Bebop Pianists

Bud Powell - piano

I wish [be-bop] had been given a name more in keeping with the seriousness of purpose. Powell is generally considered to be the greatest of the bebop pianists. He was capable of transferring the complex melodies of Gillespie and Parker to the piano with the most sincerity and cleanest execution. A native of NY, Powell began playing around town in the late 1930s as a teenager and recorded his rst songs as a 20 year old in Cootie Williamss band. Powell began playing in the after-hours establishments with Gillespie, Don Byas and others in the mid 1940s establishing himself as an up-andcoming bop pianist.

Powell - continued
Powell, always a bit erratic, took a nasty beating from a policeman following a racial disagreement and became even more erratic. He was institutionalized a handful of times from the mid 40s to the mid 50s. Powell put together a trio in 1949 with Ray Brown (bass) which showcased his stunning technique and impressive ability as a composer. During the 1950s Powell was less productive and his mental problems were made worse by his drinking. Powell moved to Paris in 1959 and recorded by another American that had moved abroad, Dexter Gordon, and lived the remaining years of his life in Paris. Powell was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1963 and died in 1966.

Listening Example: Night in Tunisia CD #3, Track #6

Composed by Dizzy Gillespie. Powell (piano); Curly Russell (bass); Max Roach (drums) The song uses both a latin feel (straight 8th notes) and the swing feel with the band alternating between the two during the melody. During Powells solo the band swings exclusively. AAB form w/ an interlude that immediately precedes the solo section. The B section swings. Notice the long lines in the solo - and that Powell is singing along with his piano playing. Short cadenza by Powell brings in the ending.

Thelonious S. Monk - piano/composer

Monk was an original artist. He imitated no one in his playing or his compositions, making him truly original when the word is most likely over-used. Monk did not strive to be the ashy player that Tatum or Powell were, instead he tried to express himself in his piano playing - often resulting in erratic, weird playing that was truly different. Monk was a minimalist. He played a minimum of notes both as an accompanist and as a soloist. He focused on silence and space in his playing. He also used a HUGE amount of dissonance in his playing. Monk had a way of re-harmonizing songs and thickening up the harmonic progression with extended chord tones. Gillespie said, Monks contribution to the new style of music was mostly harmonic - but also spiritual. Miles Davis said, Monk had a sense of humor, musically speaking.

Monk - continued
Monk was born in North Carolina in 1917 and moved to NY with his family when he was four. Monk was a self-taught pianist, not showcasing the technique of the classically trained pianists. His playing, while innovative and idiosyncratic, was not a sound that was sought out to put on record. Monk did not record a single tune until 1944 - four years after he started playing at Mintons. His greatest contribution to the jazz legacy are his compositions. His early recordings for Blue Note showcased his ability to create rich harmonically complex ballads and quirky, off-beat blues tunes. Many of these compositions are the standards that current jazz musicians play at gigs and on records. His compositions overshadowed his performance in the early years. His excellence as a pianist/artist did not come until the 1950s.

Monk in front of Mintons

Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, Teddy Hill

Monk - continued
Monks piano playing - the musical characteristics: Unusual rhythmic irregularities in the melody and in soloing. Use of rhythmic patterns that would be displaced around the measure to create a stark rhythmic dissonance. Use of the whole tone scale Intriguing harmonic choices - the ability to choose chords that were never predicted. Use of space and silence in his solos. Never confused with a player like Powell - not technically advanced - in the traditional sense.

Monk

Listening Example: Misterioso CD #3, Track #7

A slow blues composed by Monk, featuring Milt Jackson (vibraphone) After a short introduction, a strange, loping melody in the vibes and piano enters. There is an emphasis on the off-beat and the melody leaps in the interval of 6ths from note to note. Jackson launches into a bluesy solo with sparse, simplistic accompanying by Monk. Monk solos after Jackson - using clusters, blue notes, dissonance and repetitive riffs. Jackson brings the melody back with Monk adding stabbing interjections into the line before they end up together on the last few measures of the melody.

