Combo Most
The History And Characteristics Of The Jazz Combo
Jazz is an American art form whose roots date back to the mid-19th century slave songs and chants. The early 20th century saw the art form blossom as instrumental music in the southern United States, mainly along the Mississippi river and specifically New Orleans, Louisiana.
Early instrumental jazz combos of New Orleans varied in instrumentation. More often than not, these early jazz groups generally consisted of trumpet, clarinet, trombone, tuba and drums. This instrumentation became what is known as the “dixieland” combo, making its way up the Mississippi river to Chicago where the music became popularized by jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong.
Dixieland combos can be thought of as groups that play “polyphonic” improvisational music. Each instrument is independent of every other instrument, with each player creating separate musical improvisations based on known melodies, or “tunes” of the day.
The players of these early jazz combos each had a separate role within the group. The trumpet player was depended upon to state the melody of the song, while the clarinet would improvise complex lines above him. The trombonists role was to improvise or “fill in” the middle register with lines and notes that were essential to the chord changes of the song itself. The tuba player (or bass player) generally laid down root notes (and 5ths) of each chord on beats 1 and 3 of each measure. The tuba served as the harmonic anchor for the group. Lastly, it was the drummers role to keep everyone together by keeping a steady beat throughout the entirety of the song.
As jazz music developed throughout the 1940s and 1950s, jazz combo instrumentation began to become more standardized. The jazz “quintet” and “sextet” became very popular during this time. The quintet consisted of trumpet and alto (or tenor) sax as the main melodic instruments while the rhythm section (piano, bass and drums) took care of rhythm and harmony.
The sextet added a trombone to form what essentially was a three horn front line, with rhythm section accompaniment. The extra melodic instrument of the sextet made it possible for the horns to add more harmonic depth to the sound of the group. Each instrument had a role not only as a melodic voice, but also as an integral component of the harmonic structure as well.
Modern jazz combos consist of a variety of instrumentation – 4, 5 horn combos are common place. As the group grows in size however, the name “combo” is replaced by “band” or “little big band”.
The jazz combo has provided a musical and creative outlet for countless musicians over the last 100 years. The jazz combo continues to provide jazz musicians the opportunity to work together to make music not only as a group but also to develop their own voice as individual jazz improvisers. It is, and probably always will be, the perfect vehicle for learning the art of jazz improvisation.
About the Author
Get original jazz combo and big band music by top writers for less than $20 by visiting PDF Jazz Music
License to Combo – Most Intense Stick Combo’s to Date!
|
|
Hoover Platinum Lightweight Upright Vacuum with Canister, Bagged, UH30010COM $299.99 The Hoover Platinum Lightweight Upright removes more dirt in one pass than other uprights. The lightweight design (less than 12 lbs) is easy to maneuver and transport upstairs or from room to room. With direct air flow technology and Hoover’s patented Windtunnel Technology, it makes it easy to remove even hidden dirt. The HEPA filter bag traps 99.97% of dirt, dust, and pollens for better indoor a… |
|
|
Coffee People Variety Pack 22-Count K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 2) $29.95 Coffee People Variety K-Cups. Coffee Peopleâ?TMs roots in Oregon can be traced to the Saturday Market in Eugene Oregon. Small amounts of specialty grade coffee were roasted and offered it for sale at the Saturday Market. The first Coffee People Coffeehouse was opened in 1983 on NW 23 Street in Portland…. |
|
|
High Back Leather Executive Chair $375.00 Boss Seating Montand collection high back chair is beautifully upholstered in black LeatherPlus, leather that is polyurethane infused for added softness and durability.Executive chair features ergonomic back design with lumbar support, waterfall seat design, upright locking position, adjustable tilt tension, and instant lift adjustable seat height.Ships ready to assemble…. |
|
|
MAGLITE 3-D Cell LED Flashlight $42.30 … |
|
|
Peerless 4-Spray/Massage Two-In-One Shower System … |
|
|
Leatherman 830039 New Wave Multitool with Leather/Nylon Combination Sheath $93.00 The New Wave multitool from Leatherman features improved pliers and wire cutters, externally locking knives, a file, and a saw. All the internal tools are positive locking and include scissors, flat 1/4-inch bit driver with Phillips head, flat screwdrivers, can opener, reversible eyeglass screwdriver and wire Stripper. Comes with handy leather sheath. Made in USA with Domestic and foreign parts…. |
|
|
Let Me In [Blu-ray] $10.38 Let Me In blends the innocent face of Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass) with the darkness of vampirism. A young boy named Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Road) has troubles at home (his parents are divorcing) and at school (bullies pick on him mercilessly). But when a mysterious girl named Abby (Moretz) moves in next door, Owen hopes he’s found a friend, even though she smells a little strange. Unfortunat… |
|
|
Get Low [Blu-ray] $21.14 Comedies about death aren’t exactly a novel proposition, but Get Low, which draws from a real 1930s incident, leaves the gallows humor behind for a lighter touch. After losing the love of his life 40 year before, Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) has lived like a hermit ever since. With death on the horizon and guilt weighing him down, the “crazy ol’ nutter” decides to go out with a party. As he tells fu… |
|
|
LOVING SEX: More of What Women Want / More of What Men Want / Erotic Seduction Combo $13.26 Loving Sex – More of What Women Want ~ ADVANCED SEXUAL TECHNIQUES From the Alexander Institute s Loving Sex series, ranked Best by Men s Health Magazine. Women describe their sexual likes and dislikes, how they want to be touched, and what is most important to them in bed and beyond. Discover the steps to being a great lover that will keep her satisfied every time. Sexy real life couples explicitl… |
|
|
Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser $46.00 Easier and more effective than string floss! Healthier gums in just 14 days guaranteed. Removes 99.9% of plaque from treated areas (see side panel for details). Up to 93% more effective than string floss at improving gum health (see side panel for details). Cleans deep between teeth and below the gumline. Six unique tips included. 10 pressure settings – optimum control. In-lid storage – keeps tips… |
