Be Bop

Bop, ReBop

Major Change From Swing

Swing Fans Usually Hated Bop

Jazz Forever Changed With Bop

Today, Musicians are Judged on their Bop Skills

Bop

Developed during the early 1940s, recorded in 1945 (recording ban)

Developed at After Hours Jam Sessions at Clubs Like Minton’s

Reaction Against the Commercialization of Swing

Bop Characteristics

Small Combo Instead of Big Band (Sax, Trumpet, Rhythm Section)

Arrangements Not Important

Solo Improvisation Most Important

Faster Tempos

More Chords (Harmonies)

Bop Characteristics

Altered existing Chords

Substituted Chords

Rapid, Angular Melodies (sudden direction changes)

Basie Comping Style was the Norm

Drummers more “Time” to Ride Cymbal

Flatted 5th became Accepted, even Hip

Bop Characteristics

New Repertoire (Group of Songs)

Used Form of Popular Jam Session Songs, Wrote new melodies Over the Chords

Typical Bop Format

Introduction

Melody Played in Unison

Each Member Solos Over the Form of the Song (Blues, AABA)

Melody Played in Unison

Ending “Shaw “Nuff”

Beatnik/Hipster

Boppers were the Model For the Literary Beat Generation (Ginsberg, Keroac)

Beret, Sun Glasses (at night), Soul Patch, Jive Talk, The Essence of “Cool”(not to be confused with cool jazz)

Boppers in Front of Minton’s

Charlie “Bird” Parker

1920-1955, Fast Living, Substance Abuse

One of the Most Brilliant Jazz Musicians, in the Top 5

Rivals Armstrong as the Most Important

Developed New Methods of Note Selection

Alto Sax, Composer

Bird

Bird

Developed New Chord Substitutions

Developed New Methods of Syncopating Melodic Line

Hot House

”Shaw’Nuff”

Ballads (Slow Songs) Moved Quickly

Ballad comparison

Fast Blues

Bird at Club

Dizzy Gillespie

1917-1993, Respected Elder Statesman

Unrivaled Trumpet Virtuosity

Composer

Afro-Cuban Influences

“Shaw’Nuff”

Comedic Scat Singing

He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped

Young Diz

Diz & Ella

Elder Diz

Sesame Street Regular

Muppets

Thelonious Monk

Pianist/Composer

“High Priest of BeBop”

Unorthodox, Atypical Piano Style

Angular Melodies

Dissonant Chords/Altered Chords

“Misterioso”

Monk

Fondness for Hats

Monk in Hat

Monk in Sunglasses

Monk On Time

Bud Powell

Pianist, model for the next generation

Typical Bop Piano Style:

• Comping Chords in Syncopated Places

• Fast, Single Line Melodies in Right Hand

Bud Powell

BeBop Singers

Vocalese: Writing Words (usually rapid), to Improvised Solo

King Pleasure “Parker’s Mood”

“Parker’s Mood”

Moody’s Mood: Benson

Moody’s Moon: Winehouse

Bebop Singers

Scat Singers: Improvise using Vocables

Louis Armstrong first recorded scat singer

Ella Fitzgerald best known female scat singer: How High the Moon

Mel Torme scats a Tribute to Ella