What is JAZZ?

4th Grade Music

What is Jazz??

• Improvisation is important in Jazz

• Jazz uses “bent” music notes

• Jazz expresses many emotions

• Jazz uses blue notes, syncopation, swing and call and response

4 Types of Jazz

Dixieland

Big Band Swing

Bebop

Jazz-Rock

Dixieland

• Louis Armstrong played and sang Dixieland Jazz.

• One of Louis’s most famous songs is “What a Wonderful World.”

Dixieland

Dixieland

Dixieland Jazz was born in New Orleans.

Dixieland Jazz groups have 6 – 8 players.

The trumpet plays the melody.

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong- Began playing in Dixieland bands in New

Orleans- played the cornet first , which is similar to the

trumpet- The first band Louis played in was led by Joe

Oliver.- Also lived in Chicago- Nicknamed “Satchmo”- Other bands he played in: Hot Five and Hot Seven- Louis sang in a style called “scat.”

Louis Armstrong• Most important musician in jazz history!• Trumpet player and a vocalist• Famous Songs: “Hello, Dolly” “What a Wonderful World”

“When the Saints Go Marching In”

Big Band Swing

• Glenn Miller Orchestra• “In the Mood”

Big Band Swing

Big Band Swing

Big Bands with 12-18 musicians

became very popular in the 1940’s.

Many leaders of the bands became famous because they were featured on live radio broadcasts each week.

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington- Music director at the Cotton Club in Harlem, NY- Pianist, composer, and band leader- Worked with pianist, Billy Strayhorn- Theme song

“Take the ‘A’ Train”- Also enjoyed drawing

and painting- NY band was the

Washingtonians

Ella Fitzgerald

“A-Tisket A Tasket”

Bebop

• Dizzy Gillespie played the trumpet.• “Night in Tunisia”

Bebop

Bebop

Bebop has fast tempos and difficult eighth note melodies.

Bebop is based on improvisation, which means musicians “make-up” the music as

they play.

Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker Played Bebop

Charlie Parker

- Born in Kansas City, Kansas

- Played the saxophone- Was a “father” of bebop

with Dizzy Gillespie- Nickname “Yard Bird”- Played at Minton’s

Playhouse in Harlem, NY- Was influenced by musician, Lester Young- Joined the band of McShann in NY

Charlie Parker

• Played the Alto Saxophone• Played Bebop• “Summertime”

Jazz Rock

• John Coltrane• Played soprano saxophone• “My Favorite Things”

Jazz-Rock

Jazz-Rock

The synthesizer was invented during the Jazz-Rock time period.

A synthesizer creates the sound of guitars, string instruments, percussion instruments, and many other instruments. It made it possible to have the sound in the band without having the actual instrument.

Miles Davis

Miles Davis- Developed a style called

Cool Jazz- One of his popular songs

is called Boplicity- Worked with Gil Evans on many songs- Also worked with saxophone player, John

Coltrane- Went to Julliard School of Music in NY- Replaced Dizzy Gillespie in Charlie Parker’s band- Last performance was at the Montreux Jazz

Festival in Switzerland

John Coltrane

• “Giant Steps” • Played the tenor saxophone in

“Giant Steps”• Jazz Rock

Do you know…..

Billie Holiday?

“Blue Moon”

Do you know…

Norah Jones?

“Come Away with Me”

Do you know…

Erykah Badu?

Jazz words to know…SWING

to play with a forward motion

IMPROVISATION

spontaneous musical invention

SCAT SINGING

nonsense syllables sung to improvised melodies

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have learned about four types of jazz music and many jazz musicians!