THE SHIFT TO BE BOP

1. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP • More significant changes to Jazz occur during the Bop era than in an other time in Jazz history. • The demise of Swing Big Bands brings about the rise of the small combo. • Many players were in WWII and new young players & their ideas gain exposure. • BeBop is the first Jazz Style that was not intended for dancing.

2. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP • There was a shift away from the popularity of Swing to a more elite audience and players • The new style demanded more of the listening audience and much more of the player. • Many Swing players were not able to “keep up” with the complexities and technical demands of BeBop. • The music was generally fast and favored small combo set ups

3. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP • The new young players were interested in allowing for more improvisation and letting the soloist lead the group • They were tired of reading written arrangements that limited the exploration of new sounds • Its is hard to pin down an exact start to BeBop. • It is commonly thought to have solidified in New York in the early 1940’s • However, Kansas City, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, and Chicago all could be said to have spawned BeBop players at this time as well.

4. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP • BeBop is today’s mainstream Jazz style that is studied or played by modern players • Only through historical context do we actually see that BeBop contains most of the innovations and innovative players most remembered today. • Jazz used to be the music of the dance hall, the night club, the street, and the church. • Today it has become concert music and is studied in Colleges & Universities worldwide.

5. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP BE BOP Arranging • More radical changes were embraced by the BeBop musician than ever before in Jazz. • The smaller groups provided more chances for the improvised solo to lead the group. • Unlike Big Bands, BeBop groups only used a very small portion of composed material. • Unison lines would be played by the lead instruments (usually by the Trumpet & Sax) at the onset • Improvised chorus of solos would follow • A repeat of the “head” or composed section would end the piece.

6. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP Musical Expansion • The BeBop player used extended harmonies in the chords. • These higher harmonies were reflections of the experimentations occurring in 20th century classical music. • They included notes that occurred in higher octaves in the overtone series above the Root, 3, 5, & 7 used mostly by earlier Jazz styles. • Complex combinations of old triads called Poly-chords were also used

7. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP Musical Expansion • BeBop tempos were general faster than previous music in part because it was a listening music and not intended for dance. • BeBop accented beats differently than previous Jazz music (usually accents occurred in-between the beat) • More tonal clashes occurred in the music using unusual harmonies that was a reflection of the tension felt in the early days of WWII in America • Sometimes Chord Arpeggios were used only instead of a melodic solo because of the complexities of a particular tune.

8. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP Musical Expansion • One other Major Change in BeBop was the development of STANDARD TUNES. • These tunes would contain chord changes that were used by more than one artist to create different songs by changing only the head or the first composed melody • BeBop players also changed the phrasing of the main melodies and solo melodies from neat symmetrical lines of the past to what would seem uneven and unnatural.

9. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP The BeBop Rhythm Section • Drums – Played the main rhythm on the ride cymbal and used the snare and bass for accents only • Piano – left behind the steady 1,2,3,4 and played syncopated chord accents • Guitar – with the advent of the amplifier it became a solo instrument like the trumpet and sax • String Bass – the only instrument left play 1,2,3,4 but now played “walking bass” lines and not just root notes • The Rhythm section was now freer to explore new rhythms and less likely to just duplicate parts for the sake of pulse

10. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • Individual Players would shape this music more so than the composer/ arranger of the past. • ROY ELDRIDGE & DIZZY GILLESPIE(Trumpet) • Dizzy is often considered the first Bop trumpet player • Dizzy was influenced by Louis Armstrong but more so by Roy Eldridge who is often over looked in Jazz history • Eldridge played with Fletcher Henderson and was known for his virtuosic technique & use of the extreme upper register of the trumpet • Dizzy model much of his playing on Eldridge so much so he often was called as a replacement for Eldridge

11. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • ROY ELDRIDGE & DIZZY GILLESPIE • Around 1944 Dizzy is credited with putting together the first official Bop group with bassist Oscar Pettiford • There group along with other great Jazz groups played the clubs along NYC’s 52nd Street from 1944-47 and help shoot BeBop into the mainstream of Jazz • Dizzy’s style was either praised or vilified, but was defiantly the most talked about Bop musician of the time. • *YOUTUBE – • DIZZY & CHARLIE PARKER “HOT HOUSE”

12. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • CHARLIE PARKER (Alto Sax) • Known as “Bird” born in Kansas City 1921. • @ 15 he was hanging around Kansas City clubs listening and trying to imitate the players he heard such as in The Basie Band. • He studied with local classically trained sax players as well as guitarist and pianist and anyone who would teach him. • First moved to New York in 1939 to seek out jam sessions and supported himself doing odd jobs • He was hired for a few big band tours that left New York

13. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • CHARLIE PARKER (Alto Sax) • Returned to New York and was 1st hired in 1944 as a leader at the Spotlight Club on 52nd Street. • He began associations with fellow players like Dizzy Gillespie and a young trumpeter named Miles Davis • Some of his most remember melodies came out of his time on 52nd street such as KoKo, Now’s the Time, Billie’s Bounce, etc… • Parkers influence to later musicians extends much as Armstrong before him to all instruments not just the Sax • LISTENING JOURNAL • CHARLIE PARKERS RE-BOPPERS = KOKO • *YOUTUBE - Charlie’s tragic life • DVD CHAOS- Bebop beginnings 0:00 – 26:10

14. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • BUD POWELL (Piano) • Was classically trained as a school boy • Brought his advanced knowledge of harmony and technique to the BeBop community • Became an established member of the 52nd Street “family” before moving to France in 1959. • His left hand chords were his major contribution to Bop • The way he “voiced” the chords and the way he choose were and when to place them in the music were fresh and innovative for the time. • *YOUTUBE – Bud Powell Trio

15. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • CHARLIE CHRISTIAN (Guitar) ( Benny Goodman) • & JIMMY BLANTON (Bass) (Duke Ellington) • Both were national figures in 1939 and both died of tuberculosis in 1942 • Both change the concept of playing the respective instruments • Both elevated their instruments from simple rhythm playing to solo instruments • Both subsequently influenced all future players on their instruments • *YOUTUBE – CHARLIE CHRISTIAN

16. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • THELONIOUS MONK (Piano) • Influential pianist and composer. • His pieces were considered compositions that were not interchangeable from melodic lines and chord changes. • His soloing style was compositional in that he would develop phrases and ideas in ever conceivable manner. Used much more space & sparseness in ideas. • Recognized as an innovative composer before he was as an influential pianist. • Considered a Founding Father of BeBop, he would later take his composition style in other directions. • LISTENING JOURNAL =BAGS GROOVE • *YOUTUBE – Straight Note Chaser pt 1

17. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP THE PERFORMERS • JJ JOHNSON (Trombone) • The trombone did not contribute to the development of BeBop • Most Trombone players at the time did not have the “Chops” to be able to succeed in BeBop • JJ Johnson was one trombone player that proved it was possible. • Johnson’s smooth & clean style worked perfectly for the Bop style. • He became the leading influence on all trombonist to follow • **YOUTUBE – NOW’S THE TIME

18. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP PROGRESSIVE BIG BANDS • When larger Bands used the harmonic & rhythmic developments of Bop they were called progressive • Swing Big Bands only had hints of Bop in some soloist • Progressive bands took the instrumentation of Big Band Swing and combined it with BeBop • Two progressive band leaders were • DIZZY GILLESPIE & STAN KENTON

19. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP PROGRESSIVE BIG BANDS • Dizzy’s Big Band • Gillespie was the first to put a big band together to play Bop in 1945. • The Band was short lived as Dizzy became interested in Cuban music and started to change the direction from Bop to Afro-Cuban • It is notable that Dizzy’s big band was the first to tour on behalf of the US State Department with a complete mix of black and white musicians

20. THE SHIFT TO BE BOP PROGRESSIVE BIG BANDS • STAN KENTON • Band leader out of Los Angeles • Began to add to his repertoire the new styles and tunes of BeBop from the players that worked in his band • He was never one to compromise Jazz as art for the safety and comfort of commercially successful big bands • **YOUTUBE – LIMEHOUSE BLUES