Thelonious Monk was known as one of the main innovator that create the jazz genre, Bebop. had great influence on the other musicians who later developed the bebop movement. For much of his career, Monk performed and recorded with small groups. He often collaborate and played with some of the great jazz artists of his time, that includes Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. His piano style was influenced by stride, often being described as singular and he used complex and dissonant harmonies and unusual intervals and rhythms. Monk’s music was known for its humorous, almost playful, quality. He was also one of the most prolific composers in the history of jazz. Many of his compositions, which were generally written in the 12-bar blues
The music of jazz became an important aspect of American culture in the early 20th century. The crisp syncopation of ragtime and the smooth tunes of the blues seeped into American mainstream music through dance halls and saloons and later through ballrooms. Instruments like the piano, trumpet, trombone and clarinet became important and symbolized the “swing-feel” of jazz because of their capability to syncopate and improvise precisely. With the help of the booming recording industry, musical geniuses were discovered and their talent and contributions to the emergence of jazz spread throughout the entire country. Such musicians include composer, arranger and pianist Jelly Roll Morton who heavily influenced the development of early jazz by his unique piano style, his “invention” of musical notation for jazz, and his compositions that have become the core in the jazz repertory. Because the style was new and different and so successful in drawing in large audiences, musicians around the world tried to mimic it. Furthermore, Morton’s masterpieces were the first to show notation for complicated jazz music and thus, formed the basis for standard notation in jazz compositions today.
The great trumpeter Miles Davis once said that the history of jazz can be summarized in four words: “Louis Armstrong. Charlie Parker.” There is no doubt that the former is held in the highest regard with respect to jazz and its origins in the 20th century. Parker was a much different figure, yet he is still known to be one of the greatest jazz improvisers and innovators of our time. Charlie Parker was a jazz alto saxophonist who, through his work in bebop and his immense talent as a musician, inspired many performers and composers throughout the years.
At the mention jazz music, that people will first think of is likely to be a great figure with a clown image, nicknamed Uncle Satchmo. The man was Lewis Armstrong. He is a husky singer, often with a trumpet in his hand. He played dramatic works of simple structure in Orleans jazz style and with the accompaniment of Dick jazz music. Each of the books on jazz music will mention his name. Lewis Armstrong was to jazz music what Bach is to classical music, Presley is to rock music (Berrett 230). This essay will have an introduction of the king of jazz music—— Lewis Armstrong and his great influence on jazz history.
Louis Armstrong is one of the most well known influential jazz musicians that there is today. Louis played the trumpet like no one would believe. He also was a composer, singer, and even occasionally an actor. Louis’s full name is Louis Daniel Armstrong but was nicknamed Satchmo, Satch, or Pops. Louis didn’t have the best childhood growing up. He was born on August 4, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Louis’s father was a factory worker but wasn’t a big part of his life because he abandoned Louis and his family shortly after he was born. His mother wasn’t the best influence because she often turned to prostitution and left Louis with his grandmother. Louis also didn’t have the best education because he was forced to leave his school in fifth grade to start working and making money.
These outstanding live jazz performances are brought by the master of bebop and piano music Thelonious Monk. Monk opens with “Lulu’s Back in Town” in both performances and showcase some of the most popular of his songs; Blue Monk, ‘Round Midnight, Don’t Blame Me, and Epistrophy. Everybody gets a chance to shine on these songs. Every musician is allotted time specifically to perform multiple solo acts, often improvising on the initial theme of the song. Dissonance plays a major role in the performance, especially from Monk on the piano; enough dissonance to make all of the classical composer roll in their graves by a wide margin.
Jazz has greatly impacted American culture and has been a positive outlet for cultural diversity and free thinking. This module has focused on the evolution of jazz from the early 1910’s to the mid-1920. During this time in American culture, the separation of races was still very dominant. Since jazz music speaks of freedom of social minorities, the genre was only beginning to become popular amongst the larger population. Ragtime was developed at the turn of the century; it was an outlet for African American music. As Jazz continued to evolve in the 1920’s social conflict began to arise. Prohibition of alcohol went into effect. This affected American society and the jazz culture, crime rates began to rise, people were demanding alcohol. Music, however, was still being created, and jazz music was still impacting the era. While there were many songs to listen to in
... of which modern jazz big band dance music (for example, the Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington and Count Basie Orchestras), bebop, and later Free Jazz- emerged.
