He was associated with Benny Goodman as well. “Rhythm in Transition.” In Jazz, 255-68. The next period which should be mentioned in the history of jazz is the Swing Era. Sep 24, 2018 - Explore Kensho's board "The Swing & Big Band Era", followed by 11834 people on Pinterest. But his biggest hits emerged from the bandstand. In big bands, rhythm sections fused into a unified rhythmic front: supplying the beat and marking the harmonies. Most Jazz from the sass and early sass is called “swing music,” and this time in history is now known s “the swing era. It was the sound of the ensembles, the swinging rhythm section, and the leader’s fluent clarinet that proved to be irresistible to his young and eager listeners. yet had a touch of swing to them. speaking. Goodman was also one of the reasons why One of the top songs that people remember topmost bands back in time, he also introduced Louis Armstrong in the The name swing came from the ‘swing feel’ where the emphasis is on the off–beat or weaker pulse in the music. Till date, people remember him to be the On the other hand, the easy melodic quality and clean intonation of Goodman's band made it possible to "sell" jazz to a mass audience.[4]. Change came gradually in the late 1920s, once word had gotten around about how well the string bass worked; many tuba players realized that they’d better switch instruments or lose their jobs. during that time where he spent a considerable time playing with Duke being a child of Jewish Immigrants, Goodman was an excellent clarinetist out from all the musicians of the time was his unique and raspy tone that During this period, artists developed styles that influenced later musicians and subsets of jazz, from bebop and beyond.Here is a list of 10 swing era musicians who set the stage for jazz to become the valued art form it is today. Oliphant, Dave. later became one of the biggest names of swing music. His precise went on to join the Big Band led by Count Basie, marking a firm foothold started playing with Bennie Moten’s band before forming his own which St Albans: Paladin, 1976. Jimmie Lunceford’s big band at the height of the Swing era employed a beat that was simultaneously 2/4 and 4/4. He was a leading tenor soloist for around eight years, popular among white audiences. the history of swing music. He The rise of big bands and small groups In the 1930s we move from the “Jazz Age” to the “Swing Era”. In 1939, Duke Ellington discovered virtuoso young bassist Jimmie Blanton and hired him into his Orchestra. New Orleans musicians and musical styles continued to influence jazz nationally as the music went through a rapid series of stylistic changes. page 110. Known as a titan of the saxophone Just as the soloists were champing at the bit of big-band constraints, rhythm players were developing techniques and ideas that demanded more attention than they usually received. [8] Lester Young, whose influence on saxophone playing became dominant towards the end of the 1930s, cited Trumbauer's linear, melodic approach to improvisation as his main inspiration for his own style. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). The rhythm sections of Ellington, Basie, and Lunceford, for example, sounded nothing alike. Swing arrangements often emphasized the reed section to carry the melody, with trumpets providing accents and highlights. Originally played by musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and other black jazz icons, swing music reached new, white audiences when musicians like Benny Goodman began playing swing in ballrooms and theaters in major … Have a Listen to. Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter broke the barrier to early acceptance of the saxophone as a jazz instrument but it was the style of Frankie Trumbauer on C melody sax, showcased in the recordings he did with Bix Beiderbecke in 1927, that laid the groundwork for the style of saxophone playing that would make it a dominant influence on soloing styles. clearly as he played, through this choice of clothing, and way of St Albans: Paladin, 1976. Berendt, Joachim, “Swing – 1930.” In The Jazz Book, 15-16. The swing era produced many classic recordings. Swing music has a compelling momentum that results from musicians’ attacks and accenting in relation to fixed beats. “Rhythm is our business/ Rhythm is what we sell,” Lunceford’s singer declared: “Rhythm is our business / Business sure is swell.”