Jazz 101

The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad is

assisted financially by the Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of
State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act.
 Introduction
Jazz at Lincoln Center
created this publication
as an introduction to jazz:
its history, the rudiments
of its rhythms and styles,
and its most legendary
practitioners.

It is intended to furnish
readers with the basic
knowledge and listening
skills at the heart of jazz
appreciation and practice.
And, for many readers, it
can serve as a first step
in what we hope will be
a lifelong adventure.
Those eager to further their
education will find lists of
audio, video, print, online,
and institutional resources.

Most important, perhaps,

this publication aims to
awaken in readers something
they possess already: the
impulse to swing.

Billie Holiday
 A Brief History
Jazz emerged in the late 1800s in
the cosmopolitan port city of New
Orleans. A former colony of both
France and Spain, the coastal city was
home to an astounding variety of cul-
tures and people who struggled to live
and work together within the confines
of crowded streets, schools, and store-
fronts. Though hardly immune to the
racism and segregation that plagued
the rest of the country, French colo-
nialism had left New Orleans with a tol-
erance and cultural sophistication that
made it unique. African Americans,
Creoles, Native Americans, and people
of varied European, Caribbean, and
Latin American descent pushed and
pulled in a social and political dance
that continues today. They found
common ground, however, in music.
The city swelled with opera, marching
bands, ragtime piano, Latin dances,
symphony orchestras, string ensem-
bles, barbershop quartets, society
Jelly Roll Morton
dance music, sacred hymns, not-so- will of Bolden's forceful personality and
sacred blues, and the last vestiges the driving swing of his band taught a
of African song and dance kept alive profound lesson: make every piece of
in Congo Square. Elements of all of music your own; fill it with swing and the
these styles, with particular emphasis spirit of the blues and make it sing with
on ragtime, the blues, and the church, individuality.
converged in a new music called jazz.

Like most aspects of American life, Bolden's brand of self expression

jazz abounds in legends, some more became a calling card for New Orleans
true than others. Though the precise musicians, who playfully embellished
birth of jazz is still shrouded in mystery, familiar melodies and developed distinc-
the impact of Crescent City cornetist tive phrasing and timbres that became
Charles Buddy Bolden is affirmed by their trademarks. Among these pioneers
countless musicians, patrons, and schol- were pianist Jelly Roll Morton and cor-
ars who echo the tale of his resonant netist King Oliver, who led their peers
tone. Some say Bolden could call the in a new exploration of improvisation.
entire city to attention with a simple They expanded what were once brief
fanfare. Though his mythic sound was moments of embellishment into longer
never recorded, the rhythmic lilt that improvisatory statements and found
propelled his band (which peaked ways of incorporating the freedom of
around 1905) would be appropriated by self-expression into their written arrange-
dozens of New Orleans musicians who ments. Generally performed by a small
heard him "rag" every kind of popular ensemble of cornet, clarinet, trombone,
song, filling them with the sound of tuba (or bass), guitar (or banjo) and
the blues and the church. The sheer drums, early New Orleans jazz high-
Charles Buddy Bolden
 lighted collective improvisation—that is, rural to industrial, and jazz musicians,
by two or more members of the band. like many African Americans, joined the
It was Oliver's protégé however, who Great Migration to urban areas of the
would lead the shift towards individual North in search of work and solace from
expression, and ultimately transform the prevailing racism of the South. They
early jazz from folk art to fine art. brought the music to cities like Chicago
and New York, where jazz adopted a
sophisticated veneer, blending an urban
EARLY JAZZ
sensibility with its Southern roots.
Trumpeter and vocalist Louis Armstrong
was born on August 4, 1901 in the Wartime also brought the music to
turbulent New Orleans neighborhood Europe, where Lieutenant James Reese
known as "The Battlefield." He grew Europe and the Fifteenth Regiment
up in the brass tradition of Bolden and Hellfighters Band entertained soldiers
Oliver and by the time of his arrival in and civilians with their distinct brand of
martial ragtime. Their jazz-tinged rendi-
tions of "Memphis Blues" prepared audi-
ences for Will Marion Cook's Southern
Syncopated Orchestra and his star
soloist, saxophonist/clarinetist Sidney
Bechet.

