Jazz styles and directions. Directions and styles

How a type of music developed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. as a result of the synthesis of elements of two musical cultures - European and African. Of the African elements, one can note polyrhythmicity, repeated repetition of the main motive, vocal expressiveness, improvisation, which penetrated into jazz along with common forms of Negro musical folklore - ritual dances, work songs, spirituals and blues.

Word "jazz", originally "jazz band", began to be used in the middle of the 1st decade of the 20th century. in the southern states to refer to the music created by small New Orleans ensembles (composed of trumpet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, tuba or double bass, drums and piano) in the process of collective improvisation on themes of blues, ragtime and popular European songs and dances.

To get acquainted, you can listen and Cesaria Evora, and, , and many others.

So what is it Acid Jazz? This is a funky musical style with built-in elements of jazz, 70s funk, hip-hop, soul and other styles. It can be sampled, it can be live, and it can be a mixture of the latter two.

Mostly, Acid Jazz puts emphasis on music rather than text/words. This is club music that aims to get you moving.

First single in style Acid Jazz was "Frederick Lies Still", author Galliano. This was a cover version of the work Curtis Mayfield "Freddie's Dead" from the movie "Superfly".

Great contribution to the promotion and support of style Acid Jazz contributed Gilles Peterson, who was a DJ on KISS FM. He was one of the first to found Acid Jazz label In the late 80s - early 90s, many performers appeared Acid Jazz, which were like “live” teams - , Galliano, Jamiroquai, Don Cherry, and studio projects - PALm Skin Productions, Mondo GroSSO, Outside, And United Future Organization.

Of course, this is not a style of jazz, but a type of jazz instrumental ensemble, but still it was included in the table, because any jazz performed by a “big band” stands out very much from the background of individual jazz performers and small groups.
The number of musicians in big bands usually ranges from ten to seventeen people.
Formed in the late 1920s, it consists of three orchestral groups : saxophones - clarinets(Reels) brass instruments(Brass, later groups of trumpets and trombones emerged), rhythm section(Rhythm section - piano, double bass, guitar, drums musical instruments). The Rise of Music big bands, which began in the USA in the 1930s, is associated with a period of mass enthusiasm for swing.

Later, right up to the present day, big bands performed and continue to perform music of a wide variety of styles. However, in essence, the era of big bands begins much earlier and dates back to the times of American minstrel theaters in the second half of the 19th century, which often increased the performing cast to several hundred actors and musicians. Listen The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, And His Orchestra and you will appreciate all the charm of jazz performed by big bands.

Jazz style that developed in the early to mid-40s of the 20th century and ushered in the era of modern jazz. Characterized by fast tempo and complex improvisations based on changes in harmony rather than melody.
The ultra-fast tempo of performance was introduced by Parker and Gillespie in order to keep non-professionals away from their new improvisations. Besides everything else, distinctive feature All bebopists have become outrageous in their behavior. "Dizzy" Gillespie's curved trumpet, Parker and Gillespie's behavior, Monk's ridiculous hats, etc.
Having emerged as a reaction to the widespread spread of swing, bebop continued to develop its principles in the use of expressive means, but at the same time revealed a number of opposing trends.

Unlike swing, which is mostly the music of large commercial dance orchestras, bebop is an experimental creative movement in jazz, associated mainly with the practice of small ensembles (combos) and anti-commercial in its orientation.
The bebop phase marked a significant shift in the emphasis in jazz from popular dance music to a more highly artistic, intellectual, but less mass-produced “music for musicians.” Bop musicians preferred complex improvisations based on strumming chords instead of melodies.
The main instigators of the birth were: saxophonist, trumpeter, pianists Bud Powell And Thelonious Monk, drummer Max Roach. If you want Be Bop, listen , Michel Legrand, Joshua Redman Elastic Band, Jan Garbarek, Modern Jazz Quartet.

One of the styles modern jazz, formed at the turn of the 40s - 50s of the 20th century on the basis of the development of the achievements of swing and bop. The origin of this style is primarily associated with the name of the Negro swing saxophonist L. Young, who developed a “cold” style of sound production that was opposite to the sound ideal of hot jazz (the so-called Lester sound); It was he who first introduced the term “kul” into everyday use. In addition, the premises of cool jazz are found in the work of many bebop musicians - such as C. Parker, T. Monk, M. Davis, J. Lewis, M. Jackson and others.

At the same time cool jazz has significant differences from bopa. This was manifested in a departure from the traditions of hot jazz that bop followed, in a rejection of excessive rhythmic expressiveness and intonation instability, and in a deliberate emphasis on specifically black flavor. Played in this style: , Stan Getz, Modern Jazz Quartet, Dave Brubeck, Zoot Sims, Paul Desmond.

