Jazz Quiz 1: Ch. 2

African Rhythms

- one common misconception about origins of jazz is that its rhythms came from Africa, only the emphasis on rhythm is african not direct influence of any rhythmic pattern. 3 important points to keep in mind concerning african and rhythmic sounds: 1. religion, very important in cultures of Africans, is daily way of life not just sunday activity. 2. african religions are greatly oriented toward ritual- their sincerest form of expression 3. African rituals have involved dancing, so rhythmic sounds have always been pervasive in lives of Africans. - Bc of rhythmic culture, Africans were interested in Spanish music. Some researches state that spanish music is so rhythmical mainly bc spain was once conquered by moors from N. Africa.

field hollers (cries)

African slaves were often not allowed to talk to one another in fields while working but garbled singing was permitted. They est. comm b/w themselves by this or field cries, that whites couldnt understand. Element of this is used in jazz as bending of a tone which is over exaggerated use of a slide or slur. A tone is bent upward to a diff tone or pitch, downward to another pitch, upward to no specific tone, or downward to no specific tone. - adaptation of these effects allowed musician a freedom of embellishment not available in european music.

Marching bands

At first, African Americans music in US was vocal, being accompanied by rhythm of clapping, stomping, and beating. Then, African Americans were able to make some instruments and buy pawned and war surplus instruments. These began to influence their music. Military bands influenced the development of jazz. There were many other bands in New Orleans, and most early jazz players started their careers in such bands, playing marches, polkas, quadrilles etc. These were used for funerals. At first, at the funerals they would have a conservative drum beat after the burial but then would break into jazz type of march to signify the departed going to happier place. - most common instruments used by these bands are cornet, trombone, clarinet, tuba, banjo, and drums. - Buddy Bolden is one of the first leaders of a jazz marching band. - group may also perform in horse drawn wagon, an activity that generated name tailgate trombone to describe how the trombone player sat at the end of wagon to have room for trombone slide. This music lent itself well to dancing. Much of jazz dance developed from marches. - collective improvisation

Interpretation and Content of Jazz

all musical styles and traditions have interpretive sys of presentation that cant be fully described in terms of musical elements that make up performance. Jazz is hybrid of musical traditions, reflects a blend of musical interpretations as well as blend of musical elements. Writing music down is useful as compositional devidce but its not important in spontaneous improvisation. - no real language exists for describing expressive meaning of any music. Expressive context rather than musical substance may carry most menaing to avg listener. - meaningful content of jazz comes from expressive nature of music. - its the changing balance b/w social and cultural attitudes on one hand and relationship to musical contents on other that continues to evolve jazz. - oral traditions are messy but prove to be advantage for growing and evolving art form. Develop thru practice not planning. Oral traditions stress expressive delivery rather than compositional integrity.

Gospel

by 1940 this type of music became so popular in holiness churches that singers were prompted to become pros and go on tours. Important that audience responds to this music when performed. Performer's skill measured by amt of support or talking back that comes from listeners. Singer begins to improvise and embellish melodic lines by bending, sliding or adding tones enhancing feeling generated by mutual emotional release. Some men groups supply rhythm by slapping thighs or hands and women who sing w/ piano accompaniment clap hands for rhythmic accentuation. - These songs can be embellished in many ways. ex) using passing tone, that is to add one tone either above or below the last tone of phrase and another is to use extra tones sung in rapid succession either stepwise or by skips. - most songs refer to biblical characters. - most of this music is simple in melody and harmony and excitement comes from jazz type of rhythmic pulse.

Religious music

church for jazz expression is central contributor. Voices heard there were reflective of those on the fields, but subject and much of musical content are taken from white spiritual tradition. - call and response technique of african musical groups had counterpt in scottish singing tradition of lining out. The leader sings a line of hymm and is then joined by congregation. Resultant sound is # of ppl and overlapping melodies individual expressions w/in congregation. This melodic singing style similar to african tradition. The rhythm used is freely generated and whatever harmony results is by product of melodic singing style. Such a singing style was accessible to blks who attended camp meetings. however, theatrical delivery of two groups, wht and blk did differ. 1. spirituals 2. gospel 3. Mahalia Jackson and The African American Church

Mahalia Jackson and African American Church

gospel music as art form was ignored until recognition of this woman. She sang songs that she believed served her religious feelings. She exposed emotions sincerely. Her musical influence was blues singer Bessie Smith. She primed world for many gospel singers who eventually followed. She became one of the most stirring, most sought after singers in the world. She died of heart disease in chicago on Jan 27th 1972. - church was ppls only hope of all discrimination and oppression. Many blk artists came from church background like Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, yet ppl in church in all sincerity still refuse to accept it when its known for jazz.

difference b/w gospel and spiritual songs

gospel= considered religious songs that recount passages from scriputres. spirituals = hymns

Call and Response pattern

heard recurrently in jazz can be traced directly to African tribal traditions. In its original form, this was ritual in which leader shouted cry to which group responded. ex) a congregations response to minister or another leader. This is heard in jazz. ex) trading fours, in which two improvising instrumentalists play solo pts on alternating four bars. They are responding to each others musical thoughts. ex) when solo instruments "calls" and is then responded to by background melodic and or percussive figures of other members of band or specific section of band.

