The Many Styles Of Jazz Music
Part 1The essence of the
appeal of Jazz music has expanded and became reinvented
from the use of elements found in African drumming,
spiritual and hymn music, bluegrass hillbilly music, blues,
impressionist, and classical traits to newer sounds. Jazz
music became popular from radio and underground clubs that
influenced other parts of the world. For instance, Europe's
French Jazz scene created Gypsy Jazz and South America's
Brazilian and Afro-Cuban Jazz sounds. Not only did make
it's mark on the world, but it also found its way back to
its roots through urban contemporary gospel music of
percussion as well as brass instruments.
Today the contemporary gospel music uses guitars, keyboard,
piano, drums and brass instruments for their sound. One can
usually tell during the ballads how Jazz chord harmonies are
used in the keyboard and piano. The harmony in Barbershop music
like Jazz came from the African American Black gospel church
community which use close four part harmony without
accompaniment. This particular style of music without
accompaniment is known as A capella. The Mills Brothers were
popular Jazz musicians who learned how this harmonization in
the barbershop owned by their father.
In many Jazz groups such as Manhattan Transfer, New York
Voices, Acoustix, Bara Vox, Beach Front, BR6 and more the
harmonies are similar to that of barbershop. These harmonies
are from the chromatic chordal harmony found in Jazz Music. The
group Take 6 has expanded the traditional four part harmonies
to six tones. Jazz Music did not stop there , but grew into an
array of different styles that produce different aesthetic
appeal.
The aesthetic appeal can be found in how each part of the music
makes one feel once heard. All the different elements from the
lyrical content to the kaleidoscope of colorful harmony to the
depth of the mood provides its own ambiance of sound. To give
examples:
On the extent to which Jazz has expanded are listed below as
new expressions to the music.
Vocalese - From 1952 to 1962 Eddie Jefferson and Jon Hendricks
made their mark by using their vocals as a substitute for the
music instrument in the exact melody. Meaning, the voice
imitated the exact solo of a saxophonist solo. It was not wide
accepted until the musicians above made it popular.
Cool Jazz- From the latter 1940's and 1950's a softer more
gentle style of Jazz of both bop and swing with arranged
harmonies that are present in Jazz ballads today.
Hard Bop-From the middle of 1950's the church's spiritual and
gospel roots of African style returned to the Jazz music which
assisted in the making of Rhythm and Blues. One example of this
music is Davis' work titled "Walkin".
Mainstream- From the 1950's era, Jazz improvisation changed
from single line melodic ornamentation to chordal which
appeared again as a loose form of Jazz music in the later part
of the 1970's and 1980's. This style was influenced by the
cool, classical, and hard bop Jazz styles.
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