Jean-Michel Serres, Composer-pianist (Apfel Café Music): Website

10 January 201523 August 2023

Glossary of Jazz

■A Cappella

To do Chorus or vocal solo without accompaniments. In Jazz, it’s difficult and added scats. The origin of the word is ‘like chapel music’ in Italy.

■Ad Lib

Ad Lib means Solo performances by improvisation. Basically Jazz players perform ad lib along with a cord progression of theme. The origin of the word is ‘Ad Libitum’ (for free) in Latin.

■Alternative Take

Rejected takes from original release of records.

■Articulation

Delicate performance techniques to cut or to tie a tone to a tone.

■Battle

Some players take solos by turns in ad lib.

■Bird

The nickname of Charlie Parker.

■Blindfold Test

Shut out the information and make examinees to listen to the song(s), then examinees guess the performers and give their opinions.

■Block Chord> (Geroge Shirring Method)

The piano harmonize method set 4 tones in closed positions (within one octave under melodies).

■Blue Note

Specific tones of Blues. They are three tones of E-flat, G-flat and B-flat.

■Blue Note Scale

The scale inserted blue notes.

■Blues Form

The form of blues is composed of 12 bars by a pattern of basic 3 cords (Ⅰ – Ⅳ – Ⅴ) cycles.

■Bounce

Playing brightly and easy in middle tempo.

■Brass Section

Brass part of orchestra. Usually it consists of 4 of trumpets and 4 of trombone.

■Break

Blank parts in songs, stop melody and rhythm.

■Brownie

The nickname of Clifford Brown.

■Call and Response

Dialogue by instruments or a vocal.

■Chase

Some players take solos by turns in a measures (usually 4 or 8 bars). Chase also called 4 bars (change) or 8 bars (change).

■Chorus

Sections expresse theme of a song.

■Cliche

Cliche means fixed form. In Jazz, for example C major cord continues in a song. it can move the code like C-Cm7-C6-Cm7.

■Combo

Small formation of band.

■Comping

Comping means to do accompaniment. Similar mean to backing.

■Drive

Characteristic brilliant rhythm feeling of Jazz performance.

■Ellingtonians

Musician enrolled the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and support the sound of Ellington. Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Lawrence Brown, Ray Nance, Cootie Williams and Barney Bigard.

■Fake

Breaking a song listeners somehow can realize the original.

■Format

Compositions of instruments or numbers of members.

■Front Line

Front line means a horn section compared with a rhythm section.

■Gig

Regular live performance works for free musicians.

■Groove

The word Groove is a similar mean to Swing. It signifies feeling of undulation and beat in Jazz.

■Growl Tone (Grow Tone, Dirty Tone)

Distorted tone or such performance by wind instruments.

■Harmonize

Take harmonies to a melody.

■Head Arrangement

Scores wrote rough arrangement and melodies,

■House Band

A band appears in a Jazz club or live house, attached to them.

■Idiom

Idiom in Jazz means feeling of a album or a song, style, characteristic or manner of performance.

■Improvisation

Playing music instantaneous without resorting to scores, Equal mean to ad lib.

■Interplay

Interplay means interactions in playing Jazz. Players improvisational perform their music affecting mutual.

■Jam Session

Musicians happened to be there, play ad lib performance by a easy previous arrangement for their own pleasure.

■Laid Back

Playing sticky to a rhythm.

■Leader Album

The albums planed and recorded by a specific leader, Also the album released by the name of the leader.

■Liner Notes

Handbooks attached Record or CDs.

■Marathon Session

■Modern Jazz

Total name of Jazz style after Swing Jazz. But Resurgence of Traditionalism or Modern Traditional is not included to Modern Jazz.

■Niagara Fall

The word signified wild drum roll play by Art Blakey.

■Off Beat> (After Beat)

In Jazz often the second and fourth beats are emphasised. Way of play like this called off beat.

■Percussive Tone

Plosive tones have strong attack by wind instruments.

■Personnel

Members take part in a Jazz album.

■Phrasing

Deciding divides of melodies.

■Polyrhythm

Adopting plural different rhythms.

■Quartet

Bands consisted by 4 members. Usually in Jazz it is organized by a piano trio and a solo wind instrument player.

■Quintet

Bands consisted by 5 members. Usually in Jazz it is organized by a piano trio and two solo wind instrument player.

