AndrewJacobScott.com

Happy 2009 and Welcome to the website of Andrew Scott PhD.

Winner of the Best Jazz Artist of 2007 from the Toronto Independent Music Awards!

There is a nice article on me entitled “Jazz is just one of grad’s many cool hats” by Alex Keshen on page 62 of the September 2008 issue of the North Toronto Post.

From Canadian Musician Magazine (Volume XXIX No. 3)…"…there are a lot of good guitarists around these days including [Levon Ichkhanian, David Occhipinti, Andy Scott, and more” (Sonny Greenwich Page 50).

I’ve officially joined the rest of the world and I now have a myspace page. Here.

An article I contributed to on contemporary jazz from the National Post is here.

Email me to say “hello” andrewjacobscott (the symbol for at ) sympatico.ca

About me:

I grew up in Toronto, Canada and have been involved in music my whole life. I sang in the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus as a youngster, played French horn in junior high school and took up the guitar at Leaside High School. My first teachers were my mother—a great piano player—and Andy Baracus at Leaside. I got interested in jazz mainly through my mom’s Oscar Peterson, Junior Mance and Dave Brubeck records. My first jazz teachers were Brian Hughes and Joey Goldstein, all of who gave me a good musical foundation and pointed me in the right direction. I attended Humber College of Applied Arts and Sciences in the music department. Here, I had the good fortune to work with some great teachers (Charles Tolliver, Don Thompson, Pat LaBarbera, Peter Harris, Ted Quinlan, Michael Farquason) and meet some amazing musicians who were masquerading as students. Around this time, I also helped start a really nice band called One Step Beyond. We were on a few compilation records, put out two albums on our own and got to tour extensively throughout North America—occasionally as the backup band for organist Merl Saunders. I also went to Arosa, Switzerland around this time and played in The Hotel Eden for four months.

In 1998, I moved to Boston and attended the New England Conservatory of Music. I earned a Masters in Historical Musicology while getting to play jazz with some great musicians. NEC was the dream school for someone with diverse interests. The scholarship was high—thanks to Greg Smith, Helen Greenwald, Peter Row, Anne Hallmark—and the music was rich and varied; I studied under such wonderful musicians as John McNeil and Gene Bertonncinni. I would have loved to stay in Boston—it is an amazing city—but I got accepted into the PhD. program of Musicology/Ethnomusicology at York University to study with Rob Bowman. In the spring of 2006 I successfully defended my dissertation/thesis “The Life, Music and Improvisational Style of Herbert Lawrence ‘Sonny’ Greenwich.” I am really happy to report that Montreal’s Vehicule Press will be publishing my book on Greenwich!

Additionally, I’ve put out two albums with Jim Clayton in a band called The Clayton/Scott Group. The band, which mainly features David French, Jake Wilkinson, Will Jarvis and Steve Heathcote (although other great musicians have worked with us) gets a lot of radio play on Max Trax, Wave 94.7 FM, The Breeze in Calgary and a number of other “contemporary” jazz radio stations. We have also been recognized for our efforts with two “Group of the Year” wins at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards (2005 and 2006) and a National Jazz Award Nomination for “Electric Group of the Year.” We were lucky to work with two wonderful producers—Tony Grace and Rob DeBoer of Four 80East–a group with whom I now play–for our 2nd album “So Nice.” In addition, I married a wonderful woman, have a young son and daughter, got a dog, bought a house, played just about every jazz festival in Ontario, have written for a host of good academic journals and magazines–including CODA Magazine where I’m the Managing Editor (see my CV)–and completed a record on my own featuring some “swingin’” playing by Harry Allen , Jake Wilkinson, Bernie Senensky, Louis Simao and Joel Haynes. The record is called “This One’s for Barney,” as a tribute to the late guitarist Barney Kessel, whose music I love and whom I feel was influential on my playing style. It was released on Sackville Records in late 2004.

My 2nd recording–"Blue Mercer"–is a program of mainly Johnny Mercer music. I am thrilled that New York trumpeter Randy Sandke, tenor saxophonist Mike Murley, pianist Bernie Senensky, bassist Louis Simao and drummer Joel Haynes agreed to record with me. John Norris at Sackville Records has again put out this record and I’m happy to report that the liner notes have been written by pianist/composer/Mercer collaborater Gene DiNovi, whose composition “Have a Heart” I recorded for this album. His notes can be found in the press section of this website. This recording is currently getting a lot of play on CBC and CJRT (Jazz FM).

I’m also pleased to report I recently recorded two “Generations” CDs with Gene DiNovi and Dave Young (July 2007). The first ("The Three Optimists at the Old Mill") is available on Sackville Records in the fall of 2008. The second was produced by famed jazz producer Mitsuo Johfu for his Marshmallow record company. Here is a link to the label’s website (Japanese only, however). I will be making a guitar trio record (guitar, bass, drums) for the same label sometime in 2008.

As of June 2008, I have recorded a third CD as leader for Sackville Records. The CD, Nostalgia features tunes (or rather melodies/heads) that are based upon standard American songbook compositions: so, for example, we play Fats Navarro’s “Nostalgia” which is based upon “Out of Nowhere” and Barney Kessel’s “Vicky’s Dream” which is based upon “All the Things You Are” etc. The record features both Dan Block (on tenor and clarinet) and Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet (and a variety of mutes) on the front line and the swinging rhythm section of pianist Mark Eisenman, bassist Pat Collins and drummer Joel Haynes. Should be out in early 2009.

In addition to all of this, I teach at Humber College of Music (critical perspectives on contemporary music, sociology of contemporary music, jazz history, 2nd year music theory, reading ensemble and private guitar), the University of Guelph (jazz history, ensemble coaching and private guitar instruction), Seneca College (survey course in Canadian music) and York University (classroom and private guitar instruction). That is where this website comes in. This site is mainly a resource for my students. Here, I will post thoughts, reading assignments, listening assignments and important dates for students in my courses. Students are encouraged to email me, leave messages, ask questions, raise issues etc. which I will post on the website in order to continue the classroom discourse long after the class is over.

Thanks for visiting my site.

Andrew

WEEK XII 1980s: Music Video & Stadium Rock (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, U2)Reading: Chapter 13 (pp. 382 – 419) from Starr & Waterman’s American Popular Music.
Humber College
Andrew Scott

The musical aesthetics of punk
Punk turned progressive rock—with its artistic aspirations and corporate backing—on its head (362).
Punk was a stripped down, “non-musical” version of rock and roll.”
Influence of the “amateur energy” of the garage bands: “The Standells” (Musical example: “Dirty Water” and “? And the Mysterians”
And of “proto-punk” bands: Velvet Underground and The New York Dolls

The semiotics of punk
Simultaneously against the fashion of the day and its own fashion statement of the day: ripped jeans, swastikas, safety pins, leather jackets, ripped British flags: a semiotic concept of briocolage (Dick Hebdige)—meaning French word bricolage: “do-it-yourself” or “fiddle, tinker“—”make creative and resourceful use of whatever materials are on hand (regardless of their original purpose).“

Signifying?

Musical considerations
Catchy
Pop inspired melodies
Little studio mediation
Fast tempos
Short tunes
Raw sound and approach: “classic” 50s rock style
Balanced nihilistic approach (of punk more generally) with “real” ethos of rock and roll

British Punk
As manufactured as the Monkees
Intended to shock the musical establishment.
Managed by Malcolm McLaren
Featuring singer Johnny Rotten and (later) bassist Sid Vicious
“God Save the Queen” was released for the Queen’s Silver jubilee.
“Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols”
The Clash: Punk plus rockabilly, R&B and reggae
“London Calling” was arguably the most popular punk recording
Musical Example: Anarchy in the U.K.” (1976) (British Punk)
Coupled with NWOFBHM, British Punk (attitude, posturing and music) was influential on L.A. Hardcore bands such as Black Flag.

New Wave/Punk
Growing reaction to mainstream rock which was seen as increasingly commercial and corporate.
a “self-conscious” and “ironic” attitude about their primitive musical style.
The Ramones and The Talking Heads emerged out of a club called CBGB.
“do-it-yourself” attitude
Lack of training and nihilistic lyrics
New Wave–New Order, REM and early U2–became a dominant popular musical form during the 1980s.
Distinguished from punk through its reliance upon technology, studio manipulation and electronic keyboards, it also combined the glam (The Human League).

New Wave/Electronica
The light “lite?” frothy 80s bands: Depeche Mode, Human League, Thompson Twins being replaced by lyrically engaging bands.
New Wave: Punk minus the “anger”
New Wave as the Commercial manifestation of Punk

Talking Heads (New Wave)
The Ramones had appropriated the 1950s leather clad biker look, David Byrne had borrowed from that stereotype’s nemesis: the 50’s college nerd.
Just as punk’s anti-fashion became the new fashion, David Byrne’s “studied awkwardness” established a new kind of cool.
Musical example: “Once in a Lifetime.”

The 1980s
The “Gimmie” Decade” reaction to Tom Wolfe’s labelling of the “Me Decade” (1970s).
Label cutbacks creates an industry that relies upon a few large selling superstars rather than a roster of medium successful acts
As a result, record companies were less interested in pushing musical boundaries and taking risks
Technology: development of digital sound recording (CD in 1983)
Sampling (implications on rap and hip hop)
Music Videos: 2nd British invasion with The Eurhythmics, Flock of Seagulls, Adam Ant, Billy Idol and Thomas Dolby by the mid 1980’s, all of whom, not coincidentally, were early masters at exploiting the power of the music video.

MTVand MuchMusic
The 80’s: The “Gimme” decade.
August 1st 1981–MTV – the first 24 hour a day all music television network.
“Video Killed the Radio Star”
“Haircut bands”: Depeche Mode, the Pet Shop Boys, the Human League and Duran Duran
“West End Girls” The Pet Shop Boys.

