The Foundation: Ragtime, Stride
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1. Classical Piano Ragtime 1897-1917 Crossing the barline = syncopation the time was ragging – John Stark Notated African American music associated with Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb and James Scott Foundation of Jazz Syncopation First music to syncopate melody over the barline Lower bass notes typical fall on the first and third. Teicks of each measure, alternating with chords on 2nd and 4th ticks Simple European harmony
Not improvised Well structured, thematically coherent, well notated with dynamics and phrasing and played at a controlled tempo of about 80-110 bpm Material for dance music, intended for solo piano
Artists: Tom Turpin (1873-1922) Joseph Lamb – the only non Afro-American ragtime pianist at the time.
James Scott
Transition: Jelly o o o o Dick
Roll Morton (transitional figure) ―Jazz King of New Orleans‖ Introduced swing Walking in 6th instead of 10th Slurs, melody below harmony More advanced harmony Hyman
2. Harlem Stride Piano Primarily Solo Piano Influential on 20th century popular music Repertoire from Ragtime, Originals, Broadway Musicals Characteristics: Chromaticism, European impressionist symmetrical scales, Baltic
More Arpeggiations Reharmonizations Walking left hand More improvisation More range Polyrhythmic Marmonically complex Left hand jigs: alternating between bass notes and chords in the mid range (8ves or 10ths and chord or another octaves with inner voicing)
Spectacular Practitioners: James P. Johnson (father of) o Classically trained, good use of dynamics, sustain pedal, and range o Introduced ―rolls‖, taken from Luckey Roberts ―Carolina Shout‖, ―Back Water Blues‖, ―Thou Swell‖ William ―The Lion‖ Smith o Son of a maid of a Jewish house, trained in classical music
since age 8, exposed to Klezmer, love French music o Former artillery, might explain his harsh sound o Listening Example: Fingerbuster Charles ―Luckeyth‖ Roberts (grandfather of) o Known for big stature o Students include: Ellington, Hines, Gershwin, Johnson, Eubie Blake, etc. o Few recordings, usually society gigs. o Listening Example: ―Pork and Beans‖ Thomas ―Fats‖ Waller o Pianist, organist, singer, composer, arranger, entertainer, comedian, band leader o Listening Example: ―Your Feet‘s Too Big‖, ―Ain‘t Misbehavin‘‖, ―Smashing Thirds‖, ―I‘m Crazy ‗Bout My Baby‖, ―Honeysuckle Rose‖ George Gershwin o Pianist, Composer, Bridge Jazz with Popular, Legitimized Jazz
o Probably but not totally self-taught, attended o Made more than 100 piano rolls in his teen years o American in Paris: Gershwin asked Maurice Ravel for composing lessons but when Gershwin answered how much money he made, Ravel neglected. Three Stride Masters: Dick Wellstood Don Ewell Ralph Sutton
Dick Hyman
Transition from Stride to Swing
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Big Band Era: Fletcher Henderson Orchestra Paul Whitman Orchestra Benny Goodman Band Count Basie Big Band Duke Ellington Characteristics: Piano reduced to ensemble role Less bass activity Swing Pianists: Earl Fatha Hines o Ensemble pianist o Trumpet style right hand Octaves for the effect to cut through the horns o Horn like phrasing, influenced popular jazz through bebop o Employing 10ths on both left hands and right hands, and moving inner voice o Video Example: Jazz Piano Workshop, Earl Hines and Jaki
Byard o Listening Example: Undecided, Squeeze Me, Earl Explains Teddy Wilson o Most important pianist of the swing period o Early style influenced by Hynes, but then changed at some point from more percussive to more legato sound. o Plays and records with Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter, Benny Goodman (first interracial band!), Billie Holiday, Lester Young o Early recordings reveal a percussive style, single-note ines o o o
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and bold staccatos, that was indebted to Earl Hines Refines his style to a distinctive legato idiom that served him for the rest of his career Created great harmonic refinement often omitting the root until the end of the phrase Listening Example: All of Me, ―What a Little Moonlight Can Do‖ with Billy Holliday and Benny Goodman on clarinet Ellington
o Stride Pianist o Composer, arranger o Bandleader o Listening Example: Reflections in D Billy Strayhorn Count Basie o Basie Big Band o Minimal approach to piano o Short blues riffs o Listening example: Good Time Blues, Basie‘s Boogie, Corner Pocket
Boogie Woogie At the same time with jazz swing, 12/24-bar blues, different left hand happening Harmonically simple, not much chords or tensions, ostinato left hand (1-bar/2-bar patterns) ―Boogie Woogie piano playing possibly originated in the lumber and turpentine camps of Texas and in the sporting houses of that state.
