While The Beatles were undoubtedly the key players during this era, there were also a number of other noteworthy and influential artists coming out of this era. Let’s look at just a few of them.
Janis Joplin
Joplin was famous in the late sixties, when the rock ‘n roll was dominated by mostly male musicians. The Rolling Stones Magazine list Joplin at #28 of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Her career was short, but influential. (Joplin died in 1970 from a drug overdose.)
Listen to Joplin perform “Summertime,” which we heard originally performed by Billy Holiday, when we discussed “What is Jazz?”. (Listen to Billy Holiday’s version here.) Try to describe how is Janis Joplin’s version different from Billy Holiday's version?
Listen to “Piece of My Heart.” What genres of music do you think influenced this song?
(If you are interested, Pink made a tribute to Janis Joplin that you can watch here.)
Bob Dylan
Just before Beatles-mania swept the world, the young Bob Dylan started his career. His first album dates 1962. Bob Dylan is considered one of the great poets in modern music, and some of his song lyrics have even been included in poetry anthologies.
Let’s listen to his song "Mr. Tambourine Man". The lyrics have interpreted in many different ways, from an ode to drugs, to religious allusions. How do you interpret the song? Use the questions for “Becoming Familiar with a Song,” to help you understand the song better.
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton is another very influential artists whom also started his career in the 60s. He played with different bands until he went solo in the 70s. His music style has always been very influenced by the blues. He is considered one of the Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Below is the song “Layla”. Listen especially to use of the electric guitar in this song. What other instruments can you identify? What genres of music do you think influenced this song?
Jimi Hendrix
The guitar, and especially the electric guitar, is probably the most important instrument in Rock ‘n Roll, and later in Rock and Metal music. While Eric Clapton is considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Jimi Hendrix is considered the greatest electric guitar player of all time by most musicians. The Rolling Stone Magazine also has him as their #1 for the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Hendrix was one of the first guitarists to make ample use of amplifiers and guitar effects pedals.
Like the previous artists mentioned, Hendrix also started his career in the 60s, and unfortunately, like Janis Joplin, he also died in 1970.
Listen to “Catfish Blues.” This is clearly a blues song. But how is it different from most of the blues songs you have heard so far?
The (Later) Beatles
It is difficult to establish exactly why The Beatles were so successful. One opinion mentioned by Tom Zarecki is that The Beatles had three lead singers. Zarecki explains:
Another reason may be their continual evolution. The Beatles’ sound continually changed. One of their most influential albums was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). This album was nominated #1 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It is a typical example of postmodern music, which incorporate a wide variety of sounds, including Rock ‘n Roll, jazz, classical, and traditional Indian music, and extensive use of synthetic instruments and electronic “studio effects.” It can be argued that the popularity of this album with its effective use “electronic music” created the foundation for much of the modern day use of synthetic sounds in pop music.
We have already listened to one song from this album – “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Listen to it again and notice the use of synthesized sounds, and “studio effects.”
Here is the title song from the album. The YouTube-video features a clip from the Yellow Submarine-movie. While listening to the song, describe the orchestration and density, and other features you find interesting.
Let’s listen now to another song from the same album, “Within You, Without You.” This mixture of Western music with Eastern music is another example of Postmodernism, which tend to blur the boundaries between opposites; for instance the boundary between East and West.
Compare the songs on this album with the songs by The Beatles that we listened to, for instance “A Hard Day’s Night.” There is clearly a big change in their style. How would you describe the difference between “A Hard Day’s Night” and, for instance, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”?
Besides their visual and music appeal, the Beatles also had another magic trick that no bands before or since had (gasp): THREE LEAD SINGERS! Up until that point, bands always had ONE lead singer! Those three lead singers each had a trick up their sleeves: they were each powerful and accomplished SONGWRITERS, too! These three lead singers and songwriters were John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Each of them wrote their own original material, and swapped and shared lead vocals from song to song. Plus, (get this) the two that were NOT singing lead on a song would provide backup harmonies. Further, in quite a number of early Beatles songs, John and Paul would alternate lead vocal duties within the same song.
Another reason may be their continual evolution. The Beatles’ sound continually changed. One of their most influential albums was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). This album was nominated #1 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It is a typical example of postmodern music, which incorporate a wide variety of sounds, including Rock ‘n Roll, jazz, classical, and traditional Indian music, and extensive use of synthetic instruments and electronic “studio effects.” It can be argued that the popularity of this album with its effective use “electronic music” created the foundation for much of the modern day use of synthetic sounds in pop music.
We have already listened to one song from this album – “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Listen to it again and notice the use of synthesized sounds, and “studio effects.”
Here is the title song from the album. The YouTube-video features a clip from the Yellow Submarine-movie. While listening to the song, describe the orchestration and density, and other features you find interesting.
Let’s listen now to another song from the same album, “Within You, Without You.” This mixture of Western music with Eastern music is another example of Postmodernism, which tend to blur the boundaries between opposites; for instance the boundary between East and West.
Compare the songs on this album with the songs by The Beatles that we listened to, for instance “A Hard Day’s Night.” There is clearly a big change in their style. How would you describe the difference between “A Hard Day’s Night” and, for instance, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”?
Imagery, Simile, and Metaphor
Song lyrics are often very poetical. In fact, a poem that is of average length is often called a lyrical poem. There is a strong relationship between poetry and song lyrics.
One important literary device that is often used in poetry (and song lyrics) is called imagery. Whenever the words of the poem/song help you to imagine something, it is probably "imagery" that is creating those images in your mind.
If you can imagine seeing something described in the poem, it is called visual imagery. If you can imagine hearing something, it is called auditory imagery. If you can imagine smelling something it is called olfactory imagery. If you can imagine tasting it, it is called gustatory imagery. Finally, if you can imagine feeling it (touching it), it is known as tactile imagery. As you may have noticed, these are the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
The lyrics of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” have many images. Read through the lyrics and try and identify all the images in this song.