Jazz music had first emerged in the black cultures of New Orleans from the mixed influences of ragtime, blues, and music that was played at funerals in New Orleans (“Jazz”). Louis Armstrong, nicknamed “Satchmo”, “Pops”, and later “Ambassador Satch”, was considered to be one of the most influential artists in jazz music and he was a trumpeter, bandleader, singer, soloist, film star, and comedian (“Louis Armstrong”).
Jazz is a music of improvisation and expression of true feelings. It's style has two very different origins: African and European. Once brought to America, jazz has been every changing reflecting what was happening in society at the time. Jazz is something that has been in America for many years and effected society in a way no other music of African and European roots ever has.
Louis Armstrong was a revered multitalented jazz musician and a charismatic performer who had an illustrious career as a jazz musician for more than fifty years. Widely regarded as the greatest jazz musician of his time, Armstrong rose from an obscure and insignificant background to become one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. Armstrong was many things; he was a renowned trumpeter, vocal gifted singer and soloist, and a bandleader. Armstrong’s unique approach to jazz music had a profound influence on not only jazz musicians but musicians from other genres as well. Arguably Armstrong is considered to have been the epitome of jazz music through his improvisation in playing the trumpet, singing, and rhythm (David 9). Armstrong played a central role in promoting the acceptance of jazz music as a quintessential genre that embodied the American culture. This paper will discuss Armstrong’s contribution to Jazz music and how his career faired
All types of music require musicians. In the H.R (Harlem Renaissance), there were many who contributed to this new style of music known as jazz. These musicians all have their own style and form. Each of these styles has in some way influenced the evolution of jazz. Louis “Sachmo” Armstrong is recognized as the most famous trumpet player of this time. 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 saxophonists of Jazz. His most famous work was a piece named Body and Soul (http://library.thinkquest.org…). Hawkins has also recorded with artists such as Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Other people such as Bessie Smith, Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, and “Dizzie” Gillespie have also made many contributions to the development of Jazz.
Jazz comprises of a wide range of music from the ragtime to the present music listened to by many people. The music evolution has taken roughly 100 years and jazz has been put in this particular evolution as one of the music styles today. In the definition of jazz, there is no actual definition of jazz because it a composition of very many music styles hence making it hard to get the required definition that would describe it fully. Attempts being made to define jazz have a basis of traditional music that have similar characteristics as jazz but not real jazz. Using the American or African music examples, the researchers argue that the definition is very broad and wide. Ernest Berendt one of the researchers says that jazz originated from America in the process of confronting Negros with Europeans in terms of music. This can then be termed as a tool of identity between the two groups of people due to the racist and discrimination aspects that faced America. This was now a tool that could identify the two groups to bring about national integration and understanding among the members of America. In America jazz has incorporated time as a special factor and is now referred to as swing. Swing means spontaneity and vitality of the production of music which has an improvisation role to play to the listeners. This particular jazz music contains a particular manner of phrasing which acts as a mirror to an individual and the personality of the musician performing that particular jazz music on stage. The early jazz musicians include Double Bassist Reggie Workman, saxophone player Pharaoh Sanders, and drummer Idris Muhammad who were performing in 1978 hence dating back to early jazz performance and presentation.
What is Jazz? According to the dictionary, jazz is defined as, "A kind of syncopated, highly rhythmic music originated by Southern blacks in the late 19th century" ("Jazz" 232). But, everyone should at least agree that jazz is the mother of all music, and is referred to as the only art form originating in the United States ("History 101" 2). America was home to immigrants from all over Europe and beyond who wished to build a new life, or just needed to escape from the old. These people, often thought of as second-class, brought their culture with them to America, expressed it musically, and changed the music world as we know it today.
In the early 1900s jazz became a stepping stone for women. After the Women’s liberation movement in the 1920s jazz became an outlet to rebel. Along with the ratification of the 18th and 19th amendments women became more empowered and wanted to be seen as individuals. There were plenty of obstacles along the way women had to face to become part of the jazz world. However in time jazz changed the way women are perceived; it gave women freedom, acceptance and opportunity. In return women such as Mary Lou Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Lil Harden and more made significant contributions to jazz music that shaped it and made jazz what it is today.
Thelonious Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire. Monk is the second most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington, which is particularly remarkable as Ellington composed more than a thousand pieces, whereas Monk wrote about seventy. Thelonious Sphere Monk was born on October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and was the son of Thelonious and Barbara Monk. Thelonious Monk and his family moved to New York City when he was four years old. He started playing piano when he was around five. In his early teens, Monk found his first job touring as an accompanist to an evangelist. While he toured with the evangelist he would