A fast, rolling bass — giving the piece an undercurrent of tremendous power — power piano playing.‖ Explanations: west Africans, sound of railroads Percussive blues piano style Improvised right hand Very rhythmic and percussive Righthand syncopation similar to Ragtime West African ostinato percussive traditions underlying improvised lead percussion parts
Played in different house parties o Rent parties.. People throw in parties, charge people admission and sell food to help pay rent Boogie Woogie Pianists: James Yancey o Established BW style with slow, steady, simple LH bass patterns
o Variations on three or four bass patterns, rarely playing more than single bass notes o Profoundly influenced other musicians o Listening Example: Bear Trap Blues, Yancey Special Pine Top Smith (1904-1929) o Most influential blues figure of the 1920 o ―Piane Top‘s Boogie Woogie‖ became a template for subsequent blues tunes. o Influenced: Ray Charles Hersal Thomas
Meade Lux Lewis o depression era o Boogie Woogie pioneer o Helped establish boogie-woogie as a major blues piano style in the 1930s-1940s o Discovered with Ammons and Johnson by John Hammond (talent scout), brought to Carnegie Hall, brings back BW to popularity o Boogie Woogie served as influence to Rock n Roll music.
Albert Ammons o A lot hard hitting o One of the big three of the late‘30s BW along with Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis o Performed Carnegie Hall, Spirituals To Swing o Also played Swing and Stride Piano Pete Johnson (1904-1967) o Appeared in the ―From Spirituals to Swing‖ concert in Carnegie Hall
o Screaming right hand octave o ―Rocket 88‖ considered one of the oldest Rock n Roll records, Count Basie put in horns o Listening Examples: Death Ray Boogie
Pre-Bebop
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Art Tatum Influenced by Fats Waller, 20th century classical composers, Earl Hines Set the standard for technical dexterity Played in little club Revered by not only jazz pianists but also classical: Fats Waller, Gershwin, Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, Herbie Hancock, Igor Stravinsky, Vladimir Horowitz, Sergei Rachmaninoff Primarily Solo pianists
o Trio with Slam Stuart, Tiny Grimes o Small Group: Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge Loved Classical, improvised over it(listening example: Chopin, Valse in C# Minor, Op. 64, No. 2)
Style
Balance and Touch Techniques Played stride but was not primary approach Played blues (listening example: Blues in B Flat (1954) w Benny
Carter and Louis Bellson) Pursuing perfection Clarity in up-tempo playing Cascading lines Melodic and harmonic inventions Flawless accuracy Pedaling technique (listening example: ―Yesterdays‖, Earl Hines‘ ―Rosseta‖) Technique
Fingers flat on the keys to get his tone and speed Play scales with his thumb and first two fingers Pedaling to achieve tone Impeccable Time
Dave McKenna Repertoire Standards, Pop, TV Tunes
Left Hand Walking Bass Stride Four to the bar strum (imitating guitar) Right Hand True To Song and Melody Pentatonic and Bop Lines Predominantly eighth note swing
Listening Quiz 1. Tea for Two – Art Tatum guess: Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller stylistically stride, funky feel than James P. Johnson, looser feel, comical character 2. Tenderly guess: Art Tatum harmonically complex, moving inner voice below the melody, intricate pedal work 3. guess: Jelly Roll Morton swing feel, feels like playing notated piece 4. guess: luckeyth roberts certainly stride pianist, rolls, hard touch, rhythmic 5. guess: Teddy Wilson!!! flowing lines, legato, incomplete stride voicing 6. Sweet Georgia Brown
guess: Dave McKenna walking bass line, occasional comping, stride in the middle of the tune 7. guess: Earl Hines not much stride lines, but the feel certainly is. 8. guess: George Gershwin sounds more thoroughly composed, not too much improvisation, not much stride as well, bass only at 1 many times. 9. guess: Scott Joplin melodic opening for the waltz, not swinging. 10. Albert Ammons
Big Band-Bop
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Bebop: response to Big Band music, which ―took much improvisation‖. ―Founding Fathers‖: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie Bebop Pianists: Bud Powell o Influences include Fats Waller, Art Tatum o Modernized jazz Piano o Foremost of the bop pianists o Transforms Charlie Parker‘s vocab to the piano
o Does away with the left hand striding o Minamal left hand ―shell‖ voicings, placed off the beat o Listening Example: Un Poco Loco, Off Minor, Bouncin‘ With Bud/Bebop in Pastel, Get Happy, Anthropology Thelonious Monk o Was a stride pianist o One of the architects of Bebop o Impact as a composer and pianist has had a profound influence on every genre of music o Trained as a composer and pianist - Julliard o listening example: Trinkle Trinkle – Monk/Coltrane, Well You Needn‘t, Just A Gigolo o give more space, not really looking for tone/really percussive, angular piano style o Playing emits humor and wit Lennie Tristano o Influenced by Charlie Parker and Bud Powell o First to perform and ―free jazz‖ (before Ornette Coleman was o o o o o
