Jazz

Jazz!



Jazz was the popular music for 30 years.

We are going to be playing/singing modern pop songs in a 'Hot' Jazz style & a 'Cool' Jazz style. 

'Hot' Jazz has roots in New Orleans but became most influential when played in the clubs of Chicago and Harlem during prohibition:



'Sweet' Jazz was softer, slower and more melodic to try and appeal to white audiences.  

Fat's Waller starts this song in a 'sweet' style but then the band play 'hot' (1min 26)

 

 'Gypsy' Jazz developed in Paris in the 1930's. 

It was inspired by 'Hot' Jazz but was led by guitars (no drums) playing 'La Pompe' rhythms. 

Django Reinhardt is the most influential jazz guitarist. 

A modern band re-create his style:



'Swing' Jazz of the 1930's featured a steady groove at around 120bpm that suited dancers.

It was often blues based and had catchy riffs.

The Count Basie Orchestra had the best rhythm section:



'Cool' Jazz of the 1950's featured laid back vocal styles and arrangements. 

Miles Davis led this style with the best selling Jazz album ever 'Kind of Blue' in 1956:



Frank Sinatra was 'Cool' styled jazz singer.

He had been inspired by Billie Holiday's vocal style of singing slightly behind the beat. 

"Wrong but so right!" he said....







http://youtu.be/ds04UIj3GJY



 

 


 


 
 

 



PREP





We will be working in the key of G minor.

This is the relative minor of B Flat.

In jazz you are more likely to play in Bb than C because jazz

started on brass instruments that are transposed 


i.e.  B Flat played on a piano:

        is a C note for  trumpet or tenor Saxophone.

        is a G note on an Alto Sax!

Bass

The jazz style walking bass plays a different note on each 1/4 beat:

In G minor:

/G A Bb C /D C Bb A / C D Eb C / D C Bb A /

or tab:

A-----------3--5--3--------3--5--6--3--5--3------
E--3--5--6-----------6--5--------------------6-5--

Guitar /Piano 

Be prepared to take a bluesy solo.

The G blues scale works well:

G Bb C D F G

No bending strings.

Jazz guitarists used strings so heavy they couldn't be bent more than a 1/4 tone. 

Only smear notes are allowed!

Try playing triplet solo phrases against the 4/4 rhythm:



/123  123  /123  123/
/1  2  3  4 /1  2  3  4/

Vocalists:

Prep by singing the G minor scale:


ascending:



G A Bb C D F G



descending:



G F D C Bb A G




Experiment with flattening the 5th note (D)