Jazz found a permanent place in the

home as recordings, and later radio,
became more widely available. The
astounding success of the first known
jazz record, performed by the Original
Dixieland Jazz Band in 1917, brought
the music into the commercial market-
Louis Armstrong
New York in 1924, a new jazz legend place and helped to usher in the "Jazz
was already in emergence. As pianist Age" of the 1920s. Just as importantly,
and composer Duke Ellington explained, this relatively new technology brought
"...nobody had ever heard anything like the language of jazz to a generation
it, and his impact cannot be put into of musicians in a way that print music
words." Though his predecessors had could not. Through repeated listening,
tested the waters of improvisation, it young musicians learned improvised
was Armstrong who brought the long, solos note for note, absorbing and even-
improvised solo to prominence. Like tually expanding the jazz vocabulary.
a great storyteller, Louis would string
together a series of related phrases,
The Swing Era
forming a single, coherent statement
with a beginning, middle, and ending. The profound influence of Louis
He illuminated the details with his dis- Armstrong and the improvised solo
tinctive timbre, scat singing, and relaxed, eventually prompted a complete reorga-
swinging phrasing that has informed nization of the jazz ensemble. Musicians
nearly every American musician since. left the small New Orleans ensemble
in favor of the popular ballroom dance
Of course, Armstrong was hardly a band format of the 1920s. These new
singular force in bringing jazz out of big bands, as exemplified by the
the Crescent City. "Storyville," the city’s Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington,
famed red light district, was forced and Don Redman Orchestras, as well as
to close during World War I, leaving the Jean Goldkette Orchestra with Bix
many musicians in search of work. The Beiderbecke and Frank Trumbauer, were
nation's economy was changing from generally comprised of four brass, three
 reeds, and a rhythm section; this new Swing eventually became the signature
instrumentation offered enough tonal music of wartime America, edging its
variety for complex orchestrations while way into small towns through local
still leaving room for improvisation. By “territory bands” – dance bands that
the start of the Swing Era around 1935, toured much of Mid- and Southwest
most ensembles had evolved into true beginning in the 1920s – and ultimately
big bands consisting of three to four traveling abroad with U.S. soldiers. The
trumpets, three trombones, four to five near-unquenchable marketplace for
reeds, and a rhythm section (piano, bass, swing encouraged an extraordinary
drums, and guitar). These large ensem- volume and variety of music. Duke
bles created a varied yet powerful sound Ellington, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey,
that could propel a ballroom full of Jimmie Lunceford, Fletcher Henderson,
dancers without amplification, which Artie Shaw, Benny Carter, Glenn Miller,
was still largely unavailable. Claude Thornhill, Benny Goodman,
and others led bands that managed
Lionel Hampton and to combine commercial success and
Benny Goodman
artistic integrity. Together, along with
guitarist Charlie Christian, trumpeter
Roy Eldridge, vocalist Billie Holiday,
Teddy Wilson, and tenor saxophonists
Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young,
they created a rhythmic vernacular that
continues to impact the music. The
heartbeat that propelled the big bands
and small ensembles of the Swing Era
This volume, along with a subtle had a simultaneously relaxed and fer-
rhythmic velocity, became a necessity vent rhythmic lilt, an endless push and
as clubs began to swell with young pull that still lies at the heart of jazz.
audiences eager to dance away the
Depression. In spite of the downward
THE BEBOP REVOLUTION
economy, or perhaps because of it,
the infectious bounce of swing quickly Although Swing Era big bands contin-
became the pulse of young America. ued to tour and record into the 1950s,
Audiences crowded enormous dance their audience did not always follow.
halls and even stayed home Saturday The fickle transience of popular taste in
nights to hear big band music stream- combination with a souring economy
ing through their radios. At the center
of this commercial whirlwind was clari-
netist and bandleader Benny Goodman,
whose participation in the radio show,
"Let's Dance," invited listeners across
the nation into the exuberant feeling
of jazz. Perhaps more importantly,
Goodman used his popular success to
challenge the segregation then common
in jazz ensembles. He hired the African
American pianist Teddy Wilson, and
later vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, in
a pioneering step towards the integra-
tion of jazz on screen, in the recording
studio, and on the bandstand. Goodman
brought jazz to the cutting edge of civil
rights and made a strong case for a fully Charlie Parker
and Dizzy Gillespie
integrated America.
and new, unfavorable entertainment
taxes made the maintenance of a big
band nearly impossible. Competition
for work grew even more intense as
newly available amplification equipment
allowed smaller groups to play with
the volume of a big band at a fraction
of the cost. These setbacks provided a
welcome challenge to a handful of art-
ists, who, by the mid-1940s, longed for
an outlet for more extended improvisa-
tion and dynamic group interplay.