regarded Founder of Free Jazz) Integrationalist: soloists would not only be playing ―in the moment‖ but sharing the same moment Over the bar line phrasing, Extended melodies-phrases (often criticized for this) Work for spontaneity Played left hand bass line Overdubbing recordings
o Listening example: C Minor Complex, Wow, Tautology Barry Harris Sonny Clark
Innovations of Bebop Instrumental music not ―singable‖ Increase in complexity over earlier styles More diversified Rhythmic textures Harmonic vocabulary emphasis on the improvisation of rapid
melodies Improvisation favored over composition
―BlueNote Records are designed simply to serve the uncompromising expressions of hot jazz or swing, in general. Any particular style of playing which represents an authentic way of musical feeling is genuine expression. By virtue of its significance in place, time and circumstance, it possesses its own tradition, artistic standards and audience that keeps it alive. Hot jazz, therefore, is expression and communication, a musical and social manifestation, and Blue Note records are concerned with identifying its impulse, not its sensational and commercial adornments.” Alfred Lion, 1939, Statement of Purpose of Blue Note Records Listening example: Star Eyes – Charlie Parker
The Birth of Block Chords
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The music more accessible than bebop. Example: Claire de Lune - Debussy Milt Buckner (1915-1977) Pioneer Block Chords Popularized the Hammond Organ with Leslie Speakers Multi Instrumentalist: piano, organ (with pedals), vibes, valve trombone Bluesy, R&B jazz style Developed a uniquely percussive technique, parallel tonal pattern
George Shearing, Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, Bill Evans, Erroll Garner Listening Example: Robbins Nest, Sunny Side (Milt Buckner, Illinois Jacquet, Jo Jones)
Erroll Garner (1921-1977) Most accessible of pianists Popular without compromise Loyal to melody
Used piano like an orchestra Flowery block chords Learned everything by ear, didn‘t read music Novelty Rags of the twenties Fats Waller, Earl Hines Driving left hand comping rhythms of Freddie Green Arpeggios in left and right hands Filled octave treatment of melodies and solo lines Pizzicato, super-syncopated introductions
Listening Example: Long Ago Far Away, How High The Moon, Indiana, I Get A Kick Out of You (unison far octaves) Lesson – Erroll Garner 1 Dick Hyman
George Shearing (1919-2011) Early influences: Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Bob Zurke, Milt Buckner, Teddy Wilson Big Sounds – The Shearing Sound
Locked – Hands Vibes plays clarinet lead Guitar plays lower saxophone parts in unison Vibraphone doubled what his right hand played And the guitar double the left Listening example: September in the Rain, Conception (George Shearing Quintet), Lullaby of Birdland, To Antonio Jobim (with Jim Hall on classical guitar) Boogie Woogie pianists from Britain, influenced with Bebop Listening Example: Break Out The Blues, Consternation, Swedish o o o o o
Party ―I‘ve spent my life on touch and sound, and very little on Hanon exercises‖ Shearing Sound came to represent the essence of sophisticated hip for countless listeners worldwide who preferred their jazz on the gentle side
Listening: Duo – Joy Spring (Cesar Carnago) Nat King Cole (1919 – 1965) Pianist and Vocalist/Singer Nat‘s Sound o Influenced by Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Alfred Ammons and Art Tatum. Ray Charles the biggest o Tight Arrangements o Short Solos o Trio consisting of Piano, Guitar and Bass Influenced Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans
Listening Example: I Got Rhythm, Tea For Two, Sweet Lorraine Compare Ain‘t That Fine (Ray Charles) with That Ain‘t Right (King Cole Trio) Civil Rights activities, actor, first African-American TV Show host
New Orleans
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New Orleans: Birthplace of Jazz and Funk Henry Roeland Byrd – Professor Longhair/‖Fess‖ o Pioneer, Father of New Orleans R&B o Latin-tinged rhumba-rocking piano o Croaking, yodeling vocals o Second-line beats Listening: Tipitina, Big Chief James Booker o Considered a piano prodigy (classical) o Instant musical recall
o Photographic memory in sight reading o Elaborate embellishments on the simplest of songs o Influences: Chopin, Errol Garner, Liberace Listening: Tico-Tico, Junco, Classified Video: Little Coquette/Yes Sir That‘s My Baby 1983 Malcolm John ―Dr. John‖ Rebennack Jr. o Blues o Boogie Woogie o Rock and roll o Born in Louisiana Listening: Dorothy, Iko Iko, When The Saints Go Marching In
Otis Spann o Jackson, Mississippi o Chicago Shuffle/Blues o House pianist for Chess Records and Checkers o Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Robert Jr Lockwood, Bo Diddley, Fleetwood Mac, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson Listening: Take A Walk With Me, This Is The Blues
