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Swing Music

Swing Music. From Jazz Combos to Big Bands. Includes Chicago, Kansas City, New York Greater use of written arrangements. Musicians were more proficient. More solo improvisation.

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Swing Music

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  1. Swing Music • From Jazz Combos to Big Bands. Includes Chicago, Kansas City, New York • Greater use of written arrangements. Musicians were more proficient. More solo improvisation. • Bands had often 10 or more players, there were 3 sections: rhythm (piano, guitar, bass, drums), brass (trumpets, trombones), and reeds (clarinets, saxophones). Instrumentation included saxophones, and drummers used more high-hat cymbals. Tubas and banjos are no longer used.

  2. Early Big Bands • Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952) – pitted saxes against brass, used block voicing. Hired great musicians including Roy Eldridge-trumpet and Coleman Hawkins-tenor sax. • Count Basie (1904-1984)-Count Basie, piano Lester Young-tenor sax, Dicky Wells-trombone, Freddie Green-guitar, Walter Page-bass, Jo Jones-drums • Duke Ellington (1899-1974) • Duke-piano, Juan Tizol-valve trombone, Joe Nanton- trombone, Jimmy Blanton-bass, • Hits: Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got that Swing), Satin Doll, Solitude, Mood Indigo.

  3. 2 important big bands-Count Basie’s & Duke Ellington’s

  4. What the Count and Duke did well Basie: Played sparingly, relaxed tempos Swung hard Comping Emphasis on improvisation and driving rhythm Count Basie and Big Joe Williams, “All Right, OK, You Win” • Duke: • Awarded a scholarship to art college. A thorough arranger – thought of different instruments as different colors • Encouraged his musicians to have a signature sound-concentration on tone as well as technique. Wrote parts for the particular sounds and capabilities of his band. • Voicings across sections of the band. Used wordless vocals.

  5. 2 important vocalists-Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday

  6. Ella & Billie • Ella Fitzgerald (1918-1996) • Hits with jazz and pop music • Discovered by Chick Webb, led the band after 1939 following Webb’s death • Great vocal dexterity, intonation, and sense of swing. Scatted with ease. (avoided by Holiday) • 14 Grammy Awards • Billie Holiday (1915-1959) • Composed/co-authored some of her own songs including “God Bless the Child” • Exceptional at phrasing, emotional depth. Avoided scatting. • Biggest hit “Strange Fruit”

  7. The Cotton Club-clips from real life and Coppola’s film http://youtu.be/rLNZdovc3PI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szHWzomqBMI

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