[7] If rhythm defined the swing bands, its foundation lay in the rhythm section: piano, guitar, bass, and drums. Large ensembles, less improvisation, more As each piece headed toward its climax, the band erupted in an ecstatic wail. To help bands adjust to the new groove, major changes were made in the rhythm section. various creative possibilities in jazz. [6] The Bob Crosby Orchestra and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra also featured two-beat rhythms long after four-beat rhythm became the standard. His musical mind is studied to this day This also contributed to the loose and spontaneous feel of KC Jazz. Learn how and when to remove this template message, It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), "How Taxes And Moving Changed The Sound Of Jazz", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swing_era&oldid=980701017, Articles needing additional references from December 2009, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Where, I Wonder, Where?" But in the Swing Era, when the possibilities of big, fast money earned from bootleggers and their best-heeled customers evaporated with the bursting of a financial bubble and the legalization of booze, musicians seemed to feel liberated rather than oppressed, and set themselves to making life a bowl of cherrys, and meaning a function of swing. Jazz is a type of music developed by black Americans about 1900 and possessing an identifiable history and describable stylistic evolution. Background: The Swing Era was when big band swing music was at its most popular in America between the years 1935-1945. • Visit Down Beat on the web . The Ritz Ballroom, one of the most popular dancehalls during the Swing era. Developments in dance orchestras and jazz music culminated in swing music during the early 1930s. He was best known as a pianist, Left click on photos to enlarge. In the 1930s, rhythm instruments made dramatic advances toward the foreground of jazz. He is often Although some disagree, swing music is basically a type of jazz. Basie introduced a rhythmically sparse style of piano playing emphasizing accents, lead-ins, and fills. Swing during the World War II era offered female jazz musicians and vocalists new jobs and gave them many more opportunities. The top seven musicians who can Henderson was shrewd and efficient. With this melodic arrangements and compositions, They were conversant with chromatic (complex) harmony and knew how to make the most of their flexible orchestra. Artists, during this period, developed several best accompaniment to singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Joe Though some big bands survived through the late 1940s (Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Boyd Raeburn, Woody Herman), most of their competitors were forced to disband, bringing the swing era to a close. Leading one of the Whenever you think of swing jazz In some passages, he distorted the melody into ingenious new rhythmic shapes, often in staccato (detached) bursts that opened up space for the rhythm section. The height of the swing era was between the years 1935 to 1940, and many jazz bandleaders enjoyed huge success — none more so than Goodman, a dazzling clarinet player. It was the only time in American musical history that the popularity of jazz eclipsed all other forms of music. First in Chicago, then in Harlem and Kansas City, a new way of playing developed around 1928-29. His up-tempo and sensitive ballads were a rave Swing, in music, both the rhythmic impetus of jazz music and a specific jazz idiom prominent between about 1935 and the mid-1940s, years sometimes called the swing era. with a specific melody that made hearts beat faster whenever he was on This music was heard in 3 places mainly. IMPORTANT MUSICIANS: Louis Armstrong (cornet/trumpet), Bix Beiderbecke (cornet), Jelly Roll Morton (piano/composer), Sidney Bechet (soprano sax, clarinet), Earl "Fatha" Hines (piano) Swing/Big Band Era (1930-1945) CHARACTERISTICS: Most popular period in jazz history. Since its beginnings jazz has branched out Into so many styles that […] Jo Jones inverted that relationship, making the high hat the primary timekeeper and using the bass and snare drums for accents and lead-ins. This was the swing era. Berendt, Joachim, "Swing – 1930." Swing, in music, both the rhythmic impetus of jazz music and a specific jazz idiom prominent between about 1935 and the mid-1940s—years sometimes called the swing era.Swing music has a compelling momentum that results from musicians’ attacks and accenting in relation to fixed beats. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. Speaking of which, Henderson was dancing their hearts out in the halls. in the swing era, Webster was a blow of fresh wind from what the Chicago musicians migrating to Harlem brought their rhythmic ideas with them. “If you were on the first floor, and the dance hall was upstairs,” Count Basie remembered, “that was what you would hear, that steady rump, rump, rump, rump in that medium tempo.”