Post-Bop
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Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, Phineas Newborn, Hampton Hawes, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Barry Harris, Horace Silver, Bobby Timmons, Les McCann, Gene Harris, Monty Alexander, Kenny Barron, Tommy Flanagan
Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) Classically Trained, brilliant technique, light, often compared to Art Tatum Sounds the same for 40 years Soloist, Accompanist, Composer
Inexhaustible improviser Swing, Blues, Bebop 11 Grammys, Ten Honorary Doctorates, Chancellor of York University Musical Associates: Clark Terry, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, NielsHenning Ørsted Pedersen, Ray Brown, Ben Webster, Milt Jackson, Ed Thigpen, Dizzy Gillespie, Herb Ellis, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz, Martin Drew Influences o James P. Johnson o Teddy Wilson o Nat ―King‖ Cole o Art Tatum Listening example: Pete Kelly‘s Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, Sandy‘s Blues, Woody-N-You, Corcovado, Hymn to Freedom, 52nd Street
Hank Jones (1918-2010)
Unlike Peterson, develops a lot Musical Associates: Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Parker Staff pianist for CBS, Ed Sullivan Show Influences: o Bud Powell o Earl Hines o Fats Waller
o Teddy Wilson o Art Tatum Listening examples: ―Hank Jones on Bebop‖
Ahmad Jamal (1930 - ) Influences: o Erroll Garner o Art Tatum o Teddy Wilson o Count Basie
o Nat King Cole o Billy Strayhorn o Mary Lou Williams Sense of development: technical in the beginning then suddenly continue sparse, use of space Known for his arrangements Soft touch, sparse lines, melodically and harmonically inventive, complex left-hand chord voicings, bud powell‘s right hand emphasis, a chamber-like sensibility, classical formality Got contacted by Miles Davis to play in his band but he declined so Miles Davis has to go with Bill Evans instead Listening: Darn That Dream, Poinciana
Phineas Newborn, Jr. (1931-1989) Initial influences
o Jelly Roll Morton o James P. Johnson o Fats Waller Swing Style pianists o Teddy Wilson o Count Basie o Nat ‗King‘ Cole o Art Tatum
o Milt Buckner o Oscar Peterson Initially R&B pianists, had a family band (Phineas Newborn, Sr., Calvin Newborn), preparing to become a concert pianist Multiinstrumentalist: piano, vibes, trumpet, sax Left hand usually stride, later years often simulated a refined version of stride by playing on all four beats with his left hand Riffs and chromatic runs became a part of improvisation The Newborn school of piano, founded the double octave technique later used by Oscar Peterson Listening: Celia, Lush Life, ―Jazz Scene USA 1962‖, All the Things You Are, I‘m Beginning To See The Light
Red Garland (1923-1984) Hardbop pianist born in Dallas Texas Disctinctive shimmering sound, hard bop lines, block chords His main influences were Count Basie and Nat King Cole, from whom he drew lessons in touch, phrasing and conception. He also learned from James P. Johnson, Luckey Roberts, Teddy Wilson, Bud
Powell, and Art Tatum Garland‘s Sound – block chord o Constructed of three notes in the right hand and four notes in the left hand, with the right hand one octave above the left. The right hand played the melody in octaves with a perfect 5th placed in the middle of the octave Listening: If I Were A Bell, Willow Weep for Me, Stompin At The Savoy
Hampton Hawes (1928-1977) Anchored in chord-change based jazz West Coast and funk-jazz or rhythm school Got in jail for heroin addiction, the only person who got presidential pardon by John F. Kennedy 6 months later Listening: Hamps Paws, Blues The Most
Hard Bop
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Horace Silver (1928-) Pioneer of the style ―Hard Bop‖ The ―Blue Note Sound‖ o Soulful modern jazz that incorporated the language of be-bop o Trumpet, Tenor, Piano, Bass Drums o Pioneer for the Jazz Messengers with Art Blakey Combines elements of rhythm-and-blues, gospel, and jazz Horace Silver was one of the major musicians of the hard-bop and soul jazz movement of the 50‘s and 60‘s Shell voicing left hand and variations
Listening: Song for My Father, The Natives Are Restless, Safari, Thou Swell
Bobby Timmons (1935-1974) Major contributor in shaping the soul-jazz sound of Blue Note Bop Powell bop lines, dominant left hand reminiscent of the stride and boogie players, his sense of that ―down home‖ chording and timing immediately made him recognizable More bluesy
Listening: Moanin‘
Les McCann Blues, gospel and swing, heavy emphasis on the ―groove‖ influenced by the church and Erroll Garner One of the first users of electric piano, clavinet, and synthesizer Listening: The Truth, Compared to What Gene Harris (1933-2000)
The Tree Sounds, Ray Brown Trio, Philip Morris Big Band Soulful style influenced by Oscar Peterson and Junior Mance Most accessible and amiable of Jazz Pianists Superior command of the blues and ballads Listening: Blues for Sam Nassi, Summertime, You Make Me Feel So Young, Funky Genes