“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” also has a large number of metaphors. Follow the linkt to read a short definition of “Simile & Metaphor”, and then try and identify all the metaphors in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Also try and figure out what the meaning of these metaphors are. For instance, the first metaphor is in the second line of the first verse: “marmalade skies.” In other words, the sky is described as being like marmalade. Marmalade is usually yellow, or orange in color. The sky is therefore described as yellow or orange. When are skies usually yellow or orange? Yes, at dusk. Therefore, “marmalade skies” could be interpreted to mean the orange sky when the sun is setting. Find the other metaphors and try to work out what they mean.
One important literary device that is often used in poetry (and song lyrics) is called imagery. Whenever the words of the poem/song help you to imagine something, it is probably "imagery" that is creating those images in your mind.
If you can imagine seeing something described in the poem, it is called visual imagery. If you can imagine hearing something, it is called auditory imagery. If you can imagine smelling something it is called olfactory imagery. If you can imagine tasting it, it is called gustatory imagery. Finally, if you can imagine feeling it (touching it), it is known as tactile imagery. As you may have noticed, these are the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
The lyrics of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” have many images. Read through the lyrics and try and identify all the images in this song.
“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” also has a large number of metaphors. Follow the linkt to read a short definition of “Simile & Metaphor”, and then try and identify all the metaphors in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Also try and figure out what the meaning of these metaphors are. For instance, the first metaphor is in the second line of the first verse: “marmalade skies.” In other words, the sky is described as being like marmalade. Marmalade is usually yellow, or orange in color. The sky is therefore described as yellow or orange. When are skies usually yellow or orange? Yes, at dusk. Therefore, “marmalade skies” could be interpreted to mean the orange sky when the sun is setting. Find the other metaphors and try to work out what they mean.
A Big Change: Postmodernism & The Beatles
In the 50s Elvis Presley was the most important figure. In the 60s it was The Beatles.
The 1960s was a tumultuous time in Western History. It is also the time that Postmodernism started. Postmodernism is the zeitgeist (spirit of the times / era) that started in the 60s and we are still living in it today. Before Postmodernism was Modernism (not to be confused with the Modern Era). Modernism, which started around the time of the Industrial Revolution, is characterized by the belief that science has all the answers, everything can be explained, everything can be labeled (named), and demarcated; in short, that man has all the answers.
Two world wars later and the new generation realized that man do not have all the answers. This new generation protested against all Grand Narratives of the time. The term “Grand Narratives” refer to any system of authority (for instance Science, Religion, Political Ideologies, etc.) that pretends to have all the answers. Instead Postmodernism rebels against such systems of authority, questioning their claim to truth, and breaking down their label systems and demarcations (this is called “Deconstruction”).
It was during this time (1964) that The Beatles enters the stage of the world’s history.
Watch the short documentary film below about The Beatles-phenomena.
How is the sound of The Beatles different from the Rock 'n Roll that preceded it? In the video above, when the reporter asks them what is their sound, how does it differ from other Rock ‘n Roll, they answer: “It doesn’t really.” Crossroads in Music (p. 219) confirms that “The Beatles’ styles was acclaimed as new even though their music was simply a combination of pop and rockabilly styles…” Maybe the difference was not in how they sounded, but what they represents. "The Beatles themselves seem to have no illusions. They symbolize the 20th century non-heroes, as they make non-music, wear non-haircuts, give non-mercy…” These "non-" prefixes is representative of Postmodernism that refuses to be demarkated, or labeled. In a sense, The Beatles became a symbol for this new zeitgeist.
Let's listen to some examples of songs by The Beatles.
To show that they are a continuation of what preceded them, here are The Beatles performing the old spiritual "When the Saints Go Marchin' In," which was also recorded by Elvis (see here).
Of course it is their other songs that are more popular, like "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You," "Hey Jude," and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds":
Look at the lyrics of "I Want to Hold Your Hand." What part is the chorus? Is the hook part of the chorus?
This last song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," sounds different from the previous songs. Try to identify the difference and describe it.
Assignment:
Write a short essay in which you explain what "Postmodernism" is. Cite sources.
The 1960s was a tumultuous time in Western History. It is also the time that Postmodernism started. Postmodernism is the zeitgeist (spirit of the times / era) that started in the 60s and we are still living in it today. Before Postmodernism was Modernism (not to be confused with the Modern Era). Modernism, which started around the time of the Industrial Revolution, is characterized by the belief that science has all the answers, everything can be explained, everything can be labeled (named), and demarcated; in short, that man has all the answers.
Two world wars later and the new generation realized that man do not have all the answers. This new generation protested against all Grand Narratives of the time. The term “Grand Narratives” refer to any system of authority (for instance Science, Religion, Political Ideologies, etc.) that pretends to have all the answers. Instead Postmodernism rebels against such systems of authority, questioning their claim to truth, and breaking down their label systems and demarcations (this is called “Deconstruction”).
It was during this time (1964) that The Beatles enters the stage of the world’s history.
When someone says "music of the 1950's", they mean the "sound of the 50's" which occurred primarily in songs between 1955 and 1963. And, when someone says "music of the 1960's", they mean the "sound of the 60's", meaning primarily music between 1964 and1970, the actual Beatles era.
In fact, today, when radio stations like FM, AM or SiriusXM Satellite channels that play "oldies" music actually categorize their music, they often use these divisions.
For example, The 50's Channel on SiriusXM really only plays hit songs from 1955 to 1963 (and NOT 1950 to 1959 as the casual listener might think), and their 60's Channel plays songs from 1964-1970 (NOT 1960 to 1969), because of that generational line in 1964, the year the Beatles began their international fame. [Tom Zarecki]
Watch the short documentary film below about The Beatles-phenomena.