The result was bebop, a revolutionary

small group art form pioneered by
alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and
like trumpeter Miles Davis, saxophonist Miles Davis
trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie in the after-
Stan Getz, and pianist and composer
hours clubs of Harlem. Though their
Thelonious Monk. It was the beginning of
initial partnership in 1945 lasted only
a now-defining eclecticism that contin-
a year, the music they created set new
ues to impact the music.
standards for jazz musicianship. To
the uninitiated, the music presented
The line between hot and cool was
a daunting challenge: a trifecta of
drawn in 1949 when Miles Davis and
technical virtuosity, profound harmonic
composer Gil Evans released The Birth
understanding, and an unprecedented
of the Cool, a series of lushly orchestrat-
rhythmic facility. Musicians both shrunk
ed arrangements for nonet. The record-
and reveled before the music’s intense
ing, with its tonal variety and spare,
rhythmic energy, dissonant harmonies,
thoughtful phrasing, offered relief from
and serpentine melodies. Though bebop
the fever pitch of bebop and spawned
never attained the popularity of Swing
a movement known alternately as cool
Era jazz, the music’s rebellious spirit and
or West Coast jazz. While the music
unbridled virtuosity lured its own audi-
retained the harmonic language and
ence and cemented the idea of jazz as
technical virtuosity of bebop, cool’s soft
fine art. It is considered by many to be
timbres, understated style, and greater
the turning point in jazz history, irrevo-
compositional element marked a return
cably influencing nearly every style to
to the relaxed rhythmic language of the
follow.
Basie band and the lyrical phrasing of
Lester Young. Over time, cool evolved
THE BIRTH OF THE COOL into an umbrella term, encompassing
Bebop provoked a contentiousness the varied (and often harmonically
never before seen in jazz. It drew a line experimental) music of Lennie Tristano,
between the hip and the has-been, and Lee Konitz, George Russell, Dave
inspired musical reactions that span Brubeck and others.
from reverent to near vengeful. As a
result, jazz entered the 1950s and 1960s It didn’t take long for the hot to
as a plurality of styles. Amid the night- respond, however, this time with a
clubs on New York’s 52nd Street (then firmly blues-based genre called hard
known as “Swing Street”), established bop. For some, bebop’s insistence on
leaders like Louis Armstrong, vocal- virtuosity and harmonic complexity
ist Ella Fitzgerald, and saxophonists had created a spiritual void; missing
Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young per- were the swing and soulfulness that
formed next door to emerging talents defined jazz. Hard bop pioneers Miles
Davis, trumpeter Clifford Brown, pianist
 Horace Silver, saxophonist Hank Mobley, a young Dizzy Gillespie befriended
and drummers Art Blakey and Max band mate Mario Bauza, who piqued
Roach attempted to reconnect audi- the trumpeter’s growing interest in
ences to the blues and the church. They Afro-Cuban rhythms. The two would
infused bebop with insistent grooves, reconvene in the mid-1940s, along with
tuneful melodies, and heavy, aggressive conguero Chano Pozo, bandleader
tonalities that brought jazz back to the Frank “Machito” Grillo, and others to
juke joint. The deep, earthy sound of create Latin jazz, a highly danceable
the tenor saxophone (as exemplified by blend of Latin rhythms, jazz harmony,
Sonny Rollins) found a new resonance and improvisation. Latin jazz would also
and the trumpet/tenor pairing soon be touched by the cool school. In the
became the quintessential sound of 1960s, saxophonist Stan Getz, guitar-
modern jazz. ist Charlie Byrd, composer and pianist
Antonio Carlos Jobim, and others
Despite hard bop’s strong following, brought together the subtle textures,
jazz’s strong exploratory impulse was challenging harmonies, and relaxed
unrelenting. Never complacent, Miles rhythms of cool jazz and Brazilian
Davis once again led the way in search samba in a popular style known as
of greater freedom of self-expression. bossa nova.
He found this freedom in modal jazz, an
approach to composition and improvi- The 1950s also saw the emergence of
sation based on scales rather than the the third stream, a musical merger con-
long sequence of chords that character- ceived by French hornist and composer
ized most jazz. Though modal jazz had Gunther Schuller that combined jazz
been explored earlier by pianist George and Western classical music. Although
Russell, it gained new prominence in this fusion of sorts was hardly new,
the hands of Davis and his collabora- Schuller’s philosophy that “all musics
tor, pianist Bill Evans. Their experiments are created equal” garnered a following
were fully realized in the landmark 1959 that included pianist/composer John
recording Kind of Blue. The album’s Lewis and the Modern Jazz Quartet,
spare blues-based moods inspired composer George Russell, and trombon-
countless musicians (including Davis’s ist J.J. Johnson, among others.
sideman saxophonist John Coltrane) to
explore the creative possibilities Perhaps the most dramatic break with
of this scalar method. the jazz tradition came with free jazz
and the atonal experiments of the late
1950s and 1960s. Pioneered by alto
BEYOND BOP
saxophonist and composer Ornette
The experimental impulse of jazz was Coleman, free jazz represented a depar-
not defined by bebop alone. In 1939, ture from Western harmony and rhythm
in search of even greater freedom of
expression. While still grounded in the
blues, Coleman literally freed himself
from Western musical traditions in an
effort to more honestly portray the
sounds of human emotion. To this end,
he developed his own musical theory
called “harmolodics” and avoided com-
mon song forms in his compositions.
Still, even in its most liberated moments,
Coleman’s music retained links to
Western music and the bebop legacy of
(far right) Frank Charlie Parker.
“Machito” Grillo
 SWING ON
As the 1960s progressed, many jazz
Fundamentals
musicians found themselves increas-
ingly marginalized. Nearly 40 years of Jazz
into his career, Duke Ellington, perhaps
America’s greatest composer, lost his MELODY is the part of the song that you
record contract, as did Thelonious Monk. hum along to. It is a succession of notes
The legendary New York nightclub that form a complete musical statement.
Birdland closed, and many established
artists, including Ornette Coleman, HARMONY is the foundation of the
moved to Europe in search of work. melody. In contrast to the melody, which
John Coltrane’s death in 1967 dealt the is usually played one note at a time, the
music a crippling blow, depriving the harmonies of a song consist of several
jazz world of one of its most promising notes (called chords) played simultane-
innovators. By the end of the decade, ously. Played in time (according to the
there seemed to be a new gulf between prescribed rhythmic meter), these harmo-
jazz and the general public. It was this nies provide musicians with a road map
divide that inspired Miles Davis and his for improvisation.
colleagues to experiment with the elec-
The harmonies of a piece of music help
tric instruments and rhythms of rock, a
to create the mood. When you describe
movement that earned the name fusion.
a song as dark and mysterious, or bright
and happy, you are often responding to
Jazz endured, however fractured, and by
the harmonies. In a typical jazz band, the
the 1970s the record companies, radio
harmonies are played by the piano or gui-
stations, and nightclubs that had closed
tar, and bass. In a large ensemble or big
began to reemerge. In some ways, the
band, the harmonies are also played by
overall state of jazz had remained large-
orchestrated horns.
ly unchanged since bebop: an art form
of individuals, dominated by no single
style. Legends like alto saxophonist RHYTHM is the pulse or heartbeat of
Benny Carter, vocalist Betty Carter, and the music— it’s the part of the music
bassist Charles Mingus, practiced their that makes you want to tap your feet
art alongside fusion leaders like bassist and snap your fingers. In jazz, the pulse
Ornette Coleman
Jaco Pastorious, pianist Herbie Hancock, is usually maintained by the bass and
and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and drums who “keep time” for the rest of the
new talents like pianist Keith Jarrett, band. The fundamental rhythm in jazz is
bassist Dave Holland, saxophonist Joe the shuffle. It is derived from the triplet
Lovano, and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. rhythm, which is the division of the quar-
Like Ellington himself, jazz and its prac- ter note into three equal parts and is the
titioners were simply “beyond category.” foundation of swing.