Monty Alexander (1944-)
Jamaican roots with jazz Harmonization Influences: Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris and Nat ―King‖ Cole Listening: Forever lovin Jah, Jammin, Jamento, Smile, I‘m Walkin, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, Jamento Double Trio format, Jazz trio combined with reggae trio, featuring guitarist/vocalist – listening: Monty Alexander Jazz and Roots – Jammin‘
Tommy Flanagan Jazzdisco.org/tommy-flanagan/catalog/album-index Soloist, ensemble pianist, accompanist, composer Lyrical melodic Style Polished Elegant sound Harmonic and rhythmic punch of bebop Fond of quotes Tours with Ella Fitzgerald Recorded Giant Steps with John Coltrane
Influenced by Teddy Wilson, Nat King Cole, Bud Powell, Art Tatum Listening: It Don‘t Mean A Thing, Giant Steps (Trio), Verdandi, How High The Moon (with Ella Fitzgerald)
Kenny Barron (1943-) Rich piano sound Even Rhythmic Articulation Bebop, post-bop and modernstyling‘s drawn from McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock
Frequent use of Brazilian Rhythms Listening: There is No Greater Love
Live at Maybeck
Innovators
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McCoy Tyner (born 1936 in Philadelphia) Innovations: o Quartal harmony o Pentatonic permutations o Modal improvisations o Block chords Influences: McCoy‘s decision to study piano was reinforced when he encountered the legendary bebop pianist Bud Powell, who was a neighbor of the family‘s. Another major influence on Tyner‘s playing was Thelonious Monk, whose percussive attacks would inform
Tyner‘s signature style Tyner joined John Coltrane in 1961 for the classic album My Favorite Things, and remained at the core of what becae one of the most seminal groups in jazz history, The John Coltrane Quartet More recently he has arranged for big bands, employed string arrangements, and even reinterpreted popular music Listening Examples: Walk Spirit Talk Spirit, Ja‘Cara, Giant Steps, Have You Met Miss Jones, Softly As A Morning Sunrise (1962), My Favorite Things, She‘s Leaving Home, Will You Still Be Mine, compare to Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor (1929 in Long Island, NY) Pioneer of Free jazz: uncompromising figures of Avant-Garde abandons most conventional notions of rhythm and melody Got masters degree from New England Conservatory for Classical Piano Listening Examples: This Nearly Was Mine William John ―Bill‖ Evans (1929-1980) Listening Examples: Turn Out the stars, B minor waltz, On A Clear Day, Waltz for Debby, Displacement, My Bells (with orchestra), Funkallero, Your Story Classically trained Considered the father of modern jazz piano Reform of chord voicing system
Modern trio concept of equal interplay – bass and drums being equal parts of the trio, no longer reduced to supportive role Rhythmic explorations Brought new songs into jazz repertoire Common chords and tensions Short rhythmic motive, repeat and extend it with increasing complexity, end it in a burst of notes that resolved those complexities He used complex relationships, adding to the swing that comes from the more usual duple/triple conflict in jazz by layering other duples and triples over the more basic ones. Transposition to add interest and contrast While Evans was open to new musical approaches that would not compromise his musical and artistic vision – such as his occasional use of electric piano, and his brief associations with avant-garde composer George Allen Russell Bill Evans is considered the most important jazz pianist of his generation and remains on of the most influentional musicians of the post-bop jazz piano Musicians who played and recorded with Bill Evans often recognized him as the one who made the difference His inescapable influence on the very sound of jazz piano has touched virtually everybody of prominence in the field after him (as well as most of his contemporaries), and he remains a monumental model for jazz piano students everywhere
Contemporary Jazz
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Keith Jarrett (1945) Child prodigy performing classical and original compositions in grade school Absorbs jazz and improvisation through the recordings of Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal Joined Art Blakey‘s group followed by Charles Lloyd in mid sixties Joined Miles Davis in 1970 Launches his solo career: Facing You 1971 Contrapuntal LH, linear RH Innovative contemporary harmony
Complex melodies The Köln Concert Photographic Memory Formed his Jazz Standards Trio (w Jack DeJohnette, Gary Peacock) in early 1980‘s, only records live performances, rather than record in the studio, a belief that the audience is, an integral part of each and every performance o Rubato intros o Linear, lyrical right hand o Extensive improvisation o Sparse comping o Delicate nuances in his touch Solo Solo improvisation Fresh spontaneity to American standards Recorded and performs classical; Bach, Mozart, and Shostakovich Free improvisation One of the highest paid jazz musician, up to $250k per concert Listening: Charles Lloyd – Forest Flower (1965), Semblance, Bemsha Swing, I‘m Old Fashioned