Video Racism
In 1983, Rolling Stone: of the 750 videos shown on MTV
Fewer than 2 dozen featured Black artists.
Robert Pittman, founder: Black artists “simply did not play rock & roll.”
Black artists were excluded to the Disco and R&B ghetto.
Video Example: “Beat It” Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson: Jackson 5.
Teamed with Quincy Jones
1979 Jackson’s album “Off the Wall”
“Don’t stop till you get enough”
Nine million copies and broke down the barriers that artificially compartmentalized R&B from popular music.
“Thriller”
MTV to face an embargo from Columbia Records on any and all of their artists.
“Positioned” Jackson as “pop” artist by teaming him up with Paul McCartney “Girl is Mine” and Van Halen on “Beat It”.
Musical Example: “Beat It”

Prince
Signed with Warner Brothers at 18.
Not only played the instruments but sang and produced
1982 “Little Red Corvette” beats out Jackson onto MTV.
A rock artist who had cross-over success just as Chuck Berry enjoyed with his “Maybelline”
Built a multi-million dollar media headquarter in Minneapolis: Paisley Park
Was a target by Tipper Gore and the Parental Advisory board
“Kiss”
Felt restricted in his creative control and dropped his name and replaced it with a pan-sexual symbol: “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince”
Musical Example: “When Doves Cry”

Graceland
1986: as successful as controversial
World Music: fusing South African style with lyrical approach “urban alienation.”
The record and its phenomenal success made Simon the target of boycotts and political backlash because South Africa found itself facing a United Nations Boycott on performing and recording in an attempt to show world condemnation towards apartheid.
Issues of musical appropriation/intellectual property
Musical Example: “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”

Madonna

The Material Girl
Emerged as one of the first icons of the video era.
Re-invention is key
more than a singer –an actress, a cultural icon, a feminist role model, a businesswoman and a movie producer.
Musical Example: “Vogue”
Bruce Springsteen

The Boss
The 1980s dominated by synthesizer driven pop bands
In 1984, Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” added a set of working class values and Americana
Authenticity and tradition were seen as a return to rock & roll’s glory days
“Dylan-esque”
“Hungry Heart”

Issues to think about for CD#9

1). Soul music and ideas of musical “authenticity.”
2). Funk music and concepts of “African American” realness…the so called mind/body split.
3). Disco and ideas of technology…how it affected this musical styles’ sounds and dissemination.
4). Punk music and concepts of homology/bricolage.
5). Punk music’s appropriation of earlier musical, fashion and aesthetic ideas.
6). New Wave and Punk as reactionary music.
7). Technological changes in the 1980s and their effects on music from this time: ie. The rise of the superstar pop act and stadium rock.
8). World music and issues of cultural appropriation in terms of Paul Simon’s career.
9). Video Racism and its effects on Michael Jackson’s career.
10). Madonna and issues of gender imbalance in popular music.
11). Prince and the importance of locals scenes and communities in pop music.

Think about these concepts while listening to CD 9 and try to make connections between the music and the ideas raised in the text and in the lectures.

Hope this helps.

Andy

Hi Everyone:

Thanks for your input and comments about Ornette Coleman, Coltrane and company during our last class. Just to re-iterate, we have our 2nd midterm on Tuesday. The format will be similar to the first midterm–there will be, however, more questions in multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank format and fewer long and short answer questions.

Once again, there will be a listening component on the exam and an “instrumentarium” section where you will be asked to link seminal figures in jazz to their instrument.

Further, although we have been talking about Free Jazz over the past two classes, as you know the content for the 2nd midterm will be the Swing Era, Bebop, Cool Jazz and Hard Bop (chapters 3, 4 and 5) from the text. Also, in terms of listening, the questions will be taken from the first 8 tracks from text CD #2 and two tracks from CD #1 (the Hot Club De France and the Lester Young recording of “Shoe Shine Boy").

Thanks in advance and email me with any questions/concerns.

Yours,

Andy

Please note (and tell your classmates) that I’m pushing the listening test #3 (on CD 9) back one week to November 26th to accommodate the fact that not everyone was able to attend the last class (Thursday in the library) and the fact that we are one class behind Brad’s due to Labour Day and Thanksgiving falling on a Monday this year.

As I started to prepare the quiz for Monday, I thought that we should finish covering New Wave and Madonna etc. this Monday (the 19th) before we get to the listening test on the subject. Please, however, continue thinking about the “issues” that we have been discussing/reading about thus far and try to make connections and see how they apply to the particular tracks, musical styles and individuals contained on CD#9.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and see below for information for Monday’s class and last class’s power point notes.

Lastly, please send me your article of choice for the précis assignment if you have yet to do so already.

Thanks and please pass this note along to your classmates in case I don’t have everyone’s email.

Yours,

Andy

Hi Everyone:

Thanks for accommodating me on Thursday by meeting in the library. I thought we had a positive conversation about the précis assignment. Please email me if you are having trouble finding a suitable article and I’ll try to do my best to help you out. Also, if you have an early draft of the précis and would like some feedback, please send it my way.

The power point notes from Punk are below.

I’m inputting all your grades from the Midterm this weekend and will be returning those to you on Monday as well.

Finally, in addition to reading pages 382 – 419 from the text for this upcoming Monday, please read the Madonna article (from Vanity Fair) and “A Paler Shade of White” and “Letters to the Editor” from the New Yorker. All are thought-provoking and should generate some good discussion.

Email me with any questions or concerns.

Yours,

Andy

WEEK XI Punk and New Wave

Reading: Chapter 12 (pp. 361 – 372) from Starr & Waterman’s American Popular Music.
Humber College
Andrew Scott

Talking points from text
“Punk was the ultimate exploitation of rock and roll and a symbol of rebellion, a tradition that began in the 1950s with white teenagers gleefully co-opting the energy and overt sexuality of black R&B to annoy their parents” (362).
The musical aesthetics of punk
Punk turned progressive rock—with its artistic aspirations and corporate backing—on its head (362).
Punk was a stripped down, “non-musical” version of rock and roll.”
Influence of the “amateur energy” of the garage bands: “The Standells” (Musical example: “Dirty Water” and “? And the Mysterians”
And of “proto-punk” bands: Velvet Underground and The New York Dolls

The semiotics of punk
Simultaneously against the fashion of the day and its own fashion statement of the day: ripped jeans, swastikas, safety pins, leather jackets, ripped British flags: a semiotic concept of briocolage (Dick Hebdige)—meaning French word bricolage: “do-it-yourself” or “fiddle, tinker“—”make creative and resourceful use of whatever materials are on hand (regardless of their original purpose).“
Signifying?

New Wave/Punk
Growing reaction to mainstream rock which was seen as increasingly commercial and corporate.
a “self-conscious” and “ironic” attitude about their primitive musical style.
The Ramones and The Talking Heads emerged out of a club called CBGB.
“do-it-yourself” attitude
Lack of training and nihilistic lyrics
Musical examples:
“Psycho Killer” Talking Heads.

The Ramones
First bonafide punk band
Formed NYC in 1974
Influential on British punk groups (The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Dammed)—reverse British Invasion
Sire Records (again we see the importance of the indie label to a burgeoning musical scene)
Album made on a very limited budget in an era of studio grandiosity

Musical considerations
Catchy
Pop inspired melodies
Little studio mediation
Fast tempos
Short tunes
Raw sound and approach: “classic” 50s rock style
Balanced nihilistic approach (of punk more generally) with “real” ethos of rock and roll

British Punk
As manufactured as the Monkees
Intended to shock the musical establishment.
Managed by Malcolm McLaren
Featuring singer Johnny Rotten and bassist Sid Vicious
“God Save the Queen” was released for the Queen’s Silver jubilee.
“Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols”

The Clash: Punk plus Rockabilly, R&B and Reggae
“London Calling” was arguably the most popular punk recording
“Rock the Casbah”

Ska
British form of “Sped up” reggae
Featuring horn section
Featuring a “dub” man, “toaster” or rapper.
The Specials, The English Beat and Madness
Combined reggae musical feel with a “punk” attitude

New Wave/Electronica
The light “lite?” frothy 80s bands: Depeche Mode, Human League, Thompson Twins being replaced by lyrically engaging bands
New Wave: Punk minus the “anger”?
Commercial music = Pop
Authenticity = Rock
Musical Example: “Fascination” The Human League
“Just can’t get enough”

The Police
Sting, Andy Summers and drummer Stuart Copeland.
Transition from underground British punk rockers to one of the most successful bands.
Minimalist approach seen as refreshing compared to some of the excessive musical groups of the 1970’s.
“White Reggae” – “Reggata du Blanc”
“Roxanne”

Hi Everyone:

I reposted the power point on bebop below….we will spend some more time on this fascinating musical era.

As we didn’t do the listening quiz today, it will be next Monday. Please think about the issues with the music: who codified the sound/playing style of the saxophone, who challenged this person’s supremacy, why does Benny Goodman occupy a problematic place in music history, think about the territory bands and try to connect certain musical styles to a scene/community, think about the rent parties…what were they, where were they located, how did they help the development of this music we call jazz, think about European approaches to jazz performance and what various musical styles went into formulating this genre.

About the article synopsis….I hope you all have had a chance to look through the article binder and find something appropriate. Please see below for some thoughts on the assignment.

The purpose of this small assignment is for you to begin reading and understanding scholarly articles on music and summarize their essential points in your own words. On separate paper using MLA format (see here) please provide a summary of one (1) music article (from the library binder). This synopsis must include:

(1) bibliographic information (in MLA format) of your chosen article
(2) aim of the article (or thesis): What is the author’s purpose? What is the main question s/he is trying to answer?
(3) Scope and content of the article: How convincing are the author’s argument(s). Why?
(4) Methodology used: What approach did the author use to test out his/her thesis? How did the author arrive at his/her conclusions?
(5) a total 700-1000 words written in your own words using clear and grammatically correct English. (Incorrect spelling/grammar will be penalized!)

DUE DATE: December 6th, 2007
Late penalty: 10% per day late.

Please familiarize yourself with Humber’s Academic Regulations and policies, particularly with regards to “Academic Misconduct” such as plagarism (see http://fulltimestudents.humber.ca/academicregulations.htm)
The following is a sample précis that you can use as a guide.

Thanks and email me with any questions/concerns.

Andy

Lecture 7
Andrew Scott
“Bebop”

Kansas City “Count Basie”
Blues-based sound. Short “riff” compositions Eg. “One O’clock Jump” Count Basie.
Replace the “two” feel with more of a four-beat pulse (bass).
Walter Page (bass), Lester Young (Tenor), Freddie Green (unamplified guitar), Harry “Sweets” Edison (trumpet), Clark Terry (trumpet) and Jo Jones (Drums).
Bennie Moten’s Group.
Musical Example “Moten’s Swing”
Walter Page’s Blue Devils.
Musical Examples: “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” and “Oh, Lady Be Good.”