With the gradual decline in activity in rock music starting in the early 70s, and with a decrease in the flow of ideas from the world of rock, fusion music became more straightforward. At the same time, many began to realize that electric jazz could become more commercial, producers and some musicians began to look for such combinations of styles to increase sales. They really successfully created a type of jazz that was more accessible to the average listener. Over the past two decades, many various combinations, for which promoters and publicists like to use the expression "Modern Jazz", used to describe the "fusions" of jazz with elements of pop music, rhythm and blues and "world music".

However, the word "crossover" more accurately describes the essence of the matter. Crossover and fusion achieved their goal of increasing the audience for jazz, especially among those who were fed up with other styles. In some cases, this music is worthy of attention, although generally the jazz content in it is reduced to zero. Examples of the crossover style range from (Al Jarreau) and vocal recordings (George Benson) to (Kenny G), "Spyro Gyra" And " " . In all this there is the influence of jazz, but, nevertheless, this music fits into the field of pop art, which is represented by Gerald Albright, George Duke, saxophonist Bill Evans, Dave Grusin,.

Dixieland- the broadest designation for the musical style of the earliest New Orleans and Chicago bands jazz musicians, who recorded records from 1917 to 1923. This concept also extends to the period of subsequent development and revival of New Orleans jazz - New Orleans' Revival, which continued after the 1930s. Some historians attribute Dixieland only to the music of white bands playing in the New Orleans jazz style.

Unlike other forms of jazz, the musicians' repertoire of pieces Dixieland remained quite limited, offering endless variations of themes within the same tunes composed throughout the first decade of the 20th century and included ragtimes, blues, one-steps, two-steps, marches and popular tunes. For performance style Dixieland characteristic was the complex interweaving of individual voices into the collective improvisation of the entire ensemble. The opening soloist and the other soloists who continued his play seemed to oppose the “riffing” of the rest of the wind instruments, right up to the final phrases, usually performed by the drums in the form of four-beat refrains, to which the entire ensemble responded in turn.

The main representatives of this era were The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Joe King Oliver, and his Famous Orchestra, Sidney Bechet, Kid Ory, Johnny Dodds, Paul Mares, Nick LaRocca, Bix Beiderbecke and Jimmy McPartland. Dixieland musicians were essentially looking for a revival of the classic New Orleans jazz of yesteryear. These attempts were very successful and, thanks to subsequent generations, continue to this day. The first of the Dixieland revivals took place in the 1940s.
Here are just some of the jazzmen who played Dixieland: Kenny Ball, Lu Watters Yerna Buena Jazz Band, Turk Murphys Jazz Band.

Since the early 70s, a German company has occupied a separate niche in the jazz style community ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music- Modern Music Publishing House), which gradually became the center of an association of musicians who professed not so much an attachment to the African-American origin of jazz, but rather the ability to solve a wide variety of artistic problems, without limiting themselves to a certain style, but in line with the creative improvisational process.

Over time, a certain personality of the company nevertheless developed, which led to the separation of the artists of this label into a large-scale and clearly defined stylistic direction. The label's founder Manfred Eicher's focus on uniting various jazz idioms, world folklore and new academic music into a single impressionistic sound made it possible to use these means to claim depth and philosophical understanding of life values.

The company's main recording studio, located in Oslo, clearly correlates with the dominant role in the catalog of Scandinavian musicians. First of all, they are Norwegians Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Nils Petter Molvaer, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen. However, the geography of ECM covers the whole world. Europeans are here too Dave Holland, Tomasz Stanko, John Surman, Eberhard Weber, Rainer Bruninghaus, Mikhail Alperin and representatives of non-European cultures Egberto Gismonti, Flora Purim, Zakir Hussain, Trilok Gurtu, Nana Vasconcelos, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Anouar Brahem and many others. The American Legion is no less representative - Jack DeJohnette, Charles Lloyd, Ralph Towner, Redman Dewey, Bill Frisell, John Abercrombie, Leo Smith. The initial revolutionary impulse of the company's publications turned over time into a meditative and detached sound of open forms with carefully polished sound layers.

Some mainstream adherents deny the path chosen by the musicians of this trend; however jazz is like World culture, is developing despite these objections, and is producing very impressive results.

In contrast to the refinement and coolness of the cool style, the rationality of progressive on the East Coast of the United States, young musicians in the early 50s continued the development of the seemingly exhausted bebop style. The growth of self-awareness of African Americans, characteristic of the 50s, played a significant role in this trend. There was a renewed focus on staying true to African-American improvisational traditions. At the same time, all the achievements of bebop were preserved, but many developments of cool were added to them both in the field of harmony and in the field of rhythmic structures. The new generation of musicians, as a rule, had a good musical education. This current, called "hardbop", turned out to be quite numerous. Trumpeters joined in Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Donald Byrd, pianists Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, drummer Art Blake, saxophonists Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Cannonball Adderley, double bassist Paul Chambers and many others.

Another technical innovation turned out to be significant for the development of the new style: the appearance of long-playing records. It became possible to record long solos. For musicians, this has become a temptation and a difficult test, since not everyone is able to speak out fully and succinctly for a long time. Trumpeters were the first to take advantage of these advantages, modifying Dizzy Gillespie's style to a calmer but deeper playing. The most influential were Fats Navarro And Clifford Brown. These musicians paid the main attention not to virtuosic high-speed passages in the upper register, but to thoughtful and logical melodic lines.

