Please read all the information on the attachment files to find the answer to the questions. New Orleans to Chicago Worksheet 1. 1. In what ways did early jazz bands differ from their Ragtime, Br
New Orleans to Chicago – The Jazz Age Early Jazz Bands Early jazz bands differ from its ragtime, brass band and blues roots in several ways: Much of the performance was improvised Rhythmic feeling is much looser and relaxed, thus anticipating the jazz swing feeling. It generated much of its own repertory of compositions. Collective improvisation created a much more complex product than was typical in blues, ragtime, or brass band music. As mentioned in the “Roots” unit, late 19 th century and early 20 th century New Orleans was a major party town. Demand for dance music was huge. A wide variety of musical styles and skill levels came together in time and space to meld into the music that would become known as jazz. Poor black musicians with little fo rmal training interacted with skilled musicians from a European tradition. The “trained” musicians absorbed the blues feel and freedom to embellish the music. The “untrained” learned new tunes, styles, and some learned how to read and write music. In New O rleans, the brass band was very popular. These brass bands started to add blues influences and instruments (i.e. the banjo for a rhythmic chording instrument).Brass bands were portable. They were used for weddings, funerals and everything in between. Early brass bands played regular dance music, but as the less skilled, poor population got their hands on the instruments, the playing became more expressive and improvisational. Many knew some popular tunes but had no formal training. They just figure d it out and played by ear! As the bands started to improvise more and more of their parts, the method of collective improvisation began to develop. This sound has come to be known as “traditional New Orleans jazz” or “Dixieland jazz”. In this traditional New Orleans style everyone is improvising at once but each person fills a specific role. The “front line” (usually cornet, trombone and clarinet) comes from the brass band tradition. A rhythm section of drums, upright bass (or tuba), ba njo (or guitar) and piano adds chordal and rhythmic support. Trumpet or Cornet - (A coronet is a stubby version of a trumpet. They have a slightly mellower tone, but the notes and how you play them are exactly the same.) The trumpet plays the basic melody o f the tune with embellishments as seen fit. Trombone - The trombone plays slippery counter melodies below (lower in pitch) and in between the trumpet’s lines. Clarinet - The clarinet plays a flowery counter melody above and around the Trumpet’s line. The Rh ythm Section - Bass, drums and chord playing instruments provide solid beat and chord progression. Listen to this recording of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band playing “Dippermouth Blues ” recorded in 1923. The soloists are Johnny Dodds on clarinet and Joseph “King” Oliver on trumpet. This is a great example of the collective improvisation style. Everyone is improvising simultaneously but within their role. This recording includes a young Lo uis Armstrong who goes on to become one of the most influential musicians in the history of jazz. King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. That’s Louis Armstrong on front.