Today, jazz is found wherever there is IMPROVISATION is the spontaneous

music. It can be heard in nightclubs creation of music. When a musician
and concert halls, on TV and radio, and improvises, he or she invents music at the
in classrooms across the country and moment of performance, building on the
around the world. Every day musicians existing theme and structure of the song.
young and old uphold the jazz tradtion Jazz generally consists of a combination
and create new legacies of their own. of composed and improvised elements,
They play with swing and the blues and though the proportions of one to the
the spirit of irrepressible self-expression other may vary. In a jazz performance, the
that gave rise in New Orleans at the ensemble plays a chorus or succession of
turn of the century. One hundred years choruses during which an individual player
later, we still love to listen. has the opportunity to improvise. In col-
lective improvisation, two or more mem-
 Frequently
bers of a group improvise at the same
time. Improvisation, both collective and
otherwise, builds a relationship between
the members of the ensemble, helping
them to “talk” to one another. It allows
Asked Questions
musicians to be creative and share their Do jazz musicians make up
personalities. By experimenting and devel- what they play?
oping individual styles of improvisation, Improvisation is a very important part of
musicians are able to challenge and rede- jazz; it allows jazz musicians to put their
fine conventional standards of virtuosity. personalities into the music and share
themselves with their bandmates and
BLUES has many definitions; it is a type their audience. Most jazz performances
of music, a musical form, a harmonic lan- follow a form, which is a predetermined
guage, an attitude towards playing music, series of harmonies known as a chord
and a collection of sounds. Mostly though, progression. This means that while jazz
the blues is a feeling; whether happy, sad, soloists make up their own musical
or somewhere in between, its intention is phrases, they generally follow a set of
always the same: to make you feel better, pre-existing chords and a prescribed
not worse, to cheer you up, not bring meter. In a jazz performance, musicians
you down. often play in a format known as “head-
solo-head.” The head refers to the melo-
Born out of the religious, work, and social
dy, which is introduced in the beginning,
music of African Americans in the South
followed by one or more choruses of
during the late 1800s, the blues has since
improvisation, and concluded with a
become the foundation of American pop-
restatement of the melody, or head.
ular music, including rhythm and blues,
rock ‘n’ roll, country, and all periods and
styles of jazz. What do you listen
for in jazz?
SWING is the basic rhythmic attitude of Jazz is like a conversation. Musicians
jazz. It is so important to the music that communicate with each other and
if a band can’t swing then it simply can’t with the audience in musical sen-
play jazz well. In the words of the great tences. They must listen to what is
Duke Ellington, “It don’t mean a thing if it being said by their fellow musicians
ain’t got that swing.” Swing depends on and respond appropriately, filling the
strong coordination between the musi- music with the depth of their person-
cians and the style and energy with which ality. They may reference other jazz
they play. It propels the rhythm forward in performances, quoting material from
a dynamic, finger-snapping way. Rhythm other songs or solos, imitate the style
alone does not produce swing—it involves or phrasing of another musician, or
timbre, attack, vibrato, and intonation. simply explore the emotional range of
The easiest way to recognize a swing the song at hand.
feel is to listen to the drummer—try to
hear the “ting-ting-ta-ting” of the cymbal.
Swing also refers to a specific jazz style
How do jazz musicians learn
that evolved in the mid-1930s, known as
how to improvise?
the Swing Era, which is characterized
Just as toddlers learn to talk by listen-
by large ensembles that play complex
ing and imitating language, jazz musi-
arrangements meant for dancing.
cians develop a vocabulary by listening
to and studying the music of previous
SYNCOPATION is the rhythmic equiva- generations of musicians. They also
lent of surprise. It is the shifting of empha- study the technical aspects of their
sis from what we hear as strong beats to instruments, ensuring that they can
weak, i.e., accenting unexpected beats. It express themselves fluidly. Learning
is essential to a strong swing feeling. music theory along with melodic and
rhythmic patterns expands their musi- commentary, accenting the cymbals or
cal vocabulary. They incorporate all of snare drum in response to the music.
these things into their own expressive
The bass player provides both har-
phrases, telling an original and per-
monic and rhythmic support, maintain-
sonal story.
ing the groove by coordinating very
closely with the drummer and outlin-
What is song form? ing the chord changes with a walking
In the same way that your schedule bass line.
helps you find your way through the
The piano player/guitarist also supports
day, song form helps jazz musicians
the harmonies and rhythms of the
find their way through a piece of
music. Unlike the bassist, who usually
music. They establish the harmonic
plays one note at a time, both pianists
pattern, or chord progression, of the
and guitarists can play many notes at
song, providing a road map for the
once. They create rich harmonies that
improvising musician. Song forms
support both the melody and the solo-
come in many shapes and sizes, but
ist, and punctuate the music with rhyth-
the most common forms in jazz are
mic accents.
the 12-bar blues and the 32-bar song
form. Each time a musician plays
through the harmonies of the form, he
or she has completed a chorus, which
can then be repeated over and over
again.

What is a typical jazz band?

A jazz band can consist of any combi-
nation of instruments. One person can
play jazz and do it beautifully; most
often though, a jazz band consists of a
rhythm section and one or more horns
and/or a vocalist. The band can be
small like a trio or quartet, or a large
big band with as many as 18 musicians.
The big band generally consists of
three to four trumpets, three to four
trombones, four to five saxophones,
and a rhythm section.

What is the rhythm section?

A typical rhythm section is comprised
of a piano and/or guitar, bass, drums,
and various percussion instruments.
It is the engine that propels the band
and provides the rhythmic and har-
monic foundation for the music.