Lester Young “Pres”
Mississippi August 27th 1909.
Lighter, more mellow approach to saxophone.
Often considered the antithesis of Coleman Hawkins.
“Lester Leaps In” with Count Basie’s Kansas City Seven
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_young_lester.htm (Horwitz and Spellman)
Video of Young from “Jammin’ the Blues”

Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli
Quintette du hot Club de France
3 guitars, bass and violin
Many influences present: American jazz, manouche music, gypsy heritage, classical.
Worked with many visiting American jazz musicians in Europe.
Reinhardt had only two operational fingers on left-hand.
Lots of chromatics and embellishment. A romantic approach to jazz.
Musical Example “Nuages” and “Dinah” from CD 7 and “Shine” from CD 2.
Django in Performance…

Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli

Competition to Hawkins
Lester Young
Billie Holiday
-born Elanora Fagan in Baltimore 1915
-worked as a prostitute
-brought pathos and a tortured personality to the lyric.
-discovered by John Hammond
-”Strange Fruit”—the first protest song.
-laid-back, lazy, relaxed rhythmic phrasing.
-Musical Examples: “Strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child” and “Day-In, Day-Out”

Billie Holiday
Strange Fruit (Abel Meeropol)
Southern Trees bear a strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root. Black body swinging in the Southern breeze, Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. Pastoral scene of the gallant South, The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh, And the sudden smell of burning flesh. Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck, for the rain to gather,for the wind to suck, For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop, Here is a strange and bitter crop. 
Billie Holiday.
Columbia Records refused to release the song due to its controversial content.

Norman Granz
The Look of Bebop
Bebop and Modernism

A new generation tired of written arrangements, limited solo opportunities, and the “clichés of swing.” Musicians such as Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Christian, Art Tatum, Jimmy Blanton, and Jo Jones were already demonstrating what could be done in a less “restrictive” combo format.
Video clip of Jon Hendricks discussing Bebop…

Bebop Aesthetics

Generally smaller combos (possibly patterned after jam sessions in Kansas City and elsewhere).
“Simpler” arrangements; tunes chosen primarily as vehicles for improvisation.
The blues (AAB) and 32-bar standard song form (AABA) were popular.
Tempos were faster or slower.
Increased harmonic complexity.
Movement away from symmetrical phrases
Musical Example: “I Got Rhythm” Don Byas and Slam Stewart.

Charlie “Bird” Parker
Born Kansas City August 29th 1920.
Was not a prodigy.
Humiliated by Jo Jones (Count Basie Band)
Experimented with “extended” harmony
Dry timbre and harsh sound
Heavily influenced by the blues (Jay McShann)
Musical Example: “Ko Ko” and “Klactoveedsedstene”
Video example from Burns with Parker in performance
Audio Example: “http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/100list.html

Charlie “Yardbird” Parker
Dizzy Gillespie
Trumpet
Born in South Carolina
Virtuoso technique, harmonically adventurous
Was inspired by Roy Eldridge’s playing in the Teddy Hill Orchestra (from the Savoy Ballroom)
Learned Eldridge solos “note-for-note”
Moved to New York in 1937
Met Teddy Hill (where he took over for Eldridge).
Played in Cab Calloway’s band.
Musical Examples: “Shaw Nuff” and “Salt Peanuts.”

Dizzy Gillespie
Kenny Clarke
Drummer
Played with Gillespie in Hill’s band.
Lighter swing feel, more rhythmically complex.
Also a co-composer of “Salt Peanuts” by Gillespie.
“Drop Bombs” in drumming (with bass drum)
Move away from a support instrument and into the realm of a soloist.

Kenny Clarke
Minton’s Playhouse and Monroe’s Uptown
Two NYC clubs considered the birth place of bebop.
After hours jam sessions, away from the public eye.
House pianist was Thelonious Monk and the Drummer was Clarke (only two on the payroll).
Lots of guests sat in…Gillespie, Parker, bassist Jimmy Blanton, Charlie Christian and some swing era players like Eldridge, Hawkins, Webster and Lester Young.
No commercial considerations…music for music’s sake.
Re-worked the standard compositions in their improvisations.
The “Bop Paradigm”=HEAD-SOLO-SOLO-SOLO-HEAD.

Thelonious Sphere Monk
-pianist
-born in North Carolina but raised in NYC
-strange style and technique (quirky)
-angular rhythms and dissonant compositions
-many regarded him with suspicion
-composer of many classic jazz songs including “Round Midnight” (performed by Miles Davis) and “Straight No Chaser” (CD Nine).
-Movie “Straight No Chaser”

Thelonious Sphere Monk—see video clip online.
Earl Hines’s Orchestra
Featured many of the bebop players
Parker, Gillespie and Sarah Vaughn (1st Bebop Singer)
Musical Example of Vaughn: “They Can’t Take That Away From Me”
Lots of ornamentation in her vocal style.
Credited with being “horn-like” in her scat singing.

Change

Less of a dance audience and more of a listening audience.
Jazz was becoming an “art” music instead of a folk music.
Bebop had its share of critics.

Parker’s Decline
Went to California.
Stayed one and a half years.
Ended up in Camarillo State Mental Hospital
Died in March 1955 of malnutrition and internal bleeding
He was only 34.
Had many imitators…Phil Woods, Sonny Stitt, Julian “Cannonball” Adderley and Jackie McLean.
Musical Example: “Just Friends” Parker with Strings.

The Latin Influence
Gillespie through Mario Bauza and Chano Pozo (conga) began incorporating Latin/Cuban rhythms in his music.
Short lived-collaboration as Pozo was murdered within two years of being in the United States.
Musical Example: “Manteca” Dizzy Gillespie and “La Cucaracha” (Charlie Parker).
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_gillespie_dizzy.htm

Other Trumpeters

Other players who played with Parker (substituting for Gillespie) Red Rodney, Chet Baker, Kenny Dorham and Miles Davis
Davis born in St. Louis into affluence
Attended Julliard
Tracked down and lived with Parker.
Piano
Bebop piano was sparser style.
More like Kansas City (Basie) then like the stride pianists
Needed space to let the soloists groove
Bud Powell was the first to bring Parker’s bebop vocabulary onto the piano
Musical Example of Powell: “A Night In Tunisia” by the Bud Powell Trio
Thelonious Monk equally individualistic and creative.

Oscar Peterson
Earlier style.
Modeled after Art Tatum
Virtuoso
Born in Montreal, Canada
Modeled his classic trio (piano, bass and guitar after Nat King Cole.
Musical Example: “All Blues” and “When Lights are Low”
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-68-391/arts_entertainment/oscar_peterson/

Hard Bop
The 1960s.

Classic Miles Davis quintet
John Coltrane (tenor saxophone)
Julian “Cannoball” Adderley (alto saxophone)
Bill Evans/Wynton Kelly (piano)
Paul Chambers (bass)
Jimmy Cobb (drums)
A “freeer” modal approach to music, open spaces, moods and textures

Kind of Blue (1959)
Musical Examples: “So What” (CD Thirteen) and “Flamenco Sketches”
http://www.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/miles_kob.html
Musical Example: “So What” from CD 2 Track 8

Hard Bop
Sometimes called “Funk” or “Soul Jazz.”
A move to renew interest (specifically African-American interest) in jazz music.
Some players felt that bebop and cool jazz intellectualized the music and took it too far from its “Blues” roots.
Almost exclusively an African-American music genre (although there were some racially mixed groups).
Coincided with interest in Black Culture—dress, food and music.

The Look of Hard Bop

Hard Bop vs. Bebop
Soulful
Bluesy and riff based
Shuffle more danceable feel
Shorter solos
Celebrated southern African American culture
Commercial accessibility
Early Ebonics in titles: “Moanin’” “Doodlin’” “Dis Here,” “Dat Dere,” “Mercy Mercy Mercy.”
Infused “church” or gospel elements into the music.
Musical Example: “Moanin’” Art Blakey from Text CD 2 Track 5.

Virtuossic
Complex chord changes (often built from standards)—pamplisets
Music to be listened to…not for dance
Long solos
Celebrated intellectualism in Black Culture
Distanced itself from outward commercialism
Titles reflect intellectualism: “Anthropology,” “Crepuscule with Nellie,” “Ornithology” or “Klactoveedence

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Drummer
Played with Gillespie and Parker.
Influenced by Roach and Clarke but utilized a more stripped down approach to time-keeping.
The Jazz Messengers was another jazz “finishing school”—graduates include Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Wayne Shorter (Saxophone), Hank Mobley (Saxophone), Bobby Timmons (piano), Wynton Marsalis (Trumpet) and Brandford Marsalis
Musical Example: “Dat Dere”

Horace Silver
Pianist
Became house or resident piano player with Blue Note Records (Alfred Lion)
Grew up in a religious/church environment
Incorporated gospel sounds into his playing and elements of his family’s Cape Veredean/Portuguese heritage.
Musical Example: “Song for My Father”
Borrowed “heavily” by Steely Dan for “Ricki Don’t Lose That Number.”

Other Hard Bop Composers: Lee Morgan and Herbie Hancock

Hancock (pianist) and Morgan (trumpet)
Hancock would come to prominence later with Miles Davis’ 60’s quintet: Wayne Shorter (tenor), Ron Carter (Bass), Tony Williams (drums).
Both wrote catchy “blues” inflected pieces for Blue Note Records—earning them “hit” records.
Musical examples: “Cantaloupe Island” Herbie Hancock and “The Sidewinder”

Julian “Cannonball” Adderley
Born 1928 Tampa, FL
Studied at Tallahassee University (1944-48)
High school band director at Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale (1948-50)
1st “break” in 1957 sat in with Oscar Pettiford’s band at Café Bohemia
Musical Example: “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”

Charles Mingus
Bassist and composer
Born 1922 in LA
Musically diverse in his style and appreciations
Could be very soulful and funky, and also be classical minded in his compositions
His compositions were like “tone poems” and occasionally incorporated “programmatic” themes (Storylines).
Musical Examples: “Hora Decubitus” and “Fables of Faubus”

The Organ in Jazz.
Hammond B-3 organ (formerly a novelty instrument).
Capable of playing simultaneous bass and melody
Worked often in trio with guitar and drums or occasionally with “honking” Texas tenor saxophone tradition
B3 players include: Jimmy Smith, Larry Young, Jack McDuff, Charles Earland, Jimmy McGriff and current players Joey DeFrancesco, Larry Goldings, Sam Yahel and John Medeski.

Soul Jazz “worked in Organ groups”
Bluesy style
Commercially accessible
Examples of guitarists from this tradition:Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Pat Martino and Melvin Sparks.