How is the sound of The Beatles different from the Rock 'n Roll that preceded it? In the video above, when the reporter asks them what is their sound, how does it differ from other Rock ‘n Roll, they answer: “It doesn’t really.” Crossroads in Music (p. 219) confirms that “The Beatles’ styles was acclaimed as new even though their music was simply a combination of pop and rockabilly styles…” Maybe the difference was not in how they sounded, but what they represents. "The Beatles themselves seem to have no illusions. They symbolize the 20th century non-heroes, as they make non-music, wear non-haircuts, give non-mercy…” These "non-" prefixes is representative of Postmodernism that refuses to be demarkated, or labeled. In a sense, The Beatles became a symbol for this new zeitgeist.
Let's listen to some examples of songs by The Beatles.
To show that they are a continuation of what preceded them, here are The Beatles performing the old spiritual "When the Saints Go Marchin' In," which was also recorded by Elvis (see here).
Of course it is their other songs that are more popular, like "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You," "Hey Jude," and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds":
Look at the lyrics of "I Want to Hold Your Hand." What part is the chorus? Is the hook part of the chorus?
This last song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," sounds different from the previous songs. Try to identify the difference and describe it.
Assignment:
Write a short essay in which you explain what "Postmodernism" is. Cite sources.
Midterm Exam – Thursday, October 22
The midterm exam paper will consist of four sections. The exam will be two hours long, from 13:00-15:00 (1pm-3pm), in Room 208.
Section A: Listening to an Unknown Song
In this section you will be supplied with the lyrics of a song we did not cover in class. You will then listen to the song two or three times, at which time you need to note the song structure. You will also be required to answer some short questions about the song. Questions may include things like the genre, the orchestration, points about the melody, harmony, rhythm, and so on. There will also be questions about the lyrics of the song, based on the "Becoming Familiar With a Song"-questions.
Section B: Terminology
This section will include multiple-choice, matching, or true / false style questions regarding the terminology we have discussed in class.
Section C: Explanations / Definition
In this section you will be required to give written answer in short paragraph style regarding specific points we have discussed.
Section D: Essay on History of Music
For this section you will be required to write an essay in which you detail the development of Modern Western Music since Religious Music (e.g. the Spirituals) to early Rock and Roll; or any section between these two points. For this question you should not only describe the historic line, but should also give examples of historic figures (musicians) and representative songs. Substantiate your answer be including notes on the orchestration used, themes pondered, and so on.
Section A: Listening to an Unknown Song
In this section you will be supplied with the lyrics of a song we did not cover in class. You will then listen to the song two or three times, at which time you need to note the song structure. You will also be required to answer some short questions about the song. Questions may include things like the genre, the orchestration, points about the melody, harmony, rhythm, and so on. There will also be questions about the lyrics of the song, based on the "Becoming Familiar With a Song"-questions.
Section B: Terminology
This section will include multiple-choice, matching, or true / false style questions regarding the terminology we have discussed in class.
Section C: Explanations / Definition
In this section you will be required to give written answer in short paragraph style regarding specific points we have discussed.
Section D: Essay on History of Music
For this section you will be required to write an essay in which you detail the development of Modern Western Music since Religious Music (e.g. the Spirituals) to early Rock and Roll; or any section between these two points. For this question you should not only describe the historic line, but should also give examples of historic figures (musicians) and representative songs. Substantiate your answer be including notes on the orchestration used, themes pondered, and so on.
Rock 'n Roll -- Elvis Presley
Undoubtedly Elvis Presley was the artist who was most influential on Rock ‘n Roll and was probably the first superstar, changing the course of music (and history) forever. However, it is a mistake to regard Elvis Presley as an isolated phenomenon. Presley was heavily influenced by the genres and artist that preceded and surrounded him, including the spirituals, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, and also Country Music (which we will discuss later this semester).
Some Influences on Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley did many “covers,” i.e. songs originally performed by other artists. He was influenced by many artists; therefore, to understand Elvis Presley’s impact, one needs to compare the original songs with the renditions by Presley.
Coming from a Southern background, it should not be surprising that Elvis Presley was influenced by the spirituals. Listen to him singing “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” in this recording, dating 1956.
In 1952 Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was the first to record Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s song “Hound Dog.” This was a typical twelve-bar blues song. Elvis Presley established this song forever in our collective consciousness with his 1956 recording. Presley’s rendition shows a clear distinction between blues and early Rock ‘n Roll. Listen to both songs and try to identify the differences.
In 1956 Smiley Lewis sang “One Night of Sin.” This song was also sung by Elvis; however, the lyrics were later changed into “One Night with You,” which became much more famous.
We already listened to Ray Charles singing “I Got a Woman” when we discussed the change from Blues to Rhythm & Blues.
Listen to a rendition by Ray Charles again, and then compare it to the version by Elvis Presley. How are the two different?
(In 2005 rapper Kanye West sampled Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got a Woman” as part of his song “Gold Digger.”)
Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” is another famous song that Elvis Presley also covered. The rhythmic density in Presley’s rendition is higher. What other differences can you identify?
Another artist whom was influential on Elvis Presley was the blues singer Roy Brown. Listen to his “Good Rockin’ Tonight” below. Note the “jazzy” feel of Brown’s version. Listen to the orchestration, specifically the trumpet and other wind instruments. What is the hook in Brown's version?
Now listen to Elvis Presley’s rendition. Note how the wind instruments have been replaced by string instruments. The trumpet solos in Brown’s version is replaced with guitar solos. There is a shift away from improvisation and harmonic complexity created by wind instruments to simpler chord-harmonies by guitars, as well as an increased rhythmic density. Is the hook in Presley's version the same as the hook in Brown's version?
Another song by Roy Brown that was significant for Elvis Presley’s early career was “Hard Luck Blues.”
