less refined
   - Known for their “flag wavers,” or “barnburners”
    - Fast swing charts 
      (So fast that dancers couldn’t dance to them)
 ~ Some of the hot beds for these types of bands wee in the cities of:
  Kansas City, Dallas, Detroit, Omaha, San Antonio

  Listen to:  several selections from the Kansas City Swing CD

 Track # 1 Kater Street Rag (1925) (excerpt) 
   – Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orch
  -- Ragtime elements
  -- Piano roll off introduction
  -- Watered-down collective improvisation
  -- Early jazz sound (traditional)
  -- Boop-boop-be-doop rhythm
  -- Use of tuba and banjo, stop time
  -- Even though it’s a flat four, it tries to swing
   -- Why? (Emphasis on 2 & 4)
  -- You can also hear the beginning stages of riffs

 Track # 2 Boot to Boot (1927) (excerpt) 
   – Jessie Stone & His Blues Serenaders
     -- Still early style jazz – but HOT!
     -- It too is on the verge of really swinging
     -- Use of tuba and banjo
     -- Use of  boop-boop-be-doop rhythm
     -- Water-down collective improvisation

 Track # 6 Prince of Wails (1932) (excerpt)
   -- Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orch. 
     -- Begin to hear the use of riffs
     -- Notice that the rhythms are even more relaxed
     -- Emphasis on solo improvisation supported by riffs
     -- Boogie-woogie piano style at times
 

 Track #8 Lotta Sax Appeal (1936) (excerpt)
   -- Andy Kirk & His Clouds of Joy
     -- Swing rhythm now firmly in place
     -- Characteristic tenor sax sound of the swing era
     -- Overall presentation is smooth
     -- Use of horns as a “choir”
     -- Use of riffs 
     -- Swing rhythms on the cymbals (esp. at the end)

 Track #9 Lady Be Good (1936) (beginning excerpt)
    -- Jones-Smith, Inc.
      -- Classic use of swing rhythm on the cymbals and 
      -- Walking bass 

 Track # 10 Rockin’ And Swinging (1936) (excerpt)
    -- Don Albert & His Orchestra
      -- Swing and riff oriented
      -- Yankee Doodle quote
      -- Same riff as in “Sing, Sing, Sing”

 Track 11 Moten Swing (1937) (excerpt)
    -- Carolina Cotton Pickers
      -- Original on SCCJ, vol. 2 #4
 

Count Basie (1904-1984)

  (Review handout on page 31)

 Listen to:  Taxi War Dance from the Text CD; track # 33
      (See hand out and discuss)

   Lester Leaps In from the SCCJ CD vol. 2 track # 22

   Doggin Around from the SCCJ CD vol. 2 track # 20

   Title track from Jumpin’ At the Woodside track # 2
 

I. Characteristics
 A. Traveling groups ranging in style from jazz-oriented black dance bands to white “sweet” bands
 B. The black regional bands often played in a rough, uninhibited, and earthy manner with an emphasis on the blues 
                           1. Relied on head arrangements
                           2. Emphasis placed on improvisation
                           3.  Many of the tunes were “riff” tunes
                           4. They loved to play “flag wavers” or “barn burners” (i.e., tunes played in a very up-tempo fashion.  The band loved to play these but not the dancers. Why?  --Too fast to dance to.
C. Some smaller cities were hot beds for producing numerous jazz musicians and local bands.  The most notable were:
* Dallas
* Detroit
* Omaha
* San Antonio
* And especially Kansas City
- Epitomized by the Count Basie band

William “Count” Basie (1904-1984)

- Born in Red Bank, New Jersey
- Went to Kansas City to get his start
- Formed a band there that became synonymous with the Kansas City sound 
- His band (as did all the Kansas City bands) relied heavily on riffs and head arrangements
- His band often had several important and influential sidemen: Lester Young (tenor sax), Jo Jones (drums), Freddie Green (guitar), Harry “Sweets” Edison (trumpet), Dicky Wells (trombone)
- Developed the first “modern” rhythm section:

Count Basie (piano):       Began as a stride and boogie-woogie style player, 
                                     later developed a  unique style of comping (very light 
                                     and sparse – heavy use of silence) – he liked to play 
                                     in the high register -he practically wrote the book on comping

Freddie Green (guitar):   Known for his crisp, relaxed strokes which were 
                                    evenly played on all four beats

Walter Page (bass):        Known for his supple walking bass lines.  Was one of 
                                      the first masters of the walking bass style.

