Though I was introduced to numerous styles of Jazz this semester, each with their own merits, I will cover the phenomenon of Hard bop in this paper. I believe that hard bop is a style unlike any other, and it deserves more recognition. Though it only reached its height of commercial success through the 1950’s and 1960’s, I hope that it will be revived one day, as I believe it to be one of the greatest styles in Jazz history.
Understanding hard bop involves understanding the cultural roots that spurred its development. In the 1930’s, big Swing bands such as the Count Basie Orchestra dominated the Jazz scene. It was a style that had a feeling of joy and freedom, in a time when the economy was in poor shape. The music served an important purpose
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Conveniently, the artists of the time were rarely concerned about commercial success. The most notable criticism of bebop comes from Louis Armstrong, a legend of the swing era and one of the greatest trumpeters of all time. He was not at all amused by the new style, and has called it “Chinese music” (AZ Quotes). Even the name drew his ire. As written in the Sydney Morning Herald during his tour of Australia, "Bebop? I just play music. Guys who invent terms like that are walking the streets with their instruments under their arms” (The Sydney Morning Herald).
After bebop’s heyday, styles such as Cool jazz began to form. With their recordings in Birth of the Cool sessions from the late 40’s, Miles Davis and Gerry Mulligan helped develop this new style with lighter tones and a slower tempo. It also incorporated aspects of classical music, such as the tuba, flute, and vibraphone. Styles such as Cool jazz were developed in response to bebop, however the style also had its share of
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While the west coast style reflected a relaxed, casual lifestyle, hard hop sought to redefine the New York style after bebop’s demise. Hard bop’s faster paced, or “hot” nature reflected the New York lifestyle.
This new Hard bop style also heavily incorporated aspects of gospel music, with many tracks including the plagal (“amen”) cadence, the progression from chord IV to I. This gospel influence is ever-present in Horace Silver’s 1955 song, “The Preacher”. It is important to appreciate that this masterpiece lived on despite nearly being unrecorded. According to Alfred Lion, the executive at Horace Silver’s record label “Blue Note”, “... it was too old timey, that no one would go for it” (Rosenthal). As the first successful song produced by Horace Silver, it inspired other Jazz musicians to take interest in hard bop.
Some other features which define hard bop include its blues and gospel influences through its use of dominant chords, as well as call and response. The style is generally defined by a 12 bar and 32 bar form, with Head-Solo-Head structure. In contrast to standard bebop, the head usually contains a highly complex, harmonized melody. Hard bop songs are generally written in a minor
Cool jazz as a music genre had more structure than its bebop counterpart. Most of the time, cool jazz songs were created and performed using written arrangements. This gives the songs a more consistent feeling. It also conveyed a feeling of relaxation, as with written arrangements, the musicians are more relaxed and tend to have less expressions when performing. This was one of the characteristics that made cool jazz gain its label “cool.”
Jazz as a general genre reached its peak in the thirties. Jazz was incredibly popular with both the Black community, and the white community; however, Jazz reached the adolescents the most. Jazz music was associated with the African American culture during this time of increible racial tension, subsequently the ‘teens’ of this generation began to tune into this genre for its rebelistic qualities. Popular forms of jazz music often included, Dixieland/’hot’ jazz, classical jazz, and bebop. The defining artist of hot jazz was Louis Armstrong. This music was characterized by collective improvised solos, around melodic structure, that ideally built up to an emotional and "Hot" climax. The rhythm section, which typically consists of percussion, bass, banjo, or guitar helps to support this crescendo, many times in the style of a
Swing, the predecessor of bop, was big, sweet, and hot. The performers were big bands, fronted by a charismatic bandleader, yet the success of a piece depended mostly on the unity of the ensemble as a whole, rather than on the showcasing of prodigious individuals. The requisite instrument was the saxophone, which was often smooth and mellifluous. Songs were old favorites, or simple jazz standards, that had been arranged to suit a large ensemble. Swing bands played in large venues, such as ballrooms, and to large audiences, who seized the opportunity to not just tap their toes, but to "jump, jive, and wail." The swing era became the most popular form of jazz, as it catered to audiences as a form of social and interactive entertainment.
By the 1930’s the movement had shifted yet again and began to incorporate larger bands in what came to be known as “swing.” Broadcast radio was also an important factor by this time, giving swing music a far-reaching national influence. The size of the bands had a standardizing ...