Hot jazz is considered to be the music of the New Orleans pioneers of the second wave, whose highest creative activity coincided with the mass exodus of New Orleans jazz musicians to the North, mainly to Chicago. This process, which began shortly after the closure of Storyville due to the US entry into the First World War and the declaration of New Orleans as a military port for this reason marked the so-called Chicago era in the history of jazz. The main representative of this school was Louis Armstrong. While still performing in the King Oliver ensemble, Armstrong made revolutionary changes to the concept of jazz improvisation at that time, moving from traditional schemes of collective improvisation to the performance of individual solo parts.

The very name of this type of jazz is associated with the emotional intensity characteristic of the manner of performing these solo parts. The term Hot was originally synonymous with jazz solo improvisation to highlight the differences in approach to soloing that occurred in the early 1920s. Later, with the disappearance of collective improvisation, this concept began to be associated with the method of performing jazz material, in particular with the special sound that determines the instrumental and vocal style of performance, the so-called hot intonation: a set of special methods of rhythmization and specific intonation features.

Perhaps the most controversial movement in jazz history arose with the advent of "free jazz". Although the elements "Free Jazz" existed long before the term itself appeared, in “experiments” Coleman Hawkins, Pee Wee Russell and Lenny Tristano, but only towards the end of the 1950s through the efforts of such pioneers as the saxophonist and pianist Cecil Taylor, this direction took shape as an independent style.

What these two musicians created together with others, including John Coltrane, Albert Euler and communities like Sun Ra Orchestra and a group called The Revolutionary Ensemble, consisted of various changes in the structure and feel of the music.
Among the innovations that were introduced with imagination and great musicality was the abandonment of the chord progression, which allowed the music to move in any direction. Another fundamental change was found in the area of ​​rhythm, where "swing" was either revised or ignored altogether. In other words, pulse, meter and groove were no longer essential elements in this reading of jazz. Another key component was related to atonality. Now musical expression was no longer based on the usual tonal system.

Piercing, barking, convulsive notes completely filled this new sound world. Free jazz continues to exist today as a viable form of expression, and is in fact no longer as controversial a style as it was in its early days.

Perhaps the most controversial movement in jazz history arose with the advent of "free jazz".

A modern style direction that emerged in the 1970s on the basis of jazz-rock, a synthesis of elements of European academic music and non-European folklore.
The most interesting compositions of jazz-rock are characterized by improvisation, combined with compositional solutions, the use of harmonic and rhythmic principles of rock music, the active embodiment of the melody and rhythm of the East, and the introduction into music electronic means sound processing and synthesis.

In this style, the range of application of modal principles has expanded, and the range of different modes, including exotic ones, has expanded. In the 70s, jazz-rock became incredibly popular; the most active musicians joined it. More advanced regarding the synthesis of various musical means Jazz-rock was called "fusion" (fusion, merger). An additional impulse for “fusion” was another (not the first in the history of jazz) bow towards European academic music.

In many cases, fusion actually becomes a combination of jazz with conventional pop music and light rhythm and blues; crossover. Fusion music's ambitions for musical depth and empowerment remain unfulfilled, although in rare cases the search continues, for example, in groups like "Tribal Tech" and in Chick Corea's ensembles. Listen: Weather Report, Brand X, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, Spyro Gyra, Tom Coster, Frank Zappa, Urban Knights, Bill Evans, from the new Niacin, Tunnels, CAB.

Modern funk refers to popular styles of jazz of the 70s and 80s, in which accompanists play in a black pop-soul style, while solo improvisations have a more creative and jazzy character. Most saxophonists in this style use their own set of simple phrases that consist of bluesy shouts and groans. They are based on a tradition adopted from saxophone solos in rhythm and blues vocal recordings, like King Curtis on the Coasters records, Junior Walker with vocal groups of the Motown label, David Sanborn from "Blues Band" by Paul Butterfield. A prominent figure in this genre - who often played solos in the style Hank Crawford using funk-like accompaniment. Much of the music , and their students use this approach. , also work in the style of "modern funk".

The term has two meanings. Firstly, it is an expressive means in jazz. A characteristic type of pulsation based on constant deviations of the rhythm from the supporting beats. This gives the impression of being large internal energy, which is in a state of unstable equilibrium. Secondly, the style of orchestral jazz, which emerged at the turn of the 1920s and 30s as a result of the synthesis of Negro and European stylistic forms of jazz music.

Initial definition "jazz-rock" was the most clear: a combination of jazz improvisation with the energy and rhythms of rock music. Up until 1967, the worlds of jazz and rock existed practically separately. But by this time, rock becomes more creative and more complex, psychedelic rock and soul music emerge. At the same time, some jazz musicians began to get tired of pure hardbop, but they did not want to play difficult avant-garde music. As a result, two different idioms began to exchange ideas and join forces.

