What is jazz?

Defining jazz

a folk and art music tradition developed in the United States that blends African and European musical styles and techniques

a term used to group certain people (i.e. hip hop)

America’s most popular music up until the 1940s

a musical practice widely associated with improvisation

to ‘jazz’ a tune or ‘riff’ (see “let it be” slide)

Bouncing rhythms (i.e. swing) and calculated chromaticism

an art form, not unlike “Classical music”, with complicated musical rules and guidelines (see “Autumn Leaves” slide)

straight vs ‘jazzing’

Listen to Edith Piaf’s classic version of the song.

In a jazz sense, the song can be approached in many different ways however.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3vL8guiFFM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW5V6si5yc8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2s2tPORlW4

traditional - swing

funky

Bebop: Jazz as a folk, urban tradition.

Finding common ground

12-bar blues form

Broadway “standards”

Neighborhood (Harlem) grooves: Uptempo swing and Afro-Cuban

Competition

Progress/Exploration/Discovery

Blues provided musicians with:Bends, slides, vocalizations, etc.

Pentatonic notes and “blues” notes

A standard form to create within

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In pursuit of creativefreedom, sometimes artists choose to play "out"before resolving

Some chords have been altered for more "color"

Jazz players, likecomposers, often opt for moving "shapes"

Playing these notes willsound the "most right"

Chromatic notes area key feature of Bebop and jazz in particular

There are "right" notes for each chord - scale notes

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Growing language of jazz via “Broadway standards”

Meanwhile, Broadway songs challenged

musicians to navigate more difficult chords.

Broadway composers implied “swinging”

melodies and rhythms.

Wonderful “motive” ideas in this particular song.

Alongside standards drawn from the

“swing” dance band tradition, musicians also

utilized “afro-cuban” dance band songs.

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“Free-for-all” ex.) Re-harmonization

of an Irish folk song performed

as a New Orleans 2nd line groove.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? Carole King

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Over time, musicians were expected to

choose materials that reflected their own

personalities. In many cases, these are drawn

from the growing American song tradition.

Carole King’s “Will You Still Love

Me Tomorrow”

Questions?