Topics we will
discuss and learn:
- Swing as a noun
- Important bands
- Important soloists
Swing as a noun
Swing as a verb is the actual
feeling of lift on beats 2 and 4 of a 4/4 meter.
Swing as a noun is the music during
an era of jazz history between the
1930’s and 1940’s
WWI had ended
Music during the “Great Depression”
America’s popular music during that time
More arrangements than ragtime and
Dixieland music
More solos than collective
improvisations
Less use of tuba and more use of
string bass
Hihat cymbals to make the swing feel
Guitar was used instead of the banjo
Larger instrumentation
Saxophone became a dominant instrument
Important Bands
Fletcher Henderson
Some of the main swing
era musicians came from his band
Coleman
Hawkins
Count Basie
Jimmie Lunceford
Polished band that gave
elaborate stage shows
Duke Ellington
Called “The Greatest
American Composer”
Voiced chords across
sections creating colorful tones
Concert-like
arrangements
First major gig was at
the Cotton Club where he played what was
called “jungle music”
Count Basie
The “Swingingest Band”
Returned swing to its
roots, the blues, from the commercial pop
Sound
Kansas City sound
Had great soloists
Benny Goodman
Called the “King of
Swing”
First to integrate his
band with Teddy Wilson on piano and Lionel
Hampton on vibraphone
Chick Webb
One of the swingingest
bands
Played
a showdown with Benny Goodman and won
Featured Ella Fitzgerald
Ella took over the band
after Chick died of spinal condition
Glenn Miller
“Republican” band, very
straight laced
Commercial and pop
oriented
Tommy Dorsey
Vocal trombone style
Featured an unknown
Frank Sinatra
Important soloists
Art Tatum
Amazing technique even
without considering he was blind
Unmatched speed and
delivery
Nat King Cole
Fast, swinging touch
and a first rate vocalist
Became popular with his
television show
Set the standard with
the piano jazz trio
Teddy Wilson
Smooth, light touch on
the piano and could play fast
Backed Benny Goodman
and the first to integrate into a white band
Coleman Hawkins
Played arpeggiated lines
that followed the chords
The dominant tenor
saxophone player until Lester came along
Played with Count Basie
Lester Young
Known as the “Prez”
(president of the tenor saxophone)
Light, airy tone
Played with Count Basie
Roy Eldridge
Long solo trumpet lines
Billie Holiday
Known as “Lady Day” name
given to her by Lester Young
Sang with Duke and Count
Sang about her hard life
Very personal voice
Mary Lou Williams
Formidable pianist
Wrote arrangements and
songs for many of the great bands
Terms and
topics to know:
Riffs
Improvisation
Arrangement
16-piece orchestra
woodwind section
brass section
rhythm section