Since 1967, guitarist Larry Coryell, vibraphonist Gary Burton, in 1969 drummer Billy Cobham with the group "Dreams", in which the Brecker brothers played, they began to explore new spaces of style.
By the end of the 60s, Miles Davis had the necessary potential to transition to jazz rock. He was one of the creators of modal jazz, on the basis of which, using 8/8 rhythm and electronic instruments, he took a new step by recording the albums “Bitches Brew”, “In a Silent Way”. Along with him at this time is a brilliant galaxy of musicians, many of whom later become fundamental figures in this movement - (John McLaughlin), Joe Zawinul(Joe Zawinul) Herbie Hancock. Davis's characteristic asceticism, brevity, and philosophical contemplation turned out to be just the thing in the new style.

By the early 1970s jazz rock had its own distinct identity as a creative jazz style, although it was ridiculed by many jazz purists. The main groups of the new direction were "Return To Forever", "Weather Report", "The Mahavishnu Orchestra", various ensembles Miles Davis. They played high-quality jazz-rock that combined a huge range of techniques from both jazz and rock. Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Ska - Jazz Foundation, John Scofield Uberjam, Gordian Knot, Miriodor, Trey Gunn, trio, Andy Summers, Erik Truffaz- you should definitely listen to it to understand how diverse progressive and jazz-rock music is.

Style jazz-rap was an attempt to bring together African-American music of past decades with a new dominant form of the present, which would pay tribute and infuse new life into the first element of this - fusion - while also expanding the horizons of the second. The rhythms of jazz-rap were completely borrowed from hip-hop, and the samples and sound texture mainly came from such genres of music as cool jazz, soul-jazz and hard bop.

The style was the coolest and most famous of all hip-hop styles, and many artists demonstrated an Afro-centric political consciousness, adding historical authenticity to the style. Considering the intellectual bent of this music, it is not surprising that jazz-rap never became a favorite of the street parties; but then no one thought about it.

The representatives of jazz-rap themselves called themselves supporters of a more positive alternative to the hardcore/gangsta movement, which displaced rap from its leading position in the early 90s. They sought to spread hip-hop to listeners who could not accept or understand the growing aggression of urban music culture. Thus, jazz-rap found the bulk of its fans in student dormitories, and was also supported by a number of critics and fans of white alternative rock.

Team Native Tongues (Afrika Bambaataa)- this New York collective, consisting of African-American rap groups, has become a powerful force representing the style jazz-rap and includes groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and The Jungle Brothers. Soon began their creativity Digable Planets And Gang Starr also gained fame. In the mid-to-late 90s, alternative rap began to be divided into a large number of substyles, and jazz-rap no longer often became an element of the new sound.

Jazz – Musical direction, which began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. Its emergence is the result of the interweaving of two cultures: African and European. This movement will combine spirituals (church chants) of American blacks, African folk rhythms and European harmonious melody. Its characteristic features are: flexible rhythm, which is based on the principle of syncopation, the use of percussion instruments, improvisation, and an expressive manner of performance, characterized by sound and dynamic tension, sometimes reaching the point of ecstasy. Jazz was originally a combination of ragtime and blues elements. In fact, it grew out of these two directions. The peculiarity of the jazz style is, first of all, the individual and unique play of the jazz virtuoso, and improvisation gives this movement constant relevance.

After jazz itself was formed, a continuous process of its development and modification began, which led to the emergence of various directions. Currently there are about thirty of them.

New Orleans (traditional) jazz.

This style usually means exactly the jazz that was performed between 1900 and 1917. It can be said that its emergence coincided with the opening of Storyville (New Orleans' red light district), which gained its popularity due to bars and similar establishments where musicians playing syncopated music could always find work. The previously widespread street orchestras began to be replaced by the so-called “Storyville ensembles,” whose playing was increasingly acquiring individuality compared to their predecessors. These ensembles later became the founders of classical New Orleans jazz. Vivid examples of performers of this style are: Jelly Roll Morton (“His Red Hot Peppers”), Buddy Bolden (“Funky Butt”), Kid Ory. It was they who carried out the transition of African folk music into the first jazz forms.

Chicago Jazz.

In 1917, the next important stage in the development of jazz music began, marked by the appearance of immigrants from New Orleans in Chicago. New jazz orchestras are being formed, the playing of which introduces new elements into early traditional jazz. This is how an independent style of the Chicago school of performance appears, which is divided into two directions: hot jazz of black musicians and Dixieland of whites. The main features of this style: individual solo parts, changes in hot inspiration (the original free ecstatic performance became more nervous, full of tension), synthetics (the music included not only traditional elements, but also ragtime, as well as famous American hits) and changes in instrumental playing (the role of instruments and performing techniques has changed). Fundamental figures of this movement (“What Wonderful World”, “Moon Rivers”) and (“Someday Sweetheart”, “Ded Man Blues”).

