Jazz...the sound that put New Orleans on the map, musically speaking!!
It's a distinctive sound--not big band swing, with horns creating harmony. Nor is it modern jazz or "bebop," the post
World War II style that relies on speeding tempos and virtuosic soloing. And it's not "pop" music,
the form of music from the pre-rock 'n roll days.
New Orleans jazz is a style of music. Almost any song can be
"jazzed" up with a New Orleans beat. Jazz is music
for dancing, not listening, even though that is what modern
jazz became in the 1950s and beyond. New Orleans Jazz has a
swinging, stomping, syncopated beat that makes you want to
dance! It also has a simple melodic quality that sounds dated
to some today.
New Orleans Jazz is also heard in brass bands, the kind we hear
in our Mardi Gras street parades. They rely on wind instruments
and separate bass and snare drums, all of which can be carried.
The Traditional Jazz Band
The front line:
- Cornet--carries the melody (later replaced by trumpet)
- Clarinet--harmonizes above the melody
- Trombone--punctuates the melody from below
The rhythm section:
- Drums--keeps a steady beat
- Bass--holds the sound together
- Guitar--provides chord structure
- (later replaced by banjo and/or piano)
What sets jazz apart from the music that preceded it is the
way the musicians improvised--it was a vehicle for personal
expression for both the musicians and the dancers.
In 1976, jazz historian Al Rose wrote a definition of
New Orleans-style jazz which was eventually adopted by the
city government. It reads: "Jazz is two or more musical
voices improvising collectively in two-four or four-four
time on any known melody and 'syncopating.' "
The Louisiana State Museum at the Old U.S. Mint gives us this
definition: "New Orleans jazz is a performance art based on the
musical elements of syncopation, improvisation, blues scale,
call-and-response, rhythm, tone color, harmony and interpretation."
Jazz Fest info |
Interview with Pete Fountain | Authentic New Orleans Jazz!
Gray
Line's jazz/dinner tour