■Refrain

In Jazz, refrain means theme parts of the song.

■Reharmonize

Hamonize again to songs by using alternative code, and it become more complex. Players can obtain rather modern sound by this method.

■Rhythm Change

Cyclic code called by american musicians.

■Rhythm Section

The section is in charge of rhythm in a band, Usually it includes a piano, a guitar, a bass or a drum.

■Riff

Instrumental melodies without lyrics. Many of riffs are repetition of easy melody.

■Rubato

Not set order a tempo, to play music slowly and quickly in a song.

■Sheets of Sounds

The tenor play style by John Coltrane. Coltrane brake up code progressions and established the modal idiom free from the bondage of code. It make him play tenor like sound overflow and paved.

■Shirring Style

The style suggested by George Shirring. Three of instruments, vibraphone, guitar and piano play melodies unison.

■Side-Men

Players not a leader or featured artist.

■Sit in

To take part in a band, he or she not a regular member.

■Soli

Plural form of solo. Soli means performances featured a section on Big Band.

■Standard Form

The form of one chorus consists of 32 bars of A-A-B-A (each part are 8 bars).

■Standard Number

Masterpieces or popular songs played by many players.

■Straight Ahead

The Jazz style succeed the tradition of 4 beat Jazz.

■Swing

Feeling of rhythm shake or swing bodies naturally. To do ‘swing’ or not is the absolute requirement in Jazz.

■Tension Note

Tone added the basic cord to heighten the tension of sound. Such as 9th, 11th and 13th notes.

■Theme

Theme part of a song. Same mean of chorus in Jazz.

■Tutti

Tutti means all of players playing simultaneously in big bands or orchestra, and indication to do so.

■Two-Five
The typical cord progression of Jazz, especially Be Bop. For example like Ⅰ – Ⅱ – Ⅴ – Ⅰ or Ⅰ – Ⅳ – Ⅱ – Ⅴ.

■Vamp

Brief accompaniment by codes and rhythm.

■Walking Bass

The playing style of 4 beat Jazz (Bebop, Hard Bop). Bass line up side down along with 4 beats, it makes swing feeling.

Timeline of Black Music

1871 – A Gospel group Fisk Jubilee Singers was organized, and succeed in European tour.

1920 – The golden age of harlem renaissance culture.

1923 – Single record of ‘Downhearted Blues’ by Bessie Smith sold 800,000 copies.

1934 – First live show was held at Apollo Theater in Harlem.

First recording of Mahalia Jackson.

1941 – First recording of Muddy Waters.

1943 – First recording of Nat King Cole.

1947 – Magazine for African-Americans ‘Ebony’ was first published.

1955 – ‘I’ve Got a Woman’ by Ray Charles was a big hit (reached No.1 on the R&B chart), and Soul music was born.

‘Tutti-Frutti’ by Little Richard reached No.2 on the R&B chart and No.17 on the US chart.

The debut song of Chuck Berry ‘Maybellene’ reached No.1 on the R&B chart and No.5 on the US chart.

1956 – James Brown released his first hit tune ‘Please, Please, Please’ reached No.5 on the R&B chart.

First recording of Aretha Franklin (Gospel songs).

Sam Cooke recorded non Gospel songs.

1957 – The predecessor of Stax Records, Satellite Records was founded.

Jackie Wilson made a his major debut.

1958 – The predecessor of Motown Records, Tamla Records was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit, Michigan.

1959 – ‘Try Me’ by James Brown was a big hit and reached No.1 on the R&B chart.

1962 – Otid Redding got signed to the Volt Records, subsidiary label of Stax Records.

1963 – The major debut song of Otis Redding ‘These Arms of Mine’ made a hit (No.20 on R&B chart).

1964 – ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ by The Supremes reached No.2 on the US chart.

Sam Cooke was shot dead in Los Angeles.

1965 – Sam Cooke’s single ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ released after his death, was hit in conjunction with the Civil Rights Movement (No.9 on the R&B chart, No.31 on the US chart).

‘My Girl’ by Temptations reached No.1 on the US chart.

1967 – The Monterey Pop Festival

Singles ‘Respect’ ‘Baby I Love You’, ‘(You Make Feel Like) A Natural Woman’ and ‘Chain of Fool’ by Aretha Franklin are big hits.