Armando Anthony ―Chick‖ Corea (1941- ) Jazz, Classical, Rock, Fusion, Latin/Flamenco Clean, clear attack Precise, clean articulation Percussive touch
Complex harmonic sensibility that combines jazz and latin and classical music Lyrical, Angular lines Classical ornamentation Swing is more on top/angular Timeline: o 1966: First LP under his own name, ―Tones for Jones Bones‖ o 1971: RTF original compositions empsizae the fusion of jazz traditions with Brazilian and Latin-American music, ―Light As a Feather‖, ―Return to the seventh Galaxy‖ o 1985: Chick Corea Elektric Band o 1990: Chick Corea Akoustic Band – return to standards o Classical recording, many duets, solo projects, solo piano
Herbie Hancock (Born in Chicago 1940) Signs with Blue Note Records in 1962 o Takin‘ Off o Empryan Isles o Maiden Voyage
Miles Davis Quintet 1963-1965 (with Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams) Herbie Hancock has been an integral part of every jazz scene since the 1960 A member of Miles Davis Quintet, he became on of the pioneers of avant-garde scene Academy awarded for film score round midnight plus fourteen Grammy awards Creative chair for Jazz at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute Graduated as electrical engineering. Hired by Fairlight Synth, developer for Bose, Yamaha CP70 and Fender Rhodes Voices are entirely his own, with their own urbane harmonic and complex, earthy rhythmic signatures Listening: Watermelon Man, Oliloqui, Stella, Head Hunters 1973
2/7/2014 12:17:00 PM Michel Petrucciani Influences: Bach, Debussy, Ravel, Mozart, Bartok, Horowitz Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett Block Chords Orchestral approach uses the full span of the grand piano‘s registers Makes full use of the instrument‘s pedals Extroverted soloist Aggressive tempos work Passionate bond with his audience
Listening: Green Dolphin Street, Giant Steps, Les Grelots, Looking Up (Music Viceo) Book in Library
Kenny Werner (1951-) Classical studies at Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music Private studies with Madame Chaloff, alongside Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Kuhn
Loves to paraphrase songs Books/Articles ―Playing for the Right Reasons‖, ―Effortless Mastery‖ Listening: Inspiration
Brad Mehldau (1970 -) Child Prodigy Classically trained Hundreds of transcriptions Jazz studies with Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Jackie McLean
Percussion studies with Jimmy Cobb Two-Hand Independence o Proficient and contrapuntal left hand o Plays a separate melody with each hand in unusual hythmic meters o Creates an ostinato in his right hand while developin a motivic idea in his left hand Odd meters, contrapuntal, odd reharmonization and arrangements
Won Berklee College‘s Best All Around Musician during sophomore in highschool Incorporates ―Classical‖ stylistic methods into jazz o Lyrical-emotional intensity of Romantic (Schumann, Brahms) o Economic use of material, melodic fragments o Contrapuntal aspects of Baroque Influences: Classical from the Baroque and Romatic periods, Wynton Kelly, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett Listening: Get Happy, I‘ll Be Seeing You, All The Things You Are, Good Bye Story Teller
Jesús Dionisio ―Chucho‖ Valdés Starts his first jazz trio at the age of 16 Founded Irakere with Paquito D‘Rivera in 1972 while playing with the Orquestra Cubana de Musica Moderna An incredibly inventive and fluid pianist, Chucho combines the influences of Art Tatum, Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner with AfroCuban roots and a blazing technique, Avant Garde pianist Cecil Taylor
Finals:
He writes most of the band‘s compositions and arrangements and has released dozens of albums, both with Irakere and as a solo performer Revered as a national treasure in Cuba, the Duke Ellington of Cuba When you hear current Cuban jazz or popular music, whether Gonzalo Rubalcaba, N.G. La Banda or Charanga Habañera, you hear the influence of Chucho Valdés and Irakere Listening: A Mi Madre, Chucho ‗s Steps
Brad Mehldau Herbie Hancock Bill Evans Keith Jarrett Kenny Werner Gene Harris McCoy Tyner
Kenny Barron Chucho Valdes Chick Corea Michel Petrucciani Monty Alexander Hampton Hawkes Red Garland Oscar Peterson Cecil Taylor
Finals
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Brad Mehldau Child Prodigy Classically trained Hundreds of transcriptions Jazz studies with Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Jackie McLean Percussion studies with Jimmy Cobb Two-Hand Independence o Proficient and contrapuntal left hand o Plays a separate melody with each hand in unusual hythmic meters
