History of Jazz
Paper instructions:
This response paper requires you to read two chapters of a book about jazz and listen to a bunch of music. And then you will answer 5 short essay questions
regarding the textbook content and the music you’ve listened. Please read the homework instruction before you start working on this paper.
Lesson 4 Essay and Assessment Questions Preview
Please answer both Part A (Essay Questions) and Part B (Assessment) for this lesson.
Part A – Students are reminded to click on the Lesson 4 Essay Questions Dropbox to provide their responses to these questions and submit them for grading.
History of Jazz – Lesson 4 Essay Questions
1. What are the main traits of cool jazz?
2. From the classic Miles Davis record “The Birth of the Cool” listen to “Boplicity”. This was an unusual grouping of amazing bop and cool era jazz giants who
recorded the tracks in 1949 and 1950. The group was a nonet (9 piece ensemble) featuring Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Tuba, Alto Sax, Baritone Sax, Piano, Bass,
and Drums.
The nonet personel on “Boplicity” was:
Miles Davis (trumpet), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Lee Konitz (alto sax), Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), John Lewis (piano), Kenny Clarke (drums), Sandy Siegelstein
(French horn), Bill Barber (tuba), Nelson Boyd (bass) Composed by Gil Evans and Miles Davis. Arranged by Gil Evans Recorded: New York, April 22, 1949
What is it about the sound of this music makes it sound so quintessentially “cool”? Discuss the tune, the feel of the music, the rhythm section style of playing, the
horn section (wind instruments) style of playing, and the individual soloists contributions as well.
“Boplicity” from The Birth of the Cool
3. The Metronome All-Stars were a collection of Jazz musicians assembled for studio recordings by Metronome Magazine based on its readers’ polls. The studio sessions
were held in the years 1939-42, 1946-53, and 1956, and typically consisted of two tracks which allowed each participant a chance to solo for one chorus (one time
through the chord changes to the song). There are six different soloists who play brief improvisations on “No Figs” on the Jazz Styles Classics compact disc (also
located on the second track of the video link below). These same soloists are also playing on the Pete Rugolo composition, “Double Date” which is the first track on
the video below. Listen to both recordings. Is there a soloist who “pops out” at you, who speaks to you more than the rest? Describe the qualities, emotional and
sound qualities, that make this soloist attractive to you.
The Metronome All-Stars 1950
Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Kai Winding (trombone), Buddy DeFranco (clarinet), Lee Konitz (alto sax), Stan Getz (tenor sax), Serge Chaloff (baritone sax), Lennie
Tristano (piano), Billy Bauer (guitar), Eddie Safranski (bass), Max Roach (drums).
1) Double Date (Pete Rugolo)
2) No Figs (Lennie Tristano)
Double Date and No Figs
4. Discuss the playing style, influences and music of Lennie Tristano.
5. Read the section in our book about Clifford Brown, then listen to the superb recording of his own composition “Joy Spring” (on the video below) featuring Richie
Powell on piano, George Morrow, on bass, Max Roach on drums, Harold Land on tenor sax, and Clifford Brown on trumpet. Listen carefully to the introduction, the head
(the melody), the wonderful tenor sax solo by Harold Land, and to Clifford’s amazing improvised solo that follows. List what seems to stand out to your ears. Write
about your impressions of his style. How does it compare with that of Dizzy Gillespie?
Joy Spring
Lesson 4 – Cool Jazz and Hard Bop
Lesson 4
The 1950′s – Cool Jazz and something called Hard Bop
Reading: Jazz Styles: History and Analysis, Chapters 10 & 11
Listening:In Music Beyond The Textbook CD-4 and Music Beyond The Textbook CD-5
:
Boplicity, by Miles Davis and his Orchestra
Subconscious Lee, by the Lennie Tristano Quintet
Body and Soul, by Gene Norman’s “Just Jazz” featuring Red Norvo and Stan Getz
Django, by the Modern Jazz Quartet
Pent-Up House, by Sonny Rollins
Blue 7, by the Sonny Rollins Quartet
So What, by the Miles Davis Sextet
In the Our Textbook CD-1 Listening Links for CD-2 that accompanies our textbook Jazz Styles: History and Analysis, listen to:
Señor Blues, by the Horace Silver Quintet featuring Hank Mobley and Donald Byrd
Cranky Spanky, by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers featuring Jackie McClean
No Figs, by the Lennie Tristano Ensemble
Blue Rondo a la Turk, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet featuring Paul Desmond
Instructor recommendation: try to obtain recordings by The Max Roach/Clifford Brown Quintet, Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan and Art Farmer, and the Dave
Brubeck Quartet recordings Live at Oberlin, and Time Out.
Objectives:
What is cool jazz? How did it develop? What size of ensemble is used to play this style? What were the instruments used in the famous recording known as The Birth of
the Cool? Who was Gil Evans?
What individual players, and ensembles stand out as major contributors to cool? What is hard bop?
How does hard bop compare and contrast with cool? How does hard bop compare and contrast with be-bop? What is the “East Coast” sound vs. the “West Coast sound?”
Preparation:
Do the required reading and listening.
Of interest are: the unique instrumentation and timbres used by Miles Davis and his Orchestra on Boplicity; the entire recording of Subconscious Lee by the Lennie
Tristano Quintet; the hard bop stylings of Sonny Rollins on Pent-Up House, and Blue 7; and the almost “classical” chamber music sounding example by the Modern Jazz
Quartet. Special note: For me, the finest examples of hard bop are anything you can find by the great drummer Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers such as the album
Mosaic.
Music Beyond The Textbook CD 4 Listening Links
Track 1 – Boplicity
Click to view
Track 2 – Subconscious Lee
Click to view
Track 3 – Body and Soul
Click to view
Track 4 – All Alone
Click to view
Track 5 – My Funny Valentine
Click to view
Track 6 – Misterioso
Click to view
Track 7 – Evidence
Click to view
Track 8 – Criss-Cross
Click to view
Track 9 – Bag’s Groove
Click to view
Track 10 – I Should Care
Click to view
Track 11 – Moon Rays
Click to view
Track 12 – Summertime
Click to view
Track 13 – Haitian Fight Song
Click to view
Track 14 – Django
Click to view
Track 15 – Pent-Up House
Click to view
Music Beyond The Textbook CD 5 Listening Links
Track 1 – Blue 7
Click to view
Track 2 – West Coast Blues
Click to view
Track 3 – So What
Click to view
Track 4 – Blue in Green
Click to view
Track 5 – Enter Evening
Click to view
Track 6 – Alabama
Click to view
Track 7 – Lonely Woman
Click to view
Track 8 – Congeniality
Click to view
Track 9 – Free Jazz
Click to view
Track 10 – Steppin”
Click to view