Otis Redding died in a plane crash.

DJ Kool Herc emigrated from Jamaica to Bronx, New York.

1968 – Concert of James Brown was broadcast live on TV and it restrain race riots.

Stax Records was independence from Atlantic Records.

1969 – The Woodstock Music & Art Fair

1970 – Al Bell became the Stax’s vice-president and a co-owner.

Debut of Jackson Five.

Jimi Hendrix died.

1972 – Motown relocate the office to Los Angeles.

1975 – DJ Kool Herc held his first block party.

1976 – Grandmaster Flash mixed records by two of turntables.

1977 – Grand Wizzard Theodore invented scratching.

1979 – Sugar Hill Records released the first rap record.

1980 – ‘The Breaks’ by Kurtis Blow became the first gold disc of rap.

1982 – Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force released ‘Planet Rock’.

A Hip Hop film ‘Wild Style’ released.

1984 – Run-D.M.C. released the first album, and the Oldschool Hip Hop came to the end.

Def Jam Recordings, held up sheer fresh sound, founded.

Schoolly D in Philadelphia released first Gangsta Rap single ever in Hip Hop.

1986 – Beastie Boys’ ‘Licensed to Ill’ became the first No.1 Hip Hop album on the Billboard pop album chart ever.

1987 – Groups, such as Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy and N.W.A., changed the paradigm of Hip Hop debut one after another.

1988 – Teddy Riley produced Bobby Brown’s album ‘My Prerogative’, and his own group Guy released debut album. He created a great sensation of New Jack Swing fuse Hip Hop and R&B.

1989 – ‘3 Feel Height and Rising’ by De La Soul explosive sold, and it indicated quite new sense of Hip Hop.

1992 – ‘The Chronic’ by Dr. Dre released, Gangsta Rap and G-Funk became a craze.

Mary J. Blige debut by ‘What’s the 411?’, and her musical style called ‘Hip Hop Soul’.

1994 – NAS and The Notorious B.I.G. released debut albums one after another, the boom of the Hip Hop proclaims gangsta and street taste has broken out.

1996 – ‘The Score’ by The Fugees suddenly became popular in worldwide.

1998 – Lauryn Hill released ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ which has world’s first Hip Hop album has female viewpoint.

1999 – White rapper Eminem, found talent by Dr. Dre, debut.

Genres and Styles of Black Music

■Blues

The basic form of blues is composed of 12 bars by a pattern of 3 cords cycles. Blues is developed in the whole of United States, and it became the root of evolution of R&B to Rock ’n’ Roll.

■Doo-wop

Doo-wop is a musical and chorus style of R&B. It consists of a main vocal and onomatopoetic back chorus (consists of high, middle and low parts) like ‘shang-a-lang’, ‘doooo -wop-wop’ and ‘bom-bom-bom’.

■Funk

Funk is the genre of black music created by James Brown in the middle of 1960s. Horns, brasses and strings are used percussive, emphasizing syncopation, Brown made the special polyrhythmic sound.
For example, successors of funk are P-Funk and Prince.

■Gospel (Black Gospel)

The Gospel music sung in black churches. Generally, the term ‘Gospel’ in popular music indicates Black Gospel. The Gospel music sung in protestant churches called ‘White Gospel’ or ‘Contemporary Christian Music’.

■Hip Hop

Hip Hop is a musical genre and a street culture originated by young blacks grew up in the ghetto on Bronx, New York City in mid 1970s. It contains not only music but also DJ style, scratching, breaking (dance style), graffiti art and fashion, and it crazed worldwide and had major impact to the 80’s music scene.

■House

The origins of House music are Philly Soul (Philadelphia), Sal Soul, Synth Pops and experimental German Rock. They fused in DJ play of Frankie Knuckles and his followers made House music by cheap drum machines and synthesizers.

Characteristics of House are electronic sound, danceable 4 beats and feeling succeeded by Soul music and its tempo is 115 to 130. Nowadays, House music is divided by various subgenres.

■Jazz

Jazz is the musical genre developed by the mix of european Classic music and african american music. It features improvisation performances by a band mainly consists of brass section. The birthplace of Jazz is regarded as New Orleans, and it spread over whole United States and evolved advanced, sophisticated and various styles.