The version sung by Elvis Presley had the lyrics changed from “Hard Luck Blues” to “Heartbreak Hotel.” Apart from the changed lyrics, what other differences can you identify between “Hard Luck Blues” and “Heartbreak Hotel”?
1956 stands out as the year that Rock ‘n Roll was firmly establish, with Elvis Presley as its superstar. Presley’s style incorporated different elements from different music genres. Crossroads in Music (p. 218) describes his style as a type of “hillbilly music, with a sexy R&B-inspired vocal style, pop-oriented lyrics, electric guitar lead, and an emphasis on the beat.”
This “hillbilly music,” which is a type of early country music, was combined with blues (specifically boogie woogie), Gospel, some jazz, and Rhythm and Blues, and a heavier beat to create a genre of music which became known as Rockabilly. Carl Perkins recorded the song “Blue Suede Shoes” in 1955, which is considered by some to be the first Rockabilly song.
Many artists covered “Blue Suede Shoes,” including Elvis Presley.
It’s been over fifty years since the beginning or Rockabilly, yet it is still enjoyed by younger generations, and to this day there are still Rockabilly bands around the world – even here in Korea; for example the highly entertaining Korean band The Moonshiners.
For more another discussion on early Rock 'n Roll you can visit Tom Zarecki's "Origins of Popular Music -- Part 1."
Some Influences on Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley did many “covers,” i.e. songs originally performed by other artists. He was influenced by many artists; therefore, to understand Elvis Presley’s impact, one needs to compare the original songs with the renditions by Presley.
Coming from a Southern background, it should not be surprising that Elvis Presley was influenced by the spirituals. Listen to him singing “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” in this recording, dating 1956.
In 1952 Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was the first to record Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s song “Hound Dog.” This was a typical twelve-bar blues song. Elvis Presley established this song forever in our collective consciousness with his 1956 recording. Presley’s rendition shows a clear distinction between blues and early Rock ‘n Roll. Listen to both songs and try to identify the differences.
In 1956 Smiley Lewis sang “One Night of Sin.” This song was also sung by Elvis; however, the lyrics were later changed into “One Night with You,” which became much more famous.
We already listened to Ray Charles singing “I Got a Woman” when we discussed the change from Blues to Rhythm & Blues.
Listen to a rendition by Ray Charles again, and then compare it to the version by Elvis Presley. How are the two different?
(In 2005 rapper Kanye West sampled Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got a Woman” as part of his song “Gold Digger.”)
Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” is another famous song that Elvis Presley also covered. The rhythmic density in Presley’s rendition is higher. What other differences can you identify?
Another artist whom was influential on Elvis Presley was the blues singer Roy Brown. Listen to his “Good Rockin’ Tonight” below. Note the “jazzy” feel of Brown’s version. Listen to the orchestration, specifically the trumpet and other wind instruments. What is the hook in Brown's version?
Now listen to Elvis Presley’s rendition. Note how the wind instruments have been replaced by string instruments. The trumpet solos in Brown’s version is replaced with guitar solos. There is a shift away from improvisation and harmonic complexity created by wind instruments to simpler chord-harmonies by guitars, as well as an increased rhythmic density. Is the hook in Presley's version the same as the hook in Brown's version?
Another song by Roy Brown that was significant for Elvis Presley’s early career was “Hard Luck Blues.”
The version sung by Elvis Presley had the lyrics changed from “Hard Luck Blues” to “Heartbreak Hotel.” Apart from the changed lyrics, what other differences can you identify between “Hard Luck Blues” and “Heartbreak Hotel”?
1956 stands out as the year that Rock ‘n Roll was firmly establish, with Elvis Presley as its superstar. Presley’s style incorporated different elements from different music genres. Crossroads in Music (p. 218) describes his style as a type of “hillbilly music, with a sexy R&B-inspired vocal style, pop-oriented lyrics, electric guitar lead, and an emphasis on the beat.”
This “hillbilly music,” which is a type of early country music, was combined with blues (specifically boogie woogie), Gospel, some jazz, and Rhythm and Blues, and a heavier beat to create a genre of music which became known as Rockabilly. Carl Perkins recorded the song “Blue Suede Shoes” in 1955, which is considered by some to be the first Rockabilly song.
Many artists covered “Blue Suede Shoes,” including Elvis Presley.
It’s been over fifty years since the beginning or Rockabilly, yet it is still enjoyed by younger generations, and to this day there are still Rockabilly bands around the world – even here in Korea; for example the highly entertaining Korean band The Moonshiners.
For more another discussion on early Rock 'n Roll you can visit Tom Zarecki's "Origins of Popular Music -- Part 1."
Rock 'n Roll -- The Beginnings
The Rock-‘n-Roll movement started in the early 1950s. It was a continuation of blues in both structure and rhythm, but also influenced by the improvisation of early jazz, and the emotional quality of the spirituals and Gospel. Crossroads in Music (p. 218) explain that two factors, “emotional vocal interpretation and a heavy emphasis on the beat—especially the backbeat,” were common to the different styles of rock music.
Two songs of note that set the stage for Rock-‘n-Roll music are the songs “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Rock Around the Clock.”
“Shake, Rattle and Roll” was first performed by Big Joe Turner; however, the version by Bill Haley and his Comets are probably best known. Notice how the song uses the typical twelve-bar blues structure, as well as the AAB-form for the lyrics. It is also thematically still just a blues song—a man complaining about his woman.
Like “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” the song “Rock Around the Clock” also has a twelve-bar blues structure. Listen to it below, also performed by Bill Haley and His Comets.
“Rock Around the Clock” came out in 1955 and is considered the official year that Rock-‘n-Roll began. It was also in this year that Elvis started to make a name for himself.
Two songs of note that set the stage for Rock-‘n-Roll music are the songs “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Rock Around the Clock.”
