As promised this chapter of Great Music will introduce a distinctly American form of music, Jazz. This music was developed in African-American communities in the South in the early 1900’s. It was basically a take-off of Blues music popular in those Black communities. Using improvisation, Jazz music experimented with different chords and introduced dissonance in its sounds that could be resolved into tones that were pleasing to the ear.
Just as Classical music evolved into different periods and styles of music from the Baroque period (Bach) through a Classical period (Mozart) to a Romantic period (Chopin) to a Modern period (Rachmaninoff) so did Jazz. The early period of Jazz, called the New Orleans Jazz relied heavily on brass instruments. This period of Jazz evolved into what is called Kansas City Jazz which became popular in the 1930’s era of Big Bands and dancing to a swing beat. In the 1940’s jazz evolved into Bebop dance music and finally in the 1950’s Cool Jazz developed which is characterized by smooth easy listening music. Unlike previous postings on music, for the jazz era I am posting 4 videos to represent the evolution of jazz over the last 100 years.
4 – Cool Jazz
I will readily admit I am not a Jazz aficionado. Even though I studied it in college, it never seemed to take my heart like some Classical and Popular music can. When one of my piano students shows great interest in learning jazz, I do him or her a favor and send them off to a teacher who REALLY knows and loves Jazz.
Here are some of the musicians who helped make Jazz popular. Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson.
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