Ragtime

Origins/precursor of jazz. Begins circa 1895

Brought from musical heritage in Africa which incorporated things like
o Cakewalks
o Coon songs
o Jig bands
Characteristics
o Vibrant sound, enthusiastic and often extemporaneous. Not swung.
o Often used piano, if not solo piano.
o Often in marches, waltzes, or traditional songs
Pioneering Composer: Scott Joplin
Swing
Starting around 1930
Most groups performing swing are big bands
Used as dance music. This popular music which serves its immediate connection to the
people. This is not high-brow, educated music.
o This is a common trait of all jazz as it develops, which would later change when
jazz is taught in universities.
Characteristics
o Rhythm is swung
o Individual performers can improvise (common for all jazz that follows). Show
virtuosity
o Instrumentation grows and integrates new instruments such as saxophone and
trumpet. These instrument as loud enough to be heard in noisy dance
environments.
o Form includes chorus and solos, but is otherwise not regimented
Pioneering Composer: Duke Ellington
Bebop
Developed in early 1940s
Until bebop, improvisation was melodic, now soloists began thinking more harmonically
and were not concerned with creating a melody. Everything just had to fit in the chord
structure.
This is not dance music. Meant as avant-garde Art music.
Characteristics
o Bebop is generally faster and more complex with surprising syncopation and
advanced harmonies
o Asymmetrical phrasing
o Instrumentation often includes: sax, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums. Essentially,
a combo. This is smaller than what came before.
o Form varies widely and is often non-repetitive and symmetrical
Pioneering Composers: Charlie Parker (saxophone), and Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet)

Cool

Evolved directly from Bop (late 40s and into the 50s)
Mixed Bop and Swing. This sub-genre is exactly what it sounds like.
Characteristics
o Relaxed tempos and lighter tone
o Used strict forms often relating back to classical music
o Instrumentation: Large ensemble with full rhythm section and multiple horns
Pioneering Composers: Miles Davis

Hard Bop
Also developing from Bebop, but later than Cool. (circa mid 1950s)
More soulful than bebop. Borrows from R&B or Gospel. This makes Hard Bop much
more melodic than Bebop
Rhythm section expands and is more diverse
Characteristics
o Melodic phrases which are logical and most often symmetrical
o Often labeled as funky hard bop. Funky referring to quick and spirited rhythms
and phrases
o Not made for dancing
o Instrumentation: reflect geographic environments. Different on east and west.
East: more relaxed in, smaller ensemble
West: Bigger esnsemble
Pioneering Composers: Cannonball Adderley, Thelonious Monk
Bossa Nova
In comes the Brazilian influence ~1962
This sub-genre incorporates samba rhythms which make great use of off beats.
Uses lots of acoustic guitar to create rhythmic accents and simple melodies. These
melodies would be sung as well. Either in English or Portuguese
Characteristics
o Guitar. Both rhythm and melody
o Emphasis is on second beat and off beat generally. Short mostly symmetrical
phrases (often two measures)
o Vocals turn from dark singing style to a very nasal vocal production typical of
Brazilian folk music
o Instrumentation can vary. Can be for solo guitar or guitar and voice, up to a small
band that uses the rhythm and harmonies typical of Bossa Nova
Pioneering Composers: Joo Gilberto

Free Jazz
Sometime referred to as avante garde, came about in 1950s
There is no structure for ensemble of form. This gives way for totally free impulse to
create and experience music
Some say this sub-genre is an attempt to revitalize jazz roots which are often religious
and without form harmonic convention (African prayer song)
Although this style of jazz claims to be trying t get away from other styles that came
before it, many free jazz artists draw extensively and regularly in every musical way
from other sub-genres and player
Characteristics
o None to speak of
o Extended technique is sometimes used
o Unusual instruments
o Usually small groups, but not always
Pioneering Composers: Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane