BeBop

1. BeBop The 1940s

2. Characteristics • BeBop is about improvisation and solo playing, not melodies • BeBop melodies, or heads, compliment the improvisations • Smaller groups prevail over the big band • This music is heard in small clubs rather than in dance halls • It is not commercial (and not very popular, either) • Generally, BeBop is not dance music • Much faster • Rhythmic pulse is not as obvious

3. Repertory • Bebop music continues to depend on the Kansas City Style • 12 bar blues • Compositions based on the chords to George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” • And • 32 bar forms (AABA, ABAC) • Bebop is the re-composition of popular songs

4. Recomposition • Players abandon the original melody and compose a new one over the harmonic structure of the original!

5. BEBOP-STYLE TUNE KoKo Charlie Parker Hot House Tadd Dameron Crazeology Benny Harris Groovin’ High Dizzy Gillespie ORIGINAL Cherokee Ray Noble What Is This Thing Called Love Cole Porter I Got Rhythm George Gershwin Whispering Rose-Coburn-Schonberger Recompositions

6. Where did BeBop Originate? • 1940s • The natural movement toward smaller groups • Musicians at the leading edge moved to “The Street” (West 52nd) • These musicians called their new music rebop, bebop, bop to describe this very energetic style. • Scat singers (an attempt to re-create the melodies of the new style) • The new style confused the older musicians such as Cab Calloway (“Chinese Music”) and Louis Armstrong (an annoying novelty) • Traditional jazz fans were very disappointed

7. The Abandonment of Classical Jazz • “Moldy Figs” = Moldy Oldies • An Insider’s music • The older style was called “passe”, “old-fashioned”, “unhip” • Other problems included: • A wartime tax on dance halls • Fewer opportunities for employment

8. The 1940s • Bohemianism • Dress like the beboppers • Beret, goatee, horn-rimmed glasses, zoot suits • Act like the boppers • Drug addiction • Talk like the boppers (hipsters) • Jazz ceased being commercial • A rejection of all things conformist and mainstream • Reaction against racism and segregation • Norman Granz wrote an anti-discrimination clause into all his contracts

9. Norman Granz • Norman Granz was one of the most powerful nonmusicians in jazz. • He fought against racism, forcing many hotels and concert venues to become integrated in the 1940s and 50s. • He put on a concert at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles that he dubbed Jazz at the Philharmonic. • Granz promoted Ella Fitzgerald,Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Count Basie and Ben Webster. • He died in Geneva from complications of cancer on November 22, 2001.

10. In The 1940s, • Jazz became a political statement and • Bebop became the basis for modern jazz

11. From the Old to the New • Much of the new style incorporated the old: • Improvisation on • 32 bar pop songs in AABA or ABAC form • Rhythm changes • Blues • 8th note melodic lines • Characteristic instrumentation • Head-solo-head

12. Subculture in Revolution • cult identity • berets, sun glasses, zoot suits, string ties • walking symbols • Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie • Gillespie was • friendly, humorous, popular • Monk was • detached, eccentric, isolated

13. Thelonious MonkOctober 10, (1917, 1918, 1920) - February 17, 1982 • Not accepted until the mid -1960s • fast, brilliant technique was missing • He was a leader in harmony and structure • He worked with notes distantly related to the chords • The dissonant quality influenced the avant-garde movement

14. Monk’s Life and Career • Rocky in Mount, NC, 10/10/1917 (or 1918 or 1920) • Moved to Manhattan at age 4 • Developed an obsessive attachment to home • He lived in the same house for more than 40 years • A withdrawn child, nicknamed “Monkey” • Began piano lessons when he was 11 • Early favorites were Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and James P. Johnson • Quit school at 16 and toured the country

15. Monk’s Life and Career • Returned to NY and played with Gillespie and Parker • 1939 - helped developa new style called “bipbop” • surrounded by • Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke (drummer), Charlie Parker, and Charlie Christian (drummer) • 1948 led the first bebop group at the Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village • drifted away from mainstream bebop • alienated musicians and listeners with dissonance

16. “Misterioso” - 1948 • the band • Thelonious Monk, piano, Milt Jackson, vibes, John Simmons, bass, Shadow Wilson, drums • a blues typical of Monk and of bebop • instrumental melody • Monk’s solos demonstrate his harmonic thought • his style led listeners to believe he was a poor player • as his style developed, he found it difficult to find work

17. “Misterioso” • 0.00 Intro made up of the first 4 m. of tune • 0.11 written melody played by piano, vibes, bass - heard in the bottom notes • 0.46 vibe solo; piano plays low notes; no chords • 1.23 piano solo, dissonant; no accomp. by vibes • 1.42 ascending runs ending on dissonant notes • 1.50 ascending runs to dissonant notes • 1.59 2nd solo chorus by Monk • 2.04 large melodic leaps • 2.40 vibe enters with melody, piano develops accmpt idea • 3.03 piano joins vibes with melody • 3.15 improvised ending • 3.19 end

18. Monk’s Life and Career • 1951 - arrested for possession • bailed out by wealthy and eccentric Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter • A descendant of the English branch of the Rothschild family • considered as one of the most important patrons and friends of modern jazz musicians • Her suite at the Stanhope is best known for being the place where Charlie Parker died in 1955

19. Monk’s Life and Career • first concert appearance - Town Hall, NYC, 1959 • won Down Beat’s International Critic’s Poll in 1958, 1959, 1960 • awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 1975 • called by Martin Williams “the most significant composer since Duke Ellington”

20. I Should Care • Recorded 4/12/57 • Music by Paul Weston, Axel Stordahl • Free tempo • Uses only the essence of the melody and harmony • Note the striking of chords followed by quick releases, except for one note

21. Fats Waller’s most famous and most recorded piece Chord structure serves as the basis for many jazz tunes - similar to Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm Waller recorded the piece 10 times This version was recorded in 1935 Thelonious Based on the Waller tune Needs repeated listening to understand Monk doesn’t sound like other pianists What Monk wanted to say dictated how he would say it Piano is treated like a percussion instrument This is a carefully worked out arrangement Honeysuckle RoseFats Waller compared with Monk

22. Unusual piano style Considered to be one of the prime forces behind bebop Rooted in the Harlem Stride tradition Metric Displacement p. 215 Foreshadows minimalism Abstract objectivity Whole-tone scale Monk

23. Whole-Tone Scale • Scales • Major C D E F G A B C • Blues C (Eb-E natural)F F# G Bb C • Whole Tone C D E F# G# A# (B-flat) C

24. 32-bar song form“Four in One”

25. Thelonious Monk “Straight No Chaser”

26. Bud Powell1924 - 1966 • brilliant bopper, his best years were the 1950s and 1960s • After 1945 his career was interrupted by extended commitments to mental hospitals • Born in New York City to a musical family, Powell began the study of classical piano at age 6 • Bud left high school at age 15 to play professionally • He met Monk at Minton’s Playhouse(closed since the 1970s, is re-opening) • Fascinated by Monk’s unorthodox style • Was encouraged and helped by Monk

27. Bud Powell • His inner torment pushed him to alcohol • His career was frequently interrupted by commitments to mental hospitals • Spent 10 months in Pilgrim State Hospital (1949) • Powell based his style on Earl Hines and Art Tatum, but was inspired by Charlie Parker • Powell and Monk were arrested in 1951 for narcotics possession • Powell became violent and was committed to Creedmore Hospital. Electric shock treatment. Released in 1953 • He married in 1953 - two children • Moved to Paris • Return to the US in 1964 • Returned (?) to Paris in 1965 • 1965 he played a Carnegie Hall concert commemorating Charlie Parker • Bud Powell died in 1966 - alcoholism and tuberculosis

28. Bud Powell The band: Piano - Bud Powell Bass - Curly Russell Drums - Max Roach This is an example of the development of the bop style for the piano The piano can join the rhythm section while, at the same time, develop melodic linesDizzy plays his own composition (Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet, Charlie Parker, alto sax, Bud Powell, piano, Charlie Mingus, bass, Max Roach, drums) 0.00 Intro Latin pattern 0.16 (A) main motive of song 0.24 Mix of swing and Latin 0.38 (B) Bridge section - melodic and rhythmic swing patterns 0.49 (A) return to Latin patterns 1.00 Interlude chorus 1.23 Bebop solo 1.45 Bridge 1.57 (A) 2.08 2nd chorus of the solo 2.32 (A) 2.43 (A) 3.06 (B) Long bebop melodic line 3.18 Final (A) of 3rd solo chorus 3.30 (A) is repeated twice as a vamp 3.52 Open piano solo break 4.12 end “Night in Tunisia”Bud Powell Trio - 1951

29. “Americans don’t have any original art except Western movies and jazz” - Clint Eastwood

30. Quiz # 7 Thelonious Monk

31. Monk • 1. Who said “Americans don’t have any original art except Western movies and jazz” ? • A. Thelonious Monk • B. Clint Eastwood • C. Bud Powell • D. Arthur C. Clark

32. Monk • 2. Who composed “Night in Tunisia”? • A. Duke Ellington • B. Thelonious Monk • C. Charlie Parker • D. Dizzy Gillespie

33. Monk • 3. “Four in One” is in this musical form. • A. AAB • B. ABA • C. AABA • D. ABACABA

34. Monk • 4. Which of the following is the whole-tone scale? • A. C-D-E-F-G-A-B • B. C#-D#-F#-G#-A# • C. C-D-E-flat-F-G-A-flat-B-natural • D. C-D-E-F#-G#-A#

35. Monk • 5. You are listening to: • A. “Misterioso” • B. “Night in Tunisia” • C. “Four in One” • D. “I Should Care”

36. Monk • 6. When did the term “Bop” or BeBop” come about? • A. 1930s • B. 1940s • C. 1950s • D. 1960s

37. Monk • 7. A new melody composed to fit the harmonic and formal structure of a previously composed song is a • A. contrafact • B. counterpoint • C. contra bass • D. contra bassoon

38. Monk • 8. Which of the following compositions are “contrafacts”? “KoKo”, “Hot House”, “Crazeology”, “Grovin’ High” • A. All of them • B. None of them • C. “KoKo” only • D. “Grovin’ High” only

39. Bebop is linked to Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, and Thelonious Monk • Bebop reached its highest level during Parker’s lifetime • Bebop was developed by and for virtuosos • Improvisational freedom • Jazz was maturing • Early Bebop drew small audiences • Only a few musicians could do it well • Sophisticated chord structures • Irregular melodies • Lightening speed • Listeners became confused

40. Four Important Changes • 1. Bebop required a greater understanding of jazz theory • 2. Bebop introduced complex instrumental melodies and phrases • 3. Bebop introduced complex chords and rhythms to the rhythm section • 4. Bebop called for virtuoso technique

41. Technique • Improvisation shifted from ornamenting the melody to organizing new patterns of fast and active melodic lines • Patterns often ended with an abrupt two-note figure that suggested the word “be-bop” • The musicians developed theoretical relationships between distented chords and esoteric scales to justify what had been dissonance. These notes are called melodic extensions

42. New Melodies • The important notes (the top notes of the melodic line) were accented • The accented notes outlined a new melody • Bebop melodies are not very tuneful

43. The band: Trumpet - Dizzy Gillespie Trombone - Trummy Young Tenor sax - Don Byas Piano - Clyde Hart Bass - Oscar Pettiford Drums - Shelly Manne 0.00 Intro using chords from the last phrase of the song, tenor sax and t-bone play long chord tones, bass stays around a 4-to-the-measure beat, drums use brushes in a slow swing pattern 0.30 1st 8 measure section begins, trp. Creates a melodic variation using the shape and most of the original Vernon Duke tune. Tenor sax and t-bone play a unison countermelody 0.58 melodic extensions end the phrases 1.05 countermelody returns with a repeat of the (A) section 1.39 bridge (B), new countermelody, the original melody becomes more obscure 2.12 last (A) section, countermelody by tenor sax and t-bone in unison 2.47 the chorus is extended into an ending 2.55 short solo break (trp.) 3.00 ending “I Can’t Get Started” - 1945

44. The Rhythm Section • Carried the weight of harmony and rhythm • The pianist discovered new ways to play familiar chords • The bass played walked more often and faster • The drummer added complicated patterns • Use of polyrhythms • In “Un Poco Loco” Max Roach punctuates with bombs

45. The AABA Form • Most bebop performances are heavily weighted with solos and little arrangement • Big band arrangements are completely rejected • Emphasis on improvisation created new melodies for old songs and often eliminated the original melody completely • “Embraceable You” from the Broadway Show “Girl Crazy”sung by Kiri Te Kanawa • “Embraceable You” Charlie Parker Quintet • “Embraceable You” Charlie Parker Quintet • “Embraceable You” from the Broadway Show, “Crazy For You” • Newly written tunes minimize the melody and expand time for the solos • Used standard 32-bar AABA form with the 8 bar (A) section having the only written melody • AABA is not a new form

46. Dizzy Gillespie1917 - 1994 • John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie • b. 1917 in Cheraw, South Carolina • first bop trumpet player and innovator of this style along with Charlie Parker • played with • Teddy Hill • Cab Calloway • Billy Eckstine • established reputation with Parker in small groups • formed his own big band in 1946 and became the best known jazz musician in America

47. Dizzy Gillespie1917 - 1994 • played throughout the world • “Shaw ‘Nuff” is one of the earliest bop recordings and typifies the new style • many bop tunes are composed on the “changes” of popular songs - among the most popular of the “changes” are the chord changes based on Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” so they are called rhythm changes! • these chords can be modified without disrupting the harmonic progress

48. Dizzy Gillespie1917 - 1994 • Gillespie’s style: • angular melodies of 8th notes • irregular length phrases • chromatic • emotional virtuosic playing • high-middle range • listen to: • Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Quintette • “Shaw ‘Nuff” (SCCJ III-10) • “Bird Songs” (Telarc CD-83421) • “To Diz With Love” (Telarc CD-83307)

49. Dizzy Gillespie Recorded 1992 Dizzy was 75 Dizzy Gillespie, tr Benny Golson, tenor David Sanchez, tenor Danilo Perez, pno George Mraz, bass Kenny Washington, dr Night in Tunisiaby Dizzy Gillespie

50. Charlie “Bird” Parker1920 - 1955 • in the 1940’s prisoners were called “yardbirds” - Parker’s jail time • partial to fried chicken • “Bird” is the artist who brought bebop to maturity • born Charles Christopher Parker, Jr. 8/29/20 • age 13 became absorbed in jazz and began to frequent the clubs at night • his mother bought him a sax for $45.00 and he taught himself to play • joined the Deans of Swing