Swing is an orchestral style of jazz of the 1920s and 30s that grew directly from the Chicago school and was performed by big bands (The Original Dixieland Jazz Band). It is characterized by the predominance of Western music. Separate sections of saxophones, trumpets and trombones appeared in the orchestras; The banjo is replaced by a guitar, tuba and sassophone - double bass. The music moves away from collective improvisation; the musicians play strictly adhering to pre-written scores. A characteristic technique was the interaction of the rhythm section with melodic instruments. Representatives of this direction: , (“Creole Love Call”, “The Mooche”), Fletcher Henderson (“When Buddha Smiles”), Benny Goodman And His Orchestra, .

Bebop is a modern jazz movement that began in the 40s and was an experimental, anti-commercial movement. Unlike swing, it is a more intellectual style that places a lot of emphasis on complex improvisation and places more emphasis on harmony than melody. Music of this style is also characterized by a very fast tempo. The brightest representatives are: Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach, Charlie Parker (“Night In Tunisia”, “Manteca”) and Bud Powell.

Mainstream. Includes three movements: Stride (northeastern jazz), Kansas City style and West Coast jazz. Hot stride reigned supreme in Chicago, led by such masters as Louis Armstrong, Andy Condon, and Jimmy Mac Partland. Kansas City is characterized by lyrical plays in the blues style. West Coast jazz developed in Los Angeles under the leadership of , and subsequently resulted in cool jazz.

Cool jazz (cool jazz) emerged in Los Angeles in the 50s as a counterpoint to the dynamic and impulsive swing and bebop. Lester Young is considered to be the founder of this style. It was he who introduced a style of sound production unusual for jazz. This style is characterized by the use of symphonic instruments and emotional restraint. Such masters as Miles Davis (“Blue In Green”), Gerry Mulligan (“Walking Shoes”), Dave Brubeck (“Pick Up Sticks”), Paul Desmond left their mark in this vein.

Avante-Garde began to develop in the 60s. This avant-garde style is based on a break from the original traditional elements and is characterized by the use of new techniques and means of expression. For the musicians of this movement, self-expression, which they carried out through music, came first. To the performers of this current include: Sun Ra (“Kosmos in Blue”, “Moon Dance”), Alice Coltrane (“Ptah The El Daoud”), Archie Shepp.

Progressive jazz arose in parallel with bebop in the 40s, but it was distinguished by its staccato saxophone technique, a complex interweaving of polytonality with rhythmic pulsation and elements of symphonic jazz. The founder of this trend can be called Stan Kenton. Prominent representatives: Gil Evans and Boyd Rayburn.

Hard bop is a type of jazz that has its roots in bebop. Detroit, New York, Philadelphia - this style was born in these cities. In its aggressiveness, it is very reminiscent of bebop, but blues elements still predominate in it. Featured performers include Zachary Breaux (“Uptown Groove”), Art Blakey and The Jass Messengers.

Soul jazz. This term is commonly used to describe all black music. It draws on traditional blues and African-American folklore. This music is characterized by ostinato bass figures and rhythmically repeating samples, due to which it has gained wide popularity among various masses of the population. Hits in this direction include the compositions of Ramsey Lewis “The In Crowd” and Harris-McCain “Compared To What”.

Groove (aka funk) is an offshoot of soul, but is distinguished by its rhythmic focus. Basically, the music of this direction has a major coloration, and in structure it consists of clearly defined parts for each instrument. Solo performances fit harmoniously into the overall sound and are not too individualized. Performers of this style are Shirley Scott, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Gene Emmons, Leo Wright.

Free jazz got its start in the late 50s thanks to the efforts of such innovative masters as Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor. Its characteristic features are atonality and a violation of the chord sequence. This style is often called “free jazz”, and its derivatives include loft jazz, modern creative and free funk. Musicians of this style include: Joe Harriott, Bongwater, Henri Texier (“Varech”), AMM (“Sedimantari”).

Creative appeared due to the widespread avant-garde and experimentalism of jazz forms. Such music is difficult to characterize in certain terms, since it is too multifaceted and combines many elements of previous movements. The first followers of this style include Lenny Tristano (“Line Up”), Gunter Schuller, Anthony Braxton, Andrew Cirilla (“The Big Time Stuff”).

Fusion combined elements of almost all musical movements existing at that time. Its most active development began in the 70s. Fusion is a systematic instrumental style characterized by complex time signatures, rhythm, elongated compositions and lack of vocals. This style is designed for a less broad masses than soul and is its complete opposite. At the head of this trend are Larry Corall and the band Eleventh, Tony Williams and Lifetime (“Bobby Truck Tricks”).

Acid jazz (groove jazz" or "club jazz") arose in Great Britain in the late 80s (heyday 1990 - 1995) and combined funk of the 70s, hip-hop and dance music 90s. The emergence of this style was dictated by the widespread use of jazz-funk samples. The founder is considered to be DJ Giles Peterson. Performers in this direction include Melvin Sparks (“Dig Dis”), RAD, Smoke City (“Flying Away”), Incognito and Brand New Heavies.