. of jazz and make a name of their own. It Is rooted In the mingled musical traditions of American blacks. Arrangements could also arise spontaneously out of oral practice. Ellington led his band throughout the years and made his mark in the minds The page lists the talented African- American Jazz artists of the swing era. The Golden Era of Swing Music, since During the early years of recording, the tuba was able to project a clear, huffing sound. make you feel at home with swing jazz music are: The fact that made Hawkins stand and his recording of “Cotton Tail” is still known to be the best of the Berendt, Joachim, “Swing – 1930.” In The Jazz Book, 16. Swing bands ranged from "Kansas City" style groups which experimented with a more orchestral range of colours. New York: W.W. Norton, 2009. Early swing drumming relied heavily on the bass and snare drums, with a secondary role for the high hat cymbal in timekeeping. styles of their own, which only influenced several musicians to perform subsets Those changes were mainly influenced by the onset of Great Depression. For flashy pieces, Henderson relied on experienced arrangers, from his brother Horace to Don Redman and Benny Carter. The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in 1927 consisted of two trumpets, two trombones, three reeds, piano, banjo, tuba, and drums. Many of these pieces were ultimately written down by Henderson, who became his band’s chief arranger. To many, the appearance of Benny Goodman and his Big Band at the Palomar in Los Angeles in August of 1935 was the start of the Swing Era.America was still in the grips of a depression. [3] In Benny Goodman's band, the most diversified styles flowed together: the ensemble style developed by Fletcher Henderson, who arranged for the band; the riff technique of Kansas City; and the precision and training of many white musicians. This period is known especially from the changes in the form of performing- especially the usual size of musical groups called big bands. Lester Young had spent most of his childhood with his family’s band. St Albans: Paladin, 1976. New York continues to host the major radio stations. swing music became famous over the years. Spread of Swing Jazz in Society: Books and other forms of literature that were about social dancing,spread. In the 1930s a new form of jazz had emerged, called "swing". With Hollywood firmly established, many of the big bands spend more time on the West coast. The Big Band era is generally regarded as having occurred between 1935 and 1945. New York: W.W. Norton, 2009. The result, known as a head arrangement, was a flexible, unwritten arrangement created by the entire band. Swing Jazz originated in New Orleans, Louisiana between 1935 and the mid 1940s, formerly known as the Swing Era. York’s Cotton Club. [1] The 1930s also became the era of other great soloists: the tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Lester Young; the alto saxophonists Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges; the drummers Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, Jo Jones and Sid Catlett; the pianists Fats Waller and Teddy Wilson; the trumpeters Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Bunny Berigan, and Rex Stewart. Tuxedo Jazz Band , 1914. Berendt, Joachim, “Swing – 1930.” In The Jazz Book, 58-61. p. 128. The swing era also was precipitated by spicing up familiar commercial, popular material with a Harlem-oriented flavor and selling it via a white band for a white musical/commercial audience. All you have to do today As the saying went, the guitar was more felt than heard. It brought to fruition ideas originated with Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, and Jean Goldkette. Louis Armstrong was the most prominent of jazz musicians who initiated this style during the thirties. “Precursors to and the Birth of Big-Band Swing.” In The Early Swing Era, 32-38. Also known as one of the most The Tuxedo Jazz Band, led by Papa Celestin, was named after The Tuxedo Dance Hall, a popular New Orleans bar. Technology such as television and radio helped spread the sounds and moves of Swing. and "What Would Happen To Me If Something Happened To You?" combined beautifully with his improvisation techniques. stage. To some extent, this was a belated influence of Louis Armstrong, whose rhythms continued to be absorbed by soloists and arrangers through the 1930s. During the 1920s the older two-beat style of jazz was superseded by four-beat jazz, facilitated by replacement of the sousaphone with the string bass. 5000+ working during the swing era As the history of Jazz progresses Great increase in musicians, great increase in soloists, proportional decrease in good soloists Goodman was quite skilled at setting the perfect dance tempo for each song while alternating wild “killer dillers” with slower ballads. St Albans: Paladin, 1976. With Walter Page's bass replacing the tuba in Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra, the way was laid clear for the band to develop the kinetic style of swing it would show under the leadership of Count Basie. In May 1935, the No. its inception, was the best answer to jazz which saw several music lovers Towards the end of the 1930s the roles of the piano, bass, and drums in the rhythm section changed significantly under the influence of the Count Basie Orchestra. The swing era (also frequently referred to as the "big band era") was the period (1933–1947) when big band swing music was the most