Jo Jones (drums):            Had a light precision within a loose but assured 
                                      Manner.  Had a “quiet” approach to his use of the 
                                      bass drum, ride cymbal, and hi-hat

- Single most influential swing band on modern mainstream jazz styles
- His later bands moved away from head arrangements and relied more heavily on written arrangements.  He used some notable arrangers for his band (e.g., Neil Hefti, Sammy Nestico, Thad Jones, and Quincy Jones)
-He often used blues singers in his bands.  The most notable was Joe Williams

I.  General Observations and Characteristics
 A. Jazz vocal improvisation began in the 1920s with Louis Armstrong and blossomed during the swing era
 B. Jazz singing is often an imitation of instrumental phrasing (scat singing is a way of sounding like an instrument)
 C. Jazz Vocalists often use the following devices:
  1. Pitch bends
  2. Moans, wails, screams
  3. Scoops and falls
  4. Vibrato (many types)
  5.  Explore various colors (timbres) and textures with their voice to create or heighten the emotional quality
   a. E.g., smooth and light, rough and raspy, dark and sensuous, etc.

II. Four Female Important and Influential Female Vocalists of the Swing Era:

 A. Billie Holiday (1915-1959) – Her nickname was “Lady Day”)
  1. A great interpreter of standard songs
  2. Had a laid back style (would often be slightly behind the beat for a bluesy effect)
  3. Would retain the words of a song but would improvise new melodies
  4.  Appeared with many important “jazzers”:
   a. Count Basie   b. Benny Goodman    c. Artie Shawd.  d. Teddy Wilson    e.  Lester Young (she had a special plutonic relationship with Lester)
    Listen to the following tracks from the SCCJ vol. 2 CD
     Track # 10:  He’s Funny That Way
     Track #11:  These Foolish Things
  From the Living With Jazz CD, disc 1, track #11: Strange Fruit

 B.  Ella Fitzgerald (1918-1996)
 1. Was acrobatic singer (She had wonderful chops: i.e., she could really 
    get around with her voice)
2. Had a child-like voice (Listen to one of her hits A Tisket A Tasket)
3. Was a master at imitating instrument-like improvisations by scatting
4. Had an uncanny sense of pitch – very accurate
    Listen to the following track on the SCCJ, vol. 2 CD:
     Track # 12:  You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To

 C. Sarah Vaughn (1924-1990) Her nickname was “Sass”
  1. Had a deep robust voice
  2. Had a four-octave range!!!
  3. Changed the timbre (color) of her voice for expressive purposes
  4. Had an advanced sense of harmony
  5. In addition to being a great scat singer, she was also an exceptional pianist

 D. Betty Carter (1930-  )
  1. Began her career late in the swing era
  2. Was one of the greatest of the modern jazz singers (post-1945)

III.  Other Important Jazz Vocalists that began their careers in the swing era:
  Carman McRae, Nancy Wilson, Anita O’Day, Mel Torme, Tony Bennet, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Dinah Washington, Abbey Lincoln, Shirley Horn, June Christy, Eddie Jefferson
 

- Many popular songs of the first half of the 20th-century have become “standard”  (i.e., a mainstay of the repertoire).
                     For example:  I’ve Got Rhythm
                                            A Tisket A Tasket
                                            I’ve Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good

- Standard songs (often called “standards”) are an important part of a jazz musicians’ repertoire

- Many of the standard songs come from Broadway musicals.
                       For example:  Somewhere Over the Rainbow
                                            My Favorite Things
                                            Summertime (comes from the operetta Porgy & Bess by 
                                                                    George Gershwin)

- Standard songs also come from a genre known as Tin Pan Alley (a section in New York City where many music publishing houses were located in the early 20th century.)

- The 32-bar song form is by far the most popular form. (E.g., Take the ‘A’ Train)

                 The most common arrangements are:  A A B A
                                                                          A B A C (contains 2 bridges) and
                                                                          A B A B

-- All memorable songs contain a “hook” (or something that draws you in)
– When most people sing part of a song, they tend to sing the “hook”
– The hook is both a rhythmic and melodic idea

-- Another standard “song form” is the Verse Chorus form (E.g., Jingle Bells)
             -- The verse section is where the story is told
             -- The chorus section is where everyone sings (hence chorus) (Its purpose is 
                  to reinforce the story with contrasting yet complimentary ideas).
             -- Most often, the chorus section is where the title of the song occurs as well 
                 as the hook
             -- The verse section (A) contains one set of harmony, melody and lyric while
                  the chorus section (B) contains another set of harmony, melody, and lyric. 
                 (E.g., A B A B A B etc.)