Post-bop began to develop in the 50s and 60s and is similar in structure to hard bop. It is distinguished by the presence of elements of soul, funk and groove. Often, when characterizing this direction, they draw a parallel with blues rock. Hank Moblin, Horace Silver, Art Blakey (“Like Someone In Love”) and Lee Morgan (“Yesterday”), Wayne Shorter worked in this style.

Smooth jazz is a modern jazz style that arose from the fusion movement, but differs from it in the intentional polishing of its sound. A special feature of this area is the widespread use of power tools. Famous performers: Michael Franks, Chris Botti, Dee Dee Bridgewater (“All Of Me”, “God Bless The Child”), Larry Carlton (“Dont Give It Up”).

Jazz-manush (gypsy jazz) is a jazz movement specializing in guitar performance. Combines the guitar technique of the gypsy tribes of the Manush group and swing. The founders of this direction are the Ferre brothers and. The most famous performers: Andreas Oberg, Barthalo, Angelo Debarre, Bireli Largen (“Stella By Starlight”, “Fiso Place”, “Autumn Leaves”).


Jazz as a form musical art appeared in the USA at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries, incorporating the musical traditions of European settlers and African folklore melodic designs.

Characteristic improvisation, melodic polyrhythm and expressive performance became the hallmark of the first New Orleans jazz ensembles (jazz-bands) in the first decades of the last century.

Over time, jazz went through periods of development and formation, changing its rhythmic pattern and stylistic direction: from the improvisational style of ragtime, to the danceable orchestral swing and leisurely soft blues.

The period from the early 1920s to the 1940s saw the rise of jazz orchestras (big bands), which consisted of several orchestral sections of saxophones, trombones, trumpets and a rhythm section. The peak of big band popularity occurred in the mid-1930s. Music performed by the jazz orchestras of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman was heard on dance floors and on the radio.

Rich orchestral sound, bright intonations and improvisation of great soloists Coleman Hawkins, Teddy Wilson, Benny Carter and others - created a recognizable and unique big band sound, which is a classic of jazz music.

In the 40-50s. of the last century, the time has come for modern jazz; such jazz styles, like furious bebop, lyrical cool jazz, soft west coast jazz, rhythmic hard bop, soulful soul jazz have captured the hearts of jazz music lovers.

In the mid-1960s, a new jazz direction appeared - jazz-rock, a peculiar combination of the energy inherent in rock music and jazz improvisation. Founders jazz style- Miles Davis, Larry Coryell, Billy Cobham are considered rock. In the 70s, jazz-rock became extremely popular. The use of the rhythmic pattern and harmony of rock music, shades of traditional oriental melodic and blues harmony, the use of electric instruments and synthesizers - over time led to the emergence of the term jazz fusion, emphasizing by its name the combination of several musical traditions and influences.

In the 70-80s, jazz music, while maintaining an emphasis on melody and improvisation, acquired features of pop music, funk, rhythm and blues (R&B) and crossover jazz, significantly expanding the audience of listeners and becoming commercially successful.

Modern jazz music, emphasizing clarity, melody and beauty of sound, is usually characterized as smooth jazz or contemporary jazz. The rhythmic and melodic lines of guitar and bass guitar, saxophone and trumpet, keyboard instruments, in the sound frame of synthesizers and samplers create a luxurious, easily recognizable colorful smooth jazz sound.

Despite the fact that smooth jazz and contemporary jazz both have a similar musical style, they are still different jazz styles. As a rule, it is stated that smooth jazz is “background” music, while contemporary jazz is more individual jazz style and requires the listener's close attention. Further development of smooth jazz led to the emergence of lyrical directions of modern jazz– adult contemporary and more rhythmic urban jazz with shades of R&B, funk, hip-hop.

In addition, the emerging trend towards combining smooth jazz and electronic sound has led to the emergence of such popular trends in modern music as nu jazz, as well as lounge, chill and lo-fi.

Jazz is a music direction that arose in late XIX- early 20th century in the USA. The characteristic features of jazz are improvisation, polyrhythm based on syncopated rhythms, and a unique set of techniques for performing rhythmic texture - swing.

Jazz is a type of music that arose from the blues and spirituals of African-Americans, as well as African folk rhythms, enriched with elements of European harmony and melody. The defining features of jazz are:
-sharp and flexible rhythm, based on the principle of syncopation;
-wide use of percussion instruments;
-highly developed improvisational ability;
- an expressive manner of performance, characterized by great expression, dynamic and sound tension, reaching the point of ecstasy.

Origin of the name jazz

The origin of the name is not completely clear. Its modern spelling - jazz - was established in the 1920s. Before this, other options were known: chas, jasm, gism, jas, jass, jaz. There are many versions of the origin of the word “jazz”, including the following:
- from the French jaser (to chat, to speak quickly);
- from the English chase (chase, pursue);
- from the African jaiza (the name of a certain type of drum sound);
- from Arabic jazib (seducer); from the names of legendary jazz musicians - chas (from Charles), jas (from Jasper);
- from the onomatopoeia jass, imitating the sound of African copper cymbals, etc.

There is reason to believe that the word "jazz" was used as early as the mid-19th century as a name for an ecstatic, encouraging cry among blacks. According to some sources, in the 1880s it was in use among New Orleans Creoles, who used it to mean “to speed up,” “to make quicker,” in reference to fast, syncopated music.

According to M. Stearns, in the 1910s this word was used in Chicago and had “not quite a decent meaning.” The word jazz appeared in print for the first time in 1913 (in one of the San Francisco newspapers). In 1915, it became part of the name of T. Brown's jazz orchestra - TORN BROWN'S DIXIELAND JASS BAND, which performed in Chicago, and in 1917 it appeared on a gramophone record recorded by the famous New Orleans orchestra ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ (JASS) BAND.

Jazz styles

Archaic jazz (early jazz, early jazz, German archaischer jazz)
Archaic jazz is a collection of the oldest, traditional types jazz, created by small ensembles in the process of collective improvisation on themes of blues, ragtime, as well as European songs and dances.

Blues (blues, from English blue devils)
Blues is a type of black folk song whose melody is based on a clear 12-bar pattern.
The blues sing about deceived love, about need, and the blues are characterized by a self-pitying attitude. At the same time, blues lyrics are imbued with stoicism, gentle mockery and humor.
IN jazz music The blues developed as an instrumental dance piece.

Boogie-woogie (boogie-woogie)
Boogie-woogie is a piano blues style characterized by a repeating bass figure that defines the rhythmic and melodic possibilities of improvisation.

Gospels (from the English Gospel - Gospel)
Gospel music is the religious tunes of North American blacks with lyrics based on the New Testament.

Ragtime
Ragtime is piano music based on the “beating” of two non-coinciding rhythmic lines:
-as if torn (sharply syncopated) melody;
- clear accompaniment, sustained in the style of a rapid step.

Soul
Soul is black music associated with the blues tradition.
Soul is a style of vocal black music that arose after the Second World War on the basis of rhythm and blues and gospel traditions.

Soul-jazz
Soul jazz is a type of hard bop, which is characterized by an orientation towards the traditions of the blues and African-American folklore.
Spiritual
Spiritual - archaic spiritual genre choral singing of North American blacks; religious tunes with lyrics based on the Old Testament.

Street-cry
Street edge - archaic folk genre; a type of urban solo work song of street peddlers, represented by many varieties.

Dixieland, dixie (dixieland, dixie)
Dixieland is a modernized New Orleans style characterized by collective improvisation.
Dixieland is a jazz group of (white) musicians who adopted the style of performing black jazz.

Zong (from English song - song)
Zong - in B. Brecht's theater - a ballad performed in the form of an interlude or an author's (parody) commentary of a grotesque nature with a plebeian vagabond theme, close to a jazz rhythm.

Improvisation
Improvisation - in music - is the art of spontaneously creating or interpreting music.

Cadenza (Italian cadenza, from Latin Cado - ending)
Cadenza is a free improvisation of a virtuoso nature, performed in an instrumental concert for a soloist and orchestra. Sometimes cadenzas were composed by composers, but often they were left to the discretion of the performer.

Scat
Scat - in jazz - a type of vocal improvisation in which the voice is equated to an instrument.
Scat - instrumental singing - a technique of syllabic (textless) singing, based on the articulation of unrelated syllables or sound combinations.

Hot
Hot - in jazz - a characteristic of a musician performing improvisation with maximum energy.

New Orleans style of jazz
New Orleans style of jazz is music characterized by a clear two-beat rhythm; the presence of three independent melodic lines, which are performed simultaneously on the cornet (trumpet), trombone and clarinet, accompanied by a rhythmic group: piano, banjo or guitar, double bass or tuba.
In the works of New Orleans jazz, the main musical theme is repeated many times in various variations.

Sound
Sound is a stylistic category of jazz that characterizes the individual sound quality of an instrument or voice.
The sound is determined by the method of sound production, the type of sound attack, the manner of intonation and the interpretation of timbre; sound is an individualized form of manifestation of the sound ideal in jazz.

Swing, classic swing (swing; classic swing)
Swing is jazz, arranged for expanded pop and dance orchestras (big bands).
Swing is characterized by a roll call of three groups of wind instruments: saxophones, trumpets and trombones, creating the effect of rhythmic swing. Swing performers refuse collective improvisation; musicians accompany the soloist’s improvisation with a pre-written accompaniment.
Swing reached its peak in 1938-1942.

Sweet
Sweet is a characteristic of entertaining and dance commercial music of a sentimental, melodious and lyrical nature, as well as related forms of commercialized jazz and “jazzed” popular music.

Symphonic jazz
Symphonic jazz is a jazz style that combines the features of symphonic music with elements of jazz.

Modern jazz
Modern jazz is a set of styles and trends of jazz that have emerged since the late 1930s after the end of the classical style period and the “swing era.”

Afro-Cuban jazz (German: afrokubanischer jazz)
Afro-Cuban jazz is a style of jazz that developed towards the end of the 1940s from the combination of bebop elements with Cuban rhythms.

Bebop, bop (bebop; bop)
Bebop is the first style of modern jazz that emerged in the early 1930s.
Bebop is a direction of black jazz of small ensembles, which is characterized by:
-free solo improvisation based on a complex sequence of chords;
-use of instrumental singing;
-modernization of old hot jazz;
-a spasmodic, unstable melody with broken syllables and a feverishly nervous rhythm.

Combo
Combo is a small modern jazz orchestra in which all instruments are soloists.

Cool jazz (cool jazz; cool jazz)
Cool jazz is a style of modern jazz that emerged in the early 50s, updating and complicating the harmony of bop;
Polyphony is widely used in cool jazz.

Progressive
Progressive is a style direction in jazz that arose in the early 1940s based on the traditions of classical swing and bop, associated with the practice of big bands and large symphonic orchestras. Widely using Latin American melodies and rhythms.

Free jazz
Free jazz is a style of modern jazz associated with radical experiments in the field of harmony, form, rhythm and improvisation techniques.
Free jazz is characterized by:
-free individual and group improvisation;
-use of polymetry and polyrhythm, polytonality and atonality, serial and dodecaphonic technique, free forms, modal technique, etc.

Hard bob
Hard bop is a style of jazz that evolved from bebop in the early 1950s. Hard bop is different:
- gloomy, rough coloring;
-expressive, rigid rhythm;
-strengthening blues elements in harmony.

Chicago style of jazz (chicago-still)
Chicago style of jazz - a variant of New Orleans jazz style, which is characterized by:
-more strict compositional organization;
-strengthening solo improvisation (virtuoso episodes performed by various instruments).

Variety orchestra
A pop orchestra is a type of jazz orchestra;
instrumental ensemble performing entertainment and dance music and pieces from the jazz repertoire,
accompanying performers popular songs and other masters of the pop genre.
Typically, a pop orchestra includes a group of reed and brass instruments, piano, guitar, double bass and a set of drums.

Historical background on jazz

It is believed that Jazz, as an independent movement, arose in New Orleans between 1900 and 1917. A well-known legend says that from New Orleans, jazz spread along the Mississippi to Memphis, St. Louis and finally to Chicago. The validity of this legend has recently been questioned by a number of jazz historians, and today it is believed that jazz originated in the black subculture simultaneously in different places in America, primarily in New York, Kansas City, Chicago and St. Louis. And yet the old legend, apparently, is not far from the truth.

Firstly, it is supported by the testimonies of old musicians who lived during the period when jazz reached the boundaries of the black ghettos. All of them confirm that New Orleans musicians played very special music, which other performers readily copied. The fact that New Orleans is the cradle of jazz is also confirmed by recordings. Jazz records recorded before 1924 were made by musicians from New Orleans.

The classical period of jazz lasted from 1890 to 1929 and ended with the beginning of the “swing era.” Classical jazz usually includes: New Orleans style (represented by Negro and Creole styles), New Orleans-Chicago style (which arose in Chicago after 1917 in connection with the move here of most of the leading Negro jazzmen of New Orleans), Dixieland (in its New Orleans and Chicago varieties ), a number of varieties of piano jazz (barrel house, boogie-woogie, etc.), as well as styles of jazz related to the same period that arose in some other cities in the South and Midwest of the United States. Classical jazz, together with certain archaic stylistic forms, is sometimes referred to as traditional jazz.

Jazz in Russia

The first jazz orchestra in Soviet Russia was created in Moscow in 1922 by a poet, translator, dancer, theatrical figure Valentin Parnakh and was called “The first eccentric orchestra of jazz bands of Valentin Parnakh in the RSFSR.” The birthday of Russian jazz is traditionally considered to be October 1, 1922, when the first concert of this group took place.

The attitude of the Soviet authorities towards jazz was ambiguous. At first, domestic jazz performers were not banned, but harsh criticism of jazz and Western culture. In the late 40s, during the fight against cosmopolitanism, jazz groups performing “Western” music were persecuted. With the onset of the Thaw, repressions against musicians ceased, but criticism continued.

The first book about jazz in the USSR was published by the Leningrad publishing house Academia in 1926. It was compiled by musicologist Semyon Ginzburg from translations of articles by Western composers and music critics, as well as his own materials, and was called “Jazz Band and contemporary music“The next book about jazz was published in the USSR only in the early 1960s. It was written by Valery Mysovsky and Vladimir Feiertag, called “Jazz” and was essentially a compilation of information that could be obtained from various sources while. In 2001, the St. Petersburg publishing house “Skifia” published the encyclopedia “Jazz. XX century Encyclopedic reference book." The book was prepared by the authoritative jazz critic Vladimir Feyertag.