The drummer keeps the time for the

band, constructing and maintaining the
groove in conjunction with the bass
player. The drummer outlines the song
form and provides a constant rhythmic
 Jazz Legends ing band, the Jazz Messengers, was a
veritable jazz university, schooling young
(a very abbreviated list!) jazz musicians for over three decades.

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) trum- Buddy Bolden (1877-1931) cornet:

pet, vocals: The first great soloist in jazz The first of the New Orleans cornet
and one of the most influential artists “kings,” he was celebrated for his power-
in the history of American music, Louis ful tone, rhythmic drive, and strong blues
Armstrong taught the world to swing. sensibility. His skill in embellishing melo-
He played the trumpet with unmatched dies predated the fully improvised solo.
virtuosity, perfected the improvised jazz
solo, and popularized scat singing. Benny Carter (1907-2003)
multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger,
Count Basie bandleader: A major figure in jazz since
the 1920s, Carter was a premier saxo-
phone stylist and a principal architect
of big band swing. His innovative
voicing of the reed section in the 1930s
and 1940s became the standard for
swing arrangements.

Ornette Coleman (1930-)

multi-instrumentalist, composer: As a
founding member of the jazz avant-
garde, he created new performance
practices and theories. His emphasis
on spontaneous, collective interplay
William “Count” Basie (1904- and freedom of expression continues to
1984) piano, bandleader: His orchestra inform both his compositions and per-
was legendary for its tight rhythm sec- formance.
tion, riff-oriented arrangements, bluesy
style, gifted soloists, and propulsive 4/4 John Coltrane (1926-1967)
swing feel. His spare, syncopated piano tenor and soprano saxophones,
playing and exquisite timing influenced bandleader, composer: A tireless innova-
generations of musicians. tor who combined incredible technique
and a profound understanding of har-
Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) soprano mony with a deep sense of spirituality.
saxophone, clarinet: A New Orleans He is one of the most influential saxo-
jazz pioneer and virtuoso, he helped to phonists in the history of jazz, owing
popularize jazz at home and in Europe. largely to his soulful sound and deep
He was the first to bring the soprano exploration of improvisation.
saxophone to prominence in jazz.
Miles Davis (1926-1991) trumpet, John Coltrane

Bix Beiderbecke (1903-1931) cornet, bandleader: One of the most consistently

piano, composer: One of the great innovative musicians in jazz history, he
innovators of the 1920s, Beiderbecke was a primary force in the development
developed a distinctive, introspective of jazz from bebop through fusion. His
style, characterized by an intense, concise, lyrical phrasing, introspective
bell-like tone. style, and boundless invention serve as a
model to jazz musicians of all instruments.
Art Blakey (1919-1990) drums,
bandleader: A master of the hard bop
style, his explosive, driving rhythms and
aggressive solos propelled his band
members to new heights. His longstand-
Art Blakey
 Edward Kennedy “Duke” Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969)
Ellington (1899-1974) piano, com- tenor saxophone: His warm, earthy tone,
poser, bandleader: Arguably America’s harmonic virtuosity, and modern sensi-
most important and prolific composer, bility popularized the tenor saxophone
he wrote nearly 2,000 pieces of music, and kept him at the forefront of jazz for
helped to create the big band sound of over 40 years.
the Swing Era, and toured worldwide
with his big band for nearly 50 years. Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952)
piano, bandleader, arranger: A keen
Bill Evans (1929-1980) piano, com- talent scout and a first-class arranger,
poser: One of the most influential musi- his orchestra served as a model to all
cians of his generation, his fresh, refined big bands from the mid-1920s to the
approach to the bop language, sensitive mid-1930s.
Duke Ellington comping, lyrical and introspective phras-
ing, and emphasis on group interplay Billie “Lady Day” Holiday (1915-
inspired musicians on every instrument. 1959) vocals: One of the most original
interpreters and vocalists in jazz, she
Gil Evans (1912-1988) arranger, was known for her sensitivity to lyrics
composer, piano: Known by many for his and phrasing and the uniquely mournful
work with Miles Davis in the 1950s, his yet uplifting sound of her voice.
lush and inventive arrangements feature
rich harmonic language and unusual Lee Konitz (1927-) alto saxophone:
orchestrations. A leader of the cool school and one of
the few saxophonists who did not fol-
Ella Fitzgerald (1918-1996) low the model of Charlie Parker, Konitz
vocals: Her gift of swing, impressive is known for his smooth, clear tone,
scatting, precise diction, and extraordi- melodic and harmonic inventiveness,
nary range made her as adept a soloist and steady, subtle swing.
as any horn player.
Charles Mingus (1922-1979) bass,
Erroll Garner (1921-1977) piano: composer, bandleader: A virtuoso play-
A brilliant virtuoso, Garner developed er, he helped bring the bass into the
a completely original style that included spotlight as a solo instrument. He was
long, playful introductions, dazzlingly also an inventive and prolific composer
fluid runs, and a distinct rhythmic ap- who seamlessly blended the traditional
proach in which the left-hand comps and modern. His Jazz Workshop reper-
much like rhythm guitar while the right tory group experimented with new ap-
hand plays lines or chords that lag just proaches to composition that were less
behind the beat. dependent on notated music.