o Creates an ostinato in his right hand while developin a motivic idea in his left hand Odd meters, contrapuntal, odd reharmonization and arrangements Won Berklee College‘s Best All Around Musician during sophomore in highschool Incorporates ―Classical‖ stylistic methods into jazz o Lyrical-emotional intensity of Romantic (Schumann, Brahms) o Economic use of material, melodic fragments o Contrapuntal aspects of Baroque Influences: Classical from the Baroque and Romatic periods, Wynton Kelly, Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett Listening: Get Happy, I‘ll Be Seeing You, All The Things You Are, Good Bye Story Teller
Michel Petrucciani Influences: Bach, Debussy, Ravel, Mozart, Bartok, Horowitz Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett Block Chords
Orchestral approach uses the full span of the grand piano‘s registers Makes full use of the instrument‘s pedals Extroverted soloist Aggressive tempos work Passionate bond with his audience Listening: Green Dolphin Street, Giant Steps, Les Grelots, Looking Up (Music Viceo)
Book in Library
Kenny Werner (1951-) Classical studies at Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music Private studies with Madame Chaloff, alongside Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Kuhn Loves to paraphrase songs Books/Articles ―Playing for the Right Reasons‖, ―Effortless Mastery‖ Listening: Inspiration Herbie Hancock Signs with Blue Note Records in 1962 o Takin‘ Off o Empryan Isles o Maiden Voyage Miles Davis Quintet 1963-1965 (with Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams) Herbie Hancock has been an integral part of every jazz scene since
the 1960 A member of Miles Davis Quintet, he became on of the pioneers of avant-garde scene Academy awarded for film score round midnight plus fourteen Grammy awards Creative chair for Jazz at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute Graduated as electrical engineering. Hired by Fairlight Synth, developer for Bose, Yamaha CP70 and Fender Rhodes Voices are entirely his own, with their own urbane harmonic and complex, earthy rhythmic signatures Listening: Watermelon Man, Oliloqui, Stella, Head Hunters 1973
Keith Jarrett (1945) Child prodigy performing classical and original compositions in grade school
Absorbs jazz and improvisation through the recordings of Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal Joined Art Blakey‘s group followed by Charles Lloyd in mid sixties Joined Miles Davis in 1970 Launches his solo career: Facing You 1971 Contrapuntal LH, linear RH Innovative contemporary harmony Complex melodies The Köln Concert Photographic Memory
Formed his Jazz Standards Trio (w Jack DeJohnette, Gary Peacock) in early 1980‘s, only records live performances, rather than record in the studio, a belief that the audience is, an integral part of each and every performance o Rubato intros o Linear, lyrical right hand o Extensive improvisation o Sparse comping o Delicate nuances in his touch
Solo Solo improvisation Fresh spontaneity to American standards Recorded and performs classical; Bach, Mozart, and Shostakovich Free improvisation One of the highest paid jazz musician, up to $250k per concert Listening: Charles Lloyd – Forest Flower (1965), Semblance, Bemsha Swing, I‘m Old Fashioned
Armando Anthony ―Chick‖ Corea (1941- )
Jazz, Classical, Rock, Fusion, Latin/Flamenco Clean, clear attack Precise, clean articulation Percussive touch Complex harmonic sensibility that combines jazz and latin and classical music Lyrical, Angular lines Classical ornamentation
Swing is more on top/angular Timeline: o 1966: First LP under his own name, ―Tones for Jones Bones‖ o 1971: RTF original compositions empsizae the fusion of jazz traditions with Brazilian and Latin-American music, ―Light As a Feather‖, ―Return to the seventh Galaxy‖ o 1985: Chick Corea Elektric Band o 1990: Chick Corea Akoustic Band – return to standards o Classical recording, many duets, solo projects, solo piano
McCoy Tyner (born 1936 in Philadelphia) Innovations: o Quartal harmony o Pentatonic permutations o Modal improvisations o Block chords Influences: McCoy‘s decision to study piano was reinforced when he encountered the legendary bebop pianist Bud Powell, who was a neighbor of the family‘s. Another major influence on Tyner‘s playing
was Thelonious Monk, whose percussive attacks would inform Tyner‘s signature style Tyner joined John Coltrane in 1961 for the classic album My Favorite Things, and remained at the core of what becae one of the most seminal groups in jazz history, The John Coltrane Quartet More recently he has arranged for big bands, employed string arrangements, and even reinterpreted popular music Listening Examples: Walk Spirit Talk Spirit, Ja‘Cara, Giant Steps, Have You Met Miss Jones, Softly As A Morning Sunrise (1962), My Favorite Things, She‘s Leaving Home, Will You Still Be Mine, compare to Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor (1929 in Long Island, NY) Pioneer of Free jazz: uncompromising figures of Avant-Garde abandons most conventional notions of rhythm and melody Got masters degree from New England Conservatory for Classical Piano
Listening Examples: This Nearly Was Mine