Jimmy Smith
“legitimized” the Hammond Organ
Was commercially and artistically successful
Guitar alumni of his bands includes Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Thornell Schwartz and current players such as Mark Whitfield and Russell Malone.
Had big 1960s hits with “Organ Grinder’s Swing” and “Walk on the Wild Side.”
Musical Example: “Back at the Chicken Shack”

Wes Montgomery
Guitarist
Copied Charlie Christian solos note for note
Worked early in his career with Lionel Hampton
Discovered by Julian “Cannonball” Adderley and brought to Riverside Records.
Played with his thumb, not with a pick for a “softer” more “mellow” sound.
Was increasingly placed in comerical settings near the end of his life.
Musical Examples: “Yesterdays” and “Goin’ Out of My Head”

Hi Gang:

Thanks for the good class today….we’ll continue with Cool Jazz next week…please check out youtube for some great videos of the dave brubeck band, chet baker, gerry mulligan, miles davis or any of the other cool figures we’ve been discussing…have a good weekend….

Yours,

Andrew

Cool Jazz

Bebop Piano Players (left over from last week)
Thelonious Monk (Musical Example: “Straight No Chaser” from CD Nine).
Bud Powell (died 1966 tuberculosis due to alcoholism and malnutrition). “A Night In Tunisia” CD Nine).
In some ways, Powell was the antithesis of Monk (virtusosic, flashy, fast) however they were supporters of one another.
Powell often played Monk’s tunes, Monk often used his prestige to sing Powell’s praises

Oscar Peterson
Born Montreal, Canada
Seen as the heir apparent to Tatum
Has made thousands of records
Influenced by Nat King Cole particularly instrumentation (piano, guitar, bass)—no drums Musical Example: “Meet me at no special place”
OP Musical Example: “When and “All Blues” Lights are Low”

Cool Jazz…
The modernist divide
Modernists
Bebop
Parker
Gillespie
Monk
Forward thinking
Jazz as art music
Refusal to entertain
“Moldy Figs”
“Trad” Jazz Players
Armstrong
Ory
Bunk Johnson
Revival music
Jazz as entertainment
“Uncle Tom”

Cool Jazz…

Like bebop, Cool Jazz is a modern music with racial implications.
Allegiance to contemporary musical trends
Penchant for experimentation
Jazz seen as non-commercial, artistic music
Miles Davis…

Trumpet
Been involved in the bebop movement
Worked with a different kind of musical virtuosity: mood, colour, texture, space, sound.
Often played with mute.
Influenced by Ahmad Jamal, Monk, Sinatra, Nat King Cole and the speaking voice of Orson Welles

Gil Evans
Born in Toronto, Canada
Jazz arranger
Worked with Claude Thonhill Orchestra
Influenced by French Impressionist music (Eric Satie, Darius Milhaud, Claude Debussy).
Musical Example “Premiere Gnossienne” Erik Satie.
“Chamber” jazz?
Davis was a fan of the Thornhill band
Video clip

The Birth of the Cool
Capitol Records
Nonet (nine-piece)
Trombone, Baritone saxophone, French Horn and Tuba
Black and White, West Coast and East Coast, Jazz and Classical
Musical Example: “Boplicitiy,” “Summertime” and “Jordu” CD Ten.

Bebop vs. Cool Jazz
East Coast
Black
Fast
Difficult music
Unpopular
Hard timbre
Aggressive
“KoKo” C.P.

West Coast
White
Slow to medium
“Humable”
Very popular
Soft and fuzzy
Mellow
“Squeeze Me” P.D.

Stan Kenton and Woody Herman
Cool jazz big band leaders
Kenton (1911) aimed to “elevate” or “legitimate” jazz music on par with classical
Called his music “progressive jazz” or “neophonic music” (new sounds)
“Artistry in Rhythm” and “Innovations in Modern Music”
Musical example: “Artistry in Rhythm” (CD Ten).

West Coast style of saxophone playing
Art Pepper
Zoot Sims
Paul Desmond
Al Cohn
Shorty Rodgers
Jimmy Guifre
Gerry Mulligan
Paul Desmond
“The world’s slowest alto saxophone player”
Wanted to sound like “three dry martinis”
Musical example: “Tangerine”
Composer of one of the most famous songs in jazz.

Desmond and Dave Brubeck
Brubeck piano
Studied classical at Mills College with Darius Milhaud
Dissonant, angular style
An interest in rhythm and in time
Made a good “foil” for the lyrical Desmond

Dave Brubeck Quartet
Brubeck (piano), Desmond (saxophone), Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums).
1958 “Time Out” different time signatures
“Take Five” and “Blue Rondo a la Turk” (CD Ten).

Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ)
“Chamber Jazz”
John Lewis (piano), Milt Jackson (vibraphone), Kenny Clarke/Connie Kay (drums) and Ray Brown/Percy Heath (bass).
Musical example “Django” (CD Ten)
Used classical compositional devices in their music: Counterpoint, Fugues, Waltzes and Canons.

Gerry Muligan and Chet Baker
Booked into a club without a piano
First “chordless” jazz band (no piano/no guitar)
Baritone saxophone (Mulligan), trumpet (Baker) with bass and drums.
Musical Example: “Freeway” and “All The Things You Are” (CD Ten).

Chet Baker as singer…
Soft “feminine”(?) voice
Small range
Nice voice?
Tragic story
“Let’s Get Lost”video clip.
Performance clip
Musical Example: “Fair Weather.”

Baker and Davis as balladeers…
Lots of ballads entering the repertoire
Davis hanging out with George Russell, listening to WAM
Wants “space” in his music
After feeling unrecognized (and going to Europe)
Davis triumphs at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1955
Video clip
Musical Example: “It Never Entered My Mind.”

Hi Everyone:

Thanks for today. I appreciate the discussion and the debate. For more information on the thorny (and not easily definable) issue of authenticity see an article here or for an article about authenticity with tie-ins to race, see here. If you are interested in the article that I wrote about Latin Musical culture in Toronto, see here.

Thanks for your understanding and encouragment regarding next Monday. So, we will have our class next Thursday (the 15th) in the library at 12:30 in room B 202 C (it is at the back of the library). If you cannot come, or have to duck out for a private lesson, I certainly understand. I’ll look forward to seeing you then and please check out the Madonna article in addition to our usual reading on the syllabus.

Lastly, keep thinking about the precis assignment.

I’m starting a list (below) that I will update about what articles have been claimed.

Andy

CLAIMED SCHOLARLY ARTICLES:

THE VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA: TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE ISSUES
Author BIANCHI, F. W.; CAMPBELL, R. H.
Source Journal of Sound and Vibration, vol. 232, no. 1, pp. 275-279, April
Sarah Dale

Not Pretty Girls?: Sexuality, Spirituality, and Gender Construction in Women’s Rock Music.
McCarthy, Kate
Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 69-94, February 2006 ISSN 0022-3840
Erin Ellison

McGowan, James. “Understanding Musical Styles Through Sociolinguistic Models” Discourses in Music Vol. 4, No. 1. (Fall 2002)

Jeff LacRochelle

“Improvising character. Jazz, the actor, and protocols of improvisation” by Marshall Soules

Alastair Whitehead

Reflecting Surfaces: The Use of Elements from Indian Music in Popular Music and Jazz

Gerry Farrell

Popular Music, Vol. 7, No. 2, The South Asia/West Crossover. (May, 1988), pp. 189-205.

Liam Morin

McCarthy, Kate Not Pretty Girls?:Sexuality, Spirituality, and Gender Construction in Women’s Rock Music

Journal of Popular Culture Go To Journal Record 39:1 (February 2006) Go to Journal Issue P. 69-94

Angela Hilts

Megan Thomas
Borders, James. “Formand the concept album: aspects of modernism in Frank Zappa’s early releases". Perspectives of New Music. 39.1 (Wntr 2001): 118(44)

Veronica Meza

Title:
POP MUSIC: AUTHENTiCiTY, CREATiViTY AND TECHNOLOGY.

Authors:
Kendall, Gavin1

Mike Archer:

“Miles Davis’s Unfinished Electric Revolution
Veal, Michael E.

Andrew Roorda

Journal of American and Comparative Cultures, “Beat Streets in the Global Hood: Connective Marginalities of the Hip Hop Globe” by Halifu Osumare.

Minimalism, Postminimalism, and the Resurgence of Tonality in Recent American Music
Jonathan W. Bernard American Music, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Spring, 2003), pp. 112-133.

Joshua Cohen

Chris DeSantis

Gillespie, Wayne Personality of Rock Musicians, Psychology of Music Go to Journal Record 28:2 (2000)

Lizzy Clarke

“Girls with guitars and Other Stange Stories” Journal of the American Musicological Society

Harrison, Anna C Children’s Gender-Typed Preferences for Musical Instruments: An Intervention Study
Psychology of Music Go to Journal Record 28:1 (2000) Go to Journal Issue p. 81-97

Danielle Bourgeois

Inglis, Ian “The Ed Sullivan Show” and the (Censored) Sounds of the Sixties Journal of Popular Culture (August 2006).

Al Rowe

Matt DeLuca

Barthes, Roland (1977), “The death of the author.” In: Roland Barthes, Image - music - text. New York: Hill and Wang, 1977 (translated by Stephen Heath).

Olivier Clements

Personality and music: can traits explain how people use music in everyday life?
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic in British Journal of Psychology

Chris DeSantis

Personality of Rock Musicians
Gillespie, Wayne; Myors, Brett

Kristjan Bergey

Crichton, Patrick
The Jazz Major in Australia: Falling Between the Cracks?
Jazz Education Journal 34:6 (May-June 2002) p. 57-60, 62-63

Loraina Fitzsimmons:

What Is Indie Rock. by Hibbett, Ryan. popular Music & Society; Feb2005, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p55-77, 23p

Alex Tait

Back, Les. “Voices of hate, sounds of hybridity: black music and the complexities of racism.” Black Music Research Journal 20.2 (Fall 2000): 127(23).

Jon Wong

Japanese Popular Music in Singapore and the Hybridization of Asian Music by Benjamin Wal-min Ng

EVAN DIAMOND:

‘Understand us before you end
us’: regulation, governmentality,
and the confessional practices of
raving bodies
CHARITY MARSH

Garrett Hack
Jams of Consequence: Rethinking the Jazz Age in Japan and China
Nichole T. Rustin

WEEK X: 1970s Soul, Funk & Disco (Parliament/Funkadelic, Philadelphia Soul, Stevie Wonder)Reading: Chapter 11 (pp. 341 – 349) & Chapter 12 (pp. 372 – 376) from Starr & Waterman’s American Popular Music
Humber College
Andrew Scott

Funk Music
Represented another “back to basics” reaction to the grandiosity of art rock
Album oriented rock was mainly geared at white males (for listening)
Funk re-connected popular musical culture to dance
Re-affirms concepts of authenticity and corporeality (the body)
Discussion points brought up in text….

