syncopation

stress on any portion of the measure other than the first part of the first beat

scat singing

jazz improvisation using the human voice as an instrument, with nonsense syllables instead of words

chorus

single playing through of the structure being used to organize the music in an improvisation
a jazz solo, regardless of its length

collective improvisation

simultaneous improvisation by all members of a group together

blues

simple, funky style of black music separate from but coexistent with jazz

comping

syncopated chording which provides improvised accompaniment for simultaneously improvised solos, flexibly complementing the rhythms and implied harmonies of the solo line

blue notes

pitch somewhere between a major third and minor third or between a major seventh and minor seventh step of the scale

walking bass line

style of bass line in which each beat of each measure receives a separate tone, thus creating a moving sequence of quarter notes in the bass range

chord progression

when one chord changes or "progresses" to another chord

double-time

feeling that a piece of music or a player is going twice as fast as the tempo, although the chord progressions continue at the original rate

riff

phrase, melodic fragment, theme

ragtime

popular turn-of-the-century style of written piano music involving pronounced syncopation

rhythm section

group of players whose band functions is accompanying

ragtime

multi-themed, usually grouped AA BB A CC DD
written/printed piano music

call and response

1 element of band calls 'question' another element responds with 'answer'

scott joplin

most renewed compose and pianist of ragtime music
published 'original rags'
wrote around 40 rags, 2 opera, and a ballet

classic blues

female singers
piano or small band accompaniment
about love, misery, and sexual innuendo

country blues

from folk traditions; work songs and 'hollers'
male singer accompanying himself on guitar or banjo
storytelling
uses AAB form

bessie smith

weighty powerful tone
aggressive singing style
AAB

jelly roll morton

1st pianist to do rag time and jazz
perfected swing feel
mixed ragtime with less formal more blues oriented styles

james p johnson

composer,conductor,pianist
the father of stride piano
one of 1st jazz musicians to be board cast on radio

earl hines

west end blues was claim to fame
popular via radio
surprise is center of his solos
stride style; physical played
stop time and double time fingers

fletcher henderson

sectionalization
block chord writing; solos

duke ellington

master compose/arranger
most important jazz composer
2000 works of wide variety

swing

smoother overall rhythmic feel
musicians refined skills
saxophone and upright bass more common
high-hat symbols used more

stride

left-hand style used by early jazz pianist

trumpet

highest in the brass family

cornet

brass instrument, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality

stop time

rhythmic advice whereby a chord or accent is played only on the first beat of every bar or every other bar, typically accompanying a solo

solo break

short segment of jazz piece in which the soloist plays without accompaniment

trading fours

usually occurs after each musician has a chance to play a solo and often involves alternating with the drummer

clarinet

woodwind instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece

dixieland

usual instrument was trumpet, clarinet, piano, trombone, string bass, drums, and banjo

count basie

American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer

johnny hedges

alto saxophonist

lester young

American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinet

joe "king" oliver

one of the most important figures in jazz; started as trombonist

louis armstrong

american jazz trumpeter, singer, soloist,

bix beiderbecke

american jazz corniest, jazz pianist, and composer