“Shake, Rattle and Roll” was first performed by Big Joe Turner; however, the version by Bill Haley and his Comets are probably best known. Notice how the song uses the typical twelve-bar blues structure, as well as the AAB-form for the lyrics. It is also thematically still just a blues song—a man complaining about his woman.
Like “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” the song “Rock Around the Clock” also has a twelve-bar blues structure. Listen to it below, also performed by Bill Haley and His Comets.
“Rock Around the Clock” came out in 1955 and is considered the official year that Rock-‘n-Roll began. It was also in this year that Elvis started to make a name for himself.
More Jazz Styles
In a previous post we discussed Swing (aka Big Band) Jazz. Swing Jazz is only one example of jazz music. There are many styles of jazz. The following list will give you a quick overview of the more common jazz styles.
Dixieland
Dixieland jazz is the type of jazz associated with the early days of jazz in New Orleans, with its marching brass bands. The tone is usually cheerful. The orchestration often includes the trumpet that plays the main melody and the trombone that plays the counter-melody. A clarinet usually improvises on the chords, which is often provided by a banjo and piano. Rhythm is provided by a tuba and/or drums. Dixieland jazz usually has a strong one-two-one-two rhythm (2/4 measure).
Hot Jazz
In between New Orleans’ Dixieland and Swing Jazz there was Louis Armstrong and his “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” – ensembles consisting of five or seven members. Louis Armstrong and his “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” was so influential that his style of jazz became known as Hot Jazz, and the music created by them is considered some of the best jazz music in jazz history.
The song “Heebie Jeebies” has one of the first examples of scat singing.
Swing Jazz (Big Band Jazz)
We discussed Swing Jazz in our main discussion on "What is Jazz?"
Bebop
Because Big Band Jazz (Swing) tended to be somewhat fixed (not much improvisation) it created in some jazz musicians the need for more freedom. Bebop (sometimes just called “bop”) is in a sense a reaction against Big Band Jazz. Bebop has smaller ensembles and more improvisation. Crossroads in Music (179) explains that Bebop “…employed complex harmony and required great technical facility of its players. Its tempos were very fast and discouraging to a swing era audience that loved to dance. However, for musicians who loved to listen, it was a very exciting style. The characteristic ensemble was a quintet with two players (usually sax and trumpet) on the frontline and a three-piece rhythm section. Typically, the opening and closing of a song featured the ‘horns’ (wind instruments) playing in unison. Between the opening and closing, lots of space was provided for improvised solos.”
Cool Jazz
Many people found Bebop’s melodic complexity too confusing. Cool Jazz is a reaction against the intensity of Bebop. Cool Jazz is easier to listen to, with more emphasis on “subtlety” with some influence from classical music. (Crossroads in Music, p. 181, 182.)
In the excerpt below from “The Subject is Jazz,” Billy Taylor explains “Cool Jazz.” Below that is a YouTube-video with Miles Davies giving a typical Cool Jazz performance.
Hard Bop
Again in reaction to Cool Jazz came Hard Bop, which is basically a return to Bebop. However, Hard Bop is not merely a repetition of Bebop; instead it incorporates Gospel and blues music to give it a more emotional feel (Source: Air Judden)
The “Hard Bop Saxophone Quartet” performs “Gospel Fever!” below.
Third Stream
During the 1950’s there was a movement to fuse jazz and classical music. This resulted in what is known as “Third Stream.” George Russell was a major player in this movement.
Modal Jazz
Some jazz musicians became tired with the typical structure of jazz that consisted of 32 measures and specific chord progressions. Modal jazz was an attempt to move away from this form so that the soloists can freer to improvise more, based on scales rather than chords. Read this page for a more detailed explanation. Modal jazz is also sometimes related with blues and Cool Jazz. Loren Schoenberg describes Modal Jazz in the video below.
Free Form Jazz
Free From Jazz focusses on extreme improvisation. This style of jazz seems somewhat haphazard, with very high tonal and rhythmic density, and is sometimes described as “angry.”
Bossa Nova Jazz
A fusion of Latin Bossa Nova music and Cool Jazz results in Bossa Nova Jazz. This is a popular type of jazz and was especially common in the 60s.
Fusion & Jazz-Rock
Fusion Jazz refer to the fusion of jazz with other styles, specifically rock music; aka Jazz-Rock. A good example would be Tony Williams’s “Lifetime” album. The main difference between Fusion and Jazz-Rock is that "Fusion" is primarily instrumental, while "Jazz-Rock" includes a lead vocalist. Fusion and Jazz-Rock were especially popular in the 70s and 80s.
Neoclassicism
Crossroads in Music (p. 266) describe Neo-classical jazz as “the application of modern techniques to older styles and structures. For the most part, the return is to the chord changes, acoustic instruments, and structure of bebop with the addition of modern performance possibilities such as collective improvisation, variable formal structure, rhythm, and meter and the use of modal, tonal, or chromatic melodies.”
Acid Jazz
Acid Jazz refers to the fusion of Jazz with dance music.
Dixieland
Dixieland jazz is the type of jazz associated with the early days of jazz in New Orleans, with its marching brass bands. The tone is usually cheerful. The orchestration often includes the trumpet that plays the main melody and the trombone that plays the counter-melody. A clarinet usually improvises on the chords, which is often provided by a banjo and piano. Rhythm is provided by a tuba and/or drums. Dixieland jazz usually has a strong one-two-one-two rhythm (2/4 measure).
Hot Jazz
In between New Orleans’ Dixieland and Swing Jazz there was Louis Armstrong and his “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” – ensembles consisting of five or seven members. Louis Armstrong and his “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” was so influential that his style of jazz became known as Hot Jazz, and the music created by them is considered some of the best jazz music in jazz history.
The song “Heebie Jeebies” has one of the first examples of scat singing.
Swing Jazz (Big Band Jazz)
We discussed Swing Jazz in our main discussion on "What is Jazz?"