1). The image of black “funkmasters” came uncomfortably close to racial stereotyping”
2). “The record industry’s packaging of black ‘authenticity’—as symbolized by strongly rhythmic, body-oriented music.”
3). “the success of funk music in the mainstream pop market capitalized to some degree upon long standing white American fantasies about black culture.”

Soul Music=“the secularization of gospel” (Jerry Wexler).
Ray Charles played “I Got a Woman.”

“I Got a Saviour (Way over Jordan)” or “Jesus is all the world to me”

Charles’s gospel and secular fusions were popular but controversial.

Musical Example: “I Got a Woman” (1954) and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1962).

Roots of Funk: Soul Music
“High priest of soul,” Brother Ray Charles
The Godfather of Soul—James Brown
Queen of Soul in Aretha Franklin
Soul Music as product of the “black power” movement in the United States.
student non-violent coordination committee (SNCC)
mid-1960s students increasingly impatient the slow pace of social change
Rallying cry: “I’m black and I’m proud” (James Brown)
The song cost Brown his white or crossover audience as many interpreted the song as a “call to arms” of blacks against whites.
Soul became a term that was first coined and used by African Americans to describe a new and distinctive black musical genre as well as a cultural style.
Musical Example: “Gonna Have a Funky Good Time” (James Brown)

James Brown
The “rhythmic revolution”
1965 breakthrough hit “Papa’s got a brand new bag.”
Known as a hard working band and “the Hardest working man in showbiz”
Side musicians: Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis
Compositional Methodology: sing an improvised melody—loosely organized—while the band grooved on one chord, horns punctuating the response to Brown’s vocal calls.
No chord changes or little melodic variety to sustain the listener interest, rhythm and groove are it
Brown treats every instrument and voice in the group as if each were a drum.

The Protestant Work Ethic vs. The Perpetual Now

V to I tonal move
Brown’s songs as idea of instant gratification in music and the “perpetual now.”

1970s Funk…
Stevie Wonder as pioneer of electronic synthesizers
Black concept albums: “Talking Book” and “Inner Visions.”
“Livin’ for the City” which offers his take on black, urban America.
One of the most successful performers of the 1970s.
By mid decade, Wonder had earned 10 Grammy awards and had signed a $13 million dollar contract with Motown
Musical Example: “Sir Duke” (1976) CD#9 (track 7)

Earth, Wind and Fire
Earth Wind & Fire used James Brown’s music as a springboard.
Maurice White (former session drummer for Chess)
Band combined Egyptian Mythology and soul music and African folk songs.
Theatrical live performances which featured a huge ensemble, pyrotechnics and an elaborate stage design.
Musical Example: “Shining Star” (CD #9 Track 5).

Parliament Funkadelic
George Clinton: grew up in New Jersey
Formed a doo wop group called The Parliaments
Worked at Motown Records
Parliament Funkadelic and P-Funk
Loose collective of musicians influenced by theatrical traditions, funk, disco, acid rock and psychedelic rock
Plus the science-fiction that is often appropriated by the blackspoitation genre (i.e.. SunRa and Space is the Place
Musical Example: “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)” (CD #9 Track 6).
Rock gets funky, goes global and inclusive
Combined soul, jazz, r&b, gospel and even acid rock.
integrated musically, it seemed to be integrated on a cultural level.
“Here was a band with men and women, black and white, that had not just one role, but many roles – the women played, the men sang, the AA’s freaked out and the whites got funky.”
Musical Example: “Everyday People” (1969) CD #9 Track 1.

Disco
Began in places like Fire Island in New York and in Manhattan at clubs like The Loft and the 10th Floor.
Tied into gay culture and also DJ culture.
Dance music
lack of syncopation, a straight 4/4 disco beat, violin shots that act much in the same was as horn breaks worked for some of the jazz rock groups and a great deal of synthesizer sounds and non-sequitor lyrics.

Disco

1975 to 1980: focus on social dancing and choreographed moves that go back 19th century parlour room
Reaction to the two pillars of rock: the fetishization of the album and the concept of musicians as artists
Instead disco produces faceless/nameless studio groups
We see the rise of the producer: Jacques Morali, Robert Stigwood
Tie in with disposable culture
Re-discovery of the single (as opposed to the album)
Development of turntable techniques: blending one track into the next for continuous dancing Highly informing to contemporary hip hop, techno, house etc.
(the disco sucks movement) pictured

Disco and the birth of the 12”
Underground music that sometimes broke onto the national scene: George McKray’s “Rock Your Baby” (TK label)
DJ’s demanded 12” singles which were re-mixed and extended beyond the length of radio singles.
Originally for clubs, but soon became popular and were commercially released.
“Love to Love you Baby” was recorded in Germany with her sexual nuanced 1976 hit: 1st 12’
“Bad Girls.”

Listening Guide from text:
1). The beat
2). Steady med-fast tempo
3). Straightforward, repetitive form
4). Straightforward subject matter/lyrics
5). Limited harmonic vocabulary
Musical Example: “Love to Love You Baby” (Donna Summer) CD #9 Track 4

Disco goes mainstream
“Saturday Night Fever”
based upon the journalistic writing of Nick Cohen in New York Magazine that discussed the death of the 1960’s counter-culturalism and idealism
The film was shot at a working class disco called the 2001 Odyssey in Bay Ridge Brooklyn
Ignoring gay musical sources
2nd career for The Bee Gees, an Australian band of brothers Maurice, Barry and Robin Gibb (or Brothers Gibb).
Production, polished songwriting and falsetto singing.
Robert Stigwood and Casablanca Records.
Philadelphia Soul

Philadelphia (Philly) soul
sweet style of soul music with funk influences but tempered by lush instrumental arrangements
a precursor to disco
Also influenced Adult contemporary and smooth jazz
Some jazz influence
Musical example: “The Backstabbers” by The O’Jays (CD #9 Track 3).

The Village People
French disco producer named Jacques Morali who exploited the gay roots of disco with an American band called the Village People.
“Macho Man” and “YMCA” inside jokes to those who knew about NYC gay culture and hang-out locales.
Juxtaposition worked: they were gay anthems to those who understood and novelty hits for those who did not.
Comfortable entrée into the Disco world.

Week IX: WEEK IX Heavy Metal (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, NWBHM, Metallica)Reading: Chapter 11 (pp. 334 – 338) from Starr & Waterman’s American Popular Music
Humber College
Andrew Scott

Heavy Metal
Late 1960s/early 1970s: a number of blues /psychedelic influenced bands (England) developed on the work of earlier bands playing loud/riff based heavy blues (John Mayall, The Animals, The Yardbirds).
Influential hit: “Purple Haze” Jimi Hendrix
Created a loud and mysterious (sometimes evincing) musical style
Some bands (Black Sabbath) pictured right: used religious iconography/symbolism/occult in their lyrics heighten the transgressive nature of the music

Aesthetic Qualities
Heavy metal aligned itself with pageantry of spectacle through the theatrical nature of the performance, the extreme volume, the musical virtuosity (as manifested in fast playing styles on the guitar most notably), emphasis on the semiotics of machismo.
-performance practices: head banging, gesticulations, the beginnings of the signifiers of arena-rock : mosh pits, hand salutes (“devil horns”), bodily involved rock guitar solos
Interest in album format (rather than recorded single)

1968:Pre-cursors to Metal
1968: Blue Cheer re-records “Summertime Blues” (Eddie Cochran), Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” (see earlier slide), Yardbirds’s “Think About It” and Iron Butterfly’s “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida”
Burgeoning interest in (and exploitation/employment of) technology creates a general interest in “heavier” sounds.
“Revolution” The Beatles

“They may be world famous, but four shrieking monkeys are not going to use a privileged family name without permission” - Frau Eva von Zeppelin

From The Yardbirds came Mick Taylor, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page (Clapton’s successor)
Brock up in 1968: Page puts together a new band to fulfil Scandinavian concert commitments
The New Yardbirds.
Led Zeppelin(Musical Example: “Whole Lotta Love” (1969) from CD #7
Page: a hero of the British blues movement—fast soloing and distorted tone (signifiers of metal)
John Paul Jones (bassist/keyboardist/session player)—bringing “spacey” quality to live performances
Robert Plant (Birmingham and almost entirely unknown): his “stripped to the waist sexuality” would become paramount to image/success of the band
His “high tenor” voice established a heavy metal aesthetic norm
As did bombastic drummer John Bonham—plus orchestral percussive effects (chimes, gongs etc).
The “Granddaddy of Heavy Metal” (Chris Waterman and Larry Starr
After the tour, the band stayed together as Led Zeppelin
Soon to become the most popular and influential of the heavy metal bands
Their first album (1969), the result of a 30 hour recording session combining original music (Page/Plant) with covers (Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf)
With The Beatles disbanding (1969) Led Zeppelin emerged in 1970 as England’s favourite new band.

Mythological Emphasis
Passing of the guard: the heaviness of their music was partially the overdubbed guitars, and Page’s studio experimentations (mic placement for example)
The general distorted tone of the guitar, sheer volume of the drums and bass.
Video example: “How Many More Times”
Brought in both an appreciation for the Blues and an interest in mysticism
Tunes became a set of vague mythological pieces with lyrical references to Celtic legends, lore, history and black magic

“Stairway to Heaven”
According to Starr and Waterman, “Stairway” (and Santana’s “Oye Como Va”) demonstrate the diversity and breadth of music produced in the 1970s
Demonstrates how the band positioned itself both inside and outside of the mainstream of popular music.
Eg. Utilized standard “rock” compositional devices: hooks, riffs etc. that helped ingratiate it to a listening pubic, but it was 8 minutes in length and was never released as a single
Led Zeppelin IV reached the #2 position on the Billboard chart and stayed there for five years (selling 14 million copies)
“Stairway”
With “Stairway,” we hear two diametrically opposed musical aesthetics: the “riff” based bone crushing rock band and the folk music aficionados inspired by ancient English and Celtic traditions.
Two musical threads: sonic aggression and acoustic intimacy that our Waterman and Starr suggest run through the entire history of heavy metal music coupling (for the genre’s largely youth/male audience) rock physicality with folk mysticism.
Video Example: “Stairway to Heaven”

The narrative juxtaposition of the sensitive (which is the acoustic guitars) with the aggressive (the distorted electric guitars) has continued to show up in heavy metal music from Ozzy Osborne to Metallica.
Lyrically: word painting and a metaphoric teleological narrative of a heavenly stairway: staring in the mythological past (played on period piece instruments) and ultimately soaring upwards and onwards.