-- Some composers of Standard Songs from the early 2oth century are:
                 George Gershwin   Cole Porter   Jerome Kern   Hoagy Carmichael 
                 Irving Berlin   Victor Herbert   Richard Rodgers   Victor Young 

How to prepare for the written second exam
- Study the handouts

- Read the text

- Review your notes from classroom discussions

- Know about the various instruments associated with jazz and the roles they played in both Early Jazz and Swing 

- Know about African and European musical heritages and how they contributed to the birth of jazz

- Know characteristics associated with each era discussed thus far (Early Jazz and Swing)

- Know about the accomplishments associated with the various individuals as highlighted in class or in the handouts

- Know who is considered the “Father” of various movements

- Know who was the first to accomplish a certain aspect of the evolution of jazz

- Know about musical forms

- Be able to define important terms as used and discussed in class (e.g., scat singing)

How to prepare for the listening exam:
- You will be asked to identify the title of the tune you are listening to and the artist(s) or group performing

- To prepare for this, write out pertinent information on a 3x5 index card including:
The title, who’s performing and whatever helps you remember the tune:
For example:
        What’s the instrumentation? – Big Band? Piano? Small Combo? Duet? 
        What’s the tempo? Slow?   Moderate?  Fast?
        What’s the rhythm?  Flat-four?  Strong Two-beat?  A combination?
        What’s the form? 12-Bar Blues?  32-bar AABA Song Form?  Other?
        Are there certain jazz devices that stand out?  Walking Bass?  Pitch Bends or 
              Smears?  Use of Mutes?  Stop-time?  Double-time?   Heavy reliance on 
              Riffs?  Use of legato or staccato playing?  Trading Fours?  Etc.

-Try writing lyrics to the melody that will help you remember the title
Review

 Pre-Jazz (@1865-1900)

  Genres of Influence:
       - Blues (many rural blues men)
       - Ragtime (Scott Joplin – “Father of Ragtime”)
       - Marching Brass Bands (John Philip Sousa – “The March King”)

 Birth of Jazz (1900) 

 - Extracts various devices from the genres listed above 
 - Begins around 1900 probably in Storyville (the “red light district”) of 
    New Orleans

Early Jazz (1900- 1930)

 Also known as:
       -  Dixie(land)
       -  New Orleans
       -  Traditional (the Brits often call it Trad)

  Important Musicians:
       - Louis Armstrong (cornet/trumpet – 1st important jazz improviser)
       - Bix Beiderbeck (cornet – 1st important white jazz improviser)
       - Jelly Roll Morton (pianist  - 1st important jazz composer/arranger)

  Most Important Characteristics:
       - Collective improvisation
       - Small combos
       - Ricky-tick rhythms
       - Largely experimental
       - Head arrangements
      - Meant for entertainment (dance) 
 

 (Transition) (Mid 1920s)

  Musicians that serve as a bridge between Early Jazz and Swing:
       - Louis Armstrong
       - Fletcher Henderson
       - Duke Ellington

           (Continued)
 Swing (1930-1945)

  Also known as the Big Band Era

  The only time in the history of jazz when jazz and pop music are the same 

  Important Musicians: 
       - Duke Ellington (pianist – most prolific composer/arranger/recording 
          artist in the history of jazz; had a very creative & experimental 
          approach)
       - Count Basie (pianist – known for his riff bands; set the pace for the
          modern rhythm section)
       - Benny Goodman (clarinetist – most popular of all the Big Bands; 
          broke the color barrier – first to record and perform over radio with 
          black musicians)

  Most Important Characteristics:
       - Swing rhythms replace ricky-tick (rigid) rhythms
       - Written arrangements replace head arrangements
       - Solo improvisation replaces collective improvisation
       - Big bands replace small combos
       - Meant for entertainment (dance) 
 

Important Jazz Formulas:

 I.  Standard Jazz Performance Format for Any Form:

  (Intro.)     |       Head           |      Improvisation     |       Head       |      (Tag Ending)
  optional      memorized        open/many repeats      memorized             optional
 
 

II. 12-Bar Blues Progression:

 phrase:            a                    a                        b
 chord:  I     I      I     I         IV  IV   I     I          V   IV   I     I
            beat:                ////  ////  ////  ////       ////  ////  ////  ////       ////  ////  ////  //// 
 bar:  1     2    3    4          5     6    7    8          9   10   11  12
 

III. 32-Bar AABA Song Form:

section:     A    A   B (bridge)   A
chords: chords & tune assoc. w/A chords & tune assoc. w/A   different chords & tune chords & tune assoc. w/A
beats: //// //// //// //// //// //// //// ////     //// //// //// //// //// //// //// ////    /// //// //// //// //// ////  //// ////     //// //// //// //// //// //// //// ///
bar:  1   2    3   4    5   6    7   8       9  10  11 12  13 14  15  16    17 18 19  20 21 22   23 24     25  26  27 28 29  30  31 32