popular music in the United States. Swing Era Posted on March 17, 2015 April 24, 2015 by dashas2015 Beginning to take root in early 1930’s and throughout the World War II era, a new style of jazz music “was born when Benny Goodman and his band won the approval of the audience at the Palomar Ballroom” (Bindas, 2001). Blanton revolutionized the bass as a featured instrument in the band, until he tragically left the band in late 1941 due to terminal tuberculosis. Another hit was “King Porter Stomp,”[10] a ragtime piece by Jelly Roll Morton that became radically simplified, shedding its two-beat clumsiness and march/ragtime form as it went. Swing, a derivative of 1920s jazz, was popular for its emphasis on off-beat tempos, which lent well to dancing. The banjo, with its loud and raucous tone, was replaced with the guitar, which provided a more subtle and secure pulsation (chunk-chunk) in the foundation rhythm. [9] In addition to Henderson and his younger brother Horace, Goodman employed top arrangers such as Fletcher Henderson, Jimmy Mundy, Deane Kincaide, Edgar Sampson, and Spud Murphy who put the melody first but included rhythmic figures in their charts and wrote arrangements that built to a logical climax. See more ideas about Big band, Jazz musicians, Jazz blues. In 1935, Goodman did not have many major soloists in his band. by, This page was last edited on 27 September 2020, at 23:10. During World War II, right in the heart of the swing era, all-female bands became a sensation, filling the void left by men in the military. Swing Street Radio, the rich reservoir of all-time classic swing and big band music, aims to enlighten the current generation on the essence of the jazz genre. Other musicians who rose during this time include Jimmy Dorsey, his brother Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Goodman's future rival Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman, who departed the Isham Jones band in 1936 to start his own band. While jazz had all along been pleasing to hear and very relaxing, it was the swing era that turned jazz into feet tapping music, a kind that forced people … Charlie Johnson McKinney's Cotton Pickers Fletcher Henderson; Jazz movement was: New Orleans to Chicago to New York. When jazz orchestras dominated pop charts and when influential clarinettists were household names. Though this was its most popular period, the music had actually been around since the late 1920s and early 1930s, being played by black bands led by such artists as Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Bennie Moten, Cab Calloway, Earl Hines, and Fletcher Henderson, and white bands from the 1920s led by the likes of Jean Goldkette, Russ Morgan and Isham Jones. Unlike Duke Ellington, who went out of his way to hire unique individualists, and Count Basie, who came from a Kansas City tradition emphasizing soloists, Goodman was most concerned that his musicians read music perfectly, blended together naturally, and did not mind being subservient to the leader. Giddins, Gary and Scott DeVeaux. KC Jazz marked the transition from the heavily structured, arranged and written out Big Band style of Swing to the more fluid and improvisation style of Bebop. Giddins, Gary and Scott DeVeaux. Each of the leading bands presented a distinct, well-designed rhythmic attack that complemented its particular style. As a preeminent could only bring the best of music in the era, making it such a popular time in The Jazz Age. you listen to these musicians in their element. Trumpeter Roy Eldridge deviated from the more common Armstrong-influenced styles towards a style of improvisation resembling that of reed players, and in turn would be an early influence on bebop trumpet pioneer Dizzy Gillespie. Both kinds of arrangements, written and unwritten, could be heard in the hundreds of recordings made in the 1930s by Fletcher Henderson. 1920-1935 Beginning of swing bands 1935-1945 The Swing Era Three Major Bands in New York in the 1920s. Armstrong, who had heavily influenced jazz as its greatest soloist in the 1920s when working with both small bands and larger ones, now appeared only with big swing bands. The danceable swing style of big bands and bandleaders such as Benny Goodman was the dominant form of American popular music from 1935 to 1946, known as the swing era. New York is now the Jazz Capital of the World, although other cities, such as Chicago and Kansas City, enjoy a thriving Jazz scene. Big-band jazz would experience a resurgence starting in the mid-1950s, but it would never attain the same popularity as it had during the swing era. through his experimentations with harmonic and formal devices; commemorating Count Basie: Regarded as one of the finest bandleaders in jazz, Count Basie led his orchestra for almost 50 years.His band was known for playing simple, often bluesy arrangements where the focus was on the easy rhythmic feel, an aspect of swing that bands of the area strove to achieve. More black musicians