Bebop
Because Big Band Jazz (Swing) tended to be somewhat fixed (not much improvisation) it created in some jazz musicians the need for more freedom. Bebop (sometimes just called “bop”) is in a sense a reaction against Big Band Jazz. Bebop has smaller ensembles and more improvisation. Crossroads in Music (179) explains that Bebop “…employed complex harmony and required great technical facility of its players. Its tempos were very fast and discouraging to a swing era audience that loved to dance. However, for musicians who loved to listen, it was a very exciting style. The characteristic ensemble was a quintet with two players (usually sax and trumpet) on the frontline and a three-piece rhythm section. Typically, the opening and closing of a song featured the ‘horns’ (wind instruments) playing in unison. Between the opening and closing, lots of space was provided for improvised solos.”
Cool Jazz
Many people found Bebop’s melodic complexity too confusing. Cool Jazz is a reaction against the intensity of Bebop. Cool Jazz is easier to listen to, with more emphasis on “subtlety” with some influence from classical music. (Crossroads in Music, p. 181, 182.)
In the excerpt below from “The Subject is Jazz,” Billy Taylor explains “Cool Jazz.” Below that is a YouTube-video with Miles Davies giving a typical Cool Jazz performance.
Hard Bop
Again in reaction to Cool Jazz came Hard Bop, which is basically a return to Bebop. However, Hard Bop is not merely a repetition of Bebop; instead it incorporates Gospel and blues music to give it a more emotional feel (Source: Air Judden)
The “Hard Bop Saxophone Quartet” performs “Gospel Fever!” below.
Third Stream
During the 1950’s there was a movement to fuse jazz and classical music. This resulted in what is known as “Third Stream.” George Russell was a major player in this movement.
Modal Jazz
Some jazz musicians became tired with the typical structure of jazz that consisted of 32 measures and specific chord progressions. Modal jazz was an attempt to move away from this form so that the soloists can freer to improvise more, based on scales rather than chords. Read this page for a more detailed explanation. Modal jazz is also sometimes related with blues and Cool Jazz. Loren Schoenberg describes Modal Jazz in the video below.
Free Form Jazz
Free From Jazz focusses on extreme improvisation. This style of jazz seems somewhat haphazard, with very high tonal and rhythmic density, and is sometimes described as “angry.”
Bossa Nova Jazz
A fusion of Latin Bossa Nova music and Cool Jazz results in Bossa Nova Jazz. This is a popular type of jazz and was especially common in the 60s.
Fusion & Jazz-Rock
Fusion Jazz refer to the fusion of jazz with other styles, specifically rock music; aka Jazz-Rock. A good example would be Tony Williams’s “Lifetime” album. The main difference between Fusion and Jazz-Rock is that "Fusion" is primarily instrumental, while "Jazz-Rock" includes a lead vocalist. Fusion and Jazz-Rock were especially popular in the 70s and 80s.
Neoclassicism
Crossroads in Music (p. 266) describe Neo-classical jazz as “the application of modern techniques to older styles and structures. For the most part, the return is to the chord changes, acoustic instruments, and structure of bebop with the addition of modern performance possibilities such as collective improvisation, variable formal structure, rhythm, and meter and the use of modal, tonal, or chromatic melodies.”
Acid Jazz
Acid Jazz refers to the fusion of Jazz with dance music.
Scat Singing
Scat singing is a type of singing in Jazz where the singer makes nonsense syllables with the voice in an improvised fashion, mimicking instruments like the trumpet or clarinet.
One of the early jazz songs that is a precursor to scat singing is the folk song “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” by Ella Fitzgerald. The words “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” do not have any meaning. It is merely used for its sound quality, to rhyme with “basket.” Children used to sing this song while playing the "Circle Game." Notice the call-response in this song. The “responses” are given by both the backing vocalists and the brass instruments.
In the following song Ella Fitzgerald sings “Take the A-Train” in a composition by the great jazz pianist Duke Ellington. Listen to her great improvised scat singing. Although there is improvised scat singing, the melody is still relatively easy to follow. An interesting feature of this song is how Ella Fitzgerald improvises the lyrics. Listen to the second time you hear "Can't you hear those engines drumming." Instead of singing the next line which is "All aboard, get on the 'A' train" like the first time round, she sings another line and and starts to mix the lyric lines in an improvised fashion. This is another interesting characteristic of jazz, that even the lyrics can be improvised. Scats singing is probably the ultimate form of vocal improvisation.
In the following song “How High the Moon,” the melody is rather difficult to follow. The melodic contour is much more complicated, leading into a very complicated melody during the scat singing. Notice how Fitzgerald mimics the complicated obbligato of the clarinet, and later the timbre of the cornet. In this performance she also clearly moves between moments of improvised singing (playing around with the words of the lyrics) and pure scat singing (saying no words, only singing nonsensicle syllables).
In the next video you can listen to Sarah Vaughn singing scat alongside Wynton Marsalis playing the cornet. Notice how the two instruments (voice and cornet) perform together, sometimes as counterpoint melodies, other times in a caller-response fashion. Also notice how Sarah Vaugh “copies” the trumpet at times.
The title of this song is “Autumn Leaves.” There are no lyrics, only scat singing. One can probably interpret the scat as a vocal interpretation of autumn leaves blowing around in the wind. Close your eyes and listen to the song again, while imagining leaves blowing in gusts of autumn wind.
One of the early jazz songs that is a precursor to scat singing is the folk song “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” by Ella Fitzgerald. The words “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” do not have any meaning. It is merely used for its sound quality, to rhyme with “basket.” Children used to sing this song while playing the "Circle Game." Notice the call-response in this song. The “responses” are given by both the backing vocalists and the brass instruments.