John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie Thelonious Sphere Monk

(1917-1993) trumpet, composer, (1917-1982) piano, composer: His un-
bandleader, vocals: An architect of bebop conventional compositional style and
and a pioneer of Latin jazz, his virtuosic unique piano playing helped lay the Charles Mingus

technique, bright tone, and infectious foundation for modern jazz. Monk
personality inspired musicians and audi- performed mainly his own pieces,
ences alike. which were known for their complex
harmonies, unusual rhythms, and
Benny Goodman (1909-1986) clari- often playful quality.
net, bandleader: A virtuoso clarinetist
and accomplished bandleader, Goodman
was the first white bandleader to adopt
an uncompromising jazz style. His hugely
popular big band sparked the Swing Era
and introduced jazz to a wider audience.
 Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941) Bessie Smith (1894-1937) vocals:
piano, composer, bandleader: One of The “Empress of the Blues,” she brought
the first great jazz composers, he under- the blues to rural and urban audiences
stood the full range of American music, nationwide and sold millions of records
from marches to church hymns to the in the process. Her strong blues sensibil-
blues, and incorporated these styles ity, emotional intensity, expressive range,
into his music. His compositions and a and phrasing set a new standard for jazz
rrangements captured the spirit vocalists.
of improvisation.
Lennie Tristano (1919-1978)
Original Dixieland Jazz Band piano, composer: His music stands
This five-piece, white New Orleans jazz apart from the jazz mainstream,
band garnered sensational levels of offering an alternative to bop that
popularity after releasing the first jazz emphasized even rhythms, long, angu-
recording in 1917. lar melodies, harmonic complexity, and
free improvisation. A lifelong teacher,
Charlie “Bird” Parker (1920- Bessie Smith
he developed a strong following that
1955) alto saxophone, composer: A included Warne Marsh, Lee Konitz,
pioneer of bebop, his long, twisting Bill Russo, and Billy Bauer.
melodies, unconventional rhythms,
and exploration of complex harmonies Frank Trumbauer (1901-1956) alto
have become hallmarks of modern jazz. and C-melody saxophones: His delicate
Though widely recognized for his dense, tone, long, lyrical phrasing, and graceful
fast-paced solos, his playing was equally improvisations inspired saxophonists
impressive on soft, slow ballads. Lester Young and Benny Carter.

Don Redman (1900-1964) com- Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990)

poser, arranger, bandleader: A master vocals: One of the most influential and
of orchestration, Redman was the first popular jazz vocalists, she used her
great arranger in jazz. He was a pioneer voice like an instrument, fluidly altering
of big band writing, integrating impro- her timbre and vibrato, negotiating wide
vised solos with ensemble passages, and leaps, improvising with subtle melodic
employing the breaks, riffs, and call and and rhythmic embellishments, and in-
response patterns that would become corporating the bop phrasing of Charlie
hallmarks of big band jazz. Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
Sarah Vaughan
Sonny Rollins (1930-) tenor saxo- Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981)
phone: A leading figure among modern piano, composer, arranger: An accom-
saxophonists, his melodically inventive, plished pianist, Williams sounded modern
rhythmically adept improvisations have throughout her half-century career,
kept him at the forefront of jazz for over while never forgetting her roots in the
40 years. blues, church music, and early jazz. Her
distinctive compositions and arrange-
Wayne Shorter (1933-) tenor and ments helped fuel many Swing Era bands,
soprano saxophones, composer: A including those of Andy Kirk, Benny
uniquely gifted improviser and master of Goodman, and Duke Ellington.
a wide range of musical styles, he blos-
somed as a composer in the 1960s and Lester “Pres” Young (1909-1959)
many of his pieces have since become tenor saxophone, clarinet: His cool, lyrical
jazz standards. style was a primary force in the develop-
ment of modern jazz. He was known for
his light, graceful tone and long, flowing
solos that featured astonishing leaps, bold
contrasts, and witty surprises.
Wayne Shorter
Glossary of or she may improvise several choruses
in succession.