saw jazz for the first time a profession. Swing Era All That Jazz Jazz Musicians Soundtrack Beautiful People Musicals Blues Journey Slim Williams, and Frank Sinatra. Listeners felt the combined sound of bass, guitar, and drums as a sonic force that pushed through cavernous dance halls. For this reason the types of solo improvisations would change dramatically during the thirties. Important Swing Musicians . Four beat rhythm was the foundation of the Chicago style jazz developed by Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, and of the swing era rhythmic styles. Today, you can tune into a, The Top Seven “The Swing Era.” In Jazz, 174-77. An early milestone in the era was from "the King of Swing" Benny Goodman's performance at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles on August 21, 1935, bringing the music to the rest of the country. The piano-guitar-bass-drums rhythm section had become standard and kept a steady and uncluttered beat that was very easy to follow. The recordings are played on the Swing Street radio in USA to honour the heritage of these legendary musicians. Also a tenor saxophonist like Webster, Several factors led to the demise of the swing era: the 1942–44 musicians' strike from August 1942 to November 1944 (The union that most jazz musicians belong to told its members not to record until the record companies agreed to pay them each time their music was played on the radio), the earlier ban of ASCAP songs from radio stations, World War II which made it harder for bands to travel around as well as the "cabaret tax",[5] which was as high as 30%, the rise of vocalist-centered pop and R&B as the dominant forms of popular music, and the rising interest in bebop among jazz musicians. Big Band-leaders And Down Beat Articles | Jazz Music Web Forum | Swing Era Small Groups | Swing Era Photos | Mainstream Jazz Musicians | Jazz Vocalists Jazz Radio Audio | Jazz History And Big Band Music Evolution | Jazz History Economics And Technology | Big Band Battle At The Savoy | … This meant that demand for records was low while the supply of jazz musicians was very high. In the 1936 book Swing That Music, Armstrong discussed his personal experiences in jazz, as well as the evolution of jazz and the transition from jazz to swing. Swing music characterized the popular culture of the 1930s. The Jazz Age -- the 1920s -was marked by Dixieland and hot jazz bands, the flapper, the Charleston, the creation of Lindy Hop, and the very beginnings of swing jazz music, among other things. The swing era brought to swing music Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and by 1938 Ella Fitzgerald. Saved by Debbie Simons. These bands would typically feature soloists who led dance numbers, including musicians like Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. Scott Yanow, Du Noyer, Paul (2003). to listen to them and more is by tuning in to a, Top Swing Artists that Emerged from the Harlem Renaissance, Listen to Andrew Sisters at The Big Band Music Station USA. Toward the end of the twenties the two-beat styles seemed all but exhausted. world of swing. With his humble roots of ” Big bands in the swing era were made up often or more musicians whose instruments were grouped into three categories called “sections:” rhythm, brass, and drums. Musicians of Swing Jazz Music. In the process, they helped set the stage for bebop. By the 1930s, it had evolved into a thoroughly up-to-date dance tune, with a faster tempo to match the tastes of the dancers. But even in New York, where bands prided themselves on their musical literacy, musicians could take improvised riffs and harmonize them on the spot. him by was the 1939 recording of “Body and Soul.”. I’ve listed some Swing Era Jazz musicians below. swing era. many of his pieces as jazz standards. Swing rhythms defy any narrower… It can be safely said It contains recordings of Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstein, & Nat King Cole. bandleader, arranger, and composer all rolled into one. one of the most multi-talented musicians of the time who opened up the saxophonist in the era, he could hold his own even by being a part of in the swing music era. complete without mentioning all these names as they all played considerable The jazz of the Southwest citing "The Book of Jazz: A Guide to the Entire Field. As often noted by commentators on jazz history, the Swing era saw the saxophone supersede in many ways the trumpet as the dominant jazz solo instrument. credited to be the reason why black musicians such as Henderson became Swing music cannot be that you can take a full tour of what the centuries of swing music were like if time in taking the genre to the level it is in today. and hearts of his loyal audience. music, there are a few names that crop up in your mind. Jazz became the unchallenged popular music of America during the Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s. As is so often the case in jazz, there are confusing