In the following song Ella Fitzgerald sings “Take the A-Train” in a composition by the great jazz pianist Duke Ellington. Listen to her great improvised scat singing. Although there is improvised scat singing, the melody is still relatively easy to follow. An interesting feature of this song is how Ella Fitzgerald improvises the lyrics. Listen to the second time you hear "Can't you hear those engines drumming." Instead of singing the next line which is "All aboard, get on the 'A' train" like the first time round, she sings another line and and starts to mix the lyric lines in an improvised fashion. This is another interesting characteristic of jazz, that even the lyrics can be improvised. Scats singing is probably the ultimate form of vocal improvisation.
In the following song “How High the Moon,” the melody is rather difficult to follow. The melodic contour is much more complicated, leading into a very complicated melody during the scat singing. Notice how Fitzgerald mimics the complicated obbligato of the clarinet, and later the timbre of the cornet. In this performance she also clearly moves between moments of improvised singing (playing around with the words of the lyrics) and pure scat singing (saying no words, only singing nonsensicle syllables).
In the next video you can listen to Sarah Vaughn singing scat alongside Wynton Marsalis playing the cornet. Notice how the two instruments (voice and cornet) perform together, sometimes as counterpoint melodies, other times in a caller-response fashion. Also notice how Sarah Vaugh “copies” the trumpet at times.
The title of this song is “Autumn Leaves.” There are no lyrics, only scat singing. One can probably interpret the scat as a vocal interpretation of autumn leaves blowing around in the wind. Close your eyes and listen to the song again, while imagining leaves blowing in gusts of autumn wind.
What is Jazz?
Like the spirituals, jazz is also a type of folk music. “The origins of jazz around the turn of the twentieth century . . . were in the music of the slaves who were brought from Africa and combined their rhythms and melodic patterns with familiar tunes of the day” (Crossroads in Music, p. 250).
Below you can listen to Louis Armstrong and his ensemble performing “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Notice how this old spiritual song is incorporated into the jazz style. Also notice the call-response method used when Louis Armstrong sings and his back-up vocals responds. This is the same as we experienced while listening to the spirituals, Gospel, sometimes in the blues, as well as in Rhythm & Blues.
Jazz had also a close relationship with blues music. Listen to Ella Fitzgerald, probably the most celebrated jazz singer, performing “I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues.” In what way is this song similar to traditional blues? In what way is it different?
Towards the end of the 1800s marching bands were very popular, especially in New Orleans “where military musicians returning from service in the Civil War revived a strong military band tradition established by the French founders of the city” (Crossroads in Music, p. 111). Small bands started to play for different occasions, such as at funerals, parades, and dances. “They were also found as entertainment in the bars and brothels of New Orleans' famed red-light district, ‘Storyville.’ The music of these bands reflected many influences: French, Spanish, Creole, African, blues, and the banjolike rhythms of ragtime, which was just developing” (Crossroads in Music, p. 111).
From this “jazz” developed and had three elements (Crossroads in Music, p. 111):
Of the three, improvisation is the most important. Tom Zarecki explains that a “unique characteristics of Jazz is that no two performances of a song are ever the same because the performers literally ‘make up’ [improvise] the notes they will be playing when it's their turn to solo . . . In other genres like Country, Pop, or Rock, the audiences want the live performer to duplicate their recording as exactly as possible. Not so with Jazz. People love Jazz performers because the audience knows (and automatically expects) that they will get a unique performance each time.”
“Players would improvise individually in brief passages and also collectively. Instruments were chosen from among those used in the marching band… Being the loudest, the cornet (or the trumpet) played the melody in an embellished or ornamented fashion. The clarinet added a secondary part, an independent melodic accompaniment sometimes called an obbligato. This was played above the melody of the cornet. Since the clarinet is a very flexible instrument capable of great technical facility, this obbligato was often highly elaborate. The trombone added a harmony part below the cornet, usually playing longer notes than those of the melody and adding melodic interest when the cornet was resting. In a marching band this harmonic element would be called a countermelody. These three instruments were called the front line because they stood out front, near the audience. The remaining three instruments were called the rhythm section: the tuba, which supplied the bass part; the banjo, which played chords in rhythm; and drums, which provided the beat” (Crossroads in Music, p. 111, 112).
Swing Jazz
Of all the styles of jazz, Swing jazz (or "Big Band" jazz) is the most fixed (i.e. does not have as much improvisation). However, "the most popular jazz style of the twentieth century was swing, named after the lilting yet driving rhythm associated with jazz. This style is based on large ensembles of ten or more musicians (Big Bands) who played written arrangements that incorporated improvised solos . . . In addition to a vocalist or two, these bands included three sections of instruments: brass (trumpets and trombones), woodwinds (saxophones), and rhythm (piano, brass, drums, and sometimes guitar). Their repertoire included popular ballads as well as songs usually associated with jazz that are called jazz standards” (Crossroads in Music, p. 129, 130).
One of the most popular “big bands” were the Bennie Goodman Orchestra and one of their most famous songs are “Sing, Sing, Sing,” which has also become a “jazz standard.” Ironically, although the title of the song is “Sing, Sing, Sing,” it contains no lyrics and nobody singing. Notice the ample use of brasses and a very clear syncopated rhythm.
Please watch the two YouTube-video clips below. “Swing” is discussed as part of the “This is Jazz”-series.
Some Examples of Swing
Following are some examples of famous swing artists.
Billy Holiday performs “Summertime” in the following video. This song is a lullaby. The tune seems almost a little sad – as if it could be a blues song. There is also mention of "cotton" which is a typical slavery / folk song image; think, for example, of Lead Belly's "Pick a Bale of Cotton." However, the lyrics are cheerful. The "cotton is fine" and life is “easy,” because “daddy’s rich / And your mamma’s good lookin’.” This is the opposite of typical blues music. The instruments are also quite busy (the density is moderately high) with lots of improvisations.