William John ―Bill‖ Evans (1929-1980) Listening Examples: Turn Out the stars, B minor waltz, On A Clear Day, Waltz for Debby, Displacement, My Bells (with orchestra), Funkallero, Your Story Classically trained Considered the father of modern jazz piano Reform of chord voicing system Modern trio concept of equal interplay – bass and drums being
equal parts of the trio, no longer reduced to supportive role Rhythmic explorations Brought new songs into jazz repertoire Common chords and tensions Short rhythmic motive, repeat and extend it with increasing complexity, end it in a burst of notes that resolved those complexities He used complex relationships, adding to the swing that comes from the more usual duple/triple conflict in jazz by layering other duples and triples over the more basic ones. Transposition to add interest and contrast While Evans was open to new musical approaches that would not compromise his musical and artistic vision – such as his occasional use of electric piano, and his brief associations with avant-garde composer George Allen Russell Bill Evans is considered the most important jazz pianist of his generation and remains on of the most influentional musicians of the post-bop jazz piano Musicians who played and recorded with Bill Evans often recognized him as the one who made the difference His inescapable influence on the very sound of jazz piano has touched virtually everybody of prominence in the field after him (as well as most of his contemporaries), and he remains a monumental model for jazz piano students everywhere
Gene Harris (1933-2000)
The Tree Sounds, Ray Brown Trio, Philip Morris Big Band Soulful style influenced by Oscar Peterson and Junior Mance Most accessible and amiable of Jazz Pianists Superior command of the blues and ballads Listening: Blues for Sam Nassi, Summertime, You Make Me Feel So Young, Funky Genes
Monty Alexander (1944-) Jamaican roots with jazz Harmonization
Influences: Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris and Nat ―King‖ Cole Listening: Forever lovin Jah, Jammin, Jamento, Smile, I‘m Walkin, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, Jamento Double Trio format, Jazz trio combined with reggae trio, featuring guitarist/vocalist – listening: Monty Alexander Jazz and Roots – Jammin‘
Kenny Barron (1943-) Rich piano sound
Even Rhythmic Articulation Bebop, post-bop and modernstyling‘s drawn from McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock Frequent use of Brazilian Rhythms Listening: There is No Greater Love
Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) Classically Trained, brilliant technique, light, often compared to Art Tatum
Sounds the same for 40 years Soloist, Accompanist, Composer Inexhaustible improviser Swing, Blues, Bebop 11 Grammys, Ten Honorary Doctorates, Chancellor of York University Musical Associates: Clark Terry, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, NielsHenning Ørsted Pedersen, Ray Brown, Ben Webster, Milt Jackson,
Ed Thigpen, Dizzy Gillespie, Herb Ellis, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz, Martin Drew Influences o James P. Johnson o Teddy Wilson o Nat ―King‖ Cole o Art Tatum Listening example: Pete Kelly‘s Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, Sandy‘s Blues, Woody-N-You, Corcovado, Hymn to Freedom, 52nd Street
Red Garland (1923-1984) Hardbop pianist born in Dallas Texas Disctinctive shimmering sound, hard bop lines, block chords His main influences were Count Basie and Nat King Cole, from whom he drew lessons in touch, phrasing and conception. He also learned from James P. Johnson, Luckey Roberts, Teddy Wilson, Bud Powell, and Art Tatum Garland‘s Sound – block chord
o Constructed of three notes in the right hand and four notes in the left hand, with the right hand one octave above the left. The right hand played the melody in octaves with a perfect 5th placed in the middle of the octave Listening: If I Were A Bell, Willow Weep for Me, Stompin At The Savoy
Hampton Hawes (1928-1977) Anchored in chord-change based jazz
West Coast and funk-jazz or rhythm school Got in jail for heroin addiction, the only person who got presidential pardon by John F. Kennedy 6 months later Listening: Hamps Paws, Blues The Most Jesús Dionisio ―Chucho‖ Valdés Starts his first jazz trio at the age of 16
Founded Irakere with Paquito D‘Rivera in 1972 while playing with the Orquestra Cubana de Musica Moderna An incredibly inventive and fluid pianist, Chucho combines the influences of Art Tatum, Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner with AfroCuban roots and a blazing technique, Avant Garde pianist Cecil Taylor He writes most of the band‘s compositions and arrangements and has released dozens of albums, both with Irakere and as a solo performer Revered as a national treasure in Cuba, the Duke Ellington of Cuba When you hear current Cuban jazz or popular music, whether Gonzalo Rubalcaba, N.G. La Banda or Charanga Habañera, you hear the influence of Chucho Valdés and Irakere Listening: A Mi Madre, Chucho ‗s Steps