Performance Practices of Metal
Although Led Zeppelin was a seminally important hard rock band, their influence as a heavy metal group would pervade into the 1980s (following the group’s breakup) influencing numerous heavy metal groups including Metallica.
Disco so dominated the music of the late 1970s (even Zeppelin was not immune), but in the 1980s heavy metal came back: Judas Priest, Van Helen, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Def Leppard and such harder speed metal sounds of Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeath.

Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath and Deep Purple (from England) played up the dark, gothic side of metal.
John “Ozzy” Osborne (vocals) with heightened guitar distortion, riff-based composition, Satanically inspired lyrics
Appealing to young/male fans: lots of musical aggression
Like The Ramones (later), the band was easy to emulate: they launched 1000 bands…
Listening Example: “Black Sabbath” (1978)

NWOBHM
Post Disco (late 1970s), British Metal: imbues new life into the genre
Pioneering metal bands had “lost cred” their ephemeral and elusive cultural “cred” by positioning themselves too closely to popular mainstream culture
Divorced itself of the blues influence (so pervasive in early heavy metal), sped up the tempo and added (even) more aggression to the sonic timbre: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Def Leopard
Style never reached a wide audience base:
1). Never strived for mainstream acceptance
2). Usurped by bands like Poison and Motley Crue who were more immediately marketable for record labels as they brought with them a more even split in terms of gender appreciation.
Musical Example: “The Number of the Beast” Iron Maiden

Van Halen
Walser: appropriation of musical values from the classical into rock
guitarist Eddie and drummer Alex
singer David Lee Roth and bassist Michael Anthony.
Virtuosity: Eddie’s legato performance style borrowed from classical violin.
Guitar solos: no longer a series of blues “clichés.”
Exhibited the speed, complexity and harmonics of Western art music.
Musical Example: “Eruption”

Metallica
Roots in speed metal style (Megadeath and Anthrax) and self-titled 1991 album underscored metal’s popularity: Billboard #1, sold more than 5 million copies and stayed on the charts for 266 weeks.
Metallica from California, take inspiration from: punk bands and from Rush, Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, Deep Purple and other NWOBHM bands.
Musical Example: “Battery” (1986)

90s Metal
“Hair Bands”
Guns and Roses
A return to rock “authenticity”
A “throw-back” to the “arena” rock of the 1970s.

Thanks for today….i hope everyone found the midterm fair….as mentioned in class….CD 7 and 8 will be asked about for both a listening quiz and the make up portion of the listening section from the midterm next Monday…

Email me with questions and concerns….

Andy

Also….here is the outline on the precis assignment….we will spend some time next week discussing this, talking about possible articles for review etc. I just wanted to get this to you well in advance….

Andy

The purpose of this small assignment is for you to begin reading and understanding scholarly articles on music and summarize their essential points in your own words. On separate paper please provide a précis of one (1) academic journal article relating to contemporary music (jazz, pop, r&b, etc.). This précis must include the following:
(1) bibliographic information (in MLA format) of your chosen article
a. This article must NOT be chosen by another student in the class (review WebCT course site for list of already chosen articles by your colleagues)
b. This article must come from an academic journal. Rolling Stone magazine, The Toronto Star, etc. are NOT scholarly journals. Please ask our librarians for assistance on locating proper academic sources.
c. This article must be a minimum of five (5) pages in length.
d. In light of the above, the instructor must approve this article no later than Monday November 12th via email: andrewjacobscott@sympatico.ca (please include the complete bibliographic citation in your email)
(2) aim of the article (or thesis): What is the author’s purpose? What is the main question s/he is trying to answer?
(3) Scope and content of the article: How does the author place his/her research in context of its field? What are the limitations of this study? What are the essential arguments made? What are the conclusions?
(4) Methodology used: What approach did the author use to test out his/her thesis? How did the author arrive at his/her conclusions?
(5) a total 250 to 300 words written in your own words using clear and grammatically correct English. (Incorrect spelling/grammar will be penalized!)

DUE DATE: Monday November 26th at 2:30pm.
Late penalty: 10% per day late.

Please familiarize yourself with Humber’s Academic Regulations and policies, particularly with regards to “Academic Misconduct” such as plagarism (see http://fulltimestudents.humber.ca/academicregulations.htm)
The following is a sample précis that you can use as a guide.

Laing, Dave. “The Music Industry and the ‘Cultural Imperialism’ Thesis.” Media, Culture and Society 8 (1986): 331-41.

AIM: This article examines past studies regarding application of the cultural imperialism thesis to the international music industry and finds them inadequate. The author’s main critiques are the neglect to acknowledging the effects of record piracy, and the rise of new musical styles influenced by Anglo-American music in other countries.

SCOPE and CONTENT: The author looks at cultural imperialism studies by Malm & Wallis (1979) and Peterson & Berger (1982) who use quantitative criteria of world-wide record sales to draw conclusions. Part of their justification for their claiming Western “cultural imperialism” is the fact that the 5 multinational record companies control over 60% of the world’s market (p.334). However, the author points out that the effects of piracy must also be considered. Because pirated cassettes are cheaper than locally-made recordings, piracy’s most significant effect is not on damage it does to the income of the multinational companies and their recording artists, but the way in which it encourages the spread of Western pop music and discourages the full development of national recording in many countries. Moreover, Laing also critiques the apparent neglect of the fact that some Western mainstream music produces local and regional fusions (Nigerian Afro-Beat from the music of James Brown is one example). In conclusion, the author states that the concept of ‘cultural imperialism’ is not supple enough to account for key aspects of the music’s reception and musical relationship between the Western record companies and foreign countries.

METHODOLOGY: The author outlines the findings of a number of studies on musical cultural imperialism and then points out their shortcomings. Laing bases much of his record sales and piracy data on published sources from the early to mid-1980s. The author suggests more research needs to be done that incorporates record piracy statistics.

The Marsalis Family
Born in New Orleans.
Ellis—father (piano), Branford (Tenor Saxophone), Wynton (Trumpet), Delfayo (Trombone) and Jason (drums).
Branford and Wynton both began their careers playing with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

Jazz as a Cultural Institution
Throughout the 1970s and 80s the idea of jazz preservation gained currency: Norman Granz’s Label “PABLO” recorded Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Zoot Sims, Harry “Sweets” Edison and others from earlier traditions.
Chuck Israels founded The National Jazz Ensemble
George Wein promoted the New York Jazz Repertory Company.
Smithsonian began taking an interest in the music
Gunther Schuler began publishing widely on the subject.

Wynton
No major figure in jazz (not Armstrong, Ellington, Goodman, Davis, Parker nor Coltrane) gained as much fame and power, as fast and as young as Wynton.
Born 1961, performed Haydn with New Orleans Philharmonic (14), Tanglewood Festival as outstanding brass player (17), Julliard (18), performing with Blakey and Hancock (19) and signed to BOTH CBS classical and jazz at age 20.
Won Grammy award in both classical and jazz in the same year (22).

Wynton’s Band.
Sometimes featured older brother Branford (early on) but mainly Marcus Roberts (piano), Robert Hurst (Bass) and Jeff “Tain” Watts (Drums).
“Classic” conception and aesthetic…all young African-American males, wore suits, classic jazz “acoustic” instrumentation” and played a repertoire consisting largely of American songs from 1930s – 1950s.
Musical Example: “Soon All Will Know” and “Take the A Train.”

Wynton vs. Herbie
Jazz as Tradition
Jazz as African-American
Jazz as devoid from commercialism
Jazz as devoid from the impurities of rock, rap, funk, disco and fusion
Jazz as Innovation
Jazz as joint tenancy
Jazz as both an artistic and commercial music
Jazz as welcoming of a variety of hybrids, sounds and influences.

Wynton and Stanley Crouch
A move “backwards” for Wynton…while he was once heralded as the 2nd coming of Clifford Brown or Davis (bop trumpeters), Wynton was connecting to a deeper and earlier style of the jazz (heavily influenced by the blues).
Attempts to purge jazz from its “progressive” or European-inflected elements.

What is Fusion?
A synthesis of arguably disparate sounds
A blending of different musical cultures or sounds.
Horace Silver “Song for My Father” or Sonny Rollins “St. Thomas” early examples of cross cultural fusion?
The 70’s “fusion era” refers largely to the blending of jazz with rock and/or funk.
Cultural implications: Rock and Roll outselling jazz.
Post Vietnam War hedonism.

Miles Davis
A consistent leader of various movements in jazz
Bebop with Parker and Monk
Cool Jazz with “Birth of the Cool”
Modal with “Kind of Blue”
Hard bop with groups featuring Rollins and Silver
Freedom with 60’s quintet (Shorter, Hancock, Carter and Williams)
Fusion beginning with “Bitches Brew” and “In a Silent Way.”

Acoustic Jazz vs. Fusion
Acoustic instrumentation
Swing groove
“Standard” tunes or based on the chord changes of an earlier composition
Respected as an American art form
Horns, acoustic bass, drums and vocals.
Electric instrumentation
Straight groove
Original compositions
Marginalized as an artistic “sell out”
Electric guitars, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, electric basses and percussion.

“Bitches Brew”
1969 release
Davis with a cacophony of instruments and sounds.
Borrowed heavily from contemporary African American culture: from rock, funk and rhythm and blues culture
Commercial successful
“Crossed over” to playing on the same bills with rock bands and in front of college kids.
Sold 400 000 copies in the first year.
Musical Example: “Right Off,” “Spanish Key” and “ESP.”

80’s Davis
Retired from 75 to 82
Reinterpreted some of the pop music of the day: “Human Nature” Michael Jackson and “Time after Time” Cyndi Lauper.
Electronic elements crept into his music
Was marginalized for not “re-visiting” his musical past
Musicians associated with Davis around this time: Mike Stern, John Scofield, Bob Berg, Bill Evans, Robben Ford, Marcus Miller and Al Foster.
Tutu was a collaboration between Davis and Marcus Miller
Musical Example: “Tutu”

John McLaughlin and The Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Born in England 1942
As influenced by Jimi Hendrix as by Charlie Parker
Formed The Mahavishnu Orchestra
Influenced by Eastern philosophy and religious teachings of Sri Chimnoy
the group went through a number of aggregations
Musical Example: “Birds of Fire,” “Eternity’s Breath Part I and II,” and “Cosmic Strut.”

Cultural Fusions
McLaughlin also tackled Indian classical music with Shakti and Flamenco with Al DiMeola and Paco De Lucia
Musical Example: “La Dance du Bonheur,” “ Making Music” and “Joy.”