Jazz Terms Collective improvisation: When

two or more musicians improvise at the
Arrangement: The organization of same time; also known as polyphonic
a musical work for a given ensemble improvisation.
that determines which instruments play
when, what harmonies will be used, Downbeat: The first beat of each
what rhythmic groove, and where measure.
improvisation occurs.
Groove: The interaction of rhythms to
Big band: A style of orchestral jazz form a pattern.
that first surfaced in the 1920s and
blossomed during the Swing Era (1935- Jam session: An informal gathering of
1950) when it became the popular improvising musicians.
music of the day. Big bands feature
three sections (brass, woodwind, and Riff: A short, repeated musical phrase
rhythm) and generally play careully used as a background for a soloist or to
orchestrated arrangements often add drama to a musical climax.
meant for dancing.
Solo: When one musician improvises,
Blues: African American music devel- usually within the structure of an
oped in the South during the mid-1800s. existing song.
Both a style, a musical form, a harmon-
ic language, and an attitude towards Syncopation: A rhythmic accent or
playing music, the blues is the founda- emphasis on an unexpected beat.
tion of most American popular music.
Scat singing: A vocal technique that
Blues form: A typical blues consists of uses nonsense syllables to improvise on
12 measures, divided into three sections the melody.
of four measures each, with a harmonic
progression based on three chords. Blues Standard song form: Popularized
forms can also be 4, 8, or 16 measures in the 1920s and 1930s, the standard
long; nearly any jazz composition can be song form is usually 32 measures long; it
played with a "bluesy" feeling. can often be heard as 4 distinct sections,
each 8 measures long.
Blue note: Any note that is bent or
smeared, generally a half step away from Swing: The basic rhythmic attitude of
the diatonic note. jazz, it is based on the shuffle rhythm
and it propels the music forward. Swing
Call and response: A musical con- also refers to a style of jazz that first
versation in which instrumentalists and/ appeared during the 1930s and features
or vocalists answer one another. big bands playing complex arrange-
ments, usually for dancing.
Chord: Three or more notes played at
the same time, creating one sound. The Texture: The atmosphere created by
harmonic structure of most songs is the combined sounds of musical instru-
comprised of a progression of different ments and harmonies.
chords on which soloists improvise.
Timbre: The tonal quality of a voice
Chorus: The playing of a complete or instrument; for example, an artist’s
song form. When a musician solos, he timbre may be described as raspy and
rough, or smooth and clear.
Resources Miles Davis
Kind of Blue, Columbia Records CK
64935, 1959; The Best of Miles Davis and
Gil Evans, Legacy 67425, 1957-88.
Selected Recordings
Duke Ellington
This abbreviated compilation of record-
Ellington at Newport, 1956 (Complete),
ings aims to serve as an introduction to
Columbia 64932;
jazz. It is our hope that these recordings
The Blanton-Webster Band
will provide hours of listening enjoy-
(3-CD set), RCA/Bluebird Records
ment and inspire a continued exploration
5659-2-RB, 1940-42.
of jazz. The multiple-CD sets represent
one or more periods of an artist’s career. Bill Evans
While they cost more, these collections Portrait in Jazz, Riverside 1162, 1959.
provide a significantly broader artistic
view and are generally a better invest- Gil Evans
ment. Miles Ahead (under Miles Davis),
Columbia 65339, 1957.
Louis Armstrong Ella Fitzgerald
The Complete Hot Five and Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song
Hot Seven Box Set (4-CD set), (3-CD set), Verve Records 314-517
Columbia/Legacy 63527, 1925-29; Louis 898-2, 1939-41.
Armstrong: The Big Band Recordings
1930-32 (2-CD set), JSP 3401. Erroll Garner
Concert by the Sea, Columbia 40589,
Count Basie 1955.
The Complete Decca Recordings (3-CD
set), Decca/GRP Records GRD-3-611, Dizzy Gillespie
1937-39. The Complete RCA Victor Recordings
1937-49 (2-CD set), RCA Victor/Bluebird
Sidney Bechet (BMG) 66528; Shaw ‘Nuff, Musicraft
The Best of Sidney Bechet, Records MVSCD-53, 1945-46.
Blue Note Records CDP
7243 828891 2 0, 1939-53. Benny Goodman & Charlie Christian
Flying Home, Jazzterdays JTD 102410,
Bix Beiderbecke 1939-41.
Riverboat Shuffle, Naxos Jazz 120584,
1924-29. Coleman Hawkins
Retrospective 1929-1963
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (2-CD set), RCA Victor/Bluebird (BMG)
Moanin’, Blue Note Records 95324, 1958. 66617.
Ken Burns Jazz: Fletcher Henderson
The Story of American Music Fletcher Henderson and the Dixie
(5-CD set), Sony/Columbia Stompers, 1925-1928, DRG 8445.
B000050HVG, 2000.
Billie Holiday
Benny Carter The Complete Decca Recordings
Further Definitions, Impulse 220, 1961. (2-CD set), Decca GRD 601, 1939-44.
Ornette Coleman Lee Konitz
The Shape of Jazz to Come, Atlantic Subconscious-Lee, Prestige 7250,
Records 1317, 1959. 1949-50.
John Coltrane Scott LaFaro
Coltrane: The Complete 1961 Village Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Riverside
Vanguard Recordings (4-CD set), 9376, 1961
Impulse 4232, 1961; A Love Supreme,
Impulse Records GRD 155, 1964. Charles Mingus
Mingus Ah Um, Columbia Records CBS
65512, 1959.
The Modern Jazz Quartet Fats Waller
Django, Prestige (Fantasy) 7057, The Very Best of Fats Waller, RCA
1953-55. Records 63731.

Thelonious Monk Mary Lou Williams

The Complete Blue Note Recordings Zodiac Suite, Smithsonian Folkways
(4-CD set), Blue Note Records CDP 40810, 1945.
7243 8 30363 2 5, 1947-58.
Lester Young
Jelly Roll Morton Lester-Amadeus, Phontastic 7639,
Red Hot Peppers, Bluebird/RCA 2361, 1936/38.
1926-30.
Recommended Readings
King Oliver and His Creole Jazz Band
The Complete Set (2-CD set), Retrieval Jazz Modernism: from Ellington and
(Allegro), 79007, 1923. Armstrong to Matisse and Joyce by
Alfred Appel Jr.
Original Dixieland Jazz Band (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002).
75th Anniversary, Bluebird/RCA
61098-4, 1917-1921. Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans by
Louis Armstrong (New York: Da Capo
Charlie Parker Press, 2000).
Jazz at Massey Hall, Debut (Fantasy) 44,
1953; Charlie Parker on Dial Complete Treat it Gentle by Sidney Bechet (New
(4-CD set), Stateside Records CJ25- York: Da Capo Press, 2002).
5043-6, 1946-47. Thinking in Jazz by Paul Berliner
Don Redman (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
1931-1933, Classics 543. 1994).

Sonny Rollins The Birth of Bebop by Scott Deveaux

Saxophone Colossus, Prestige Records (Berkeley: University of California Press,
OJCCD-291-2, 1956. 1999).

Wayne Shorter Black Beauty, White Heat (photography)

The Best of Wayne Shorter, Blue Note by Frank Driggs and Harris Lewine (New
Records CDP 791143 2, 1953-59. York: Da Capo Press, 1996).