exceptions to this general outline. Both of those changes increased the importance of the bass and guitar in timekeeping, ably held by Walter Page and Freddie Green. Mundy and Sampson had previously done arranging for Earl Hines and Chick Webb, respectively. It grew and took its shape in Harlem dance halls but could be heard, and seen through swing dancing, just about everywhere by 1936. William Basie was a pianist who 7 Swing Jazz Musicians You Must Listen to in Your Lifetime The Golden Era of Swing Music, since its inception, was the best answer to jazz which saw several music lovers dancing their hearts out in the halls. Furthermore, radio was a double-edged sword for jazz musicians. NOTICE: All images of the famous jazz musicians contained herein should be considered copyrighted material. He had an eccentric personal style as well, which showed very By permission of Down Beat magazine come these photos of some of the most famous jazz musicians of the Swing era. His genius for rhythmic swing and melodic simplicity was so effective that his music became the standard for numerous swing arrangers. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2002. In The Jazz Book, 15-16. While the bass drum continued to play a rock-solid four beat pulse, the tuba, commonly used in large dance bands of the 1920s, was replaced by the string bass. Some of those are: There was a time, from 1933–1947, when teenagers and young adults danced to jazz-orientated bands. ISBN 1-904041-96-5..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}, The swing era (also frequently referred to as the "big band era") was the period (1933–1947) when big band swing music was the most popular music in the United States. atmosphere then dictated. The brass section included trumpets and trombones. He wrote only a few choice choruses, leaving the remainder of the arrangement open for solos accompanied by discreet, long-held chords or short riffs. The band played there until a … The lighter and sparser, yet more dynamic, sense of rhythm expressed by the Basie rhythm section lent greater freedom for the band's soloists and set a trend that would culminate in the rhythmic ideas of bebop. By the late twenties, musicians had begun modifying the forms of "jazz". To fit the new groove, dance-band arranging became more inventive. [2], Music experimentation has always been popular in America. Leonard Feather. The change in rhythm started first with solo pianists and small ensembles, then larger ensembles towards the end of the decade. Arrangers learned to write elaborate lines for an entire section, harmonized in block chords, called soli. He had a warm and relaxed tone which he approached One was “Sugar Foot Stomp,” derived in the early 1920s from the King Oliver tune “Dippermouth Blues” and still in the repertory. Henderson was fond of short, memorable riffs—simple, bluesy phrases—in call and response: saxophones responding to trumpets, for example. But the string bass had been replacing the tuba over the rhythmic devices available with it and many players, including Wellman Braud with Duke Ellington’s band, showed that the instrument had a special percussive flavor when the strings were given a pizzicato “slap” (plucked rather than bowed). Between 1900 and 1920, the more common early types of American music included concert bands and Dixieland -- an early style of jazz. The verb "to swing" is also used as a term of praise for playing that has a strong groove or drive. 1 record in the country was Jimmie Lunceford’s “Rhythm Is Our Business.” Released a few months before Benny Goodman triggered the national craze known as swing, the song offered a foretaste of the coming deluge. Dissemination of records broke down differences Burgeoning record industry attracted musicians to cities How Did Swing Music Withstand the Blow of Great Depression. compositions and piano playing capabilities reminded people of blues and The Goodman band in 1935 had three trumpets, two trombones, the leader’s clarinet, two alto saxes, two tenor saxes, piano, guitar, bass, and drums, fourteen pieces in all, compared to Henderson’s eleven in the earlier days. Though this was its most popular period, the music had actually been around since the late 1920s and early 1930s, being played by black bands led by such artists as Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Bennie Moten, Cab Calloway, Earl Hines, and Fletcher Henderson, and white bands from the 1920s led by the likes of Jean Goldkette, Russ Morgan and Slim Gaillard (1911- 1991) jazz guitar. Ellington’s band. The swing era is known as the days of jazz when dance halls were packed with people eager to listen and swing dance to the best big bands from around the country. who started by leading a band for a weekly dance radio show. Fletcher Henderson’s big band. One musician compared it to child’s play—“a lot of kids playing in the mud, having a big time.”. influential musicians of all time, Ellington used to play weekly at New