Weather Report
Co-led by Joe Zawinul (keyboards) and Wayne Shorter (saxophone)
Roots in more traditional jazz (both worked with Davis).
Shorter with Blakey and Zawinul with Adderley.
Brought in virtuossic bassist Jaco Pastorious
Musical Example: “Birdland.”

Jaco Pastorious
Electric bassist
Helped popularize the fretless electric bass
Worked with Pat Metheny and Joni Mitchell
Murdered in 1986
Musical Example: “Coyote” (Joni Mitchell).

Herbie Hancock
Pianist with Davis
One of the first to experiment with electronic keyboards
Interested in combing jazz music with funk rhythms
Tried to capture audiences from popular black culture (i.e.. Sly Stone, James Brown).
Musical Example: “Chameleon.”

Chick Corea and Return to Forever
Corea with Stanley Clarke, Lenny White and Al DiMeola.
Electric and acoustic versions
Some of Corea’s tunes from this era became fusion “standards.”
Titles of the tunes and the band represented Corea and Clarke’s interest in science fiction and L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology) and in some cases his Spanish heritage.
Musical Examples: “Dayride” and “Spain.”

Freddie Hubbard
Trumpeter
Former Jazz Messenger
Traditionally very strong
Connected to lineage of jazz trumpet and well-respected
Mantra was to get a “hit” record.
Musical Example: “Sky Dive.”

Pop Jazz
Influence less of rock and more of pop music and funk.
Quincy Jones perhaps used his position as Hollywood TV and Film music writer to introduce jazz sounds to a wide audience.
CTI (Creed Taylor Incorporated) Record Label.
Musical Example: “Things Could be Worse for Me” (Quincy Jones), “Valdez in the Country” (Donny Hathaway, “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (Deodato), “Peg” (Steely Dan).

George Benson
Guitarist
Soul jazz tradition
Learned to play in various organ groups
Affiliated with CTI Records (Creed Taylor Records).
Focused on singing over his Wes Montgomery influenced guitar style
#1 hit on R and B and Jazz and Pop
Musical Example: “Breezin’”
Video example from Old Grey Whistle Test

Grover Washington Jr.
Tenor saxophonist
Representative of the pairing of Washington and Keyboardist Bob James
Extremely successful pairing and helped introduce/popularize the “smooth jazz” format—a commercially successful blend of pop and jazz
Musical Example: “Mr. Magic.”

The Crusaders
Originally The Jazz Crusaders (an acoustic hard bop group) featuring Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson, Stix Hooper and Wilton Felder.
Dropped the “Jazz” from their name and gained L.A. Studio guitarist Larry Carlton
As a group backed up a number of pop jazz hybrids: Joni Mitchell, Michael Franks and Tom Scott.
Musical Example: “Street Life” featuring Randy Crawford (Vocals).

Chuck Mangione
Buffalo trumpeter
Played straight ahead jazz with Art Blakey as a Jazz Messenger (alongside Keith Jarrett)
Explored the sonic possibilities of the flugelhorn (a softer sound then the trumpet)
Musical Example: “Feels So Good.”

Hi Everyone: Thanks for your understanding regarding my broken computer last Thursday…I’m up and running again….here are the notes for the power point from last class. As mentioned, we will push the listening quiz back one week…have a nice Thanksgiving.

Yours,

Andy

Lecture
Andrew Scott
“Louis Armstrong, The Move to Chicago, The Harlem Renaissance, Duke Ellington and the Birth of the Big Band.”
Louis Armstrong

Born August 4th 1901
Learned to blow a straight horn while working for the Karnofsky’s (delivering coal in Storyville).
Joe “King” Oliver was his idol.
As a traveling performer on a riverboat, his sound and style was heard and adopted by Jack Teagarden (Texas—Trombone and Vocal) and Bix Beiderbecke (Iowa—Trumpet).

Louis Armstrong and Joe “King” Oliver
Armstrong initially influenced…
Jack Teagarden
Bix Beiderbecke
Oliver vs. Armstrong (aesthetic differences)

Oliver best represents New Orleans “hot” style: collective improvisation of the “front line;” “melodic counterpoint” between coronet, trombone and clarinet and a unified ensemble sound.
Oliver was all colour and texture; a remarkable ability to capture the “blues” and the human voice on his horn.

Armstrong was all power and dominance. Not a good choice to play a supportive role. Rhythmically exciting.
According to Gunther Schulluer, Armstrong emerged as Jazz music’s 1st soloist.

King Oliver’s Creole Band

Oliver’s Creole Band:
King Oliver and Armstrong (cornet)
Honore Dutrey (trombone)
Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
Lil Hardin (soon to be Mrs. Armstrong on piano)
Bill Johnson (banjo)
Baby Dodds (drums)
Musical example:
“Chimes Blues” from 1923

Fletcher Henderson and Clarence Williams Blue Five.
Fletcher Henderson
Clarence Williams
Sidney Bechet
Armstrong met Sidney Bechet (May 14th 1897) in Williams’ group.
Bechet’s clarinet solos were mainly melodic embellishment (Kernfeld’s paraphrase).
A very human or vocal approach to timbre.
Bechet helped pioneer the soprano saxophone.
Musical examples: “Wild Cat Blues” and “Cake Walkin’ Babies” by Clarence Williams Blue Five (1923/1925) the later featuring both Bechet and Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five

Armstrong; Lil Hardin (Armstrong) on piano; Johnny Dodds on clarinet, Kid Ory on Trombone; and Johnny St. Cyr on banjo.
Louis Armstrong’s Hot Seven
The original Hot Five plus Pete Briggs (Tuba) and Baby Dodds (Drums).

Armstrong’s “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven.”

Earl “Fatha” Hines
Born in Pennsylvania December 28th 1903.
Assimilated Armstrong’s approach on the piano: “trumpet-like” right hand.
Perhaps the second great jazz soloist.
Musical Example: “West End Blues” by Armstrong and his Hot Five featuring Hines (1928)

Armstrong as vocalist
Re-interprets the popular American Songbook brining new repertoire into the jazz world.
Interpretation, more than the composition, becomes the harbinger of his style and of the future of jazz.
Musical example: “Stardust” (1931)

Leon “Bix” Biederbecke
Born March 10, 1903 in Davenport, Iowa.
First heard Armstrong on the riverboat.
Influenced by Nick La Rocca (ODJB).
A softer more gentle aesthetic.
1st important white jazz musician.
Musical Examples: “There Ain’t no Sweet Man (Worth the salt of my tears)” (1928 with Paul Whiteman and Orchestra); “Singin’ the Blues” (1927 with Frankie Trumbauer and Orchestra) and “Riverboat Shuffle” (1927).

The Harlem Renaissance
Intellectual and cultural flowering in African American community and culture. Writers such as Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, political advocates such as Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois.
The Harlem Renaissance celebrated African-American culture. African-Americans were encouraged to celebrate their heritage and to become “The New Negro,” a term coined in 1925 by sociologist and critic Alain LeRoy Locke.
One factor contributing to the rise of the Harlem Renaissance was the great migration of African-Americans to northern cities (such as New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.) between 1919 and 1926. In his influential book The New Negro (1925), Locke described the northward migration of blacks as “something like a spiritual emancipation.”

Rent-Party Shout: For a Lady Dancer (1930) by Langston Hughes

Whip it to a jelly!Too bad Jim!Mamie’s got ma man–An’ I can’t find him.Shake that thing! O!Shake it slow!That man I love is Mean an’ low.Pistol an’ razor!Razor an’ gun!If I sees ma man he’d Better run–For I’ll shoot him in de shoulder,Else I’ll cut him down,Cause I knows I can find himWhen he’s in de ground–Then can’t no other womenHave him layin’ round.So play it, Mr. Nappy!Yo’ music’s fine!I’m gonna kill thatMan o’ mine!

Musical Manifestations of The Harlem Renaissance
“Rent Parties.”
“Cutting Contests” between piano players.
James P. Johnson (1894 in New Jersey), Willie “The Lion” Smith and Thomas “Fats” Waller.
Ensemble sound on the piano, rhythmically driving, “striding” or “Walking” left hand bass line.
Musical Examples: “You’ve Got to be Modernistic” (1930 Johnson)
“Charleston” (1925) and “I Ain’t Got Nobody” (1937 “Fats” Waller).

James (Price) P. Johnson
Thomas “Fats” Waller

Art Tatum

Born Toledo, Ohio October 13th 1910.
Blind.
Virtuoso pianist. Intense chromatics, dazzling technique, sweeping runs, entirely re-interprets his songs. Borrows heavily from the classical tradition of piano playing.
Mainly performed solo.
Inspired many (Notably: Oscar Peterson).
Musical Examples: “Three Little Words,” “Lover”; “Just one of those things” and “Indiana” (with ensemble).

The shift from small combo to big band
King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band
Jimmie Lunceford Big Band
Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Henderson (Georgia 1897) with Don Redman (West Virginia 1900).
Henderson band acted as a sort of “finishing school” for musicians.
Musical Examples: “The Stampede” (1926) Henderson and Orchestra.

Coleman Hawkins
Born in Missouri 1904.
First break was with Henderson Orchestra where he was a featured soloist.
Pianistic approach to the tenor saxophone.
Father of the tenor saxophone.
Heavier sound, rhythmically rooted one of the first melodic improvisers to approach music “vertically” running through the harmonies of each individual chord change.
Musical Example: “Body and Soul.”

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy Ellington (April 29th 1899) in Washington D.C.
Grew up listening to the “piano rolls” of Harlem Stride players (James P. Johnson and Willie “The Lion” Smith in particular).
Hired musicians for their timbre and individuality: James “Bubber” Miley (trumpet), “Tricky” Sam Nanton (Trombone), Harry Carney (Baritone Saxophone), Cootie Williams (Trumpet), Ben Webster (tenor saxophone) and Johnny Hodges (alto).
Musical Examples: “East St. Louis Toodle-OO” (1926), “Black Beauty” (1928 for Duke’s unique approach to solo piano), “Mood Indigo” (1930), “It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it Ain’t Got That Swing)” (1932)—listen for Nanton, Williams and Hodges—and “Echoes of Harlem.” On Gridley: “Cotton Tail,” “Harlem Airshaft” “Transblucency” and “Prelude to a Kiss.”

The Cotton Club
New York City
Run by gangsters Oweny Madden.
Featured the Ellington group.
Forced Ellington to be prolific, diverse (writing novelty music) and back up visiting guest artists and brought him infront of a large audience.

Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
“The Organ Grinder’s Swing” and “For Dancer’s Only” (1937 from Burns Disc 2 Track 6).

Chick Webb
Drummer/bandleader held the house gig at the Savoy Ballroom (New York). “Harlem Congo” and “A-Tisket A Tasket” featuring Ella Fitzgerald.

Hi Everyone:

Thanks for a good class and a good discussion today. To recap: today’s listening text (issues based as we discussed) will be in our next class…the Monday after Thanksgiving. If anyone has any concerns/questions regarding the issues and how they link up to some of the songs on the CDs, please email me and if it is OK with you I’ll post your questions and my answers on our class website (here).

For some concert footage of The Mahavishnu Orchestra see here.

Second, I really need people to do the reading…the articles are all there in the library and are all clearly marked on the syllabus below…it will make the class more interesting, engaging and fun if we are all commenting on the articles and issues raised. Plus it will give you much more to comment upon come time for the various quizzes etc.

So, for October 15th…please be prepared for our first quiz and have read Marsalis, Wynton. “The Neo-Classical Agenda.” (pp. 334 – 339) in Keeping Time: Readings In Jazz History. (Oxford University Press, 1999) and DeVeaux, Scott. “Constructing the Jazz Tradition.” (pp. 416 – 424) in Keeping Time: Readings In Jazz History. (Oxford University Press, 1999). [On library reserve].

Thanks and have a nice thanksgiving.

Yours,

Andrew

Hi Everyone:

Hope everyone had a good weekend. I thought we had another good class last Thursday…on to further exciting stuff this upcoming Tuesday and Thursday.

See the links below.

Email me with any questions/concerns.

Yours,

Andrew

For a discussion on signifyin(g): see here.

For lots of videos of people performing the music of Jelly Roll Morton see here.

For a video of Bessie Smith see here.

For a video discussion of Buddy Bolden from the Ken Burns documentary series see here.

For some history on ODJB see here.

Hi Everyone:

There is a lot of material on this power point/lecture to cover, so we will spend the next class (or so covering all of the material on hand)…lots of good stuff and great music, however….

Also, be sure to have read up to and including Chapter 2 (of the latest edition of the text) for this week’s classes…I have put some information about the midterm below and some great videos of some of the characters we have been discussing for you to check out….

Mid term #1 Oct 11…………………….. 25%

Breakdown of midterm:

In terms of format for the exam: there will be a number of styles of questions: some listening (Taken exclusively from Text book cds), some short answer things ie. I’ll give you a word (something like, if this was a course in pop music, “grunge") and you would define the word and situate it into a context

For example: “Grunge.” Punk musical movement from Seattle, USA. Associated with bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. (THIS WOULD GET FULL MARKS).

There will be both multiple choice and fill in the blank…there might be some “instrumentarium” (linking up which individual plays what instrument) and finally a few longer written (essay type) questions for you to discuss some of the issues we have discussed in class or issues or themes that are raised in the text: ie. Cultural appropriation, why new Orleans etc.

Hope this helps…

Here a some great videos of Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong and King Oliver.

Thanks,

Andrew

Lecture 5
Andrew Scott
“Louis Armstrong, The Move to Chicago, The Harlem Renaissance, Duke Ellington and the Birth of the Big Band.”
Louis Armstrong

Born August 4th 1901
Learned to blow a straight horn while working for the Karnofsky’s (delivering coal in Storyville).
Joe “King” Oliver was his idol.
As a traveling performer on a riverboat, his sound and style was heard and adopted by Jack Teagarden (Texas—Trombone and Vocal) and Bix Beiderbecke (Iowa—Trumpet).

Louis Armstrong and Joe “King” Oliver
Armstrong initially influenced…
Jack Teagarden
Bix Beiderbecke
Oliver vs. Armstrong (aesthetic differences)

Oliver best represents New Orleans “hot” style: collective improvisation of the “front line;” “melodic counterpoint” between coronet, trombone and clarinet and a unified ensemble sound.
Oliver was all colour and texture; a remarkable ability to capture the “blues” and the human voice on his horn.

Armstrong was all power and dominance. Not a good choice to play a supportive role. Rhythmically exciting.
According to Gunther Schulluer, Armstrong emerged as Jazz music’s 1st soloist.

King Oliver’s Creole Band

Oliver’s Creole Band:
King Oliver and Armstrong (cornet)
Honore Dutrey (trombone)
Johnny Dodds (clarinet)
Lil Hardin (soon to be Mrs. Armstrong on piano)
Bill Johnson (banjo)
Baby Dodds (drums)
Musical example:
“Chimes Blues” from 1923

Fletcher Henderson and Clarence Williams Blue Five.
Fletcher Henderson
Clarence Williams
Sidney Bechet
Armstrong met Sidney Bechet (May 14th 1897) in Williams’ group.
Bechet’s clarinet solos were mainly melodic embellishment (Kernfeld’s paraphrase).
A very human or vocal approach to timbre.
Bechet helped pioneer the soprano saxophone.
Musical examples: “Wild Cat Blues” and “Cake Walkin’ Babies” by Clarence Williams Blue Five (1923/1925) the later featuring both Bechet and Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five

Armstrong; Lil Hardin (Armstrong) on piano; Johnny Dodds on clarinet, Kid Ory on Trombone; and Johnny St. Cyr on banjo.
Louis Armstrong’s Hot Seven
The original Hot Five plus Pete Briggs (Tuba) and Baby Dodds (Drums).

Armstrong’s “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven.”

Earl “Fatha” Hines
Born in Pennsylvania December 28th 1903.
Assimilated Armstrong’s approach on the piano: “trumpet-like” right hand.
Perhaps the second great jazz soloist.
Musical Example: “West End Blues” by Armstrong and his Hot Five featuring Hines (1928)

Armstrong as vocalist
Re-interprets the popular American Songbook brining new repertoire into the jazz world.
Interpretation, more than the composition, becomes the harbinger of his style and of the future of jazz.
Musical example: “Stardust” (1931)

Leon “Bix” Biederbecke
Born March 10, 1903 in Davenport, Iowa.
First heard Armstrong on the riverboat.
Influenced by Nick La Rocca (ODJB).
A softer more gentle aesthetic.
1st important white jazz musician.
Musical Examples: “There Ain’t no Sweet Man (Worth the salt of my tears)” (1928 with Paul Whiteman and Orchestra); “Singin’ the Blues” (1927 with Frankie Trumbauer and Orchestra) and “Riverboat Shuffle” (1927).

The Harlem Renaissance
Intellectual and cultural flowering in African American community and culture. Writers such as Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, political advocates such as Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois.
The Harlem Renaissance celebrated African-American culture. African-Americans were encouraged to celebrate their heritage and to become “The New Negro,” a term coined in 1925 by sociologist and critic Alain LeRoy Locke.
One factor contributing to the rise of the Harlem Renaissance was the great migration of African-Americans to northern cities (such as New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.) between 1919 and 1926. In his influential book The New Negro (1925), Locke described the northward migration of blacks as “something like a spiritual emancipation.”

Rent-Party Shout: For a Lady Dancer (1930) by Langston Hughes

Whip it to a jelly!Too bad Jim!Mamie’s got ma man–An’ I can’t find him.Shake that thing! O!Shake it slow!That man I love is Mean an’ low.Pistol an’ razor!Razor an’ gun!If I sees ma man he’d Better run–For I’ll shoot him in de shoulder,Else I’ll cut him down,Cause I knows I can find himWhen he’s in de ground–Then can’t no other womenHave him layin’ round.So play it, Mr. Nappy!Yo’ music’s fine!I’m gonna kill thatMan o’ mine!

Musical Manifestations of The Harlem Renaissance
“Rent Parties.”
“Cutting Contests” between piano players.
James P. Johnson (1894 in New Jersey), Willie “The Lion” Smith and Thomas “Fats” Waller.
Ensemble sound on the piano, rhythmically driving, “striding” or “Walking” left hand bass line.
Musical Examples: “You’ve Got to be Modernistic” (1930 Johnson)
“Charleston” (1925) and “I Ain’t Got Nobody” (1937 “Fats” Waller).

James (Price) P. Johnson
Thomas “Fats” Waller

Art Tatum

Born Toledo, Ohio October 13th 1910.
Blind.
Virtuoso pianist. Intense chromatics, dazzling technique, sweeping runs, entirely re-interprets his songs. Borrows heavily from the classical tradition of piano playing.
Mainly performed solo.
Inspired many (Notably: Oscar Peterson).
Musical Examples: “Three Little Words,” “Lover”; “Just one of those things” and “Indiana” (with ensemble).

The shift from small combo to big band
King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band
Jimmie Lunceford Big Band
Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Henderson (Georgia 1897) with Don Redman (West Virginia 1900).
Henderson band acted as a sort of “finishing school” for musicians.
Musical Examples: “The Stampede” (1926) Henderson and Orchestra.

Coleman Hawkins
Born in Missouri 1904.
First break was with Henderson Orchestra where he was a featured soloist.
Pianistic approach to the tenor saxophone.
Father of the tenor saxophone.
Heavier sound, rhythmically rooted one of the first melodic improvisers to approach music “vertically” running through the harmonies of each individual chord change.
Musical Example: “Body and Soul.”

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy Ellington (April 29th 1899) in Washington D.C.
Grew up listening to the “piano rolls” of Harlem Stride players (James P. Johnson and Willie “The Lion” Smith in particular).
Hired musicians for their timbre and individuality: James “Bubber” Miley (trumpet), “Tricky” Sam Nanton (Trombone), Harry Carney (Baritone Saxophone), Cootie Williams (Trumpet), Ben Webster (tenor saxophone) and Johnny Hodges (alto).
Musical Examples: “East St. Louis Toodle-OO” (1926), “Black Beauty” (1928 for Duke’s unique approach to solo piano), “Mood Indigo” (1930), “It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it Ain’t Got That Swing)” (1932)—listen for Nanton, Williams and Hodges—and “Echoes of Harlem.” On Gridley: “Cotton Tail,” “Harlem Airshaft” “Transblucency” and “Prelude to a Kiss.”

The Cotton Club
New York City
Run by gangsters Oweny Madden.
Featured the Ellington group.
Forced Ellington to be prolific, diverse (writing novelty music) and back up visiting guest artists and brought him infront of a large audience.

Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
“The Organ Grinder’s Swing” and “For Dancer’s Only” (1937 from Burns Disc 2 Track 6).

Chick Webb
Drummer/bandleader held the house gig at the Savoy Ballroom (New York). “Harlem Congo” and “A-Tisket A Tasket” featuring Ella Fitzgerald.