“His relaxed phrasing was a major change from the staccato style of the early 20’s and helped to set the stage for the Swing Era” (“Life & Legacy”). And as such a prominent artist, and in particular, jazz artist, Armstrong did not only change the perception of jazz and swing, but the views on African Americans and their culture. Armstrong and the Harlem Renaissance reflected black history and culture, and it became popular, even in white communities and clubs. Jazz as a whole genre helped further society’s views through the universal language of music, where any ethnicity could partake in it. And the revolution of jazz was lead by the stylings of Louis Armstrong. The duration of the jazz and swing era, lasting decades past the 1920s, symbolized the civil rights movement directly through the lyrics, sounds, and artists
Jazz is referred as “America’s classical music,” and is one of North America’s and most celebrated genres. The history of Jazz can be traced back to the early era of the 20th century of the U.S. “A History of Jazz” presents From Ragtime and Blues to Big Band and Bebop, jazz has been a part of a proud African American tradition for over 100 years. A strong rhythmic under-structure, blue notes, solos, “call-and response” patterns, and
The word “jazz” is significant to America, and it has many meanings. Jazz could simply be defined as a genre or style of music that originated in America, but it can also be described as a movement which “bounced into the world somewhere about the year 1911.”. This is important because jazz is constantly changing, evolving, adapting, and improvising. By analyzing the creators, critics, and consumers of jazz in the context of cultural, political, and economic issues, I will illustrate the movement from the 1930’s swing era to the birth of bebop and modern jazz. As the 1930’s began, the effects of the Great Depression still ravaged the United States, which in turn caused a dramatic change in the music industry.
Miles Davis was a key player in the evolution of modern jazz. In the 1940’s he participated in the bebop craze, then initiated the cool jazz era in the 1950’s. Bebop involved a higher register and note fueled playing while Miles favored the middle register, with longer and less frequency of notes, and a
"I think the element of hip-hop left when rap music started being created on a slow tempo...It just stayed there for years. Right now, a lot of rap music today is being created at very low tempos. There 's no more of that 'wave your hands in the air like you just don 't care ' - you know, something that makes you want to get out there and breakdance...Rap music has lost that element right now, mainly over in America. There’s not too many great hip-hop records out there, but there are some great rap records.” (“The Difference Between Rap & Hip-Hop,”
The 1920’s through 1940’s were incredibly influential years for America, as this was the first period when the commonwealth could partake in entertainment and leisure activities. Although these years had great impact on all of entertainment,the jazz rebirth of the Swing Era was the dominant cultural overtake in the 20th century. The Swing Era impacted America predominantly through its new found discovery as a social commodity, its reimagination of music, and the effect it had on the people who played it.
His “hot bop” style was heard in places like the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theatre. Everyone from all over the country would come to see him. Armstrong recorded such works as I’m in the Mood for Love, and You Rascal You (http://library.thinkquest.org/26656/english/music.html). Another famous person during this era was Coleman Hawkins, a saxophone player. Hawkins is recognized as the first great saxophonist of jazz.
Also known as the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties, the American people felt that they deserved to have some fun in order to forget the emotional toll and social scars left from the war. The Jazz Age was appropriately named due to the illegal activities and good times, which included music, parties, and flapper girls. Jazz was a new style of music that originated out of the New Orleans area, where one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time – Louis Armstrong – began his career. The energy of jazz was a very new and almost uncomfortable style for the very traditional, rigid family of the 1920s. Young people in particular seemed to enjoy this new music the most, as it made them feel carefree. The energy of jazz was symbolic of the era’s trans...
This is shown in the single ‘Rock Hard’ which combined rock and hip hop. This was shown even more so in the album ‘Licensed to Ill’ by the Beastie Boys. Def Jam also created hybrids of heavy metal and hip hop which was another method of enticing a young audience.
Jazz music prospered in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Jazz was created by African Americans to represent pain and suffering and also represented the adversity that racial tension brought. (Scholastic) African American performers like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie “Bird” Parker came to be recognized for their ability to overcome “race relati...
jazz/) Works Cited:.. Andrews, John. The. a. The adage of the adage of the adage of the adage of the adage of What bebop means to jazz history. A review of Scott Devine’s book “The Birth of the Bebop: A Social and Musical History.”