History of Jazz: Aryanna Vargas

1. Brass Bands

1.1. Began in the 1850's and remained popular until the end of the 19th century. They began as military bands and included instruments such as bass horns, keyed bugles, and serpents. Eventually, civilian bands followed their example.

1.2. Performers/Composers: Arthur Bliss, Malcom Arnold, and Harrison Birtwistle

1.3. Brass Bands

2. Early Jazz

2.1. New Orleans

2.1.1. Jazz in New Orleans began in the early 1900's and reached its peak in the 1920's. It was also called "Dixieland." Instruments that played were: the trumpet, piano, banjo, drums, guitar, bass, clarinet, and trombone.

2.1.2. Performers/Composers: Joe "King" Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Kid Ory

2.1.3. New Orleans Jazz

2.2. Chicago

2.2.1. Jazz started to make its way to Chicago in the 1920's. It's a similar style to New Orleans jazz, but there are more solos which makes them different.

2.2.2. Performers/Composers: Bud Freeman, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman

2.2.3. Chicago Jazz

3. Blues

3.1. Blues can be traced back by oral tradition to the 1860's, but it became popular around 1911-1914. It's characterized by groups of 12 bars and 3 lines for each stanza. There's also a use of 'blues scales,' riffs, and grace notes. Songs are sad and can be about love or loss.

3.2. Performers/Composers: W. C. H, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday

3.3. Blues

4. Ragtime

4.1. It's peak was from around the 1890's-1915. In its early days, it was mostly written for the piano. It followed the form of marches and waltzes. Scott Joplin was the major composer for this era.

4.2. Performers/Composers: Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, and J.P. Johnson

4.3. Ragtime

5. Swing

5.1. Swing came around in the 1930's and consisted of 12-16 band members. It evolved when jazz became more loosely rhythmical. There were different sections for the members which included: brass, reeds, and rhythm. Swing used timbre, attack, rubato, and unequal performances of short-note values which separated it from 'straight' music. The 'riff' also became widely used to build up momentum.

5.2. Performers/Composers: Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, and Don Redman

5.3. Swing Music

6. Bebop

6.1. Bebop developed in the early 1940's and typically small groups were favored. It had more sophisticated harmonies and rhythms compared to earlier jazz. It also had a very fast tempo and complex chord sequences.

6.2. Performers/Composers: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonious Monk

6.3. Bebop