Ella Fitzgerald, known as “The First Lady of Jazz” performs “I Want to Be Happy,” in the YouTube-video below. Note how long the intro is – played predominantly by the “horns”, before the vocalist starts singing. Then notice how short the vocalist’s part is in the overall song. Fitzgerald finishes her part even before the middle of the song is reached. The voice is just one of the instruments that get a turn to have a solo in jazz music. This is quite different from many other music genres where the vocals are the dominant instrument of the song and the other instruments are used primarily for accompaniment, with occasional interludes. As a typical jazz song, “I Want to Be Happy,” shows how the vocals in jazz music is not necessarily the most important. Many other instruments have solos throughout the song.
Try to list every instrument that has a solo in this performance.
Some recent examples of current artists performing Swing shows that Swing Jazz is still a popular genre. Below are Robbie Williams and Harry Conick, Jr.
Below you can listen to Louis Armstrong and his ensemble performing “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Notice how this old spiritual song is incorporated into the jazz style. Also notice the call-response method used when Louis Armstrong sings and his back-up vocals responds. This is the same as we experienced while listening to the spirituals, Gospel, sometimes in the blues, as well as in Rhythm & Blues.
Jazz had also a close relationship with blues music. Listen to Ella Fitzgerald, probably the most celebrated jazz singer, performing “I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues.” In what way is this song similar to traditional blues? In what way is it different?
Towards the end of the 1800s marching bands were very popular, especially in New Orleans “where military musicians returning from service in the Civil War revived a strong military band tradition established by the French founders of the city” (Crossroads in Music, p. 111). Small bands started to play for different occasions, such as at funerals, parades, and dances. “They were also found as entertainment in the bars and brothels of New Orleans' famed red-light district, ‘Storyville.’ The music of these bands reflected many influences: French, Spanish, Creole, African, blues, and the banjolike rhythms of ragtime, which was just developing” (Crossroads in Music, p. 111).
From this “jazz” developed and had three elements (Crossroads in Music, p. 111):
- A lilting beat called “swing.”
- A characteristic rhythm called syncopation in which “offbeat” accents break up the regularity of beat that characterized most classical music.
- Improvisation.
Of the three, improvisation is the most important. Tom Zarecki explains that a “unique characteristics of Jazz is that no two performances of a song are ever the same because the performers literally ‘make up’ [improvise] the notes they will be playing when it's their turn to solo . . . In other genres like Country, Pop, or Rock, the audiences want the live performer to duplicate their recording as exactly as possible. Not so with Jazz. People love Jazz performers because the audience knows (and automatically expects) that they will get a unique performance each time.”
“Players would improvise individually in brief passages and also collectively. Instruments were chosen from among those used in the marching band… Being the loudest, the cornet (or the trumpet) played the melody in an embellished or ornamented fashion. The clarinet added a secondary part, an independent melodic accompaniment sometimes called an obbligato. This was played above the melody of the cornet. Since the clarinet is a very flexible instrument capable of great technical facility, this obbligato was often highly elaborate. The trombone added a harmony part below the cornet, usually playing longer notes than those of the melody and adding melodic interest when the cornet was resting. In a marching band this harmonic element would be called a countermelody. These three instruments were called the front line because they stood out front, near the audience. The remaining three instruments were called the rhythm section: the tuba, which supplied the bass part; the banjo, which played chords in rhythm; and drums, which provided the beat” (Crossroads in Music, p. 111, 112).
Swing Jazz
Of all the styles of jazz, Swing jazz (or "Big Band" jazz) is the most fixed (i.e. does not have as much improvisation). However, "the most popular jazz style of the twentieth century was swing, named after the lilting yet driving rhythm associated with jazz. This style is based on large ensembles of ten or more musicians (Big Bands) who played written arrangements that incorporated improvised solos . . . In addition to a vocalist or two, these bands included three sections of instruments: brass (trumpets and trombones), woodwinds (saxophones), and rhythm (piano, brass, drums, and sometimes guitar). Their repertoire included popular ballads as well as songs usually associated with jazz that are called jazz standards” (Crossroads in Music, p. 129, 130).
One of the most popular “big bands” were the Bennie Goodman Orchestra and one of their most famous songs are “Sing, Sing, Sing,” which has also become a “jazz standard.” Ironically, although the title of the song is “Sing, Sing, Sing,” it contains no lyrics and nobody singing. Notice the ample use of brasses and a very clear syncopated rhythm.
Please watch the two YouTube-video clips below. “Swing” is discussed as part of the “This is Jazz”-series.
Some Examples of Swing
Following are some examples of famous swing artists.
Billy Holiday performs “Summertime” in the following video. This song is a lullaby. The tune seems almost a little sad – as if it could be a blues song. There is also mention of "cotton" which is a typical slavery / folk song image; think, for example, of Lead Belly's "Pick a Bale of Cotton." However, the lyrics are cheerful. The "cotton is fine" and life is “easy,” because “daddy’s rich / And your mamma’s good lookin’.” This is the opposite of typical blues music. The instruments are also quite busy (the density is moderately high) with lots of improvisations.
Ella Fitzgerald, known as “The First Lady of Jazz” performs “I Want to Be Happy,” in the YouTube-video below. Note how long the intro is – played predominantly by the “horns”, before the vocalist starts singing. Then notice how short the vocalist’s part is in the overall song. Fitzgerald finishes her part even before the middle of the song is reached. The voice is just one of the instruments that get a turn to have a solo in jazz music. This is quite different from many other music genres where the vocals are the dominant instrument of the song and the other instruments are used primarily for accompaniment, with occasional interludes. As a typical jazz song, “I Want to Be Happy,” shows how the vocals in jazz music is not necessarily the most important. Many other instruments have solos throughout the song.
Try to list every instrument that has a solo in this performance.
Some recent examples of current artists performing Swing shows that Swing Jazz is still a popular genre. Below are Robbie Williams and Harry Conick, Jr.
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