The Many Styles Of Jazz Music
Part 2Bebop-The dance
elements gradually faded away into a true art of real music
by the musicians Miles Davis, Bud Powell, Clifford Brown,
Thelonious Monk, Sonny Stitt, and Ray Brown who wanted to
steer away from the commercial type music. These musicians
sought to use examples of the Jazz musicians of the past
such as Lester young, Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines and Art
Tatum to expand Jazz music to another level.
At this time, Jazz music moved away from the basic melodic
element of the piece to produce a more abstract chordal sound
of dissonant tones, and chromatic patterns. The dissonant tones
in Jazz music can be heard when two tones are played
simultaneously in a clashing manner that can either sound
strange or terrible depending on how the tones of the chord fit
together as melody notes from a particular key. Clashing sounds
can also occur from the use of lowered fifths and raised
fourths.
The chromatic sound of the music allows the musician to freely
play each of the twelve tones of the instruments without
restriction. Musicians were able to play substitute chords as
well as altered chords that could change the key of the piece
in a whim. The change in rhythm became more discreetly
energetic in sound which is used predominantly in Jazz music
today. For instance, the cymbal was hit in beat of a 1+a 2+ a 3
+a 4 +a while the snare and bass drum are suddenly hit without
warning.
Soul Jazz- From the late 1950's, a style of music that derived
from gospel and soul using the tenor saxophone, repetition with
melodic groove hooks, and less intricate improvisation that
occurred over the chordal harmonies. The music from the popular
radio artist of the time known as Ramsey Lewis wrote "The In
Crowd" a hit in 1965. Souls Jazz music signature was powerful
bass lines and changing tempo of the song.
Modal- Bill Evans a pianist of this time made his mark in the
making of new jazz music styles by using examples of major and
minor medieval church modes which produced altered sounds
between two notes. This music broke the rules by allowing the
musicians to form new harmonies regardless of the key.
Jazz Fusion- Between the 1960's and 1970's, Jazz music infused
with rock to the horror of Jazz lovers. The sound of Jazz
fusion is complicated chordal harmonies, and oddly mixed meters
with syncopating rhythms. The instruments used is similar to
the instruments used in today's bands such as the electronic
guitar, electric bass guitar, electric piano and synthesizer.
The musicians Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Tony
Williams and Frank Zappa and many others performed this
music.
Smooth Jazz- From the 1970's and 1980's Jazz became a lighter
pop style of fusion which begat muzak an electronic form of
popular music on the radio. This music made popular by Kenny
G., Najee and Grover Washington Jr. is played in many
businesses to entertain customers.
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