■New Jack Swing (Swingbeat)

New Jack Swing is the fusion genre influenced by Hip Hop, R&B, Soul and Pops. The feature of it is fuse of breakbeats emphasized syncopation and melodic vocal styles of R&B and Pops.

■New Soul

New Soul is the appellation of distinctive and individual works of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Donny Hathaway in the first half 70’s fly out traditional framework of R&B to Soul.

New Soul was generated from Northern Soul such as Motown Records. Motown had production system. On the system, producers and song writers seized real power, singers and groups acted at the bidding of them. In the situation, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder rose in revolt against the production system and were concerned in total production themselves. Similarly Curtis Mayfield founded his own label Curtom. They are not only singers and song writers but also artists produce total concept of work and indicated social messages. Their works signaled the ushering of the new era of Soul music.

New Soul was influenced by Funk music of James Brown and Sly&Family Stone, using latin percussions effectively, constructed sophisticated rhythms. And other characteristics of New Soul were tension voicing like Jazz, chorus works by overdub, adoption of electronic piano, synthesizer and wah-wah guitar. Their experiments can’t expect much of stereo typical production of Soul music. Their songs are but not love ballads and dance tunes, serious message songs hit in charts and heavy air played in the response to 70’s the Civil Rights Movement and the counterculture.

■R&B (Rhythm and Blues)

The word R&B means popular black music in late 1940s to 1950s. It succeeded and developed excitement of powerful beats and shouts of blues style vocal of Jump Blues. R&B possessed various styles such as solo singers to vocal groups. This genre became one of element of Rock n’ Roll, and in 60’s evolved a more sophisticated music Soul.

But, Nowadays the word ‘R&B’ means non-rap music, in other words the contemporary R&B is the general term of popular vocal black music.

■Rock and Roll (Rock ’n’ Roll)

Rock ’n’ Roll is the music of fusion of Jump Blues, Big Band Jazz and Country music. The word root of it is a slung of ‘sex’ had been talked in african americans, and Rock ‘n’ Roll named by a white DJ Alan Freed.
The word of origin of Rock ’n’ Roll is ‘We’re Gonna Rock, We’re Gonna Roll’ by Wild Bill Moore. And, the first Rock hit is mentioned that ‘Rocket 88’ by Jackie Brenston. ‘Rocket 88’ based a Jump Blues song ‘Cadillac Boogie’ by Jimmy Liggins and His Honeydrippers. Without heavy Jump Blues sound, Fats Domino can’t make his sound, Little Richard had begun from a imitation of the Jump Shouter style of Roy Brown and Billy Wright.

Louis Jordan changed the Jump Blues big band style to a small combo style. It gave a big impact to Chuck Berry. And, Berry was deeply influenced by the lyrics and singing style of Jordan. Like Jordan, Berry’s lyrics drew everyday life comical and have story lines.

Another root of Rock ’n’ Roll is Boogie Piano. Both Fats Domino and Little Richards are pianist. In the begging, they played straight Boogie-woogie Piano. And, Chuck Berry’s guitar riff is a replacement of left hand 8 beat patterns of Boogie Piano. From the time there isn’t 8 beat, only he played 8 beat rhythm in the early era of Rock ’n’ Roll.

Then whites musicians succeed these Rock ’n’ Roll styles. Bill Haley’s model was Louis Jordan’s small combo style and R&B or Jump sound. Elvis Presley was highly appreciated of singing like black by Sam Phillips, Sun Records. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones begun their career by covers of Rock ’n’ Roll and R&B.

■Techno

Techno is the brother genre of House music and born in deeply influenced by Chicago House, Techno Pop and Electro Hip Hop. The differences to Chicago House are seriousness, lyricism, cybernetic feeling, minimalism and higher BPM 125 to 140.

Originators of Techno are black young men, Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson (Belleville Three). And in the beginning, Techno is black music on underground scene in Detroit. But Techno spread over to the rest of world. Techno yielded and spread various styles and subgenres. But Techno comparatively has no barriers of subgenres. Subgenres of Techno are connected by the universality of Minimal Techno and Detroit Techno.

■Soul

Soul music is the genre lump together various styles of popular black music evolved from R&B in 1960s. The word ‘Soul’ contained the growing ethnic consciousness of African Americans, its background was the rise of Civil Rights Movement.

Tag: Musical Study

Glossary of Jazz

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Timeline of Black Music

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Genres and Styles of Black Music

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