Spirituals

impact of christianity on blks was origin of this. This and revival hymns that carried a great amt of emotion were sung at camp meetings. These are called "hymns w/ a beat, were first original songs created by protestant blk slaves on american soil. These are ex of blend of african and european cultures and can be easily traced back to 1780. These are sung in groups and on plantations and used in work situations. Slaves added rhythmic emphasis to any music taught to them, liturgical or otherwise. Ex of this were heard in large concert halls and some were "Swing low, sweet chariot" and "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen." Early African American church music can be divided into 3 categories: 1. selections improvised, made up at moment by preacher and congregation; they would be remembered and eventually notated. Many based on blues chord progression bc of its simplicity and bc it seemed natural and flowing. 2. Some African American congregations would adopt European church music and add rhythmic concepts and own variations. 3. African ritual music altered so that it could be used in these services in America. - two trends that occurred in development of this, one movement adopted forms/techniques of european art music and other conserved traditional folk character by retaining characteristics of african tribal influences.

Minstrels

in 1843 Dan Emmett formed group of four wht actors called Dan Emmett's Virginia Minstrels. They were a spoof of other touring group who performed mittel-european folk songs. This was first to perform in black face and created cartoonish negro caricatures. This was to become most popular form of american stage music. Eventually, African Americans began to perform these themselves wearing blackface and making fun of their race to entertain the wht audiences. Traveling ____shows were main form of entertainment for both races in 20th century. Shows featured top blues singers, accompanies by small jazz bands, which helped spread popularity of music. - cakewalk dance at turn of century was featured at these shows. aka chalk line walk in which dancers would solemnly walk along staight line w/ buckets of water on their heads. It became parody of wht ballroom dancers. First dance to cross African american culture and mainstream wht society.

European influences on Jazz

melodic feature of jazz is derived from European music. The diatonic and chromatic scales used in jazz are same as those used for centuries by European composers. The harmonic sonorities also derive from European sources: polkas, quadrilles, hymns, and marches. Sense of harmony in jazz is European influenced. African americans who first sang gospel, work songs etc satisfied desire to imitate rich European melody and harmony. On other hand nothing in European music could compare w/ oral sonority and rhythmic vitality of their music. Musical forms of Europe became std in jazz works. ex) twelve bar strains. Most jazz is constructed in symmetrical form. Africans however not concerned about symmetrical construction, they considered it crude and unimaginative. - most important to jazz are emphasis on rhythm taken from African music, harmonies taken from European music, and melodies added by improvisations from american culture.

African Influences on Jazz

music was vital and demonstrative form of expression for Africans. Art form passed down by WOM from one generation to the next and preserved tribal traditions, ambitions and lore. Music maintained unity of social group. Music in Africa was for whole community and interwoven w/ work, play, and social and religious acts. Many daily acts w/in West Africa tribe were accompanied by pule and beating of drum. Pt of religious ceremonies and occasions such as births, deaths, and weddings. Drum served as means of coordinating movements of rhythmic native dances, aided hunting parties, and played important pt in sport and physical exhibitions. Slaves brought these traditions to US.

Creole Music

segregation movement was initiated about ten yrs after end of civil war. These ppl w/ negro and french or spanish ancestry were ostracized from wht society and joined the ranks of African Americans. Prior to this, these ppl had rights and privileges of whites which included conservatory training for musicians. The combo of musical talents of these ppl and improvised oral tradition of african americans resulted in interchange of musical expression and music that evolved from this interchange was form of jazz. - there were performances of french and american folk songs, society dances, parades, church music of varying types, and blues singing and playing. French culture more dominant in new orleans. W/ french culture came european musical influences heard thruout territory. ex) jelly roll morton added jazz flavor to much music from french culture such as operatic excerpts and french quadrilles. - the seperate but equal status resulted in closer association of musicians w/ diff backgrounds. - w/o directions of more educated musicians it would have been impossible for blues and slave music to be performed w/ great success. Blend of oral tradition and european musical tradition was necessary for successful assimilation by cross cultural listening audience of new orleans urban society.

work songs

some african american songs born to accompaniment of work tasks associated w/ river boats or cotton fields of south. They were sung w/o instrumental accompaniment and associated w/ montonous recurring physical task. Singing was sprinkled w/ grunts and groans inspied by physical effort of staining muscular activity. These sounds became distinguishing feature of both vocal and instrumental jazz. - these were used to ease monotony of regular task. - a good work song leader was essential in coordinating workers. He not only caused work to be done efficiently but also helped make time pass. - main contribution to jazz is emphasis on rhythm and meter.

African Americans in the Early Colonies

the evolution of African music in colonies depended on particular colony o which slaves were brought. In latin catholic colonies, their musical life was allowed more latitude. Latin planters wernt too concerned w/ activities of slaves as long as work was done. Thus slaves were allowed to play drums, sing, and dance when not working. British protestants however tried to convert them to cristianity. - field hollers (cries) - work songs - minstrels - creole music - marching bands

polyphonic

under gospels accidental vocal harmonization indicates that voice lines were invented independently of each other. In music this is known as _____ (horizontal) construction, and this approach to creation of musical line was carried over in to dixieland music and was later employed in contemporary jazz styles. This makes use of two or more melodies that work well together but that also seem independent of one another.

methodist hymns

under gospels most emotional, but even these were too somber for slave so improvisation began.

homophonic

under gospels music more like singing harmonizing melody to an existing melody. Both melodies are same only at diff pitches.

the latter

under spiritual style much like shout or hold dance, was cultivated in rural areas or small communities, attracting little attention from outsiders. This type of african american vocal singing used traits that are fundamentally african origin.