Bessie Smith Music is My Mistress by Duke Ellington

The Essential Bessie Smith, Columbia/ (New York: Da Capo Press, 1976).
Legacy 64922, 1923-1933. Satchmo: The Genius of Louis Armstrong
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic by Gary Giddins (New York: Da Capo
Jazz Press, 2000).
(5-CD set), Sony Music Special To Be or Not to Bop by Dizzy Gillespie
Productions B0000048H9, 1995. with Al Fraser (New York: Da Capo
Art Tatum Press, 1985).
The Complete Art Tatum Capital The History of Jazz by Ted Gioia (New
Records (2-CD set), Capital Records York: Oxford University Press, 1998).
21325, 1949-52.
Reading Jazz (collection) by Robert
Lennie Tristano Gottlieb, editor (New York: Vintage
Intuition, Blue Note 52771, 1949-1956. Books, 1999).
Frank Trumbauer see Beiderbecke. The Golden Age of Jazz (photography)
Sarah Vaughan by William Gottlieb (San Francisco,
In the Land of Hi-Fi, EmArcy Pomegranate Communications, 1995).
826454-2, 1955. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, edit-
ed by Barry Kernfeld (New York: Grove’s
Dictionaries, 2003).
Mister Jelly Roll by Alan Lomax (Berkeley: The Sound that Jazz Makes by Carol
University of California Press, 2001). Buston and Eric Velasquez (ill.) (New
York: Walker & Company, 2000).
Good Morning Blues by Albert Murray
and Count Basie (New York: Da Capo Coming Home: From the Life of
Press, 1989). Langston Hughes by Floyd Cooper (New
York: Philomel Books, 2001).
Stomping the Blues by Albert Murray
(New York: Da Capo Press, 1989). The First Book of Jazz by Langston
Hughes (New York: Harper Collins,
Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billy Holiday 1995).
by Robert O’Meally (New York: Da Capo
The Book of Rhythms by Langston
Press, 2000).
Hughes (New York: Oxford University
Understanding Jazz: Ways to Listen by Tom Press, 2000).
Piazza (New York: Random House, 2005) If Only I Had a Horn by Roxanne Orgill,
Leonard Jenkins (ill.) (New York:
John Coltrane: His Life and Music by
Houghton Mifflin, 1997).
Lewis Porter (Ann Arbor: University of
Michigan Press, 1999). Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and
His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A Lester Young Reader by Lewis Porter and Brian Pinkney (New York: Hyperion,
(New York: Macmillan Library Reference, 1998).
1985).
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal
Early Jazz by Gunther Schuller (New Virtuoso by Andrea Pinkney (New York:
York: Oxford University Press, 1986). Hyperion Books for Children, 2002).
The Swing Era by Gunther Schuller (New Charlie Parker Played Bebop by
York: Oxford University Press, 1991). Christopher Raschka (London: Orchard
Books, 1992).
The Music of Black Americans by Eileen
Southern (New York: Norton, W. W. & Mysterious Thelonious by Christopher
Company, 1997). Raschka (London: Orchard Paperback,
1997).
Jazz Dance by Marshall and Jean Stearns Satchmo’s Blues by Alan Schroeder,
(New York: Da Capo Press, 1994). Floyd Cooper (ill.) (New York: Bantam
The Story of Jazz by Marshall and Jean Doubleday Dell Books. 1999).
Stearns (New York: Oxford University The Silver Trumpet by Zara Steinman
Press, 1972). (ill.) and Martin F. Downs (Brooklyn:
Alicubi Publications, 1999).
The Duke Ellington Reader
(collection) by Mark Tucker (New York: I See the Rhythm by Michele Wood (San
Oxford University Press, 1995). Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1998).

Jazz: A History of America’s Music by Internet

Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (New
York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2000). Essentially Ellington High School Jazz
Band Program
The Jazz Tradition by Martin Williams www.essentiallyellington.org
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1992). Essentially Ellington is a unique program
for high school jazz bands that supports
Children’s Books the study of Duke Ellington’s music in
schools across the United States and
Looking for Bird in the Big City by Robert
Canada. Produced by Jazz at Lincoln
Burleigh (San Diego: Silver/Whistle/
Center, the website features recordings
Harcourt, 2001).
by competition finalist bands and other
Duke Ellington resources.
International Association
of Jazz Educators
www.iaje.org
IAJE promotes the understanding and
appreciation of jazz and its heritage, and
provides resources for educators.
Jazz for Young People
Curriculum Online
www.jazzforyoungpeople.org
This site provides students, teachers,
and the general public with music clips,
video footage, engaging biographies,
and activities that explain core concepts
and major figures of jazz.
NEA Jazz in the Schools
www.neajazzintheschools.org
Designed primarily for high school social
studies, American history, and music
teachers, this web-based curriculum
(and free DVD toolkit) takes students
on a step by step journey through the
history of jazz, integrating that story
with the sweep of American social,
economic, and political developments.
NPR Jazz
www.nprjazz.org
National Public Radio offers a range
of insightful jazz programming and in-
depth profiles of jazz artists past and
present.
PBS Jazz, A Film by Ken Burns
www.pbs.org/jazz
This site, based on the 2001 series,
offers a wide array of resources, includ-
ing an excellent timeline, biographies
and music clips.

Acknowledgements
Michele Schroeder, Associate Director, Education, Editor
Samantha Samuels, Education Manager, Writer
Dan Morgenstern, Consultant
Bobby C. Martin, Design Director
Dora Storch, Designer

Photo Credits:
The Frank Driggs Collection:
Billie Holiday; Jelly Roll Morton; Louis Armstrong; Benny
Goodman Quartet; Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie;
Count Basie; Art Blakey; John Coltrane; Duke Ellington
Orchestra; Charles Mingus; Bessie Smith
William Gottlieb: Machito
JALC: Wayne Shorter; Sarah Vaughan,
Cover by Frank Stewart
New York Public Library
for the Performing Arts: Buddy Bolden
Chuck Stewart: Miles Davis; Ornette Coleman;
Mary Lou Williams