Listening Example: In Walked Bud CD #3, Track #9

A piece in honor of Bud Powell, a close friend of Monk. Features two luminaries: Art Blakey, drums and Johnny Grifn, tenor sax. AABA form with a very linear melody in the tenor sax with dissonant and rhythmic piano accompaniment from Monk. Johnny Grifn plays a very bop-like solo on the tenor sax. This song lends itself to bop style soloing. Notice the contrast in how Monk approaches his solo - it is diametrically opposed to Grifn and his bop sensibilities. Quotes of the melody, lots of space, short bursts of piano runs Notice the syncopation in the drums to counter Monk and his sparse syncopation Trumpet solo returns to the bebop style with more motion and melodic interest.

Listening Example: Suddenly CD #3, Track #13

A vocal version of In Walked Bud, sung by Carmen McRae. The tune is called Suddenly here. Monks reach was not limited to instrumentalists. Vocalist Jon Hendricks wrote lyrics to many Monk compositions, including this one. The lyrics are commemorating the development of bebop in NYC during the 1940s. Alto sax states melody before vocal, then vocal sings over entire AABA form. Alto sax, piano, bass all solo before McRae takes a scat solo over the two A sections. Melody returns at the B section. Notice the stop-time accompaniment during the last A section.

Suddenly Lyrics, Jon Hendricks

Dizzie, he was screaming, next to Opie who was beaming Monk was thumping Suddenly In Walked Bud and then they into somethin! Byas blew a mean sax, Mr. Max Roach beat a mean axe Monk a thumping Suddenly In Walked Bud And then the joint started jumping. Every hipster really dug Bud soon he hit town Taking that note nobody wrote, putting it down... Opie pulled a mean string Don and Dizzy played a hip thing Monk was thumping and Suddenly In Walked Bud And then they got into somethin!

Vocalists in the Swing and Bop tradition

Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was most widely associated with the swing era, not bebop, but well talk about her with the other vocalists for continuity if nothing else. Holiday was born in 1915 in Philadelphia. Her mother left and moved to NY - leaving a very young Holiday with family in Baltimore. There are rumors and reports that she was sexually abused as a child by a member of this family, and she stated that she was forced to work as a prostitute in her early teens. We arent completely sure of all the facts, but one probably wouldnt lie about such things... Holiday moved to NY in 1928 to be with her mother, and began singing and working in clubs by the early 1930s.

In 1933 John Hammond arranged for her to record with Benny Goodman. Holiday played with many bands through the 1930s and 1940s including Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Artie Shaw. Holiday and tenor saxophonist Lester Young had a very strong bond - musically and personally. They were very close, not intimate, but soul-mates of sorts. Young gave Holiday her nickname - Lady Day and Holiday gave Young his - Prez.

Billie Holiday

 Holiday is well know for her ability to express herself in ballads and songs of that depicted events or situations that were closely related to her life. Her life was complex, lled with ups and downs, failed romances and in the later years drug and alcohol addiction.

Billie Holiday

Musically, she had excellent pitch and had a very unique way of phrasing. That is to say she used a very free rhythmic feel that allowed her vocal parts to oat around the beat, never landing EXACTLY where you expected. This is similar to how Louis Armstrong phrased. Holiday did not have a strong voice, in fact, it almost sounds fragile. She didnt have a large range either - she was not blessed with a great voice, but her ability to interpret songs and express emotion in the songs she sang is what makes her an important vocalist in the jazz idiom. Holiday was a composer as well, composing the music and text to some of her most famous songs, including God Bless the Child. Died in 1959 at the age of 44 from complications from

Listening Example: God Bless the Child CD #3, Track #11

AABA composition written by Billie Holiday. Notice the guitar obbligato behind the vocal during the second A section. Holiday is back-phrasing the B section - waiting behind the beat to state her phrase. Tenor sax takes up the obbligato behind the voice during the last A. The 2nd time through the tune the form is broken and goes directly to the B section. Notice - no scat solo for Holiday. She was not an improviser. Her talent was interpreting melodies. Tag ending brings the song to a relatively abrupt stop. Holidays voice is fragile - glassy and not that powerful.

Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)

Born in Virginia, moved to New York as a child. Started as a dancer, but soon realized that her strength was in singing, not dancing. She entered singing contests at the Apollo Theater, and a famous black band-leader of the day, Chick Webb, hired her to sing with his band after hearing her sing at one such event in 1934. Their recording of A-tisket, A-tasket launched her to national fame. Webb died in the late 1930s and Fitzgerald led his band for a time after his death. She didnt enjoy that experience and longed for the simpler nature of a small group accompaniment so shewent out on her own as a soloist with small group accompaniment.

Ella Fitzgerald
She recorded incessantly - making landmark recordings of the famous songs of every important composer of the 20th century: Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gershwin and Harold Arlen. Her improvisational ability is unparalleled by her peers, either vocally or instrumentally. She had a knack of not just scatting in her solos - but of creating lyrics on the spot that work with her improvised melody and the story of the song. She performed through the 1980s into the early 1990s despite eyesight difculties (diabetes) and heart-surgery (1986). Her legacy touched singers and instrumentalists alike and her nickname - the rst lady of song - shows her importance in the eyes of her peers.

Listening Example: St. Louis Blues CD #3, Track #16

12 bar blues with 16 measure Latin feel B section. Same song sung by Bessie Smith w/ Armstrong on CD #1. Slow swing introduction - agile melodic statement by Fitzgerald. Rhythm section picks up the tempo 2nd time through - with Ella playfully bouncing the melody. Tempo reverts to slow feel for last bars of 2nd chorus. After 2 blues choruses - Latin feel emerges for B section. Tempo explodes coming out of the B section - 12 bar blues returns for Ellas many choruses of scat singing. Listen to the alliteration in the rst three choruses scat singing wouldnt give a crippled crab a crutch etc. True scatting follows with Ella using the full range of her voice - high to low. 17 choruses of the blues...

Letter from Oscar Peterson to Ella - after her death

Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990)

Sarah Vaughan, like Ella Fitzgerald, was discovered after a contest at the Apollo Theater in 1942. She learned to sing in church as a child, and in 1943 joined the band of pianist Earl Hines. There she met Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and was introduced to bebop through her interactions with these men. In 1944, Sarah, Parker and Gillespie joined the band of Billy Eckstine. By 1945 she had left the band and gone out on her own. She began recording with Columbia records until 1953 and recorded with many record labels thereafter.

Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990)

She performed everything from pop ballads to classic jazz, Brazilian music to bebop and performed each with equal aplomb. She had a vocal range of over 2 1/2 octaves with great sound throughout. Her voice richened with age, gaining more lower range and keeping the upper register. She died at the age of 66 in 1990.

Listening Example: They Cant Take That Away From Me CD #3, Track #17

Recorded in 1954 - a composition by Duke Ellington. AABA form with a short introduction. Melody is presented in a call and response form. A very pure, rich tone from Vaughan - with a hard swing in the B section. AABA form repeats with an improvised melody with the words. Notice the word painting - Sing off key and Bump, bump, bumpy road. Rather straight forward recording - nothing overwhelmingly virtuosic, but very well done and polished performance.

Listening Example: My Funny Valentine CD #3, Track #18

Just a duet recording - Vaughan and her pianist Carl Schroeder. The piano creates a very somber, slow, expressive mood for the vocal to interact with. Notice the rich, sonorous lower range of Vaughans voice. Notice the breath control at the :55 second mark - holding a long note into the next musical phrase. Repeated words to create more rhythm @ 2:24 and after. At 2:50 the high range comes through for the rst time. Notice the range displayed at 3:28 through 3:45. The dexterity, range, ease of motion and complete control are all trademarks of Vaughan. Notice the tiny nature of the voice at 4:24 and on. That helps make the statement very personal and draws the listener into the performance. Repeated text at the end winds the piece down to its ending. Notice how the piano and voice interacted throughout - sharing the musical space and playing off of each other. The pianist lled in the space Vaughan created without being in the way. That is a very tricky thing to pull off. Notice how she changes her volume, sound (timbre), and range to express the song in a very personal and interesting way.